The Paris we know today has only existed, in large part, since the mid-19^th century.  Before then, much of the medieval city was a dark, overcrowded and unhealthy place.  The wide, tree-lined boulevards and fine, creamy stone buildings we enjoy and admire today are mostly due to one man, Georges-Eugène Haussmann.  The dramatic urban renovation program undertaken by Haussmann was under the orders of Napoleon lll, nephew of Napoleon Bonaparte, a visionary and idealist, who was determined to transform Paris into a modern city fit for the new industrial era.

As we’ve seen from our Part One exploration of the Latin Quarter, there’s enough to keep anyone occupied for many days, as well as taking time to simply sit and enjoy people-watching, and the atmosphere of the area in a local café.  This Quartier also offers a wide selection of accommodation, as well as excellent public transport to take you anywhere across Paris, and beyond.  We left our scrutiny of this fascinating neighbourhood at the Curie Museum, from where we can continue on our way.

A city as ancient and as large as Paris has an almost overwhelming number of sights to take in.  Fortunately, one advantage that Paris has, is that so many of its attractions are within the Périphérique, or ring-road, that defines the arrondissements, or districts, from the areas outside that.  As well, Paris has a wonderful, and very accessible, public transport system that makes exploring the city practical and efficient.  If you had to nominate one arrondissement that has a concentration, and indeed a richness, of treasures, it would surely be the 5^th arrondissement, a large part of which is the Latin Quarter.  It has long been one of our favourite areas of Paris, and we are still exploring its many attractions as they evolve along with the city itself.