A tale tells us that on a February
day in the year 1596, the good King Henry IV passed in front
of what is now the Residence des Arts after a rendezvous with
his mistress, Gabrielle d'Estrée. Still musing on this gallant
encounter and the lady's charms, he is said to have remarked
to a companion, "Ici gît mon coeur" ("Here lies my heart").
Hence the name of the street where the Residence is located.
Residence des Arts is located on
the Left Bank, in the 6th arrondissement, a stone's throw from
the river Seine and within walking distance of the Ile de la
Cité, the Louvre Museum, Notre Dame Cathedral and the
Sainte Chapelle, as well as the Cluny Museum and many other
tourist attractions.
