Saint-Michel
Photos by Alex Gutierrez
The heart of the Latin Quarter, this area is riddled with people from all across Europe. The demographic area is a much younger demographic, for example, it's mostly college students, due to the number of universities near the area. The area is much louder and livelier especially throughout the night, with its high number of bars and restaurants that are in this area. Very famous spot in the Latin quarter is Shakespeare and Company. Although it is in the heart of Paris, this store sells books in English. Sylvia Beach was the founder of the original Shakespeare and Company which was located in 12 rue de l’Odéon. The location in the Latin Quarter has been opened since 1951. Also, you can walk to the Luxembourg Gardens. A beautiful gem, it is a huge and decorative garden with a palace in the middle.
- interview with a local: After meeting a man who worked at a bakery, he explained to me he has been working in the Latin Quarter for about 20 years. Although he does not live in the area, he is thankful for the job he has in the area. Something special about the area that he explained to us is that there is a little piece of every country in the Latin quarter. It is not primarily just French bars and restaurants, it has a mix of different countries, allowing people to enjoy different cultures.
-Must see: The Church of Saint Severin, a very gothic style church in the Latin quarter. It is still a place of worship, yet its unique structure and very strong gothic presence is a must-see for tourist.
Saint- Germaine-des-pres
A very historical and cultural metro stop. In this stop, it is clear that the influences of. The French revolution still live here today. At this stop, there are several restaurants and bars that very important figures went to in the past. Brasseries Lipp is a brewery in which Hemingway spent most of his time and even wrote a book here. Les Deux Maggots is a restaurant in which Picasso ate at. Walking around the area of Saint-Germaine-des-pres, there are statues of very important French idealist such as Voltaire, Montesquieu, and Condorcet. This area birth the ideas of separation of powers, feminism, and revolutionary ideas.
Denfert-Rochereau
A more residential area, at Denfert-Rochereaur, compared to the other spots, this area seems to be less crowded. However, there is one really important monument at this spot are the Paris catacombs. As soon as you come out of the metro, you will notice the very large line of people waiting in line to enter the catacombs. Especially during the summertime, the wait time to enter the catacombs is a few hours. The catacombs hold about six million bodies, making it more of a darker tourist attraction. Due to this very important attraction, around the area are a few restaurants, however, the area seems more residential with a good amount of parks nearby.
- cool find: There is a street by the metro spot that is filled with food stands, clothing store, and boulangeries. Here you can find good quality food for a decent price. Here I was able to find discounts on some clothing items and also a good spot to buy ice cream at Amorino’s.
Port D ‘Orleans
This stop use to be the final stop on the metro line until 2013. This area has a mixed demographic when it comes to age, ethnicity, and the type of stores nearby. I believe this is due to the area being more residential but also near universities such as the Cite International University where I am staying. Therefore, the area has different ranges of ethnicity and race in the area. From areas such as Asia, Africa, England, the United States, South America, and even Canada. I have been able to meet people from Florida, California, Brazil, and Chicago from this area. Like me, they came here to study abroad and emerge themselves into the culture.
-must go to: There is a crepe store in front of the university. It sells affordable crepes at a good price. The men who work at the store are very friendly and speak multiple languages. I have noted that in Paris, it seems that the residents speak multiple languages. For example, the workers at the crepe store speak English, French, Italian, and most likely another language. It’s so interesting to see how culturally diverse Paris can be.