This
is a relative long stroll through the Latin Quarter on the Left Bank.
There is lots of scope for improvisation, indeed you'll get the most
out of this walk by going where your instincts tell you, discovering
lots of hidden corners and surprises.
For much of the walk, until the Pantheon, you are in mainstream tourist
land and there are plenty of detailed maps posted, so you won't get
lost.
Like all the walks it is difficult to put a time on it, some people
will do it in a couple of hours, others will take a weekend. Like
all the walks we concentrate on the logistics, there are masses of
guide books and reference material which will cover the history and
background of the places encountered.
We start the walk at the Luxembourg RER station, the RER can be treated
as an extension of the Metro, you can use tickets seamlessly freely
interchanging between the two. Trains run about every 5 minutes. |
Exiting
the RER at Luxembourg, make for the western side of the Boulevard
St Michel. The gardens of Luxembourg make a stark contrast with the
buildings all around.
We have a special page for the Palais
Luxembourg. When you have had your fill in the extensive grounds,
return to our starting point at the north-east corner of the gardens.
Follow the perimeter road left as you exit the gardens. The road bends
around behind the palace soon joining and becoming the Rue de Vaugirad.
At the junction with Rue de Vaugirad, cross the road and head due
north down the side of what is the Theatre de l'Odeon, (1782). The
Theatre specialises in foreign language productions.
Keep going north on the Rue de l'Odeon lined with shops until you
get to the main road, the Boulevard St Germain. At this point you'll
get most out of the walk by just following your nose, much of the
attraction around here is shop orientated. The axis of our walk is
to now turn left and follow the Boulevard St Germain until you come
to the Church of St Germain a landmark you cannot miss on your right
hand side. In the evening this area is alive with restaurants, especially
in the backstreet behind the north side of the boulevard. There are
plenty of detailed maps posted along the street so you can't get lost
if you make small diversions.
When you get to the Church of St Germain turn right, up the Rue de
Bonaparte past the front door of the church, with the option of visiting. |
Theatre
de L'Odeon |
Book
/ Art Stalls On The Quais
(Notre Dame in Background) |
Immediately
turn right behind the church, there is a small park area on the corner
into the Rue de l'Abbaye. Now again go into follow your nose mode.
Follow the Rue de l'Abbaye, the roads narrow and inviting alleys open
up. At some point along the Rue de l'Abbaye turn left. The main road
at the end is the Rue de Seinne, but you will probably have been tempted
to turn left by then. Amble around, slowly heading north with the
Rue de Seinne as your eastern boundary and Rue de Bonaparte as the
western boundary. You will find many small interesting and mostly
expensive shops and antiques famously along the Rue Jacob. Sooner
or later you will come out at the River Seine.
Cross over to the riverside and turn right, with the river on your
left. From here, right up to Notre Dame there are small stands.The
number will depend on the day you are walking, and the time. Most
are devoted to books, comics and art. Of course much is tourist tat,
but much is of genuine interest. |
Immediately
after the third bridge to the island of Cite, you are directly opposite
Notre Dame. On the other side of the road search for Shakespeare and
Company, facing Notre Dame (pictured right).
Trust me, you will be delighted you took the trouble to enter.
On exiting Shakespeare and Company turn left, the main road coming
over from Notre Dame is the Rue Saint Jacques. At the cross-roads,
cross over the Rue Saint Jacques and turn left for 50m along the Rue
Saint Jacques.
Turn first right into the Rue De La Huchette. Virtually all restaurants
of one kind or another, it could be a Greek seaside resort rather
than somewhere in Paris. Follow the narrow road until you get to the
next major road, the Boulevard St Michel. Instead of turning left
into the Boulevard St Michel, double back left up a similar street
to the Rue De La Huchette. At a fork in the road, veer right into
the Rue de la Harpe. You now gradually exit the restaurant area and
come to a main road, the Boulevard St Germain.
|
Shakespeare
and Company |
Musee
de Cluny |
Opposite
is the Musee de Cluny. Cross over the Boulevard St Germain, turning
right to follow the perimeter of the Musee de Cluny building. You
almost immediately turn left into the Boulevard St Michel, then take
the first left up here.
The entrance to the museum, brings you into a nice courtyard, see
picture right. The museum showcases medieval art, on Wednesday afternoons
you can visit the Roman Baths on which the site was built.
If you are not visiting, the benches in the courtyard are a good place
for a rest. |
| |
Second Half of Walk >>>> |
|
