Latin Quarter & Saint-Germain-des-Prés
Quartier latin / Saint-Germain-des-Prés
The academic quarter home to the Sorbonne, where Shakespeare and Company, Les Deux Magots, and Café de Flore keep alive the memory of Paris's literary greats.
The Latin Quarter sits on the Left Bank of the Seine in the 5th arrondissement. It has been a university district since the Middle Ages and takes its name from the Latin used by students. Highlights include the Sorbonne, the Musée de Cluny (home to the Lady and the Unicorn tapestries), and the Fontaine Saint-Michel. Browse for books at Shakespeare and Company on the banks of the Seine, and in the evening, dine at small restaurants around Rue de la Huchette. Next door to the west, Saint-Germain-des-Prés is home to one of Paris's oldest churches, as well as Café de Flore and Les Deux Magots, where Sartre, Beauvoir, and Hemingway often sat. The streets are full of galleries and design shops. Metro Line 4, Saint-Michel or Saint-Germain-des-Prés station.
Opening hours
All day
Nearby sights
- Shakespeare and Company
- Panthéon
- Sainte-Chapelle
- Luxembourg Gardens
- Notre-Dame de Paris
- Bourse de Commerce – Pinault Collection
- Louvre Museum
- Musée d'Orsay