Promenade on Ile de la Cite and le Quartier Latin

Each neighborhood in Paris has a unique ambiance, history and importance.   CIEE students took a walking tour the first week of the program to aquaint themselves with two very special places in Paris - Ile de la Cité and the Latin Quarter.  Each stop along the way represented a period in history, a moment in time.  Our walk began where Paris began - Ile de la Cité.  Here the Romans first built a settlement and named it Lutecia.  This day students marveled at the beauty that still is Notre Dame.  Our hearts broke the day of the fire, but we are encouraged by the progress and know that soon we will be able to enter again. We walked over the famous Pont Neuf bridge, the oldest bridge in the city.  On the Ile de St Louis, we pointed out the best ice cream in Paris.  Students will be returning there later, for sure.  Our walk continued a little further to the 5th arrondisement - the Latin Quartier.  This is the seat of the first university in Europe - La Sorbonne.  This nickname - the Latin Quarter - comes rom the fact that students spoke Latin here.  The Pantheon is one of the most well-known monuments in this area.  But our walks are not only about history and language!  We managed to also stop at a very good creperie.  After a long walk, the crepes were well-deserved!