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Latin Quarter, Paris
A guide to the Latin Quarter of Paris — where it is, why it is called Latin, its universities, climate, metro links to the Louvre and airports, and where to stay. Checked October 2026.
What the name covers
The Latin Quarter is the historic district of the universities on the Left Bank. It owes its name to Latin, the language of the students until the Revolution, and it is among the most touristy parts of Paris, with narrow streets between boulevard Saint-Germain and the Seine. The 5th arrondissement, whose official name is “arrondissement du Panthéon”, has lost a third of its population since 1968, but the district remains very much a student one: the historic Sorbonne building houses the Chancellerie, Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, Sorbonne Université and Sorbonne Nouvelle, and the quarter also has the École normale supérieure, the Collège de France, the ESPCI, the Jussieu campus and the lycées Louis-le-Grand and Henri-IV.
Photo: Rutger van der Maar, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
In the Middle Ages the University occupied the Left Bank, the merchants’ city the Right Bank and the Cité the island.
Where to start
- Churches and old stones. Notre-Dame, across the river; Saint-Séverin; Saint-Étienne-du-Mont; and the Cluny Museum.
- Books. Shakespeare and Company and the bouquinistes, with the literary cafés.
- Learning. The Sorbonne and the Panthéon.
- Gardens. The Luxembourg Gardens and the Jardin des Plantes, then the Grand Mosque and the Institut du monde arabe.
- Streets and markets. Rue Mouffetard, the place de la Contrescarpe and the rue de la Huchette. For the geography, see our map of the Latin Quarter.
- Evenings. The Caveau de la Huchette for jazz; the 5th also has at least a dozen independent art-house cinemas, among them Le Champo, la Filmothèque, the Reflet Médicis, the Grand Action and the Studio Galande, where Rocky Horror plays on Fridays and Saturdays. See also the things to do.
Photo: 최광모, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Moving around
Line 7 is the direct way to the Louvre. For Versailles, the RER C leaves from Saint-Michel Notre-Dame; for Orly, the RER B to Antony and Orlyval, or line 14. Saint-Michel on line 4 is closed from 14 September to 19 December 2026; its RER platforms stay open, as do Cluny – La Sorbonne and Maubert – Mutualité on line 10 (Paris.fr, read on 4 October 2026).
Photo: Ibex73, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Where to stay
The district has no single centre in our data, so we give no list of the hotels closest to a middle point. To choose by corner of the district, use our lists of hotels near Notre-Dame, Saint-Michel, the Odéon, the Luxembourg Gardens, the Panthéon, rue Mouffetard and the Jardin des Plantes. For the arrondissement as a whole, see hotels in the 5th arrondissement, and for the question of which arrondissement it is, which arrondissement is the Latin Quarter in.
History and distinctive features
- The Latin Quarter is the historic university district of the Left Bank, covering the 5th arrondissement and part of the 6th, around the Sorbonne and the montagne Sainte-Geneviève, opposite the Île de la Cité. Source : fr.wikipedia.org
- In the seventeenth century the University was nicknamed the “pays latin”, after the Latin spoken in teaching; the name “quartier latin” took hold at the end of the eighteenth century. Source : fr.wikipedia.org
- The 5th arrondissement had 55,252 inhabitants in 2023, against 83,721 in 1968, with a density of 21,752.8 inhabitants per km², which implies an area of about 2.54 km² (254 ha). Source : insee.fr
- The official name of the 5th is “arrondissement du Panthéon” (article R2512-1 of the general code of local authorities), a name rarely used. Source : fr.wikipedia.org
- The caveau de la Huchette, at 5 rue de la Huchette, offers jazz and swing every evening. Source : caveaudelahuchette.fr
Frequently asked questions
Where is the Latin Quarter in Paris?
On the Left Bank, south of the Seine and opposite the Île de la Cité. It covers the 5th arrondissement and part of the 6th, around the Sorbonne and the montagne Sainte-Geneviève.
Why is it called the Latin Quarter?
Because Latin was the language of teaching at the University, which gave the area the nickname “pays latin” in the seventeenth century; “quartier latin” became the usual name at the end of the eighteenth century.
What is the weather like in the Latin Quarter?
Paris has no separate climate by district. Météo-France’s 1991–2020 normals, from the Paris-Montsouris station in the 14th arrondissement, about 1.5 km south of the Panthéon, give 5.4°C on average in January and 20.9°C in July, with a mean high of 25.7°C in July. Rain totals 634 mm a year, on about 109 days with at least 1 mm. The record is 42.6°C on 25 July 2019.
What are the opening hours of the Latin Quarter?
A district has none: each site keeps its own hours, which we give in the guides to Notre-Dame, the Panthéon, the Cluny Museum and the others. Several sites change their hours with the season.
How do I get to the Louvre from the Latin Quarter?
By line 7, which runs directly from Place Monge, Jussieu or Censier – Daubenton to Palais Royal – Musée du Louvre.
How do I get to the airports and Versailles?
For Versailles, the RER C links Saint-Michel Notre-Dame with Versailles Château Rive Gauche. For Orly, take the RER B to Antony and then Orlyval, or line 14. For the Gare du Nord, line 4 or the RER B leave from Saint-Michel Notre-Dame, though the line 4 platforms there are closed until 19 December 2026.
Is the Latin Quarter good with children?
It offers the Ménagerie and the Grande Galerie de l’Évolution in the Jardin des Plantes, the Luxembourg Gardens and the playground of the Arènes de Lutèce.