Treasure #3 - Latin Quarter/ Gay District

     For my final treasure, I wanted to write about somewhere that I’ve spent the majority of my time in Paris, outside of the museums. Somewhere that I’ve always been eager and more than willing to go visit after class. This would be the famous Latin Quarter/ Gay District not too far from CEA. After Sarah Jorgensen introduced me to the best Falafel place ever in the world and a few vintage shops, I’ve been wanting to go back for the savory meals, deserts, and pastries, the dainty tight shops, the crowded vintage stores, and the authentic French soap. I’m dying to buy what smells like what I would imagine to be lavender apple, although I’m not quite sure, as it’s all in French, meaning it must be good. This is also the area where I found the best scrambled eggs I’ve ever eaten in my life. They seemed light and fluffy, with the perfect touch of butter and splash of milk. They were lightly sprinkled with a hint of Parmesan cheese and embedded with spinach and asparagus throughout. Seemingly so simple, but so delicious. They definitely focus on quality, not quantity here in Paris.

     The Latin Quarter is in the 5^th and 6^th arrondissements in Paris, on the left bank of the Seine River, pretty close to the Sorbonne University. The Quartier Latin name derives from the Latin language, which was widely spoken in the Middle Ages in and around the University. The Latin Quarter is known for student life, lively atmosphere, and bistros – the affordability is definitely what draws myself and fellow international students, budget travelers, and artists. It apparently used to be significantly cheaper a few years ago, but the prices have risen with it’s trend factor. We’ve still found numerous great and inexpensive places to eat and plenty of bars and nightclubs after hours. The river, Sarah’s and my favorite pub, around the Sorbonne, sells pints of Guinness for four euros during Happy Hour, which goes until 22 (10 PM) on some nights, an hour later than most other bars and bistros. This is definitely the best deal we’ve found around the city. We can also get a massive falafel sandwich for lunch that will keep you full far past dinner for only five euros from L’As du Falafel. It’s glorious enough where you need to even skimp on your breakfast before going to be able to devour such a colossal amount of food, which you’ll have to do regardless of how you plan your eating schedule that day for how delicious it is.. guaranteed budget saver. The falafel balls almost taste like meatballs for how perfectly prepared they are. Even a meat-lover hesitant of vegetarian meals would thoroughly enjoy the falafel, as it’s warm and delicious on the inside, but crispy on the outside. It has diced cucumbers, eggplant, cabbage, tomatoes, onions, and numerous other yummy little vegetables diced throughout the massive, fluffy pita pillowcase. The pita was finally topped with a creamy red, spicy, yogurt, and Tahini sauce. Spicy anything gets itself ten more points than it would have otherwise. I’m very intrigued by the quality of the chicken schawarma here, but am too scared to veer away from the falafel knowing we only have about two more lunches here in Paris.

     Aside from the food in the Latin Quarter, I also enjoy sitting outside or on a street corner, which is sometimes necessary to do when the falafel place is too full, as there’s tons of people to watch here! So many different languages are spoken across the street. I can even understand some Spanish!  

     Here’s some history on the Latin Quarter and how it came to be what it is today. After the Romans conquered the Parisii tribe in 52 BC and took up residence on the Ile de la Cité, they extended their settlements gradually along the Left Bank of the Seine. They eventually reached what is now Mount St-Geneviève, which got its name from the brave girl that banded the Parisians together during the barbarian raids. The Romans built a Forum, a theater and amphitheater, an aqueduct, thermal baths, as well as laying main roads through the area, including today’s Rue Sainte Jacques, where Yifan, Conrad, Travis, and Jacob from my class live! Traces of this ancient era still remain today, especially at the nearby Cluny Museum, site of an ancient Roman thermal bath.

     In the 12th century, the University of Paris located itself in the old Notre-Dame cloister on the Left Bank. In 1253, Robert de Sorbon founded a school, the Sorbonne, for the poor that eventually became internationally reputable. It has been a powerful center of learning throughout its history.The Latin Quarter got its name because Latin was spoken there, being the official language until 1793. The university tradition lives on in this neighborhood. For example, in May 1968, the famous student protests occurred here.
     There's many famous site around here. The Pantheon is near by, located on the top of Mt. Sainte Geneviève, looking out over all Paris. In this quaint historic area, there's numerous cafés, restaurants, theaters, and little French bookshops.