Thanks Paris (the City not the Gossip Girl) for a taxidermist love story: Deyrolle

Let's start the week off the beaten path with a little shop that can amaze us. It is a collector's dream with its displays of butterflies, help for the budding botanist, old maps and teaching boards.

The highlight to me is a taxidermist love story which adds to the air of mystery and adventure permeating the store.

This little shop that could be featured in the next Night at the Museum movie is named Deyrolle and located near the Musee d'Orsay at 46, Rue du Bac (Metro: Rue du Bac).

It was founded in 1831 by Emille Deyrolle and has been at its current location since 1881.

Deyrolle fell on hard times and was rescued in 2001 by specialty retailer Le Prince Jardinier named after its founder Louis Albert de Broglie, prince and gardener.

Thanks to Dominique Guéroult who runs the emporium for taking the time to provide me with the illustration for this piece, a wonderful photo of the 'little gallery' taken by Marc Dantan for Deyrolle.

I look forward to a visit there.

In the mean time, I suggest that you add a stop at the store to your Paris itinerary.

Joe Kissell offers his own impressions after a (September 2004) visit to Deyrolle in Stuffed Up and Away.

Other suggested stops in the City of Lights: Sadaharu Aoki, a Japanese pastry chef dazzling Paris