Located on the banks of the Seine, facing the Grand Palais, the China Cultural Center in Paris is a must‑visit venue fostering Sino‑French dialogue. Opened on November 29, 2002, it was the first Chinese cultural center established in Western Europe. The site comprises two buildings — a restored classical mansion and a modern glass‑and‑aluminium structure — connected by a courtyard featuring a Chinese garden and a hexagonal pavilion topped with a statue of Confucius and Lao Zi by sculptor Wu Weishan, inaugurated in 2014.

Spanning around 4 000 m², this non‑profit center offers a broad cultural program: exhibitions, conferences, film screenings, traditional opera performances, colloquia, and themed festivals such as Chinese New Year, Moon Festival, and Dragon Boat Festival. The 160‑seat auditorium, open especially on Saturday afternoons for free Chinese film screenings with French subtitles, offers an immersive experience accessible to all.

The media library is open to the public and offers books, periodicals, CDs, DVDs, and multimedia resources in both Chinese and French. A valuable space for curious visitors, researchers, and students alike. The center also hosts the Confucius Institute offering Mandarin language instruction: group classes, intensive sessions, HSK preparation, business Chinese, and cultural workshops such as calligraphy, traditional painting, guzheng, erhu, pipa music, taiji, tea ceremony, and Chinese theater.

Every year, the Center partners with different Chinese provinces or cities, offering events showcasing local customs, regional specialties, or heritage sites. It also engages in festivals like the Chinese Film Festival in France and traditional opera showcases.

The ambiance is at once focused and welcoming. The audience is diverse: Parisians, Chinese culture enthusiasts, expatriates, language learners, Franco‑Chinese families, and scholars. During major festivals like Chinese New Year, the garden transforms into a bustling stage of performances and cultural demonstrations. In quieter moments, the library becomes an informal multilingual exchange hub.

Practical info: open Monday to Friday from 10:00–12:30 and 14:00–18:00; Saturdays 9:30–18:00 (closed during school holidays); closed Saturdays, Sundays, French and Chinese public holidays, and the annual closure from July 14 to August 25. Nearest metro: Invalides (lines 8, 13) and Tour‑Maubourg; buses 28, 63, 83, 93; RER C at Invalides or Pont de l’Alma. Parking at La Tour‑Maubourg Orsay nearby. Vélib’ stations and wheelchair access available in both buildings.