Latin Quarter - Saint Germain des Pres Paris

Since the Middle Age the left bank quarter in Paris has been dominated by the Sorbonne, and acquired its name from the early latin-speaking students. It dates back to the Roman town across the Ile de la Cité. In 1215 the Pope approved the establishment of a university on the left bank of the Seine in Paris. Students and teachers alike settled in the area and since Latin was the official language of education at that time, the area came to be called the Latin Quarter.

The area is generally associated with artists, intellectual and a bohemian way of life; this is mainly due to the thousands of students living around.

But the left bank also has a history of political unrest : In 1871, the Place Saint Michel became the center of the Paris Commune, and in may 1968, it was a site of student uprising.

The left bank contains many of the Paris monuments, museums and gardens, ranging from the brand-new Institut du Monde Arabe to the Middle Age Musée de Cluny, or the Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle in the Jardin des Plantes.


How to get there
Metro line 1 or 10 : Saint Germain des Prés, Mabillon

Hotels in the Latin Quarter.
Hotel des Grands Hommes
Hotel Ferrandi Paris
Hotel Sorbonne
Hotel Pantheon
Hotel de Bretagne Montparnasse
Residence Henri IV
Hotel Jardin Odeon
Paris Hotel Budget St Germain

Tourism information about Paris.
Paris by Night - Itineraries - Restaurant - Maps - Paris Tips - Glossary - Popular Places
Business info - Transportation - Sports - Embassies - Cults - Shopping - Weather - Cybercafes.