Awakening to the Latin Quarter of Paris

Bonjour mes amis,

You know what I mean when I say that some of us choose to live by the tune of a different drum. There is always choices to be made today about our tomorrows- some bigger than others and there are those who choose to walk a different pathway, if but only temporarily.

For those of you who have contemplated alternatives and plan to slip away for an interval of time to holiday or to regain that part of you which you have not seen or felt for a long while, you could very well benefit from a healthy bout of the Latin Quarter of Paris.

My french awakening discovered that the Quartier Latin, dominating  the 5th arrondissment of the famous Left Bank of Paris and oozing into the 6th- dances to its own fabulously unique pulsating beat, both by day and night.

By day you can be wrapped up by artisans, galleries, antique dealers, publishing houses, chic boutiques and book sellers. The Left bank lives up to its reputation of being the “artistic side” of Paris and still home to the revolutionaries of art, writing and philosophy as it was in the past, with the likes of the infamous Hemingway, Picasso and Oscar Wilde who frequented literary cafes here like “Les Deaux Magots”… and maybe now even you?

Wander the cobblestone streets where a carcaphony of sounds oxygenate you and your mates with the language of intellectuals. Writers and students of academia, not only from the huge host of colleges and specialist Faculties (Geography, Archeology, Pharmacy and Languages to name a few), also sprout in sporadic streams from lecture halls of La Sorbonne University- the institution which has remained the heart of the Latin Quarter and continues to palpitate this part of Paris since the 13th century.

Tantalize your taste buds simultaneously as the Latin Quarter’s more budget friendly outlets offer delicious and often very memorable French foods ready for takeaway.You’ll be confronted with more food choices on a daily basis than back at home which can’t be all bad and there’s always Rue de Mouffetard markets which spill gourmet freshness to add to your cuisine options.

Take an arterial route and enter the era of Gallo Roman Paris history at Place du Pantheon…

or soak up long lived and imaginary circus acts and the contests of bronzed gladiators from one of the seats of the Amphitheatre of the the ancient arena (Arenes de Lutece) all in your afternoon.

Want more? Of course you do! Need more? You’ll have to answer that one.

Well, how ’bout by night? Enter the Latino world of lively bistros and brasseries with their neon lights and music which scream jazz and seduction.

Resist no longer my friends. Come to Quartier Latin- it will offer you more than you could possibly imagine. What are you waiting for?

The Latin Quarter. Bigger than a bandaid… and far less sticky!

Au revoir,

Best Wishes, Therese Waddell

copyright@2010 Therese Waddell