Separating the British Empire Building to the north from the Maison Française to the south (and thus the "Channel"), this busy promenade of six pools surrounded by seasonal gardens leads the eye from 5th Avenue to the Lower Plaza. The center's horticulturist conceived the gardens and presents around 10 often stunning shows a season. The French building contains, among other shops, the Metropolitan Museum of Art gift shop and the Librairie de France, which sells French-language books, periodicals, tapes, and recordings. The building's surprisingly large basement contains a Spanish bookstore and a foreign-language dictionary store. Subway: B, D, F, V to 47th-50th Sts./Rockefeller Center; E, V to 5th Ave./53rd St.