Poor, Unfortunate Soles: A Walk in the Left Bank in Paris
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One of the great joys of Paris is how utterly, delightfully walkable it is. It’s a huge city, yes, so the fantastic metro is a wonder for increasing access to most of the city. But once you know where you want to go, the absolute best way to explore – if you’re able – is simply to point yourself in the right direction and walk those tootsies off. That’s exactly the approach we took when took a walk through the neighborhoods of Paris’ Left Bank.
Walk It Out
My travel partner during my last trip to Europe would probably be the first person to accuse me of being entirely too dedicated to walking as a mode of transport. It’s true that I am absolutely, positively an unabashed fan of walking everywhere when visiting a city. If it’s a feasible distance through safe neighborhoods, I’m gonna hoof it. A few reasons:
- Walking everywhere helps ease the irrational (read: completely legitimate) guilt I feel about eating a bit too much (read: being an unrestrained glutton) while travelling;
- I’ll probably just generally see more and notice odd things. I notice very little so I need all the help I can get!; and
- I just like it.
I promise, I really am aware that the metro, bikes, buses, and even cars do exist in cities and are sometimes more practical options. I’ll take the subways when needed, of course. I’m pretty realistic about physical and/or time limitations. But my strong preference is to walk when I can.
Around the Arrondissements
We visited Paris after a trip to London, a city that just sprawls in every direction. Even sticking to many tourist meccas in London, it seemed like it was impossible to cover enough ground. And just accessing the tube stations can be an excursion before ever seeing a turnstile, much less a train. Getting from neighborhood to neighborhood there can be a test of endurance.
In contrast, much of Paris seems centered around the River Seine, with a prime tourist destination like the Louvre visible on one bank while the Musée D’Orsay beckons on the other. And although a few destinations – like Montmartre or Père Lachaise Cemetery – might require a hop on the metro, a first-time visitor could certainly spend several days around the city’s center with plenty of interesting walking tours to keep yourself entertained.
The neighborhoods of Paris, called arrondissements, are numbered as a clockwise spiral from the city center to outlying areas. The oldest neighborhoods, around the Louvre and the river islands, have the lowest numbers and are now lumped together, for administrative purposed. These four are called “Paris Centre” and all belong to the north side of the Seine. The Vth, VIth, and VIIth Arrondissements, then, are the neighborhoods nearest the Seine on the opposite side of the river – commonly called “the Left Bank”.
My focus for one busy day of endlessly fascinating, but completely manic, sightseeing was this group of uber-expensive neighborhoods. A walk through the Left Bank of Paris is a treat filled with plenty of highlights. It’s filled with beautiful gardens dotted with fine sculptures and fancy bistros. Is there any better way to spend a day?
The Itinerary
We accessed the Left Bank by first hopping on a train and popping up at the Cite metro station. Our first destination was St. Chappelle. It’s on the Ile de Cite and makes a perfect springboard to the Left Bank.
Saint-Chapelle
If you like stained glass, this is the place for you! It’s a popular spot, and entry is covered by the Paris Museum Pass.
The church is not immense, but it was built to house some of the most important Christian relics. Most visitors are here seeking a visit to the Holy Chapel on the upper level. It will dazzle you with more than 1,100 stained glass windows, meant to tell the story of those relics.
Important Note: Two queues might be present at the entrance to Saint-Chapelle, but only one is for entry to the Church! We arrived before opening but stood in the wrong line. I’m not joking, two queues form at the very same spot, but it’s not readily apparent if you are approaching from the Cite metro station (from the north side). If you stand in front of the entrance to Saint-Chapelle, one line snakes toward the left bank. Another line forms to the right. You want to join the left (south) queue, otherwise you’re standing in line for… a day in court?
Shakespeare & Company
We headed over to see the exterior of Notre Dame before heading south to cross the river. We started exploring the Left Bank with a visit to this notable English-language bookstore in the heart of Paris. A stop here feels is a bit of an adventure in literature. It’s full of tiny rooms and stairwells here and there.
And it also offers a cafe with a nice selection of breakfast options.
Musée de Cluny
This museum drew our attention because my fellow traveler has a deep love of textiles. The Cluny holds many examples of medieval art and should appeal to anyone with that interest. But one of its most notable exhibits is the Unicorn Tapestries.
These woven pieces were created from wool and silk during the Middle Ages. Seven sequential tapestries tell a story of the hunt for a magical and elusive unicorn. These are impressive in their scale (i.e., they’re huge), their preservation, and their level of detail.
Honestly, our visit to the Cluny did not take too much time, because we were primarily there to see these tapestries. They fill a single room and the museum is easy to navigate.
Luxembourg Gardens
There’s a palace, there are amazing gardens full of color, and there are tons of people to watch. When you’re ready for a break, I can’t think of a more beautiful setting than these gardens. And based on the number of people seated around the gardens or picnicking nearby, I imagine most locals feel the same way.
If you’re not tired yet, this is also a great place for exploration. There are a number of sculptures throughout, plus many recreation areas and tree-lined corridors.
Oh, and if you’re peckish but didn’t bring a picnic, there’s also Angelina. We had lunch here – mine was savory, my friend chose the brunch option. We both loved our food, and can attest to the hot chocolate being both delicious and insanely decadent.
Musée Rodin
This is a bit of a hike to and from, well west of our last stop. But this is well worth it.
It might not be in the heart of all the other sights, but it’s just beautiful. The gardens are well-kept and peaceful. The museum itself is in an old, restored mansion. The grounds are expansive and hold fantastic sculptures as you wander through.
This is easily one of my most favorite museums. If you’d like a museum experience with fewer crowds and less noise and bustle, this will be a welcome experience.
Musée D’Orsay
And here is the noise and bustle that the Musée Rodin entirely lacked!
The line experience here, late in the day, was a breeze. They provide a separate line for the Paris Museum Pass holder.
The building itself is an old train station. It’s a beauty, and at the end opposite the entrance, you can head up to the highest level and get a lovely view of the entire facility.
The exhibits confused me greatly. I am apparently an anomaly, though. This museum is supposed to be the most popular museum in Paris among Americans. It holds more recent, post-Louvre pieces – from the mid-1800s til the early 1900s – from primarily French artists. So there is a bit of impressionist and post-impressionist. If that is your jam, you’ll love this place.
Note: There’s also a fantastic, beautiful clock that makes a wonderful photo opportunity – you can even see Paris in the background. Unfortunately, this has become immensely popular with the insta-crowd, so don’t be afraid to barrel into the area and get your own great photo. Perhaps I was there on a bad day or during a particularly busy moment, but I got the impression that politely waiting for the well-dressed wannabe-influencers to be done with their photo sessions would be futile.
The Day’s End
We’d chosen an Airbnb in Paris located on Rue Montorgueil in the 2nd Arrondissement. This is a fantastic location close to several Metro stations (and different lines). It is also within walking distance of many sights near the city center. But after a long day, I decided to give myself a rest. I found a nearby Metro station to take the easiest route back home for the night.
Your risk tolerance might be much greater than mine, but I’m not fond of walking alone at night in any city.
Although this was the end of my day, I should also point out that there were many hours remaining in the evening for finding a nice restaurant for dinner or going to a fun bar for entertainment.
Lagniappe
There are certainly ways this walk in the Left Bank of Paris could be easily modified for other interests, if you’re willing to exchange some of my above destinations. Here are just a few ideas:
On the same side of the River Seine, you’d also find Jardin des Plantes with a Natural History Museum and Museum of Evolution. It’s far enough east that it would require a large portion of the day, particularly if visiting the museum(s). If time does not permit a stop here, you might drop by Deyrolle in Saint-Germain-des-Prés to browse an unusual shop with a natural history vibe.
The Panthéon is a beautiful building and the final resting place of many notable figures, including Victor Hugo and Voltaire. This stop also appeals to folks who like views of the city. (But if that is your primary motivation, you’ll also be able to get some other nice views for free or included with your Paris Museum Pass.)
Église de Saint Germain des Prés is an 11th-century reconstructed church that might be a worthwhile alternative for folks who wanted to see the Cathedral of Notre Dame but are currently unable due to its ongoing reconstruction.
Of course, visiting Paris at the time of writing isn’t in the cards at all while still being greatly impacted by the pandemic, but we all hope that some sort of “normal” will come back soon. When that happens, any of these locations are great options for a trip to Paris – I’ll definitely be hitting the Jardin des Plantes the next time I can visit.
Which Left Bank destinations would you choose?
