The wildlife of Montparnasse and Cherche-Midi

Starting point and access: Paris-Montparnasse station.
- Metro - Lines 4, 6, 12, 13, Montparnasse-Bienvenüe station. Take exit 1 Porte Océane.
- Transilien - Line N. Take the main exit, Porte Océane.
- Bus - Lines 28, 39, 58, 59, 82, 89, 91, 92, 94, 95, 96.

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

(S/E) When leaving the station, turn left. At the traffic lights, cross Boulevard de Vaugirard in two stages and follow it to the left. Take the first right, Rue Armand Moisan. On the pediment of No. 3, there are two caduceus symbols with two snakes and, above, a clock on a mosaic background. At the crossroads, take the second right, Rue Falguière. At the next traffic lights, cross Rue de Vaugirard and take Rue du Cherche-Midi.

(1) At the traffic lights, cross Boulevard du Montparnasse and follow it to the left (bar-restaurant with a dog sign). Note the bas-relief above the gate at No. 15 depicting a scene of seduction. Cross Rue de Sèvres and continue along Boulevard des Invalides. Walk back and forth along Avenue Daniel Lesueur, then Avenue Constant Coquelin (buildings from the 1910s with plant decorations; at the gate of No. 10 Avenue Coquelin, medallions with mother and child and, in the background, an old fountain). Continue along Boulevard des Invalides and walk past the headquarters of the Ministry of Overseas Territories on your right.

(2) Turn right onto Rue Oudinot. At No. 22, Hôtel Brongniart, built in 1781, each of the two gates is topped with a large fox (or wolf?) head. Take the first left, Rue Monsieur. At No. 21, there are two windows, each framed by two eagles; several mansions dating from the 1780s. At the end, turn right onto Rue de Babylone. Take the first right, Rue Vaneau. At No. 56, there is a lion's head above the gate and a gazelle on the window grille to the left of it.

(3) Then turn left into Impasse Oudinot. Pass through a metal gate on the right-hand side and go through a sort of tunnel under a building. On the other side, turn left and enter the Jardin Catherine Labouré. Take your time to explore the garden, which has two parts: the northern part leads to Rue de Babylone and the southern part adjoins the Chapelle Laennec. Retrace your steps and go back through the tunnel and the cul-de-sac.

(3) Continue along Rue Vaneau (Art Nouveau buildings at nos. 72 and 78) and you will come to Rue de Sèvres (building with bow windows on the other side to the right).

(4) Follow the street to the left and immediately reach, at no. 42, the Fontaine du Fellah, a neo-Egyptian style monument erected in 1806, with an eagle above and a lion's head at the base. Retrace your steps.

(4) Continue along Rue de Sèvres and cross it immediately at the second set of traffic lights to take Rue Saint-Romain. Opposite No. 11, there is a large, richly decorated gate: two caduceus symbols with two snakes on each side; a figure on the left wearing alion's head; two lion heads above. Return to Rue du Cherche-Midi (opposite, at No. 95, Hôtel Chambon, dating from 1805) and follow it to the left. Take the first right, Rue Jean Ferrandi (at No. 3, mascarons and lion heads on the balcony consoles).

(5) At the traffic lights, cross Rue de Vaugirard and continue along Rue Blaise Desgoffe. Turn left with the street and pass by the former Félix Potin company stores, built in Art Nouveau style and dating from 1904. You will come out onto Rue de Rennes (with the Montparnasse Tower in the distance on your right) and follow it to the left until the next traffic lights.

(6) Take the first left, Rue de Vaugirard. Then turn right onto Rue de l'Abbé Grégoire. At No. 33, at the top, there are mascarons and two atalantes plus a caryatid. Take the second left, Rue Régis. At the end, turn right. You will come out onto Rue du Cherche-Midi. Follow it to the right, with the bell tower of the Church of Saint-Germain-des-Prés in your line of sight. At the traffic lights (sundial on the left), turn right onto Rue Saint-Placide. Note the lion heads on the doorways at numbers 33, 43 and 45, the medallions at numbers 42-44 and the mascarons at number 48.

(6) At the crossroads, cross Rue de Rennes and turn into Rue Notre-Dame des Champs, which is roughly opposite. Take the first left, Rue de Fleurus. At the traffic lights (with a sculpture allegory opposite on the left), follow Boulevard Raspail on the right and continue straight ahead. Just before the crossroads, turn right into Rue Vavin. At the end, turn left onto Boulevard du Montparnasse.

(7) Shortly afterwards, cross the boulevard at the pedestrian crossing, then turn right into Rue Delambre. At No. 4, a fishmonger's shop has a richly decorated façade with stained glass and earthenware: lamprey, lobster, sturgeon, various fish... At No. 13, there are mascarons and lion heads.

(8) At the end, cross Boulevard Edgar Quinet in two stages (Fontaine Wallace) and continue opposite on Rue de la Gaité. Take the first right, Rue du Maine. This leads to Avenue du Maine, which you follow to the right. After about 50 metres, cross at the traffic lights and you will reach the forecourt of Montparnasse station (S/E).

Good trainers are sufficient for this urban route.

There are numerous bars, restaurants and shops along the route.

Opening hours for gardens and public places:
Catherine Labouré Garden
- Opening hours: 8:00 a.m. on weekdays; 9:00 a.m. on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.
- Closing time: 5:45 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 28 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.