Tucked away in the Marais, this little museum is housed within 2 mansions but somehow manages to span life in Paris all the way from prehistory to the present day. The buildings have a kind of faded elegance and their contents is fascinating but best of all is the courtyard which is a sun-trap and, compared to the rest of the tourist trail, tranquil.
23 Rue de Sévigné. 75003 Paris. Tel, 42 72 21 13. Neareast stations are Saint-Paul and Chatelet Les Halles
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