Paris’ Musée Carnavalet, dedicated to the history of Paris, is housed in a unique Parisian 16th-century mansion. The luxury town house, with a typical French center courtyard, was once home to Madame de Sevigny, noted for her detailed letters to her daughter (more than 1500 of them) that tell of Parisian life in the late 17th century. The museum is located in the trendy Marais neighborhood, just steps away from the Place des Vosges. Rarely crowded, the Musée Carnavalet is an intriguing mixture of old and new. Entire rooms have been recreated within the museum, such as an 18th century Louis XIV-style salon, complete with gold-leaf paneling, and the Art Deco early 20th century ballroom from the Hotel de Wendel. Other of the 140 rooms are devoted to such things as prehistoric artifacts from the Parisii tribe who once inhabited the Ile de la Cite, souvenirs from the Revolution, antique maps and important paintings, as well as the furniture from the room where Marcel Proust wrote his lengthy “A Recherché du Temps Perdu.” There is also a spectacular ceiling painted by the French muralist Le Brun. The gardens, too, are spectacular, and are a pleasant oasis in the middle of the bustling city.