Left Bank in Paris

Paris is a competitive city. The fierce rivalry between the Left Bank in Paris and the Right Bank dates back a long way. The former is known for its artistic, bohemian ways. The latter is more upscale and is a bastion of the establishment.

I’ve never had much of a preference for one bank over the other. Each is unique in its own way, and both have an abundance of cultural destinations, restaurants, museums, and sightseeing on offer.

Last week I spent four days in Paris and I had ample opportunity to explore both sides of the river. Rive Gauche. Rive Droite. It was enough time to decide on a favorite.

Eiffel Tower

I started my trip on the Left Bank in Paris. After arriving at Gare du Nord and checking into NH Collection Paris Ponthieu Champs-Elysees in the 8th arrondissement for a complimentary stay, I walked over the Pont d’Iena to stand face-to-face with the Eiffel Tower.

But while Gustave’s miracle in steel is one of Paris’ most famous landmarks, it wasn’t my ultimate destination.

Musee du Quai Branly, Paris

No, I was headed to the Musee du Quai Branly. It was a museum I’d never visited before, but after seeing a poster for an exhibition on the Dogon country in Mali, I walked straight there.

My trip to Bamako was still fresh in my mind, and I was excited to see art and artifacts from one of my favorite African countries.

The exhibition was great. It had a remarkably thorough range of historic statues, masks, everyday wares, and religious and ceremonial objects.

After seeing it, I explored the rest of the museum, which had indigenous art from everywhere from Latin America to Asia.

Jardin du Luxembourg, Paris

The museum was the only one I visited on my trip. The rest of my time on the Left Bank in Paris was spent doing my two favorite Parisian pastimes: walking and eating.

I spent the entire day on Saturday meandering through the streets of the Latin Quarter and beyond. First I went to the Jardin du Luxembourg. The park was awash in beautiful flowers that graced its gardens.

Everywhere there were children sailing tiny boats in fountains, couples admiring the mythical Medici Fountain, and friends relaxing in the many metal chairs along the paths.

Rue Mouffetard on the Left Bank, Paris

After the garden, my time on the Left Bank in Paris continued as I walked past the Pantheon and over to Rue Mouffetard. The famous street was packed with its usual creperies, cafes, and creative culinary counters.

Mosquee de Paris

Speaking of which, I did my fair share of eating and drinking while walking around the Left Bank in Paris. One afternoon I stumbled across the Mosquee de Paris, which has a popular tea house and restaurant.

I sat down in the courtyard under a pretty tree and enjoyed a steaming glass of mint tea in an atmosphere that reminded me of Tunisia.

Restaurants on the Left Bank in Paris

Back in St Germain, I had dinner at Le Timbre, a traditional French restaurant near the Jardin du Luxembourg. It had been written up in numerous blogs and guidebooks, and I was excited to try the food.

The tables in the small dining room were so close together diners had to make a conscious effort not to socialize. Beyond the room was a tiny open kitchen where a single chef cooked meals so good they were hard to believe.

A lone waitress served ten tables with the dexterity of a Michelin-starred restaurant’s armada of staff.

Le Timbre was one of the best culinary experiences I’ve had in Paris. From the terrine de campagne to the duck confit and the mille-feuille, my meal was a veritable symphony of flavors.

The restaurant turned tables quickly, though, and when my dessert was finished, the chef himself came out to say good-bye and usher me out. It was only then that I learned he was English.

Another restaurant experience I had on the Left Bank in Paris was at a starkly different culinary establishment. This one was a noteworthy place that had been written about as extensively and enthusiastically as Le Timbre.

Ze Kitchen Galerie was as spacious as Le Timbre was small. Its large dining room was fronted by a glass wall looking out onto the street. The cuisine was modern, and it was done well.

My starter of cold green soup with egg was impressively good, as was my main of zucchini flowers stuffed with crab. The wine list was refreshingly reasonably priced, too.

Ze Kitchen Galerie certainly wasn’t a traditional Parisian restaurant, but it was a nice departure from the status quo. I was glad I went.

My final Paris Left Bank restaurant adventure took me to a different branch of a place I always go on Sunday nights: Le Relais de l’Entrecote.

The restaurant is my favorite pre-departure spot because the fixed menu of steak frites is one of the only ones in Paris that allows me to have a proper meal with enough time to catch the train back to London.

Usually I go to Le Relais de l’Entrecote on the Right Bank’s Rue Marbeuf, but this time I tried the location on the Left Bank’s St Germain.

It was every bit as good as its counterpart, but the outdoor seating was a great bonus on a hot summer evening. I was glad I tried a new location of one of my favorite Paris restaurants.