You may have heard the name Nicolas Flamel mentioned in the Harry Potter books or films but he was in fact a real figure in history (though he probably did not actually obtain a Philosopher’s Stone, as the legends about him might claim) and you can even actually come and dine in his former home! One of Paris’ many wonderful oddities, the house that Flamel built for himself all the way back in 1407 on Montmorency Street still stands to this day and boasts the claim that it is the oldest stone house in the city. So, if you find a vacation rental in France, you are planning on coming to Paris for a day, and you are looking for a perfect spot with just a touch of seasonal spookiness in which to dine, then this is a must-see and truly an excellent place to drop into for lunch!
Located at 51 rue de Montmorency, Flamel’s home is marked by strange symbols that are carved into an exterior that has been left unchanged since the supposed alchemist lived there in the 15th century. A bookseller by profession, the stories of his life suggest that he managed to stumble across some mysterious arcane text that allowed him to learn how to turn ordinary metals to gold and that this was how he amassed a great fortune.
