Latin Quarter, Paris, Ile-de-France, France
The heart of St. Michael is still at St. Michael’s Square (St. Michael’s Square) with its baroque fountain of St. Michael killing a demon of some sort. This was once the site of numerous protests and social uprisings. One of the main events of French resistance to the occupying Nazis took place in the square, and in the now legendary riots of 1968, students took charge of the square in the face of tear gas and police clubs, declaring it an independent state! Odd as this may sound, it leads to the same cause by announcing mass strikes, which led to the eventual fall of De Gaulle’s government. This was once the Washington Square Park of Paris, filled with hippies, artists, writers, poets, dancers, musicians and art students. Now you are more likely to see the “Des Moines Bingo Club” on tour, en masse,
The Latin Quarter is bisected by St. Germain Boulevard and St. Michel Boulevard. These are the two main arteries running through the area, with the hundreds of crooked streets leading them off as capillaries. The tree-lined Place St. André des Arts, which was a gathering place for many French artists, is still ringed with bistros and restaurants. Walk up St. Michel until you reach the intersection of Blv. Saint Germain. The two streets intersect near the Cluny Museum on St. Michel Boulevard, a museum well worth visiting. It is set inside the ancient Roman baths and filled with incredible artefacts and artwork from Medieval Europe, I find it to be one of the most interesting and beautiful museums in Paris. Inside you will find the famous “Lady and the Unicorn”
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