If you are looking for a living area that best captures the unique atmosphere of Paris, look no further than the Montorgueil village in the 2^nd arrondissement. To get there, simply take either line 4 to the Etienne Marcel metro station, line 3 to the Sentier metro station, or lines 3 and 4 to the Reaumur Sebastopol metro station. The namesake of the village, Rue Montorgueil, whose name translates to “Mount Pride”, named after the hilly area on which the street was developed, is a pedestrian-only street running North and South that holds a wonderful combination of shops, markets, bakeries, inviting restaurants, and sprawling outdoor cafes where Parisians and expats alike congregate to relax and share a cup of delicious French coffee. A couple places that stand out are the restaurant L’Escargot, which is well known and acclaimed across Paris for, as its name suggests, the popular French dish escargot, and la Boulangerie-Patisserie Stohrer, one of the best and the oldest bakery and pastry shop in all of Paris, founded in 1730 to bake desserts for Louis XV and his royal family. The sometimes bustling nature of Rue Montorgueil is balanced nicely by the smaller cobblestone roads which intersect with the famous street. Take a detour down one of these humble roads and you will be greeted by a calm ambience and a sprinking of green – tall, well-kept trees that envelop the streets with their beauty, and colorful flowers that add a little personality of their own. Walking down the South end of the namesake street, you will approach the entrance of the glamorous shopping center, Forum des Halles, which has recently completed its renovations and unveiled its new spectacularly designed aboveground building, La Canopee, orchestrated by French architects Jacques Anziutti and Patrick Berger. Head a little to the West and you will find one of Paris’ many landmarks, the Place des Victoires, a roundabout with a magnificent statue of Louis XIV in the center, that serves as a marker for this chic neighborhood. Close to le Place is arguably the most beautiful feature of the area, the Palais Royal garden. Bordered by an outdoor restaurant, the garden is lined with a sea of vibrant, green trees, opening into a central space where visitors can lounge in the benches with the fresh aroma of the flowers around them. In addition, there is a dazzling fountain at the North side of the garden that completes the picturesque scene.