The wildlife of Monceau and Faubourg Saint-Honoré

Starting point and access: Pont Cardinet station.
- Metro - Line 14.
- Transilien - Lines J and L, on the section between Paris-Saint-Lazare and Asnières-sur-Seine.
In both cases, take the Boulevard Pereire exit, on the right after the gates.

The main animal representations and key features to observe are indicated in italics in the body of the description.

(S) When leaving the station, cross Boulevard Pereire and follow it to the right. After about 200 metres, take the first left, Rue de Saussure. Take the first right, Rue des Fermiers. At the end, turn left, cross Rue Jouffroy d'Abbans and follow it to the left for about 30 metres. Then climb the stairs on the right and go straight ahead into Passage Cardinet. At the end, turn left into Rue Cardinet.

(1) At the crossroads, rejoin Rue de Saussure and follow it to the right. Walk along a small square on your left, then turn left to cross and continue along Rue de Saussure (notethe beautiful façade of the building at no. 49-51). Cross Rue Legendre and continue straight ahead. Take the next right, Rue Lebouteux. At the gate of No. 8, note the two roosters and two lion heads. At the end, follow Rue de Lévis to the left for about ten metres.

(2) Then turn right onto Rue de la Terrasse. Walk to the end of the street and back, passing the villa of the same name. Stay on Rue de la Terrasse and cross Rue de Tocqueville and Avenue de Villiers. At the end, follow Boulevard Malesherbes to the left (notethe goat's head on the gate at no. 96).

At the traffic lights, turn right to cross Boulevard Malesherbes, then left to cross Boulevard de Courcelles. Continue along Boulevard Malesherbes (lion's head on the gate at No. 90). Opposite No. 88, turn right and go through a large gate decorated with several lion's heads. Walk past the Cernuschi Museum and note the lion's heads above and, at the foot of the building, two animal statues in Asian style (a dragon and a pig?).

(3) Enter Parc Monceau, cross an alley and continue straight ahead for about 50 metres. Then turn right and pass under a stone arch. At a fork (statue on the right), turn right twice, leave a rotunda with columns on your right and walk along a pond on your right (beautiful plane trees). Return to the main path, follow it to the right and immediately turn right onto a stone bridge.

On the other side, at a crossroads, go straight ahead and pass by the statue of Guy de Maupassant. Then turn left and join a wide path (round building and lion's head gates on the right). Turn left, cross a perpendicular path and continue straight ahead to the park exit.

(4) Follow Avenue Ruysdaël and note, on the left-hand side, a large mascaron above a gate, two dragons above another gate, animal-shaped figurines and a frieze with fish-like creatures. Go around Place de Rio de Janeiro on the right to take the pedestrian crossings and continue on the other side along Avenue de Messine. Take the first right, Rue de Messine (some beautiful Art Nouveau buildings). At the end, follow Rue du Docteur Lancereaux to the right until it ends. Turn left and you will immediately come to a traffic light.

(5) Turn right, cross Rue de Courcelles and walk along Boulevard Haussmann (several lion heads above). Cross Rue de Monceau on the right-hand side and take the next right, Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré. Immediately turn right into Rue Laure Diepold. After a few dozen metres, turn left into Jardin Tereska Torrès-Levin.

Walk around the garden to exit on the other side. Then follow the street to the left. At the end, you will find Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré; follow it to the left. Shortly afterwards, turn left along a small square decorated with a sculpture, then left again into Rue Berryer (gateway to the Hôtel Salomon de Rotschild).

(6) At the traffic lights, turn right onto Avenue de Friedland. Walk past the statue of Honoré de Balzac. Immediately afterwards, cross Avenue de Friedland at the traffic lights (chapel opposite on the left). Turn right and walk past the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (above the gate, a caduceus with two snakes behind the coat of arms of the city of Paris).

Then take the first left onto Rue Balzac and continue straight ahead. At No. 3, note the two ram's heads framing a window. Walk down the street and, at the end, cross Avenue des Champs Élysées at the pedestrian crossing on the right-hand side.

(7) Turn left and walk down the avenue. Cross Avenue Georges V and note the lion heads on the gates or high up on the façades of numbers 97 to 93. Continue straight ahead and cross Rue Quantin Bauchart, Rue Lincoln and Rue Pierre Charon in succession.

(8) Take the next right, Rue Marbeuf. At No. 40, there is an Alsatian shop with bears in the window. Lion heads at No. 39 and No. 30. Walk to the end of Rue Robert Estienne (dead end) and back. Continue along Rue Marbeuf and cross Rue François Ier. At No. 18 and No. 14bis, small lion heads in the ironwork of the balconies. Turn right onto Rue Clément Marot (lion head on the corner). Note the numerous mascarons on the façade of No. 21. At the end, turn left (lion head at No. 46) and cross Avenue Georges V.

(9) Optionally, continue along Rue Pierre Ier de Serbie (lion heads and dragons at No. 40, lion head at No. 36). Immediately on the left, the cul-de-sac reveals the rear (blackened) of the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity. Retrace your steps.

(9) Follow Avenue Georges V to the right and pass in front of the cathedral entrance. Continue straight ahead to No. 9, headquarters of the Federation of Chambers of Agriculture (gate decorated with lion heads holding snakes in their mouths). Then turn left and cross Avenue Georges V at the pedestrian crossing. On the other side, first turn left then right onto Rue de la Trémoille.

(10) At the crossroads, turn right into Rue du Boccador. Take the first left, Rue Chambiges (on the right-hand side, bow windows and small lion heads in the ironwork). At the end, you will come to Rue Clément Marot and follow it to the right. You will come out onto Avenue Montaigne and follow it to the right (Art Nouveau hotel on the right-hand side). Walk past the Théâtre des Champs Élysées, decorated with Art Deco bas-reliefs. Continue straight ahead and you will soon reach the Alma-Marceau metro station (E).

To return home:
- Metro - Line 9.
- RER - Line C (cross the Seine via the Pont de l'Alma bridge; the station is then on the right).
- Bus - Lines 42, 63, 72, 80, 92.

Train timetables: consult the Transilien website.

Good trainers are sufficient for this urban route.

Numerous bars, restaurants and shops along the route. Water fountain and public toilets in Parc Monceau.

Public garden opening hours:
Parc Monceau
- Opening time: 7:00 a.m.
- Closing time: 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. depending on the season (see detailed opening hours).
Jardin Tereska Torrès-Levin:
- Opening: 8:00 a.m. on weekdays; 9:00 a.m. on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.
- Closing time: 5:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. depending on the season (see detailed opening hours).

Useful detailed map (at least the one accompanying this description).

Hike completed by the author on 14 December 2025.

The main animal representations and notable places are mentioned in the description itself, without claiming to be exhaustive.

Visits to churches are free during the day, but visitors should refrain from visiting during services.