The Latin Quartier

5e Arrondissement. The Latin Quarter has been the center of French academia since the 13th century, so it's no surprise that the shopping, eating, and entertainment options appeal to a student population. The Fontaine de Saint-Michel is a primary meeting place for first dates and accoustic guitar jams. Stroll along a pleasant border between the calm Seine and the restaurant filled streets. Take a walk towards the Sorbonne and you are sure to find some good shopping. Lounge in the Jardin de Luxembourg, where you can take a breather and sit amongst the statues and Parisians taking a lunch-time snooze.

Visitors can find surviving pockets of medieval Paris and Gallo-Roman ruins, both of which are highlighted at the Musée-National du Moyen-Age, or explore the culinary delights of the open markets at place Maubert or rue Mouffetard. Other attractions include the Panthéon shrine of French luminaries at the top of the hill, and the Institut du Monde Arabe and Jardin des Plantes.