Art and delicatessens in Madeleine

The Madeleine neighbourhood is very easy to find: it takes its name from the huge church dominating rue Royale. The church offers regular services, and is well-known for the major funerals it regularly welcomes: one of the latest was for the great Yves-Saint-Laurent. It's also home to classical concerts.

At right hand if you look at the church, you'll find the Kiosque Theatre: this booth is convenient for last-minute half-price theatre tickets. It opens at noon for the performances of the day. The Pinacothèque, at n°28, welcomes temporary exhibitions: currently, an exhibition not to be missed : "L'âge d'or hollandais ", about Flemish painters, runs until the 7th February 2010.

But Madeleine is mainly famous for its delicatessens. The historical ones are the twin enemies Fauchon and Hédiard. Both are huge and luxurious. Fauchon has just opened a café - before bringing a speciality home, taste it on the premises! Hédiard is strong on teas and fresh exotic fruits. Numerous other shops have opened around: some are very recent but already successful, Lavinia - a department store entirely dedicated to wine, or the chocolate maker Castelane on rue Vignon.

Various restaurants welcome you too: Caviar Kaspia is a classic, but feel free to check Prunier, La Maison de la Truffe (which cooks truffles, as it says in French) or L'Ecluse. For an exceptional experience, the Lucas Carton, managed by the great Chef Alain Senderens is well worth a visit, but you need to book far in advance. A good option is to go to its upper level: Le Passage offers the gastropub version of the legend at a fair price. If you want to explore the area, you can also walk to Saint-Augustin through Boulevard Malesherbes. In front of the church, the Carré offers a contemporary atmosphere and very good French cuisine (Beetroot lasagnas or French blue-veined cheese marinated in sweet wine).