Latin Quarter

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Swing dancers and band, Caveau de la Huchette, Latin Quarter.

©River Thompson/Lonely Planet

Overview

So named because international students communicated in Latin here until the French Revolution, the Latin Quarter remains the hub of academic life in Paris. Centred on the Sorbonne’s main university campus, graced by fountains and lime trees, this lively area is also home to some outstanding museums and churches, along with Paris’ beautiful art deco mosque and botanic gardens.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

  • PARIS, FRANCE - JULY 08, 2016 : French Mausoleum of Great People of France - the Pantheon in Paris. France.; Shutterstock ID 573291478; Your name (First / Last): Daniel Fahey; GL account no.: 65050; Netsuite department name: Online Editorial; Full Product or Project name including edition: Panthéon POI

    Panthéon

    Latin Quarter

    Elegant and regal in equal measure, the massive neoclassical dome of the Left Bank's iconic Panthéon is an icon of the Parisian skyline. Louis XV…

  • Institut du Monde Arabe

    Institut du Monde Arabe

    Latin Quarter

    The Arab World Institute was jointly founded by France and 18 Middle Eastern and North African nations in 1980, with the aim of promoting cross-cultural…

  • Detail of Grande Galerie de l'Evolution in Musee National d'Histoire Naturelle.

    Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle

    Latin Quarter

    Despite the name, the National Museum of Natural History is not a single building, but a collection of sites throughout France. Its historic home is in…

  • Musée National du Moyen Âge

    Musée National du Moyen Âge

    Latin Quarter

    The National Museum of the Middle Ages is undergoing renovations through at least mid-2021. It will close completely for a minimum six months starting in…

  • Jardin des Plantes

    Jardin des Plantes

    Latin Quarter

    Founded in 1626 as a medicinal herb garden for Louis XIII, Paris’ 24-hectare botanic gardens – visually defined by the double alley of plane trees that…

  • Église St-Étienne du Mont

    Église St-Étienne du Mont

    Latin Quarter

    The Church of Mount St Stephen, built between 1492 and 1655, contains Paris’ only surviving rood screen (1521–45), separating the chancel from the nave;…

  • Sorbonne

    Sorbonne

    Latin Quarter

    The crème de la crème of academia flock to this distinguished university, one of the world’s most famous. Today ‘La Sorbonne’ embraces most of the 13…

  • Grande Galerie de l’Évolution

    Grande Galerie de l’Évolution

    Latin Quarter

    The highlight of the Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle for kids is the Grande Galerie de l’Évolution, with imaginative exhibits on evolution and…

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