The Palais Brogniart, home of the stock exchange, was built in 1826. It’s an impressive rotunda with Greek Revival colonnades and wide esplanade. Often the site of street fairs during the summer, and seasonal markets at Easter and Christmas, La Bourse area has undergone a renaissance over the years 2000-2005, that has made it more than just a conduit between Opera and the Sentier.

There are many good and sometimes expensive restaurants on the Place de la Bourse which stay open until the wee hours. In the back streets, restaurants on the Rue Feydau, Rue Montmartre, and Rue Saint Joseph ccater more to a lunchtime crowd, owing to the area’s numerous offices and the stock exchange.

The Rue Reaumur used to be the center of French press, but now only Le Figaro remains on the Rue D’Aboukir since Le Monde moved out to Ivry. The huge antennae of AFP (Agence France Presse) still tower over their impressive building facing the Bourse on the corner of the Rue Vivienne.

To the south, the quartier has developed less and retains much of its ancient charm. Place des Petits Pères, fronting the Church of Notre Dame des Victoires (built in 1629 under Louis XIII for the “barefoot” Augustine monks) is a beautiful XVII century area, famous for its dining and its narrow cobbled streets. The Bibliotheque Nationale (or National Library) on the Rue Richelieu is imposing. Its collection of ancient documents has been somewhat reduced since the completion of the BNF (Bibliotheque Nationale de France), on the Left Bank.