On the way to the elevator that whisks guests up to the sixth-floor dining room at La Tour d’Argent, a wall of fame pays tribute to some of the legendary diners who have passed through Paris’ oldest restaurant.
Among the hand-scribbled notes are autographs from Hollywood A-listers like Woody Allen and Paul McCartney, a photo of Salvador Dalí feasting on a tower of langoustines with the lit-up Notre-Dame Cathedral in the background, and a drawing by early 20th-century French poet and playwright Jean Cocteau depicting the restaurant’s famous pressed duck.
It’s just a miniature glimpse of the throngs of illustrious visitors – many of them artists and writers, but also politicians and athletes – the MICHELIN-Starred establishment has welcomed over its five-century legacy.
To get a sense of this intellectual heritage, you only need to look at the list of luminaries enshrined in the Panthéon – from writer and philosopher Voltaire to magistrate and politician Simone Veil – from which the area’s cobblestone streets spill out into the fifth arrondissement (district) and the eastern edges of the sixth.
But it’s also written into the many blue plaques that adorn the houses along the banks of the Seine and in the maze of medieval lanes tucked between the Jardin du Luxembourg and the Jardin des Plantes, commemorating former residents like American novelists James Joyce and Ernest Hemingway, as well as philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre.
It’s a living tableau of Paris past and present, where old-world institutions rub shoulders with arthouse cinemas, bohemian cafés and a new crop of restaurants serving inventive, globally inspired fare. Here are The MICHELIN Guide’s tips for getting your culinary – and cultural – fix in the ever-vibrant Latin Quarter.
Where to Eat in the Latin Quarter
You might think that a restaurant first opened in 1582 has remained steeped in nostalgia, but visit La Tour d’Argent and you’ll realize it’s anything but. For instance, the grande dame of French haute cuisine has recently undergone an extensive renovation, led by interior designer Franklin Azzi.
“Our aim was to bring La Tour d’Argent into the 21st century,” says third-generation owner André Terrail. “We want to draw on the richness of our history to make it a resolutely contemporary institution.” Since the arts have always been central to the establishment, the fully revamped dining room features artwork by Antoine Carbonne, Pauline Guerrier and other emerging talent, while Vincent Boudgourd’s illustrations adorn the numbered cards that accompany Chef Yannick Franques’ iconic pressed duck – a tradition the maison has upheld since 1890.
“It was either too much or not enough,” says Stéphane Offner, co-founder of OTTO, a small-plates eatery with a 400-reference-strong wine list – the majority of them natural or biodynamic – on medieval Rue Mouffetard. The team, headed by Éric Trochon, whose other restaurant Solstice in the area has a MICHELIN Star, draws from the bustling street life just outside their door, with signature dishes such as a lamb kebab with gochujang harissa nodding to the fast-food joints keeping the area’s late-night student crowd fed.
Where to Stay in the Latin Quarter
It’s easy to see why, during a visit to the Quartier Latin, you would want to wake up to a view of the Panthéon, the monument that has shaped so much of the neighborhood's spirit. While that may sound like a dream, at Les Dames du Panthéon, it’s a reality. The four-star hotel is the closest you’ll come to bedding down next to the great visionaries who rest across the road. Since nearly all of them – bar a handful – are men, the property’s owner Corinne Moncelli has dedicated each floor to a different influential Frenchwoman, from singer Édith Piaf to writer Marguerite Duras.
What to Do in the Latin Quarter
With options ranging from the Bouquinistes lining the Seine to the legendary Shakespeare & Company, you won’t struggle to find reading material in Paris’ historic university quarter.
Records, however, have become more of a rarity. Luckily, there is still La Dame Blanche, a pint-sized disquaire specialising in classical music and jazz. “When I started in 1987, I thought it would be easier to make a living selling CDs and vinyl than books, since there were already so many librairies in the area,” says Régis Page, the shop’s 78-year-old owner.
Ironically, in an age of streaming platforms, he’s now one of the few disquaires who have managed to survive, sustained by a dedicated community of collectors. Despite his age – and the challenges of the industry – he shows no signs of slowing down.
Theatre is another neighborhood mainstay. Besides Parisian institutions like the Théâtre de l’Odéon, it’s the smaller venues – the Romanian-French playwright Eugène Ionesco-focused La Huchette and the Théâtre de la Contrescarpe – that set the tone with their experimental productions. Part avant-garde, part rooted in centuries of intellectual tradition, it’s no surprise they feel right at home in Paris’ age-old cradle of creativity.
Hero image: A food lover's guide to the Latin Quarter in Paris, includes generic cafés but also some of the best MICHELIN-recommended spots. © Mary Quincy / MICHELIN Guide
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