The close proximity to a number of universities and schools naturally influences life in the district, bustling yet with a studious effervescence maintained by the many bookshops specialised in law, history or comic books and mangas, like the wide array that line Rue Dante.
Conviviality is also the convention in the district. Whether it’s a snack at Chez Odette, a gourmet meal at Sola, A&T or Kitchen Ter or an elegantly simple wine cellar (Les Flacons on Rue des Écoles), the establishments all personify the district’s debonair and generous spirit.
Tea is practically an institution, from English Tea Time to the excellent Tea Caddy at the La Maison des Trois Thés, a tea paradise, as are the pubs where students gather at the end of the day.
The shops are both local and exemplary, including some household names such as Le Vieux Campeur where all of Paris’ best treks start and Eyrolles bookshop that always has the latest good read in store.
On sunny days, there’s the terrace of the Paris Mosque to enjoy, while on rainy days the glazed roof of the Jardin des Plantes provides a refuge for dreams of adventure in all seasons.
Lively yet tranquil, young and family centred, studious yet with a penchant for partying, old and modern all at once, the district is the best of Paris all rolled into one.