Walking around the Pantheon in Paris

On the trail of Paris’s patron saint, France’s great men, and a whole lot of fish.

From pkace Maubert (where there’s a busy food market on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday mornings), climb rue de la Montagne Sainte-Geneviève to the church of Saint-Etienne du Mont (1). Inside stands the tomb of Sainte Geneviève, patron saint of Paris, surrounded by plaques giving thanks for her help. Through the tomb’s ornate bronzework you can see a much earlier stone tomb that dates back to the 5^th century when Geneviève lived. Back outside, the huge domed Panthéon (2) was meant to be a church but instead became a mausoleum for great heroes of France. Go down into the crypt where they are buried. Children might recognize a few names, such as writers Victor Hugo and Alexandre Dumas and scientist Marie Curie. Another curiosity located here is Foucault’s pendulum, which in 1851 demonstrated the rotation of the Earth. Then walk down rue Soufflot. Crêpes à Gogo (3, 12 rue Soufflot) offers a friendly welcome as well as good pancakes and salads. Head south on rue Saint-Jacques – which was once the main road through Roman Paris. Let kids ogle the fish at the Centre de la Mer (4, 195 rue Saint-Jacques) in the Institut Oceanographique. The small scale is ideal for young children, with tanks of tropical fish and an exhibition about life in the sea (ask at the entrance for the English translation). Continue up rue Saint-Jacques and turn left onto rue des Ursulines. The Studio des Ursulines (5, 10 rue des Ursulines) is the only movie theater in Paris totally dedicated to children’s film; a few are screened in English.

Metro Station : Maubert-Mutualité (Line 10)