Latin Quarter

The Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Arrondissements together comprise the ever-popular Latin Quarter. The Latin Quarter was named for the language spoken in and around the Sorbonne during the Middle Ages. Here you will find activity and companionship abounding. There are crêperies, sidewalk cafés, food stands, the Sorbonne and its students, antique shops and art galleries, and so many restaurants—all promising “favorites” to be discovered. At night many of the small streets are blocked off and the Latin Quarter takes on a very special ambiance. The Left Bank of the Latin Quarter is separated from the Right Bank by the Seine and the Île de la Cité. The grandeur of Nôtre Dame is overpowering when illuminated at night. Along the quai are many secondhand book stalls. The Musée d’Orsay in the grand old train station houses an exhibition of Paris’ greatest collection of Impressionist art. With the Left Bank as a base, you can also conveniently tour the Luxembourg Gardens and Les Invalides, the wonderful Musée Auguste Rodin with his works housed in a lovely mansion as well as staged in a gorgeous garden, and view Paris from the Eiffel Tower. The Left Bank and Latin Quarter offer an endless wave of activity and several charming hotels.