Things to do in the Latin Quarter and Saint-Germain

The Latin Quarter and Saint-Germain-des-Pres sit on the Left Bank, opposite the Ile de la Cite, and they read as a different Paris from the Marais or the Louvre across the river: university streets, bookshops, cafes with literary history, and the Musee d'Orsay facing the Tuileries from the south side of the Seine.

Orsay closes on Mondays, and a proper visit to its collection realistically takes two to three hours, more if you linger over the Impressionist galleries. Do not confuse it with the Louvre, which sits on the opposite bank and keeps its own closing day.

Saint-Germain adds Saint-Germain-des-Pres church and the Luxembourg Gardens edge; expect narrow streets that get crowded on weekend afternoons, especially in the April-to-June and September-to-October shoulder seasons.