Very much so. Most of what's worth seeing sits within a compact stretch between the Seine and Montparnasse, easily covered on foot in a day or two.
Discover Authentic Paris Left Bank: A Local Travel Guide by Mercure
At Mercure, we believe you shouldn't need a guidebook to feel like you belong somewhere. That's the idea behind Discover Local: since 1973, every Mercure hotel has been built around its neighbourhood, not just dropped into it — from the décor on the walls to the flavours on the menu. Step into any Mercure and our teams are on hand with the kind of tips you won't find in a guidebook: the market stall locals queue for, the bar where nobody speaks English, the walk that skips the crowds. They live here. They know. Discover Local isn't a generic city guide — it's a short, honest list of the restaurants, markets and neighbourhoods our own hotel teams actually recommend to guests, updated as the city changes around us. Below, you'll find our picks for Paris Left Bank, an interactive map to help you find your way, and answers to the questions travellers ask us most. So — where will Discover Local take you?
Our map pins local favourites such as the Paris Sewer Museum, Maison Gainsbourg and the book market in Parc Georges Brassens.
Top 5 Things to Do in Paris Left Bank
Saint-Germain-des-Prés
Historic café territory — Café de Flore and Les Deux Magots still anchor the corner by the church, the oldest in Paris. Go for an early coffee before the terraces fill, when it's still mostly locals reading the paper.
Latin Quarter & the Sorbonne
Narrow streets radiating out from the university, packed with bookshops and student haunts. Shakespeare and Company, the English-language bookstore by Notre-Dame, is worth the queue — climb to the upstairs reading room if you can.
Jardin du Luxembourg
Paris's grandest formal garden, fronting the French Senate. Bring nothing and do nothing — rent one of the green metal chairs by the pond and watch the model sailboats, a tradition here for generations.
Montparnasse
Once the haunt of painters and writers between the wars, still home to grand old brasseries like La Coupole. The Tour Montparnasse observation deck gives you the one Paris skyline view that includes the Eiffel Tower itself.
Musée d'Orsay
A former train station turned Impressionist museum — the building is half the reason to go, with its glass roof and giant station clock you can see the city through. Go late afternoon when the light through the clock face is best.
Explore Paris Left Bank's Best Local Spots with Our Interactive Map
What's on the map in Paris Left Bank
We've mapped local spots on the Left Bank. Curious?
Culture & curiosities
Paris Sewer Museum
At Pont de l'Alma, head down into the city's underground network and see how sewers shaped the history and hygiene of Paris. Unusual, and the whole family loves it.
Pont de l'Alma, 7th · Museum · Perfect for an unusual visit
Maison Gainsbourg
Open since September 2023, Serge Gainsbourg's home on rue de Verneuil, visited with headphones and guided by the voice of his daughter Charlotte. Intimate and unforgettable.
Rue de Verneuil, 7th · House museum · Made for music lovers
Cinéma du Panthéon
One of the oldest cinemas in Paris, this Latin Quarter independent now has a restaurant, bar and heated terrace decorated by Christian Sapet and Catherine Deneuve.
Latin Quarter, 5th · Cinema · Great for film lovers
Paris Catacombs
Walk among the bones of millions of Parisians in the tunnels beneath the city. Not for the faint-hearted.
14th arr. · Underground ossuary · Perfect for the curious
Musée de la Préfecture de Police
A police museum founded in 1909 on the fourth floor of a police station, revisiting famous true crime cases.
5th arr. · Museum · Ideal for history buffs
Musée Bourdelle
Sculptor Antoine Bourdelle's former studio, filled with his monumental works. Quiet, and quietly powerful.
15th arr. · Museum · Made for art lovers
Montparnasse Cemetery
19 hectares of green calm, resting place of Baudelaire, Jane Birkin and many more.
14th arr. · Cemetery · Perfect for a quiet walk
Galerie Louis Rozen
A bookshop-gallery of graphic art, psychedelic posters and rare photography.
5th arr. · Gallery · Great for collectors
Fluctuart
The world's first floating urban art centre: street art shows on the Seine, and a bar where DJs play.
Seine quays · Art barge · Made for street art
Les Frigos
A 1920s cold storage warehouse now home to 200 artists, with exhibitions and concerts.
13th arr. · Artists' space · Ideal for open studios
Families & weekends
La Maison des Histoires
Behind the Chantelivre children's bookshop, a museum for under-sevens with life-size sets such as a four-metre pirate ship, plus workshops and musical readings. Book well ahead.
6th arrondissement · Children's museum · Perfect for young families
Parc Kellermann
The largest garden in the 13th arrondissement: playgrounds, tennis courts, a football pitch and – rare in Paris – lawns you're allowed to picnic on.
13th arrondissement · Park · Made for picnics
Book market, Parc Georges Brassens
Every weekend, around forty booksellers lay out antique books, rare editions, vintage comics, prints and classics at low prices. Lose yourself.
15th arrondissement · Book market, weekends · Great for book lovers
Luxembourg Garden
Created in 1612 for Marie de Médicis: 25 hectares with an orchard, beehives and orchid greenhouses. Grab a green chair and stay.
6th arr. · Garden · Perfect for a stroll
Piscine Joséphine Baker
A floating 25-metre pool on the Seine, with a solarium and a retractable roof.
13th arr. · Swimming pool · Ideal for a swim with a view
Food & evenings
Food Society
Some thirty gourmet food stands, plus concerts, DJ sets and chef residencies.
14th arr. · Food hall · Great for groups
Poinçon
A café in the former Montrouge-Ceinture station, with a huge terrace, workshops and concerts.
14th arr. · Café · Perfect for lunch outside
Bouillon Chartier Montparnasse
Classic French dishes at gentle prices, in an Art Nouveau setting.
Montparnasse · Restaurant · Made for good value
Au Petit Vanves
A local bistro in Vanves, with homemade French dishes from a menu that follows the chef's mood.
Vanves · Bistro · Ideal for lunch
La Table 12
A short, homemade menu of French and Aveyron dishes.
Vanves · Restaurant · Perfect for local cooking
FAQ
The Seine splits Paris in two. The Left Bank (south side) leans intellectual and artistic — universities, bookshops, cafés with a literary past — while the Right Bank holds more of the grand monuments and shopping.
Saint-Germain-des-Prés puts you closest to cafés and galleries; the Latin Quarter suits those who want to be near the Sorbonne and Notre-Dame; Montparnasse offers more space and easy train links.
Yes. Maison Gainsbourg on rue de Verneuil has been open since September 2023, with an audio tour narrated by Charlotte Gainsbourg.
La Maison des Histoires in the 6th is a museum for under-sevens, and Parc Kellermann in the 13th has playgrounds and picnic lawns.
At the weekend book market in Parc Georges Brassens, where around forty booksellers gather.
Where to Sleep in Paris Left Bank
See our Mercure hotels across Paris Left Bank, ideally placed to explore these picks.