The history of Paris starts in the Île de la Cité: the first inhabitants of Lutèce are said to have lived in this island, before Julius Caesar’s Gallic Wars. Then, the Romans developed the Left Bank (thus the name “Latin Quarter”), and later, medieval kings the Right Bank.

Nowadays, it’s difficult to imagine that the Cité is the oldest part of Paris: Haussmann’s renovation of Paris destroyed the small streets which testified to its historical role and homogeneity (refer to this page), and the omnipresence of police and justice institutions break all its charm. Therefore, most tourists only visit the two big spots of the island: Notre-Dame cathedral and Sainte-Chapelle, famous for its stained glass windows.

But thankfully, two areas have been slightly preserved. In the West, the deserted and quiet Place Dauphine (see the Place Dauphine article) is one of the most charming places in Paris. And in the East, between the Seine and Notre-Dame, a few streets have kept a sort of medieval romantic character. They are generally ignored by the crowds, which gives them even more quietness and mystery, especially in the evening onwards.

So, if you like wandering off the beaten track, explore narrow Rue Chanoinesse, with its beautifully-restored buildings, and walk into neighbouring Rues de la Colombe, des Ursins, des Chantres, and Massillon, onto the steps of Esmeralda and Quasimodo. You might be overwhelmed by the contrast between these streets where time seems to have stopped and the big touristic confusion nearby at Notre-Dame, just one block away!

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Rue Chanoinesse area | Art & culture, Relaxing
Rue Chanoinesse | Quartier Latin
24 hours daily

Finding a good snack in Paris is not so easy, most of them being just like one another, with classic kebabs, panini, and crêpes, and, in some areas, really abusive prices.

Thankfully, Kaza Maza is an exception. Located in the very popular area near the Panthéon and Rue de la Montagne Sainte-Geneviève, where many local students and young tourists have nights out, Kaza Maza offers excellent Lebanese sandwiches at attractive prices (even if they recently raised), considering their quality and the area.

The sandwich list is divided in three clear sections: meat sandwiches; cheese sandwiches; vegetarian sandwiches (all cheese sandwiches are vegetarian too), each category having a choice of 4/5 options. It’s also possible to have, as an appetizer, just a falafel or a meatball and obviously, oriental pastries, like baklavas, are also available.

The few chairs and a counter are for those who just aim to have a food break between two pints in neighbouring pubs. But the place is mostly for take away, and sandwiches are always delivered in a thin plastic bag in order to eat them comfortably and not pour all the hummus over one’s clothes while eating on the run to catch the last metro.

In the daytime, and only during the weekends, I recommend enjoying the food in the Jardin Carré, the garden of the Ministry of Research, one minute walk along Rue Descartes (entrance at number 11 of this street).

Note: there’s another Kaza Maza (same menu, same prices) at 16 rue d’Odessa, in Montparnasse area.

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Kaza Maza | Snacks | Sandwich from € 4.40
1 rue de l’Ecole Polytechnique | Quartier Latin
11:00 – 00:00 daily (later on weekends)

Irish or British pubs (or so-called) are not lacking in Paris. I would say that there are 3 types of such bars:

- Genuine: which attract loads of expats and show mostly UK and Ireland sport (and in which you won’t be easily understood if you order in French)

- Fake ones which try to reproduce style and atmosphere without succeeding

- Finally, a third category, which doesn’t try to seem genuine, but which manage to develop their own character.

The Gentleman belongs to the third category. There, like in many pubs, you’ll find a Guinness sign outside, most beers on tap and ordered in pints (not “demis”), service only at the bar, and TVs showing live sports. But here the crowd and the staff are mostly made of young, French students (acknowledging the proximity of most of Latin Quarter universities) plus Erasmus ones attracted by the very cheap prices for the area and relaxed atmosphere.

The pub, although small, is divided into three different sections with different atmospheres: the noisy area along the bar with mostly standing people (good for interactions and chatting); the main room, with tables, chairs, and sometimes even a singer, frequented by small groups of friends; and the first floor, quieter (even if the proximity of toilets brings unexpected animation), for private parties or more intimate meetings.

Bar gets crowded between 19:00 and 22:00 but when happy hour ends it becomes easier to get a table and relax, although pints are more expensive then.

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The Gentleman | Bars, Music | Pint of lager (happy hour) € 3.50
3 rue Hautefeuille | Quartier Latin | +33140510404
12:00 – 01:45 daily

Le Jardin des Pâtes is a place I have been liking for 15 years now, and it is still open! Indeed, the quality is there and lots of people know it.

To arrive at this restaurant located just outside the Lutece Arenas (Lutece is the former and Latin name of Paris), arenas built by Romans, you have several nice itineraries, and two are worth the try.

The first one is to arrive at Luxembourg Garden, take the Rue Soufflot, with the Pantheon just right in the middle of the view, pass by the very famous high School Henri IV, take the Rue Mouffetard, arrive at Place de la Contrescarpe and finally find this restaurant rue Lacépède.

The second one is beginning at the Seine, in front of Austerlitz Station, go through the Plants Garden, walk by the Paris Mosque, and then reach the restaurant . Both are quite great and you will not regret following my advices.

In this restaurant, you can eat pastas, and only pastas, and everything is organic, even the wine, which by the way is really good, and not expensive. You can try rice pasta, or rye pastas, depending on the sauce you want, either with fresh tomatoes and eggplants, salmon or ham and zucchinis.

As a dessert, you can have a goat cheese or simply a coffee, and you will find yourself satiated for less than € 20. There is another “Jardins des Pâtes” in the Gobelins quarter, which serves the same meals. Good place to know !

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Le Jardin des Pâtes | Restaurants (Pastas) | Main meal € 20
4, rue Lacépède | Quartier Latin | +33143315071
12:00 – 14:30 & 19:00 – 23:00 daily

When you walk through Luxembourg Garden, just in front of the fountain where you can hire and play with boats, there is a magnificent building guarded by men in uniform: This is the Senate of France.

The Senate is the upper house of the France Parliament, but this monument was actually built by Marie de Medicis who wanted to be close to her son, King Louis XIII, located at le Louvre, which gives you an idea of the links between mother and son !

Besides the wonderful garden you walk by to reach the Senate, it is worth to visit, as you can feel democracy in progress. And when you enter the hemicycle, (the debates are broadcasted on Thursday afternoons, you can imagine very famous franch people, like Georges Clemenceau (one of our French presidents) or Emile Zola sitting there and try to improve the life of millions of people.

As you visit this place, don’t miss the incredible library, very 19th century, and the amazing former ballroom, where you’ll admire the throne of Napoleon the 1st.

And by the way, try to see the private garden of the President of the Senate, with his private tennis.

Honestly, this place is very interesting to see to better understand the way French democracy works, and, while you are around, you can always enjoy walking in the Latin quarter just nearby or this wonderful garden that Le Luxembourg is. From there, you can reach either Montparnaase via the Vavin Street or St-Sulpice or St Michel Boulvard

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The Paris Senate | Art & culture | Free
15, rue de Vaugirard | Quartier Latin | +33142342000
1 Sat / month, check the website

Salle à Manger is a pleasant place to stop if you are in the Rue Mouffetard.

Want to contemplate the historic or symbolic significance of the area or just to eat well, Salle à Manger gives you both.

Rue Mouffetard, where Salle à Manger is located, dates back to Roman times when Paris was called Lutetia. Later it became a commercial thoroughfare and today it is a mix of tourist attractions, restaurants and small food shops. When not overcrowded it is amusing, though my advice would be to take your time when choosing a restaurant.

Salle à Manger is a budget-friendly restaurant with two terraces, the second of which is the most interesting with a view of the St. Médard church (whose oldest parts date from the 15th century, though the church has stood in the same place since the 11th), situated in the middle of an open-air food market. The scenery is reminiscent of the Middle Ages when markets were often found in front of religious edifices. Street artists sometimes add to the experience.

“The Dining Room” is a brunch-oriented restaurant, with large and delicious salads that are prepared with care. The apple crumble is especially good, also available to take away. With a mild ginger flavour it is worth trying.

If you prefer to eat inside, the atmosphere is exactly as its name suggests – as cosy as a dining room.

And if the sun should make an appearance, the second terrace is bathed in sunshine during the morning and the early afternoon.

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La Salle à Manger | Coffee & tea, Snacks | Brunch € 15.00
138 rue Mouffetard | Quartier Latin | +33155439199
08:30 – 19:30 daily

If you are a theatre lover, book shop Le Coupe Papier will surely be a place to visit.

Small in surface, this all wooden place near the Odeon theatre (now Théâtre d’Europe, also once at the same place La Comédie Française) has a huge range of theatrical literature.

Most of the works are about French theatre, but there are quite a lot of general books. You can find dramas, theory work as well as theatre magazines and theatre in education texts.

Even though it is primarily a theatre bookshop the are materials that deal with Performing arts.

Though it is possible to imagine a more friendly staff, it is certain that this place is a central reference for everything concerning theatre literature.

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Le Coupe Papier | Art & culture
19, rue de l’Odeon | Quartier Latin | +33143546595
Mon 14:00 – 19:00, Tue – Fri 10:00 – 19:00, Sat 11:00 – 19:00

I pass by this pub often during the day, and I was not at all sure if it was open or not, or what purpose it serves (some of the ideas was that it’s an ancient pub turned into a local art studio). It seemed totally mysterious to me. Attracted by the drawings on the windows I decided to unravel the mystery. So the truth is: the place is a pub, though the drawings hide the interior from people staring at the people inside, it opens only in the afternoon (from 4 p.m.) and it’s a great place to have your afternoon beer.

The Connolly’s Corner, hidden from the crowded Rue Mouffetard (on the corner to the street parallel) is not a stereotypical loud and big Irish pub. It somehow combines the culture of a social atmosphere, typical for the image of the Irish with the intimate “bar de quartier”. It is small, relaxed and friendly.

Cask tables and the picador at the back room are the cute details of this, first Irish pub at the Rive Gauche. Opened in 1988 it still lives fully, offering Music on Sundays and beer and whiskeys they are proud of.

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Connolly’s Corner | Bars | Pint of Guinness € 6.50
12, rue de Mirbel | Quartier Latin | +33143365540
16:00 – 02:00 daily

If passing nearby, you can not walk away without perceiving Boulangerie Monge. The line, specially on the weekends will attract your attention and curiosity. When you get nearer and see the glass window it will be decided, the dilemma of waiting or not will be resolved.

There a lots of different cakes, that taste amazing (ex. tarte au chocolat-praliné) although it is primarily a bakery and not patisserie.

The stars are however in the form of bread products – different sort of baguettes and breads let you experiment with the variety. The owner announces that they use 100 % pure flour and cocoa and for the health food minded there is a choice of Bio products.

The chocolate rolls (escargot), lemon, almond and pistachio rolls are speciality of this place, if you ask me. Fair amounts of chocolate in a roll, make it a delightful bakery-cookie hybrid.

One of the attractive details about Boulangerie Monge is that you can see, the bakers making bread through the shop window . When you see them during the day you can buy it immediately, but if you pass early at the morning, you’ll be obliged just to watch and buy at the opening time which can be a difficult wait.

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Le Boulanger de Monge | Snacks | Escargot € 1.35
123, rue Monge | Quartier Latin | +33143375420
Tue – Sun 07:00 – 20:30

Year 2011: Paris is not the city any more where Picasso paints, Breton automatically writes, Tzara has performances, you’ll not meet Jean Paul and Simone strolling, New Wave cinema is past , however there is still something profoundly impressive in some parts of Latin Quarter, something about its artistic and intellectual resonance.

One of such spots is Champollion street, the arty cinema street in 5th arrondisement. It is a charming and quiet street with 3 important cinemas and one cool coffee shop (Le Reflet).

The oldest cinema, at the corner of the street – Le Campo Espace Tati – is from 1938 (not long ago it was given the historic monument status) and here you can watch classics, specially New Wave ones. There are often all night’s thematic projections or projections dedicated to certain directors. Chabrol called this place his second university.

Reflet Médicis is the middle cinema; it was a theatre in the past, to what fact you’ll be reminded by the painting in the room 3. Here you can watch arty films, specially those of European production. The last in a row is the Filmothèque: the title discovers the program.

Film festivals, different movie cycles, sometimes even the public lectures add to the feeling that if you are a film fan you are in the right place.

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Rue Champollion | Cinemas | Ticket from € 9.00
Rue Champollion 75005 | Quartier Latin
11:00 – 01:00 daily