LATIN QUARTER + NOTRE DAME DE PARIS   LATIN QUARTER Home to the student protests of May '68, the Latin Quarter is teeming with a considerable cultural architectural heritage. Two major arteries of the Latin Quarter, the boulevard Saint Michel and the rue des Ecoles were witness to troubled and intense times in 1968 but now offer a much more peaceful setting for vinyl and CD enthusiasts with numerous music shops and for fans of the silver screen (the arthouse cinemas are legendary). A new generation of students quench their thirst for knowledge at the Sorbonne or the Jussieu before escaping to the Arenes de Lutece and the pathways of the Jardin des Plantes, a favorite sanctuary for joggers. Relax your spirits in an Eastern atmosphere at the Mosque of Paris (where a mint tea can be enjoyed after a session in the Turkish bath or 'hammam') and at the Institut du Monde Arabe, whose 30 000 apertures on the facade change depending on the time of day and the position of the sun. The Latin Quarter is both an area of calm, personified by the Pantheon (the resting place of great names in the history of France) and picturesque atmospheres, such as the rue Mouffetard, emblematic street in the neighborhood of la Montagne Sainte Genevieve, renowned for its restaurants and food shops. Albe Hotel Saint Michel - Paris PARIS - The Albe Hotel Paris stands within a stone’s throw from the banks of the Seine next to Notre-Dame de Paris, in the heart of the lively Latin Quarter. For those who enjoy walking, most historic...   Hotel Sully Saint Germain - Paris PARIS - The charming Hotel Sully Saint Germain Paris is located in the heart of the Latin Quarter and Saint-Germain-des-Pres. For sightseeing lovers most of Paris’s historic buildings are nearby: the...   Hotel Observatoire Luxembourg - Paris PARIS - The Hotel Observatoire Luxembourg Paris stands on the Boulevard Saint-Michel, just a few steps away from the Sorbonne, the Pantheon and Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral, within walking distance of the... Hotel Dacia Luxembourg - Paris PARIS - The Hotel Dacia Luxembourg Paris is located in the very heart of the Latin Quarter, near the Luxembourg Garden and Palace, the Sorbonne, the Pantheon. The Hotel Dacia Luxembourg combines the best of...   NOTRE DAME DE PARIS Preserved on an urban enclave which is the Ile de la Cite, the Cathedral of Notre-Dame has been a witness to Paris' mediaeval past and should not be missed. Approaching from the right bank, from Chatelet, or from southern Paris, via St Michel, you arrive on the Ile de la Cite with the feeling that an unforgettable meeting is about to take place. 40 meters wide at the front, 130 meters in length and rising to a height of 69 meters, the Cathedral of Notre-Dame is an immense masterpiece of Gothic architecture to be admired from inside as well as out. A climb to the top of one of its towers provides a splendid view of Paris. After your visit to Notre-Dame, enjoy a leisurely stroll on the banks of the Ile de la Cite (her neighbor, the Ile St Louis, is also worth a visit), rub shoulders with the thick stone walls of the Conciergerie and the Palais de Justice before stopping for a while in the romantic leafy green haven that is the Square du Vert Galant (on the western tip of the isle). Return to 'mainland' Paris from the Ile de la Cite via the majestic Pont Neuf or board a bateau-mouche to wonder at the cathedral at night, from the river... Le Balzar Le Balzar is one of the culinary institutions of the Latin Quarter.               District Selection Back