A Walk Around the Left Bank...and a bit more

On our overseas holiday three years ago we bought a Paris guidebook. It has a number of suggested walks in it, one of which travels around the Left Bank and finishes at Jardin du Luxembourg. This morning, finding ourselves at the finish of this walk, we decided to do it...in reverse. Our route took us past shops and cafes until it brought us to Église de Saint Germain des Prés, the oldest church in Paris...where we stopped off to have a look inside.

Église de Saint Germain des Prés

Inside Église de Saint Germain des Prés

Our walk continued on until it brought us to the Musée National Eugène-Delacroix...a museum dedicated to Eugène Delacroix that is set up in his former home and studio. After touring the museum, we had a pleasant interlude sitting in the garden courtyard before taking up the walking tour again...which finally brought us to its start and our end at the Bibliothèque Mazarine, a historic library by la Seine.

A typical narrow Parisian street

The garden courtyard of Eugène Delacroix's house

At this point we crossed over the river to the Musée du Louvre that was opposite and walked along the Right Bank looking for some lunch. We had walked this way three years ago and had found a quaint cafe off the main roads...and we found it again today. Café A la Tour...on the corner of Rue Saint-Germain l'Auxerrois and Rue Bertinn Poirée...a good place to stop for some simple and cheap food in the heart of Paris.

Crossing la Seine on the Pont des Arts

Courtyard of the Musée du Louvre

After our rather late lunch, we continued our not-so-little walk...going on to the Ile de la Cité and walking past Cathédrale Notre-Dame before crossing back to the Left Bank and walking back to our hotel, passing la Sorbonne on the way.

Cathédrale Notre-Dame

Cathédrale Notre-Dame

Another typical narrow Parisian street

La Sorbonne