Between Gare d’Austerlitz and Porte d’Ivry, this is Paris’ newest neighbourhood. The dominating landmark is the Bibliothèque Nationale de France (BNF), a fortress-like library of four L-shaped towers, each intended to resemble an open book. The national library hosts occasional exhibitions and there are foreign newspapers available to browse in its reading rooms. Otherwise, it’s a rather intimidating structure, which feels almost as out-of-bounds as the sunken ‘forest’ it encloses. Around the BNF, the apartments of Tolbiac are pleasantly landscaped, but, with few shops, it’s a neighbourhood still in search of character. It’s a different story along the quayside, though – especially during Paris Plage, when the family-friendly attractions of the floating Joséphine-Baker pool and Le Cabaret-Pirate really come into their own. Also here, the Batofar nightclub (www.batofar.org) is a buzzy spot for live music. Bercy is a short walk across the Simone-de-Beauvoir footbridge.

More development is afoot, notably of the Magasins Généraux warehouses near Austerlitz, due to become a ‘cité’ of fashion and design in 2008. Meanwhile, Rive Gauche’s other outstanding landmark is Les Frigos (www.les-frigos.com), close to the Pont de Tolbiac. The former SNCF cold storage depot was built in the 1920s and its resident artists have a stay of execution – for the time being, at least. You’re free to peek inside at the spiral staircase and floor-to-ceiling graffiti. Enthusiasts should make a date for the Portes Ouvertes (Open Doors); see the website for details. You’ll find a more slick face of art in rue Louise Weiss, just west of the BNF, where a dozen or so galleries are now well established.