Paris and its region
The heart of the 13th arrondissement
Take advantage of your stay at the Hotel Magendie to discover the 13th arrondissement of Paris, a former working-class district on the left bank of Paris once dotted with many remarkable sites such as the tanneries and the ice-houses of Paris. The district is located along the river Bièvre, which has since been channelled in response to the strong urbanization that has shaped the city of lights in the last century.
You can discover the charm of the iconic Gobelins Manufactory, a tapestry manufactory founded in 1601 by Henri IV, which also houses the Mobilier National. Along the avenue des Gobelins you will come across the Galerie des Gobelins, with its typical early-20th century architecture. From its construction in 1662 by Colbert, this gallery has been intended for the exhibition of the Mobilier National's furniture collections and the creations of the manufactories. After its closure from 1694 to 1699, it was reopened by Jules-Hardouin Mansart. The building, built by Jean-Camille Formigé from 1910 to 1913, replaced the old Gobelins museum, which was partly burned down during the Commune (1871). Today, the gallery presents temporary exhibitions of ancient and contemporary art linked to the collections of the Mobilier National and French state-run manufactures.
Not far from there, the National Library of France houses a large collection of manuscripts and books published from the Middle Ages to the present day. The National Library of France, heir to the royal collections established since the end of the Middle Ages, is in a way the guardian of all knowledge in the world. On the François-Mitterrand site, a building whose four angular towers symbolically appear as four open books overlooking the banks of Paris's 13th arrondissement, more than 15 million books and prints are preserved. At this site, which was born from the need to expand and modernize the institution, the National Library hosts an ambitious cultural season (temporary exhibitions, conferences, readings, concerts).
After a busy day, take some time to treat yourself and dine in one of the many typical taverns located in the immediate vicinity of our hotel, such as l'Alouette, l'Hydrophobe or le Petit Marguery - Rive Gauche, or walk the famous Rue Mouffetard, dotted with a multitude of cafes and traditional restaurants. From our location near the Asian district, you can also appreciate the cultural diversity which animates the capital or the tranquillity of the Butte aux Cailles and its appearance of a village perched on old limestone quarries.
Of course, Paris does not end at the edge of the 13th arrondissement but conceals many other curiosities.
Take your time to discover our capital's essential sights to see...
- The Eiffel Tower and the Champ de Mars.
The Montmartre hill and the Sacré-Coeur.
Montmartre is a district with authentic charm, famous for the Sacré-Coeur basilica and its magnificent view over Paris. The top of the hill can be reached by taking the funicular, at the price of a metro ticket. The more athletic can climb the 222 steps across the Square Louise Michel. After the essential visit to the basilica, visitors set off for a stroll through history on the Montmartre hill: the Place du Tertre and its famous cartoonists, the Espace Dalí, the vineyards of Montmartre, the Lapin Agile cabaret, the Montmartre museum…
The city of lights houses many other essential monuments to visit….
- The Montparnasse Tower and its panoramic terrace.
- The Louvre and Orsay museums, the exhibitions at the Palais de la Découverte, the Grand Palais and the Georges Pompidou centre.
- The Champs-Élysées.
- Parks and gardens: the Buttes-Chaumont park, the Luxembourg gardens, the Jardin des Plantes
- The Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris