Latin quarter, Paris
 

Hi all,

I would love to get some input on the Latin quarter. I booked some of the super cheap Iberia(AA)CDG tickets with the intention of trying to squeeze in a quick trip to Paris(due to a health concern with my father we may or may not actually go). DavidO was gracious enough to give me some options for hotels and hopefully I can use his service once I narrow our options down. I did some research today and keep coming back to the Latin Quarter as to where we might want to look for our hotel.

It would be our first visit to Paris so we will have to be typical tourists and go to the the Eiffel tower, Louvre, ADT, etc. Are these places fairly easy to get to from the area we are looking at? Would you recommend a different area?

If you would like to throw in some can't miss recommendations on sights, food or anything else it would be tremendously appreciated.

Thanks in advance for all your suggestions.

Latin Quarter is good but touristy. As tourists, you'll fit right in. :)

Easily walkable to other parts of the city.

The very heart of the Latin Quarter (rue Mouffetard) will be loud and dirty throughout the evening; if your sleep is valuable, I would recommend staying off that one street.

The rest of the area is nice and centrally located. Staying towards the center of the Latin Quarter will mean that Metro stations are (relatively, for Paris) far away - 10 mins walk - but that you will have a variety of lines at your disposal. From here to the sights, the RER will be your friend: take the RER B to St Michel-Notre Dame and change to the RER C for the Eiffel Tower or Versailles, or change to the RER A at Châtelet-Les Halles for Etoile (Arc de Triomphe).

In the Latin Quarter, I've stayed at the Comfort Hotel André Latin, though admittedly this was on someone else's dime, and I wasn't convinced it was the best deal. Check the booking sights (booking.com is good for Europe) for nearby values.

I've also stayed in other, quieter areas of Paris that have better views and still didn't feel like I was away from the sights. Hotels near Etoile or Trocadero can provide stunning views of the Arc de Triomphe or the Eiffel Tower, respectively. This area also has nonstop or one-stop Metro/RER service to the main sights of Paris.

Finally, my most important advice for a first-timer to the City of Light is to relax and enjoy some time just sitting down in a café having something to drink and people-watching*. This is what French people do, and is IMHO the only way to not let the grit of Paris get on your nerves. Outside of southern Europe (e.g., Spain and Italy), Paris is possibly the only big Western city to figure this out, so enjoy it.

Peace.

* In France you're allowed to just sit at your table when your drink is done without being obliged to order anything else from the waiter, aside from your bill when you'd like it.

I've always loved the Musee National du Moyen Age on place Paul Painlevé
in the 5th (Cluny-Sorbonne metro stop is closest) It's in a 15th-century building, with a wonderful courtyard and architecture - and the bonus of Roman baths underneath. It's a great place to spend a morning or afternoon without the overwhelming-ness of the Louvre. Should be closed on Tuesdays, like the Louvre and other national museums. (City museums, like the Orsay, are closed on Mondays.) If you're planning on seeing more than 2 or 3 museums I'd get the "carte musee" museum pass - very useful for things like getting into the Louvre via the Passage Richelieu side entrance - no lines.

Best place for breakfast on a Sunday - Maison Korcasz in the Marais - the Jewish quarter bustles while the rest of the city is either asleep or in church.

I've always stayed in the 7th - nice and quiet - but might branch out this May as my significant other is a little pickier about hotels than I was 10 years ago.

While you might not want to stay on Rue Mouffetard, it is well worth a walk. Lots of food shops and restaurants and a lot of fun. In the area, I agree with the recommendation of the Musee National du Moyen age. You are also not too far from the Pantheon and Les Invalides (both Napoleon's tomb and a military museum). Really, central Paris is not all that big - you are not too far from most of the main tourist attractions and if you have never been there before, you really cannot come home without at least a quick trip to the Louvre, Notre Dame, Eiffel Tower, etc. I also recommend "Les Tours de Notre Dame", where you walk up to the top of Notre Dame and get quite a view. Depending on where your hotel is, you can walk to many sights if you are so inclined, as well as walking to the Ile St. Louis and Ile de la Cite (where Notre Dame is).

Have to agree with the suggestion to get a Museum Pass (they are available for either 2, 4, or 6 days) if you are going to go to more than about three museums (note that the Eiffel Tower is *not* on the pass). Another advantage of the pass is that you will not feel so guilty if you pop into a museum for a short while rather than feeling that you have to stay longer to justify the entry fee. You did not mention who you are going with or how old they are - under-18's get into most museums for free and do not need a pass.

Also highly recommend the Musee Carnivalet in the 3rd arr. (other side of the Seine from where you are staying), featuring the history of Paris and free to get into. But does close for lunch. There are a number of other worthwhile small museums in the area including Victor Hugo's house, the National Archives, and the Musee Grevin.

My favorite (so far) patisserie in Paris is right at the Cardinal Lemoine metro stop; do not remember the name but it has a orange/pink-ish facade (I remember pink, Google Streetview shows it at orange. Yummy nonetheless...) and one of the two entrances/exits from that stop is right in front of it (if you come up the other one, look across the street). The raspberry tarts are luscious!

If you like walking tours, look at Paris Walks and Classic Walks. Both offer good, inexpensive 2-ish hour walking tours on various themes.

For ice cream, everyone likes Berthillon, which is good, but my daughter and I are partial to Amorino, which is more of a gelatto place. For cupcakes, definitely Berko, up near the Pompiudou Center. :p

FYI, I have stayed in the 1st arr. near Les Halles, on the Ile St. Louis, and in the Marais which are all good places to say, too. Was thinking of trying the Latin Quarter or near the Eiffel Tower next time there, so your selection is a good one, too.

Have a great time! Unfortunately, I could not take advantage of this sale... :(

I completely forgot about the Jacquemart-Andre museum on the right bank - it's a small, private museum (so not covered by the museum pass) housed in a gorgeous mansion - and the exhibits are right there - no ropes - so you can get (respectfully) nose-to-nose with Rembrandts.

Definitely spend some time on the Ile St-Louis. At the Notre Dame end you should order some hot chocolate at Cafe Flore en l'Ile - they bring it to you French style - a little jug of melted chocolate and a jug of steaming, frothed milk - mix and enjoy (it's heavenly.) It's a little touristy, but I had a LOT of fun at Nos Ancetres les Galois - it's not like you'd expect a Parisian restaurant to be. Caveat: watch out for the wine that you get from the barrel up front (you get an empty earthenware jug and directions to the barrel) - that stuff sneaks up on you.

Under no circumstances would I recommend driving in Paris. Those guys make Boston drivers look courteous. There's nowhere to park, anyway...

I agree with this on both counts.

Personally, I would stay a tad bit west of the 5th arrondissement. You'll have a great time no matter where you stay. Paris is a very walkable city.

Welcome to FT.

Bobette

A couple more things:

For a real taste treat, and one that you do not find much in the US (although it may be the next food fad), try macarons, which two light meringue-like cookies (made with ground almonds, so if you are allergic to nuts, pass on this) filled with various flavored fillings. These are not like the cocunut macaroons you may be used to seeing in the US - nothing like them at all, though many people confuse them and never try a macaron in Paris. Many bakeries and patisseries have them. I like Gerard Mulot and have had many others, too.

For a unique look behind the scenes at various artisans and shops, look at Meeting the French (www.meetingthefrench.com) and then look for "Meet the Parisians at Work". We did the tour of Gerard Mulot (on two different trips, it was so good). Met the macaron baker and the chocolatier, sampled their creations, and heard about how they trained and how they create their macarons and chocolates. Helps if you can speak some French but many tours are also in English, which could mean that the artisan speaks English or that the tour guide can translate for you to some extent.

There are some great jazz bars, although the best of them have closed in recent years. If you are jet lagged and up a midnight, cafe Buci is one of the best for people watching.

My wife and I are going. She is 29 and I am 30. It is the first time in Paris for either of us.

I appreciate all the helpful posts. I have spent probably 20 hours of research since the other day when we bought the tickets on a whim because of the great sale price.

Does anyone have a suggestion for a really romantic hotel? Like I said, DavidO gave us some suggestions and I have looked at tripadvisor for other thoughts. I would love some advice from others for a great hotel.

Thank you all for your contributions and help trying to make our first trip special.

^^ +1

Want to share the hotels that were suggested to you?

I live in France and have stayed something like 50 different hotels in Paris, all the way from every Holiday Inn in Paris, up to the top luxury hotels. There are a number of nice romantic hotels all over Paris, including of course the Latin quarter and nearby. If you give me your price range, I can certainly make some good recommendations. It helps to know the rough price range as these hotels range from €100 to €1000+ per night.

My view is that the Latin Quarter is the REAL Paris... close to it's beginnings and the hub of intellectual life... i love it... I've been to this City somewhere in the area of 75-100 times all on leisure (currently on my 7th visit in 2010) and have spent the last 11 New Years in the LQ.... Very good hotel for the price (73 euros) for a single is the Hotel Saint Andre des Arts on the rue of the same name.. nice staff.. can be noisy.. always clean... and for a fun night out, the Piano Bar (upstairs)/Cabaret (downstairs) Aux Trois Mailletz at 66 rue Galande... fair food, good drink and great entertainment... a real mix of locals and travelers who came back time and again...

He suggested three for us. They are the Le Meurice, Intercontinental LeGrand and the Victoria Palace.

Our top number is 500 Euro/night. Please don't use that as your basis for your recommendations, though. I would like to look at a bunch of different places. If you know of a great place that is 150/night please don't not recommend it because our top number is 500. We want something very romantic and distinctly Paris. If that is 480 Euro/night or 115 Euro/night, it doesn't matter.