The South-East of the Latin Quarter: an old and preserved area of Paris, to wander, off the beaten track, with a feel of the old times
My”South-East of the Latin Quarter” key words:
old Paris, Middle Ages, food markets, market street, cafés, Hemingway, Mouffetard
This area of Paris is located in the South-East of the 5th arrondissement of Paris
Location
NO OFFICIAL GEOGRAPHIC LIMITS
It is quite difficult to attribute exact geographic borders to the Latin quarter. But many historians agree to reckon that the Latin Quarter occupies most of the 5th arrondissement of Paris and a small part of the 6th (map on the left side). This article is about the part South from the Panthéon.
Strolling Paris, (a bit) off the beaten track
An area where many Parisians love to go, where visitors rarely go…
Only “a little” off the beaten track because, over the last 10-15 years, it has become more touristy than before !
You will like this part of the Latin Quarter if…
…If you enjoy picturesque, historic old historic neighborhoods, if you like markets and food, less touristic cafés and restaurants but if you also like quiet streets, where at certain times of the day, you can stroll with few people around. However you’ll still find lively spots and a vibrant social life (like Place de la Contrescarpe). In the evening, you’ll find very lively places and streets (rue du Cardinal Lemoine, Pl de la Contrescarpe, rue du Pot de Fer…)
Rue Mouffetard, this old Paris' street
Hemingway called this street “that wonderful narrow crowded market street which led into the Place Contrescarpe”.
The rue Mouffetard, is a daily open-air market street, dating back to probably 1350 AD, maybe earlier.
At the top of it : the Place de la Contrescarpe
Down the street : the Place Saint Médard
The best time to stroll this street is on mornings (everyday except Sunday afternoon and Monday). Along this street : little food shops, and quaint shops.
Actually, rue Mouffetard dates back to Roman times, and was used for 2000 years. Then in the Middle Ages it was already a market street. Nowadays, most of the buildings along it date from the late 16th to early 19th centuries. As you stroll along this street you’ll see old painted signs, reminders of a past before the street numbering which began in the early 19th century.
The Place de la COntrescarpe and its cafés
Make sure to spend some time at Place de la Contrescarpe, sit down at a café and watch the world go by. There are numerous cafés on this square and nearby. But this place is becoming increasingly popular and especially during high season, it can be difficult to find a seat! If you don’t mind the peace and quiet, why not having a café-croissant at the Café de la Contrescarpe in the morning, when it’s less crowded (?!).
Le Jardin des Plantes ("the King's garden")
This large garden is located at about 15 minutes walk from down the rue Mouffetard
In this part of the Latin Quarter, a large green space (24 hectares) : Le “Jardin des Plantes” , originally a 17th-century royal garden was created as a botanical medicinal garden. It remains one of the main botanical gardens in France.
It’s a wonderful place to explore and enjoy where you’ll find various areas and spots : two greenhouses (inspired by the London’s Kew greenhouses), the “Grande Galerie de l’Evolution” (very popular with children and adults alike) where thousands of stuffed animals are exhibited, a rose garden, an alpine garden, the “dodo carrousel” (a carrousel of endangered animals created in 1992 to draw attention to the increasing extinction of species : a dodo, a panda, an elephant, a gorilla…) and many other places and venues.
The Lutetian arenas
In the late 19th century, remains of a Gallo-Roman amphitheatre (1st century AD) were discovered during construction work for a transportation company. The City of Paris then acquired the land and restored the place and converted it into a public park. Nothing spectacular, but an interesting place for those whor are interested in Paris history and/or archeology. Free admission.
(about 7 minutes walk from Place de la Contrescarpe)
This part of Paris was Hemingway’s favorite. This is where he and Hadley used to live and go shopping during their first Paris’ years.
In the Snows of Kilimanjaro (E. Hemingway), Harry, the character wrote regarding this South East part of the Latin Quarter : “…There never was another part of Paris that he loved like that, the sprawling trees, the old white plastered houses painted brown below, the long treen of the autobus in that round square, the sudden drop down the hill of the rue Cardinal Lemoine to the River …”
Other nice and interesting spots in the area
A stone’s throw from the Jardin des Plantes, “La Grande Mosquée de Paris” (Mosque), which was built in the 20s to thank the Muslims
who helped defend France during WWII. A beautiful building inspired by the Alhambra in Grenade, that can be visited.
Next to it, the tearoom of this Mosque, very popular among Parisians.In this tearoom, you can enjoy a mint tea and an oriental pastry in a special and calming setting !
My recommendations:
- Strolling the Mouffetard neighborhood (South-East of the Latin Quarter) is a way to experience a local feel of Paris.
- In the morning to enjoy the street market and the peaceful streets around.
- In the evening (especially on weekend) to experience the hustle and bustle of the area. The “rue du Pot de Fer” is amazing for that ! So is the Place de la Contrescarpe.
- “Bal Musette”, place Saint Médard (bottom of the rue Mouffetard): Each Sunday from 12pm to 2pm : a and intimate French “Bal Musette” during which you can dance (or people watch !) on accordion music. A traditional bal which exists since 1975
Some addresses
- Mouffetard street market: except on Mondays and on Sunday afternoon
- Monge market (since 1921) : Place Monge, Paris 5, Wed., Frid. and Sunday 7am to 13.30pm; Metro station: Monge
- The Place de la Contrescarpe and its cafés : not to be missed
- Café La Contrescarpe 57 rue Lapécède, but actually mainly located on the nice and lively Place de la Contrescarpe.
- Pharmacie Monge-Notre Dame : 1 place Monge. Metro stop : Monge. A large range of products (Caudalie, Melvita, Nuxe..) with much less crowd than CityPharma which is the one located rue du Four
- Tea room of the Grande Mosquée de Paris , 39 rue Geoffroy Saint Hilaire, Paris 5. A very special and peaceful setting to enjoy a mint tea and some oriental pastries, next to the “Jardin des Plantes”.
- La Grande Mosquée de Paris : 2 bis place du Puits-de-l’Ermite 75005 Paris. A spectacular building (next to the tearoom mentioned above)
- Ernest and Hadley Hemingway’s home : 74 rue du Cardinal Lemoine, Paris 5. A few steps from Place de la Contrescarpe
A few random notes
- This neighborhood holds a very special place in my heart. Rue Mouffetard was the street where my grandmother used to shop, and near where my grandparents, my mother, and her brother lived. This is also where my parents got married (down the rue Mouffetard)
A few years ago, I organized private walking tours with visitors, not as a tour guide (my goal has never been to be a tour guide!), but as a Parisian sharing her Paris (I share more than I guide)! I’ll probably do it again but for solo women travelers.
Here is one of the reviews of my guests-visitors : “We did the hidden Latin Quarter tour. Cannot praise Anne Jeanne enough. Passionate with great knowledge. Very easy to talk to. Even though we had been to Paris many times we learnt so much. Would highly recommend these tours. Thank you for your time Ann Jeanne” – Warren Greg Tania Dave
