How to Spend an Afternoon on Paris' Left Bank

Last Updated on 5th August 2025 by Sophie Nadeau

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If there’s one area that tourists should make a point of visiting when wandering around the French capital, it’s Paris’ rive gauche.

Known as the left-bank in English, this is the area to the south of the Seine, an area where you can find students fretting about their studies around the Sorbonne, chic Parisians with their dogs in Saint-Germain-des-Prés, and an eclectic mix of things to do.

If the weather is warm and sunny, then here’s the perfect itinerary for how to spend an enjoyable afternoon on Paris’ left bank.

Contents

Paris’ left bank itinerary

Paris’ left bank itinerary

Arènes de Lutèce

One of the most delightful parks on Paris’ left-bank is little-known, somewhat hidden away, and is absolutely steeped in history. After all, one of the main ways to access the space is by heading through

Stroll along a sun-dappled gravel path and you’ll soon emerge into the heart of one of the most historic spots in the city. The Arènes de Lutèce date back to a time when Paris was known as Lutetia.

Paris Panthéon

The Pantheon was actually originally intended to be a church dedicated to St Genevieve, the patron saint of Paris, commissioned by King Louis XV in 1755 after he recovered from illness.

Designed by architect Jacques-Germain Soufflot, it was constructed in the neoclassical style, inspired by the Pantheon in Rome. Completed in 1790, it was swiftly transformed into a secular mausoleum during the French Revolution, intended to honour France’s great thinkers and patriots.

Over the following centuries, it alternated between religious and civic use before being permanently established as a national monument. Today, it houses the remains of great thinkers, philosophers, and scientists, such as Voltaire, Rousseau, Victor Hugo, and Marie Curie. Buy your Panthéon admission ticket here in advance.

Saint-Étienne-du-Mont

Nestled in the shadow of the Panthéon you’ll find a smaller yet equally as impressive building. The church of Saint-Étienne du Mont is completely free to visit and is the final resting place for the relics of Saint Genevieve, encased in a golden coffin.

Built between the 15th and 17th centuries, it is best-known for its intricate rood screen, which is the last remaining on in Paris (and is known in French as jubé), as well as its stunning stained glass windows.

Grab a pastry at Odette

Odette Paris is a charming pâtisserie located in the Latin Quarter close to the church of Saint-Julien-le-Pauvre. Housed within a 17th-century building, the main thing on the menu are delicate cream puffs (known as choux à la crème in French).

There are all sorts of flavours such as vanilla, pistachio, caramel, and raspberry. What’s more is that there’s often a guest flavour of the month, meaning that no two visits are the same.

Cream puffs are definitely a little pricey, at around €2,50 but you only need a couple as they’re pretty rich in flavour and surprisingly filling for something filled with Chantilly cream! Odette also has a second location on Rue Montorgueil for takeaway and quicker service.

Jardin du Luxembourg

Situated within the 6th arrondissement, the Jardin du Luxembourg is one of the city’s most beloved green spaces. Commissioned in 1612 by Queen Marie de’ Medici, the gardens were designed in the style of the Boboli Gardens in Florence.

Today the gardens sprawl over 25 hectares, featuring formal French and picturesque English sections. My favourite spot of all has to be the Medici Fountain.

The most famous aspect of the garden has to be the iconic green chairs, which are laid out across the park, overlooking a central fountain where little toy sailboats are pushed across the water by the younger residents of the city.

Jardin du Luxembourg is also home to the French Senate, housed in the Luxembourg Palace, and often host art exhibitions, puppet shows, and sailing boats on the pond.

Saint Sulpice

Just outside of Jardin du Luxembourg you’ll come across Saint Sulpice, which you may well recognise as it featured as a prominent part of the storyline in Dan Brown’s the Da Vinci Code.

Built between the 17th and 18th centuries, it’s on of the biggest churches in Paris, second only to Notre-Dame. The church features impressive murals by Eugène Delacroix and a renowned Clicquot organ.

Café de Flore

Though certainly one of the more touristy eateries in the city, the iconic Café de Flore was made famous by intellectuals, writers, and artists throughout the 20th century who were drawn to its open ambiance and extensive list of beverages.

Now somewhat of a Parisian institution, during the 1930s and 1940s, it was famously frequented by existentialist philosophers Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir, who used it as a thinking and writing space.

Église Saint-Germain-des-Prés

Église Saint-Germain-des-Prés is the oldest church in Paris and was actually founded all the way back in the 6th century as part of a Benedictine abbey. Located just a stone’s throw away from Café de Flore, it combines Romanesque and Gothic elements.

Once a centrepoint of medieval scholarship and monastic life, it played a vital role in the city’s early religious and intellectual development. Despite sustaining damage during the French Revolution, the church is still used as a place of worship to this day.

Musée d’Orsay

Located in a former train station and best-known for its beautiful clock, not to mention some of the most famous art pieces in the world, the Musée d’Orsay is a must-visit while in the French capital city.

While the Beaux-Arts railway station was built in 1900, it didn’t operate for more than a few decades before being closed to passengers in 1939. By 1986 it was transformed into a museum, focusing on french art from 1848 to 1914.

Among the many treasures housed over numerous floors of the museum, visitors can enjoy masterpieces by Monet, Degas, Renoir, Van Gogh, and Cézanne.

The museum actually bridges the time span between the Louvre and Centre Pompidou, showcasing Impressionist and Post-Impressionist works. Purchase your Musée d’Orsay ticket here in advance.

Dinner at Le Bistrot d’Henri

If there’s one restaurant that I can’t seem to recommend enough to visitors to the city it’s Le Bistrot d’Henri. In fact, I love this dining establishment so much that we actually had a meal here after our small civil wedding ceremony in the heart of Paris!

The menu is simple, à la carte dining, where portions are hearty and ingredients are fresh and local. The restaurant only has 14 covers or so, and so I recommend reserving a table ahead of time to avoid disappointment.