Paris is home to some of the most sensational tea salons on earth (Ladurée, Mariage Frères, Fauchon). But there's one lovely little house of tea that's not so typically French. In fact, it's quintessentially Japanese. The Buddhist Pantheon (Panthéon Bouddhique), part of the Musee Guimet, is a quiet sanctuary complete with a Zen garden, a tea pavilion, and one of the world's most exceptional collections of Buddhist statues.

A ten minute walk from the magnificent Prince de Galles, Paris, the Buddhist Pantheon is housed in the former 1913 mansion of American banker Alfred Heidelbach. Ancient artworks and artifacts from Japan and China date back to the 11th century, including hundreds of statues of Buddha and bodhisattvas, arranged as they would have been in the venerated Buddhist chapels of Asia. The exquisite galleries open upon gardens of wondrous tranquility. Water flows beneath simple wooden footbridges, filling the air with the sound of tiny trickling waterfalls. Tall bamboo and graceful Japanese maples lead the way to the authentic tea pavilion, where tea ceremonies are performed regularly.

The Buddhist Pavilion is one of those secret Parisian delights, tucked away beyond the bustle of the city streets. While the mobs are flocking to Notre Dame Cathedral, go here and soak up the ambience of Zen serenity. Where in Paris do you go to find a quiet moment of peace?