Paris Left Bank is a great district for a parisian stay with charming boutique hotels and typically parisian restaurants. Left Bank Paris map locates the top sights in this parisian and romantic district: the Seine river, Luxembourg Gardens, Saint-Germain-des-Prés, Le Panthéon, Musée d'Orsay, Rue de Sèvres, Mouffetard market. Left Bank walking tour. Paris maps.
As the Seine river roughtly flows westwards cutting the city in two, geographically speaking, the Left Bank is the southern bank of the river and the right bank is its northern bank. When facing downstream, the southern bank is to the left, and the northern bank is to the right.
But, for Parisians, geography is not key. When mentioning the Left Bank, Rive Gauche in French, they refer to the central and old district around Saint-Germain-des-Prés, sometimes extending it to Latin quarter around Sorbonne University and to Montparnasse around Tour Montparnasse.
The Eiffel Tower, for example, is by geography in the Left Bank, but it is not in the Left Bank district.
Hotel d'Aubusson is a 17th-century private mansion set in the heart of the left bank. The five star hotel offers a jazz bar and an interior courtyard with a fountain. Guest rooms feature original beams, antique furniture and a monumental fireplace made of Burgundy stone. Some suites feature a four-poster bed and a view of the courtyard. Each room at Hotel D'Aubusson has a marble bathroom, a coffee machine and high-speed WiFi. A full English breakfast is served.
There are few Left Bank hotels and service residences right on the Seine river banks. In between Notre-Dame and the Louvre Museum, right at the angle of rue des Grands Augustins and its amazing gastronomic restaurants, Citadines Saint-Germain-des-Près is one of the very few Left Bank hotels with a river view.
It can be said that the Saint-Germain-des-Prés district is the beating heart of the Left Bank and one of the most Parisian districts in town. Dominated by the tower of the very old and prestigious Saint-Germain-des-Prés Church, Saint-Germain-des-Prés has long been famous as the intellectual district of Paris with the likes of Jean-Paul Sartre and Boris Vian being regulars in cafés and night-clubs. Many visitors have a drink at Café de Flore or Deux Magots, the two most famous literary Cafés in Paris. It is too a top shopping area. The Saint-Germain-des-Prés district around rue de Sèvres, rue du Four, boulevard Saint-Germain, rue Bonaparte has many French fashion stores, including Hermès (17, rue de Sevres), one of the most spectacular fashion stores in town. Discover Musée Delacroix in Place Furstemberg, the loveliest in town.
At walking distance from Saint-Germain-des-Prés, the Luxembourg Gardens are certainly the preferred gardens of Parisians. Spread with statues, fountains and flowers, they are the most romantic gardens in Paris. They are crowded on sunny days. North of Luxembourg Gardens, the area around Saint-Sulpice church is quite lovely. Since 1799, the Luxembourg Palace houses the Senate, one of the two chambers of the French Parliament with the National Assembly. Members of the two Houses are chosen by different electoral systems. The 348 senators are assisted by specialized civil servants and parliamentary aides. 2000 people work for the Senate. The Speaker of the Senate ensures the stability of France’s institutions. He is called upon to replace the President of the Republic in the event of his death or resignation. The Palace cannot be visited.
Le Panthéon is certainly the most famous monument on the Left Bank. It was built in the 18th century as a church dedicated to Saint Geneviève, the patron saint of the city. It was turned into a memorial place during the French revolution. The inscription above the entrance reads “To great men, the grateful homeland”. The large crypt accommodates the vaults of great French public figures, including Voltaire, Rousseau, Victor Hugo, Émile Zola, Jean Moulin, Louis Braille, Jean Jaures and Soufflot, its architect.
French King Louis XV vowed in 1744 that if he recovered from his illness he would replace the ruined church of the Abbey of Saint Geneviève with a monument worthy of the patron saint of Paris. The king regained his health. Architect Jacques-Germain Soufflot was chosen and the construction began in 1758. Due to financial problems, work proceeded slowly. The church was finally completed in 1790, during the early stages of the French Revolution.
In between the Seine River and Saint-Germain-des-Prés in the Left Bank, Relais Louis XIII is housed in a 17th century house, featuring old stones, noble wooden beams, engravings, stained glass windows and antique chairs.
Very attached to traditional French cuisine, Manuel Martinez, the cook, revisits it and brings an elegant modernity to his classical dishes. The cook is obsessed with finding the truth in flavors, through a meticulous produce selection process. Great gastronomy. 70 euro signature menu at lunch time.
One of our favorites restaurants in town. We are regulars.
We would like to be able to recommend many Le Petit Olivier, but there are few in central districts. In the lovely, trendy and expensive rue du Cherche-midi, this tiny and packed restaurant serves a good dish of the day and a desert for 10 euros. The chef, who also does the service, cooks traditional French disches, like baked sardines, smoked sausage and lentils or black pudding as daily specials. On the service side, no fuss. The best way to choose your dessert? “You get up, you look in the fridge. “Indeed, on the other side of a small corridor, banana chocolate fondants and speculoos mousse are waiting for gourmets. "The spoons are next," calls out the chef. For a bit, we would almost ask the neighbors if they want us to bring them something. Unbeatable. No web site. No reservation.
A masterpiece of 15th century kept in Musée de Cluny in Paris Left Bank, the lady with unicorn tapestries have a mysterious appeal. Their beautiful red color and the luxuriance of their thousand-flower background captivate the eye while the intricacies of their interpretation have continued to make ink flow for two centuries. Built in six pieces around the evocation of the five senses, the lady with unicorn tapestries are attributed, for their cartoons, to the painter Jean d'Ypres, a very active member in Paris, around 1480-1510. If this context of creation has been established by recent studies, the tapestries still raise questions about their symbolic and moralizing meaning. This is all the more so since the order in which the tapestries were to follow one another is not established with certainty. Traditionally interpreted as a depiction of a spiritual quest, the work can also be related to courtly allegories taken from the Roman de la Rose (13th century), a work by Guillaume de Lorris. It remains a veritable monument of meditative poetry.
As driving and parking are quite difficult in the city, the metro is the most heavily used means of transportation. The metro is safe and clean. Locate metro lines and metro stations on the map. Find your itinerary in town. Check our Paris metro map
Download printable Paris bus network map.
The city is divided into 20 arrondissements, its administrative subdivisions with each a separate city hall and a zip code. As example, the zip code of the 1st arrondissement is 75001. Locate most city top sights on the Paris Arrondissement map.
There is a wide choice of hotels and apartments in town with very different quality and value for money. Most hotels are small and charming boutique hotels. Locate our favorite hotels in town and our favorite districts for hotels on Paris hotel map.
There is a huge number of restaurant in the city, both French and foreign. In general, the tourist districts offer poor value for money. But, there are exceptions. Locate our favorite restaurants in town on Paris restaurant map.
From the huge shopping malls to the small specialized shops, there are shopping venues matching your taste. Locate the best shopping venues in the city on Paris shopping map: fashion streets, department stores, shopping malls, flea market.
It is quite practical to have and use a printed pdf map when in town. Check and print in town the free printable Paris map pdf with the main streets of the city, the metro stations, the train stations and the top tourist signts.
Locate the top monuments on Paris monument map. It includes the Eiffel Tower, Notre-Dame, the Louvre, the Sacré-Coeur, the Arc de Triomphe, La Conciergerie, the Sainte Chapelle, the Fondation Louis Vuitton, Palais de Chaillot.
The city is world famous for its top museums of art: Musée d'Orsay, Louvre, Centre Pompidou, Musée d'Art Moderne, Musée Picasso, Musée Marmottan. Locate and view the top museums on Paris museum map.
Locate the top gardens and parks on Paris garden map: Luxembourg Gardens, Les Tuileries, Parc de la VIllette, Buttes-Chaumont, Parc Monceau, Bois de Boulogne, Bois de Vincennes.
Locate and view the top sights on Paris sightseeing map: on one map, monuments, museums, parks and gardens.
Locate top tourist sights on Paris tourist map. It includes monuments, museums, gardens, shopping venues, restaurants
The Champs-Elysées are both one of the most beautiful avenues in the world and a fantastic shopping district with Avenue Montaigne and rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré near-by. Explore the Champs-Elysées with Champs-Elysées map.
Discover the fabulous Seine river banks and its many famous sights, islands and bridges on Seine river map: Eiffel Tower, Palais de Chaillot, Musée d'Orsay, Louvre Museum, Notre-Dame, Pont Neuf, Ile Saint-Louis, Ile de la Cité.
Montmartre is at the same time a village like hilly district and one of the most touristic districts in town. Discover Montmartre and its top sigths including Sacré-Coeur, Place du Tertre, Moulin de la Galette and Moulin Rouge on Montmartre map.
Disneyland is the top sight of the city and of Europe. Locate and view Disneyland top attractions on Disneyland map.