I'm David Hill with New York Habitat,
and today we're going to explore
one of the liveliest and most popular
areas of Paris,
the Quartier Latin, or the Latin Quarter.
NEW YORK HABITAT - VIDEO
with DAVID HILL
Latin Quarter - Part 1
Paris, France
There's so much to see in this area,
that this will be the first
of a three-part series dedicated
to the Latin Quarter.
So be sure to subscribe
to our YouTube channel
and we'll let you know
when parts 2 and 3
are posted in the coming weeks.
Located on the Left Bank,
where the Roman city of Lutetia once stood,
the Latin Quarter stretches from
the river to the top of
Mount St. Genevieve,
Now, the name Latin Quarter
has nothing to do with the Romans
that once lived here.
It actually goes back to
the Middle Ages,
where students and teachers
from all over the world
came here to study,
and they used Latin
as their common language.
Many universities were founded
at the time,
including the prestigious Sorbonne
Now the Latin Quarter
is still the haunt of many students.
But tons of people come here
to stroll through its tiny streets,
enjoy the cafés, the jazz clubs
and take in some people watching.
Where better to start our video tour
than where people tend to meet,
at the Saint-Michel fountain.
Stretching in front of us
is one of the boulevards
constructed by Haussmann
in the 1860s
as part of Napoleon III's
project to rebuild Paris.
This is the boulevard Saint-Michel,
called affectionately by Parisian's
the Boul'Mich.
The fountain with St Michael
killing the dragon was designed
to give a beautiful finish
to the boulevard.
The square to our right,
the place Saint-André des Arts,
is a great place for café-sitting.
Across the street
and around the corner,
we are in for a taste
of the old Latin Quarter.
This area still has its
narrow medieval streets,
identifiable by the gutter down
the middle.
Once filled with medieval students
and teachers, craftsmen,
merchants, and the knights
of the royal guard,
these streets are as bustling as ever.
They are now home to many
picturesque ethnic restaurants.
It's difficult to enjoy your
morning coffee and a
vintage book from the Latin Quarter
in a boring hotel room.
For an authentic Latin Quarter experience,
make sure you book a
furnished apartment or vacation rental
for your next trip to Paris.
The Eglish Saint-Séverin
is considered the most beautiful
Flamboyant Gothic church
in the city.
At one time, its tower
dominated all of medieval Paris,
somewhat like the Eiffel Tower today.
Rue Saint-Jacques was once
a main road through the
Roman city of Lutetia.
It got its name in the Middle Ages,
when it was used by pilgrims
to travel from Paris
to Compostella in Spain,
to visit the relic of the body of St James.
Once a chapel on pilgrims' route,
this church by the name of
Saint-Julien-le-Pauvre
is the oldest gothic church
in Paris.
You can see a couple
of the old medieval houses
near the church.
Well, we covered a lot of ground today
here in the Latin Quarter in Paris.
If we missed any of your
favorite hotspots here,
make sure you share them with us
in the comments section below.
And be sure to visit our website
at nyhabitat.com
You'll find apartments and apartment reviews
here in the Latin Quarter
and all over Paris.
Tired of boring, lifeless hotel rooms?
Consider booking a
vacation rental
or a furnished apartment
for your next trip to the city of light.
I'm David Hill with New York Habitat.
We hope to see you soon here
in the Latin Quarter.
Or, as they say in Latin,
Bonum cursum, or
in French, bon voyage!
