The Boulevard Saint-Michel is one of the two major streets in the Latin Quarter. We discovered this area in 1978 when ex-Marine and I took our five children to Paris and around Europe for four memorable weeks, staying in small “no-star hotels” and pensions with toilets down the hall. The Hotel Albe was a dingy, no-star “hotel” then, cheap, and where the seven of us stayed. A perfect area for teens and adults in the heart of the Latin Quarter with the big student bookstores (such as Gibert Joseph and the Gibert Jeune) right outside the rooms. The kids were even thrilled to witness a student riot one night from the safety of the hotel room with riot police, sirens blaring and lots of tumult. Now, the Hotel Albe is a completely redone three-star hotel and even more expensive than the Hotel Moderne Saint Germain where we were staying.

This entire area is filled with chic boutiques, book shops, cafes, restaurants along with the Seine, Notre Dame and other famous sites at your doorstep. The Rue de la Huchette especially is lined with Greek seafood tavernas and gyros stands. The Boulevard Saint-Michel actually begins in the Place Saint-Michel with its beautiful fountains and sidewalk cafes around the perimeter.

Hotel Albe in the Latin Quarter of Paris
Still looking for a restaurant on this, our last full day in Paris, we walked the long route back towards the Latin Quarter and did stop in one restaurant for lunch but the personnel would only seat us at a tiny table instead of the bigger one we wanted even though it was well past the lunch hour and the restaurant was emptying out. That emptied us out too.

Continued along the Seine to Les Bouqinistes, a Guy Savoy restaurant that was still serving lunch, but the Menu du jour didn’t excite. Walked for still a few more blocks, trying to find the ideal restaurant (ha…), but finally threw in the towel. We had passed La Petite Perigourdine, 39 Rue des Ecoles …View image…several times walking to and from Hotel Moderne, read the outside menu and tucked it away in our minds for future meals. Now, was the future. I asked a waiter in my factured French if it was still possible to manger (eat), got a oui, sat down and ordered.

steak and frites (french fries) at La Petite Perigourdine
A really big steak with pepper sauce and french fries, 50 ml of Bordeaux wine, carafe of tap water and entire bill was 43 Euros including tax and tip. The third Thursday of every November marks the release of Beaujolais Nouveau and the restaurants were already advertising special meals to accompany the new Beaujolais on November 20. According to what I have since read, 2009 will likely go down as one of Beaujolais’ best vintages on record.

Dinner and the fast three days in Paris over, we walked back to the hotel to pack and I ripped up each and every restaurant recommendation that had been completely useless. all of them! You can read my thoughts on this subject in tomorrow’s article.

Small groups, big adventures – With an average group size of just 10 people, Intrepid journeys have more adventure to go around.

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