Latin Quarter – Panthéon

The Sorbonne in Paris: Latin Quarter

Your journey starts on the place de la Sorbonne in Paris, a small square overlooking the entrance to the famous university, which started out in the 13th century as a theology college for destitute students. A clothing store now shares the space with cafes and bookstores, but the plaza remains a good starting point to explore the Latin Quarter.

Venture in the nearby rue de la Sorbonne and you might be allowed to enter the lovely 17th century college courtyard. On weekdays, it is teeming with students reading on the stone steps or rushing to class in the college’s stately amphitheaters.

Linking the square to the rue des Ecoles is the narrow rue Champollion, a lovely alley that packs not one but three Latin Quarter independent movie theaters, where students and professors attend retrospectives of filmmakers like François Truffaut or Fritz Lang. To see what’s playing at Le Champollion, which everyone calls Le Champo check out their website . For a cheap after-movie beer and “croque-monsieur” (a toasted ham and cheese sandwich), head to Le Reflet, on the same street. Read the entire story here…»

Rue Mouffetard Market picture

If you love to cook, there’s really only one way to vacation in Paris. Skip the pint-size hotel room and rent an apartment with a fully equipped kitchen so you can enjoy the treasure trove of ingredients sold around the city.  Paris is dotted with open-air markets offering the freshest breads, meats and seafood, fruits and vegetables, and of course, cheeses. Fill your tote with artisanal finds in the morning and cook gourmet meals back at your own New York Habitat vacation rental in Paris at night.

Rue Mouffetard Market, or La Mouffe as it’s affectionately known to locals, is one of the city’s best-known markets. Located in the popular 5th arrondissement, this narrow cobblestone street is among the oldest in Paris and feels like a tiny village unto itself. You’ll find boucheries (butchers), boulangeries (bakers), poissoneries (fish stores), fromageries (cheese shops) and magasins du vin (wine stores) –  a true gastronomic paradise. The merchant street is also lined with restaurants and cafes, perfect for people watching while soaking up the sites and smells of the bustling market.

Located on the Left Bank in the fifth arrondissement, La Mouffe runs from the Place de la Contrescarpe, just behind the Panthéon, down to St. Médard Square. It’s open daily (except for Monday’s) and is best to visit in the mornings, as some stalls close in the afternoon. New York Habitat has dozens of charming apartments in the 5th arrondissement right along Rue Mouffetard, including: Read the entire story here…»

Institut du Monde Arabe de Paris

In continuing with our theme of Middle Eastern and North African influence on modern French culture New York Habitat reveals an entirely different kind of guided Paris tour. Besides being the home to one of Paris’ most interesting museums, the Institute of the Arab World is also the site of arabic-language courses, child activities, film showings and the start of the Paris-Arabe Historique: a walk through the streets of Paris’ 5th arrondissement. The guided walking tour takes visitors through the streets of the 5th arrondissement, taking special note of sites and monuments relating to the Arab influence on France. The quarter has many attractive apartments and New York Habitat can have you calling a vaction rental home in no time.

The Paris-Arabe History guided tour takes place every Saturday afternoon from late Spring to early Fall. The tour starts out at the College de France and La Sorbonne, two sites not normally thought of as anything but Français. This part of the tour highlights the intellectual curiosity of the French towards the Middle East during the reign of Francois the 1st. The tour then moves on to one of the oldest churches in Paris, the church Saint-Julien-le-Pauvre. Tour guides outline the relationship of France and Christian Arabs. The third stage of the walking tour focuses on the Arabic language. The 5th arrondissement is where the first printing presses and newspapers were introduced in Arabic and the dozens of Arabic bookstores and libraries in Paris are rooted in the quarter. The tour then arrives at the Mosque of Paris , one of the grandest Mosques in the West. The tour comes to an end back at the Institute of the Arab World and, if you still have the energy, guests can take in an exhibition or shop in the on-site store. Read the entire story here…»