Each year, we pick a week to truly discover an arrondissement in Paris. Our mission: to uncover places that most city breakers don't usually visit and to find sustainable spots. This time, it's the turn of the Latin Quarter, the vibrant fifth arrondissement on the Rive Gauche, with its student life, narrow streets, and classic atmosphere. We're looking for something a little different and will take you past green parks, excellent restaurants, and less obvious hotspots. And believe us: you could easily spend two days just exploring this part of Paris. Let us guide you!
Latin Quarter, more than a student district
The Latin Quarter might feel like a typical student district, but there's much more to it. This part of Paris dates back to Roman times, when the city of Lutetia was located here. Traces of it can still be found, such as the ancient arena ‘Arènes de Lutèce’, which is somewhat hidden between the buildings. Later, the district grew into the intellectual heart of the city, with the Sorbonne as its centrepiece and a constant stream of students, thinkers and scientists. Names like Marie Curie, Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir are inextricably linked to this neighbourhood.
At the same time, you’ll almost stumble over the well-known spots, from the Pantheon to the Jardin du Luxembourg and the Jardin des Plantes a little further on. This combination of history, student life, and culture makes it a district where something is always happening. And what makes this part extra pleasant: there’s plenty of green to be found. Between the busy streets lie parks, gardens, and small squares where you can catch your breath. This mix of old, lively, and green gives the Latin Quarter its own energy, a bit chaotic at times, but that’s precisely what makes it so enjoyable to wander around!
Paris route through the Latin Quarter
We start this route at Jardin du Luxembourg. Not only because this is one of the nicest spots in the neighbourhood, but also because you immediately have a good base here. On the edge of the park lies Hôtel Observatoire Luxembourg, a small boutique hotel that fits beautifully into this neighbourhood and is on your greener list. We're staying here for two nights, and what's striking is that they really try their best to make conscious choices everywhere: from breakfast and your cup of coffee to the room decor. The conservatory, in particular, is a lovely place to start your day with a delicious breakfast. Afterwards, you can step straight into the park and you're immediately in a different, greener side of Paris.
Looking for a beautiful hotel in Paris with a sustainable mission? Then check out Hôtel Observatoire Luxembourg with its Green Key certification, located in the fifth arrondissement opposite the Luxembourg Gardens.
ALSO INTERESTING: a greener route through Saint-Germain-des-Prés (which can also be perfectly combined with Jardin du Luxembourg).
Lunch tips around Jardin du Luxembourg
A nice idea is to have lunch near the Jardin du Luxembourg. So, come back here or plan your visit around that time. There are a few great sustainable eateries in this neighbourhood, though it took some searching. Here they are! Etsie Caterers is good for a takeaway Lunch. A mix of Greek and French appetisers such as grilled vegetables, olives and moussaka. You can eat it on their small terrace, take it away for a picnic in the park or a walking lunch to further explore the fifth. For takeaway is a Grocery Well on the corner of Rue Galande and Rue des Anglais, also nice to have in your pocket. Ooh, and if you're in the area anyway, you absolutely *must* grab an award-winning croissant from Isabelle's House. And while you're in that area: the medieval garden at the Cluny Museum It's small, but really worth a stop! In the middle of the chaos, you can completely relax for a moment.
Do you want to sit down for a bit, go to Groovy Canteen. This is a real insider tip. No website, little social media, while the place is enormous Instagrammable It is modernly furnished with a seventies feel vibe. In French: menu on a blackboard with many vegetarian and organic options, wraps and healthy bowls. Then have a look to see if it Curie Museum is open, as that's also in this neighbourhood. It's free and nice to pop in for a quarter of an hour. Do check the current opening times (usually open from Wednesday afternoon to Saturday afternoon).
Near Luxembourg Gardens you'll find lots of nice spots for a stop and lunch.
Walking through the Latin Quarter, the fifth arrondissement
From the Luxembourg Gardens, walk towards the Pantheon, an impressive building that was once a church and now serves as a mausoleum for great French thinkers and scientists, including Marie Curie, Voltaire, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Along the way, you'll grab an ice cream at La Crèma op Rue Soufflot. They make fresh, homemade vegan ice cream here. We saw this tip shortly before leaving at Vegan Tourist Paris, in any case, a great account to follow when you're preparing for your trip.
Around the Pantheon it can often be a bit busier, but the square itself is well worth a look around. After that, you walk on towards the Sorbonne, one of the oldest universities in Europe, and the Institut du Monde Arabe. That stretch immediately feels different, quieter, more local, more like a neighbourhood. Take a look inside The Arabic garden from the institute and then proceed to Jardin des Plantes. This is one of France's oldest botanical gardens, featuring various themed gardens, greenhouses, and long avenues perfect for a leisurely stroll. It's the kind of place where you tend to linger longer than you intended. Nearby, you'll also find the Arènes de Lutèce, a relic from Roman times where gladiator fights once took place. A bit hidden, but that makes it all the more fun to check out!
From Jardin des Plantes, you can walk to the Roman arena with a beautiful garden in five minutes.
Mouffetard Street, from busy to village-like
In the fifth arrondissement, you really must walk down Rue Mouffetard. This street changes quite a bit along the way. Close to the centre, it's quite busy and international with lots of food stalls (remarkably many Lebanese ones). If you walk further down, it becomes smaller-scale and more local, with small shops, cheese and wine shops, and boutiques. The last stretch towards the Église Saint-Médard is particularly nice. Here you arrive at a charming little square where you can easily plonk yourself down at a terrace. It's also ideal with kids, as there's a small park with a playground where they can play safely while you have a coffee or a glass of wine. We found that last part to be the nicest.
Tip for kids: the Grande Galerie de l’Évolution
Speaking of children: a tip is also the museum in the Jardin des Plantes, The Gallery of Evolution. The tip is to arrive right at opening at 10:00 am and go straight to the top. Then you'll have the museum almost to yourself! It's a museum about animals, with an entire exhibition on extinct and endangered species. I'm calling it a ‘kid-friendly tip’ now, but it's also very interesting for adults to have a look at. You could also choose to start your morning here and then do the aforementioned walking route.
Lunch tip in the Latin Quarter
In the fifth, you also have the stretch towards the Seine. It quickly gets a bit more touristy there – not necessarily our favourite part – but precisely there is a really nice lunch tip: Lucky. A place you won't easily come across in blogs, nor find by endlessly scrolling on Google Maps. And that perhaps makes it the best tip: you have to stumble upon it a bit. And we were lucky. This is a cosy coffee and lunch spot with homemade and organic treats, as well as good vega(n) options. I had the vegan sandwich of the day here, truly a ten out of tenAnd on the advice of the waitress, who is vegetarian herself, also the Mushroom melt tried. According to her, the tip if you eat vegetarian, and she was right. After lunch, you walk a few doors down to Odette for an iconic Cream puff. Then onwards to the René Viviani Square, where you have one of the most beautiful views of Notre-Dame.
As you head towards the Seine, the Latin Quarter gets busier, but here too you'll find a few lovely (and delicious) spots you won't want to miss, such as lunch at Chanceux and the cream puffs from Odette, which you can enjoy with a magnificent view of Notre-Dame. It doesn't get more Parisian than this!
Two restaurant tips in Paris
For dinner cheating We even cross the border into the sixth arrondissement. It's really touch and go, because Bouillon Racine Located a mere five minutes‘ walk from the Jardin du Luxembourg. This isn't necessarily a sustainable hotspot, although they do have vegetarian options, but you come here for something else: the feeling that you're stepping back into old Paris. Bouillon Racine is one of those classic ’bouillon' restaurants. Once conceived as accessible places where everyone could eat well and affordably. You still feel that ethos, although the price level here is now a bit higher than you might expect for a bouillon. But then again, you're also paying for the experience and classic French food, because it's GOOD here. You're seated in a magnificent Art Nouveau interior, with stained glass, woodwork, and details that you could happily gaze at all evening. It feels a bit like stepping into a film. TipThey have two sections. When booking, specifically ask for a table in the old part. That's what you're going for!
Pinch me! If you truly want excellent French food in a special setting, then Bouillon Racine near the Jardin du Luxembourg is an experience!
If you genuinely want to eat vegan, we have another tip. In the eleventh arrondissement (also a favourite, read moreSit Present. This is vegan fine dining as we haven't encountered before. You get French classics, but with a vegan twist. Truly unique! We went for the starters and shared everything. We took their advice and chose their signature dishes and staff favourites. Think a vegan cordon bleu, ‘boeuf’ in red wine, green asparagus and fried chicky. All veganised, but even the biggest meat-lover won't notice. The restaurant is from the same founders as Aujourd’hui Demain, a well-known spot among eco-conscious Parisians where food, coffee and a sustainable shop come together. It’s really worth going out of your way for.
Speaking of bicycles: rent a Vélib’. For twenty euros per person, you get three days of access and can grab a bike anywhere in the city. It's really the kind of tip that you'll benefit from for the whole trip. You should definitely do it!
Present: a vegan bistro in Paris!
Your Paris route through the Latin Quarter
Hopefully, you now have a nice route, or rather a greener one. itinerary, for one or two days in the Latin Quarter. Because there’s enough to see in this one arrondissement alone, and you haven’t even seen the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre yet. From historic streets to great lunch spots, and from busy areas to quiet corners where you can catch your breath: the fifth shows that Paris can be surprisingly versatile if you just look at it a little differently. Do you have any nice tips for this neighbourhood? Let us know, we’ll surely be back in Paris soon!
More routes through Paris:
- See also the itinerary for the thirteenth arrondissement (next to the fifth one!).
- See also The itinerary for popular Le Marais.
- See also the itinerary for the seventh district.
Sources: en.parisrental.com. Photo credits: thegreenlist.nl.
