Sorbonne - Quartier Latin

Right between Paris Montparnasse (major railway and tube station) and the banks of the Seine, you will come to the Latin Quarter, historic and authentic neighbourhood of the Rive Gauche. Highly appreciated for its art galleries, ancient bookshops and gorgeous churches, the Quartier Latin also embraces La Sorbonne (Paris University) and other Grandes Ecoles.

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Covering a great part of the 5th and 6th arrondissements, the trendy Quartier Latin of Paris is one of the hipest places to meet! French Bo-Bo ("Bohemian Bourgeois") are especially crazy about the "cheap & chic" way of life there, mixing luxury boutiques with friendly, relaxed cafés. The fine restaurants and cosy bars of this historic arrondissement are actually busy night and day, the ambiance is at its best around Saint Germain Des Prés neighbourhood, a few steps away from the Seine. Paris Latin Quarter received its name from the language - the Latin - which was commonly spoken in the neighbourhood until the end of the 18th century. Heading for the lovely Jardin du Luxembourg (Luxembourg Garden), you can go for shopping at Paris' stylish Bon Marché store (to the West). Once in the huge French-style park, you would make the most of the lawns, fountains and leisure areas and read a book on a bench, savour a light sweet goûter with your children or just go for a walk throughout the gardens. Paris inhabitants consider the Quartier Latin as being the Education and Humanities district; you will readily come to the most renowned highschools, such as Henri IV and Louis le Grand Lycées, and Grandes Ecoles (elite colleges) like La Sorbonne - Paris IV University - and the Ecole Normale Supérieure known as ENS. Indeed the North-Eastern side of the Latin Quarter is more relevant for those who feel like Cultural Tourism: between Descartes University and the Pantheon, the two major Saint Michel and Saint Germain Boulevards offer varied art galleries, bookshops and music stores. To get more information about what to do and how to travel in the French capital, why not visit our Paris Breaks page?

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