Hotel Residence des Arts

To wander through the twisting narrow streets of this fascinating old Quartier is to discover the soul of Paris : here, a plaque on a facade is a reminder of a famous personage ; there, a marker recalls an event from the distant past ; or yet again, at a street corner, a plaque stands as a memorial to a young Parisian who gave his life for the liberation of this city beloved by so many throughout the ages.

A story has it that one February day in 1596 our good King Henry IV passed in front of what is now La Résidence after a rendezvous with his mistress, Gabrielle d'Estrée. Still musing on this gallant encounter and the lady's charms, he is said to have remarked to a companion, "Ici gît mon coeur" ("Here lies my heart").