Latin quarter Paris
The thing I like doing most in Paris, by far, is roaming the crooked romantic streets of its famous Latin Quarter. This may be the most famous neighborhood on the planet. The Latin Quarter got its name from the Latin-speaking students way back when, when the area was dominated by the Sorbonne.
The best place to start your exploration of the Latin Quarter might be the huge fountain by Davioud at the head of the boulevard Saint-Michel. This is a great spot to find a place to sit or just to lean and watch all the stylish and chic people pass by. It's also a great meeting place: "Meet me at the fountain!" Then, facing the fountain, begin your wandering east and south into the neighborhood. And if you get lost, so much the better.
Such interesting streets here. The streets aren't laid out in that mind-numbing way most modern-day developers lay out streets: every street running north and south or east and west to infinity. No, these streets meander. They are crooked. They are charming and narrow, and there is always something photographable to be found around the next bend.
The Musee de Cluny is worth a visit. You will find Gallo-Roman ruins and medieval arts and crafts inside a medieval mansion. Be sure to hunt out the ancient and beautiful churches of the Latin Quarter, Saint-Severin & Saint-Julien-le-Pauvre. I will give you no directions to them; the fun is in seeking them out. Don't worry, you won't get lost; but if you do get lost, more's the fun!
Place Maubert (Metro: Maubert/Mutualite) is a beautiful square. I like to take first-time visitors to Paris there, and lead them from there to Notre Dame; and when we reach the river Seine, they get a great view of the dramatic (and most beautiful) east side of the cathedral, with its pronounced & graceful flying buttresses.
There are plenty of great bookshops to explore. You will also find quick food from many nationalities here. Food vendors will tempt you right on the street as they carve their lamb and beef beneath your nose and before your eyes. So sample whatever you think your stomach can bear.
You might want to end things at the beautiful Luxembourg Gardens, where you can cool off in a shady spot. It's easy to find. It's down the boulevard Saint-Michel, just about opposite the Sorbonne. You can't miss it: just look for greenery, flowers...a palace.
I hope you enjoyed this quick stroll through Paris' Latin Quarter. See you there again soon!
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