The Latin Quarter, one of the oldest neighborhoods in Paris, is located on the Left Bank of the Seine, in the 5th arrondissement.

 

Its name dates back to the 17th century, when this already student-oriented area, home to numerous schools, offered instruction in Latin. It was at the end of the 18th century that the term "Latin Quarter", "Quartier Latin" in French, appeared, replacing "Latin Country."

 

Today, it's a popular meeting place for Parisians and tourists alike, who stroll through its lively and friendly atmosphere. Visitors can discover major museums (the Cluny Museum, the National Museum of Natural History, the Arab World Institute), Roman ruins (the Arènes de Lutèce, the Roman baths), exceptional monuments (the Panthéon), prestigious schools (the Sorbonne, Sciences Po), and splendid gardens (the Jardin des Plantes).

 

 

The Pantheon

In the heart of the Latin Quarter, on the Montagne Sainte-Geneviève, the Panthéon is the memorial to the great men and women of France.

 

In the 18th century, Louis XV decided to transform the old abbey on the Montagne Sainte-Geneviève into a grand church. He entrusted the renovation to Jacques-Germain Soufflot, a young and then little-known architect. Built in a neoclassical style, its architecture notably incorporates the façade of the Pantheon in Rome.

 

During the French Revolution, the Church of Sainte-Geneviève became the Pantheon, a national necropolis reserved for the veneration of illustrious figures of the French nation.

 

Bearing the motto "To Great Men, the Grateful Nation" on its pediment, the Panthéon houses the remains of numerous prominent figures, such as Voltaire, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Victor Hugo, Louis Braille, Sadi Carnot, Émile Zola, Jean Jaurès, Félix Éboué, Jean Moulin, Jean Monnet, Pierre and Marie Curie (the first woman to be interred in the Panthéon for her own merits in 1995), André Malraux, Alexandre Dumas, Josephine Baker, and others.

 

 

The Cluny Museum - National Museum of the Middle Ages

The Cluny Museum, officially the National Museum of the Middle Ages – Cluny Baths and Hôtel de Cluny, is located in the heart of the Latin Quarter.

 

The museum is situated on the site of the ancient baths and in the medieval Hôtel de Cluny, a jewel of the Flamboyant Gothic style.

 

Nearly 2,300 masterpieces of medieval art are displayed across 3,500 square meters, in a chronological journey that spans more than 1,000 years of history, from Roman Gaul to the 16th century, encompassing a geographical area that includes Europe, the Byzantine and Muslim East, and the Maghreb.

Among the museum's treasures are the famous Lady and the Unicorn tapestries, the heads of the Kings of Judah from Notre-Dame Cathedral, stained-glass windows from Sainte-Chapelle, and one of the finest collections of Limoges enamel. Don't miss the spectacular frigidarium, whose vaults reach a height of 14 meters, and the medieval-inspired garden.

 

 

The Arenas of Lutèce

The Arenas of Lutèce (Lutetia being the ancient Roman name for Paris), built between the 1st and late 2nd centuries, is a Gallo-Roman amphitheater comprising both a stage for theatrical performances and an arena for gladiatorial combats and other games. It is currently located in the Place Capitan and could hold 15,000 people.

Rediscovered in the 19th century after centuries of neglect, it is now a public space that sometimes hosts theatrical performances and concerts on its large central stage.

 

The Arenas of Lutèce and the Ancient Baths of Cluny (Cluny Museum) are the only remaining Gallo-Roman remains in Paris.

 

 

The National Museum of Natural History and the Botanical Garden

At the instigation of his physicians, and with the aim of training doctors and apothecaries, Louis XIII created the Royal Garden of Medicinal Plants in 1635.

 

The National Museum of Natural History was established in 1793. Over the centuries, great scientists such as Cuvier, Jussieu, Lamarck, Saint-Hilaire, Chevreul, Becquerel, and Dorst have linked the history of natural sciences to that of the institution.

Visitors can explore, among other things, the Great Gallery of Evolution, the Gallery of Paleontology and Comparative Anatomy, and the Gallery of Geology and Mineralogy.

 

The Jardin des Plantes now covers 24 hectares and is a botanical, ecological, and zoological park.

A true French-style garden, it boasts remarkable trees, an alpine garden, a rose garden, a collection of Japanese peonies, a large plant maze, and extensive greenhouses that recreate the biodiversity of a lush jungle, the flora of deserts and New Caledonia, as well as a menagerie—one of the oldest zoos in the world—housing 150 animal species, a third of which are endangered.

 

 

The Arab World Institute

Not far from the Jardin des Plantes and the Sorbonne University, on the banks of the Seine, lies the Arab World Institute.

 

A true cultural bridge between Arab culture and civilization and France and Europe, the Arab World Institute was founded in 1987 and comprises a museum with permanent collections and temporary exhibitions, an auditorium, a media library, a language center, and houses one of the most important European libraries dedicated to Arab culture.

The Arab World Institute is located in a striking 10-story building with a mashrabiya façade, designed by the architect Jean Nouvel.

 

 

The Mouffetard District

Rue Mouffetard is one of the oldest streets in Paris.

650 meters long, it slopes gently down from Montagne Sainte-Geneviève and is one of the main thoroughfares of the Mouffetard district.

 

The Mouffetard district is famous for its narrow cobblestone streets, its many restaurants, bistros, and cafés, and its small local shops (butchers, fishmongers, greengrocers, bakeries, cheese shops, etc.).

The district, very popular with students, comes alive in the evening. Find a spot on a terrace facing the fountain in Place de la Contrescarpe and soak up the picturesque atmosphere of the Mouffetard district!

 

 

During your stay at the Hotel Le Jardin Le Bréa, stroll through the cobbled streets of the Latin Quarter, visit the final resting place of the men and women who have shaped the history of France at the Pantheon, explore the last Gallo-Roman remains of Paris, delve into medieval history at the Cluny Museum, follow the trail of evolution at the Natural History Museum and enjoy a breath of fresh air at the Jardin des Plantes, discover Arab culture in all its forms at the Arab World Institute, and end your day on a terrace in the heart of the Mouffetard district!

 

 

How to get to the Panthéon, gateway to the Latin Quarter from the Hôtel Jardin Le Bréa?

Panthéon - Place du Panthéon 75005 Paris

- From the Hotel Jardin Le Bréa, take bus number 82 from Vavin (1-minute walk), towards Luxembourg, get off at the Luxembourg stop. The Panthéon is about a 5-minute walk from there.

The total travel time from our hotel is 18 minutes.

 

 

Practical Information

The Pantheon: https://www.paris-pantheon.fr/en

The Cluny Museum: https://www.musee-moyenage.fr/en/

The National Museum of Natural History and the Botanical Garden: https://www.mnhn.fr/en

The Arab World Institute: https://www.imarabe.org/fr