The Latin Quarter of Paris ( French : Quartier latin , IPA: [kaʁtje latɛ̃] ) is an urban university campus in the 5th and the 6th arrondissements of Paris. It is situated on the left bank of the Seine , around the Sorbonne .
8-630: Known for its student life, lively atmosphere, and bistros , the Latin Quarter is one of the oldest parts of the universities of Paris. It continues to be the heart of the universities and Grandes écoles that succeeded the University of Paris , such as: But also of: Other Grandes écoles such as the École polytechnique have relocated in recent times to more spacious settings, notably in Paris-Saclay . The area gets its name from
16-532: A coffee. They might have shouted bistro! bistro! ( Russian : быстро , lit. 'quickly') when they wished to be served quickly. This etymology has been dismissed by linguists, because there is no attestation to the occurrence of the term until the late 19th century. The bistro became familiar in France throughout the 19th century. At this period, the Auvergnats (French people originating from
24-514: Is a small restaurant serving moderately priced, simple meals in a modest setting. In more recent years, the term has become used by restaurants considered, by some, to be pretentious. In a 2007 survey of national cuisines, a bistro is characterised as typically: A Paris newspaper in 1892 referred to dishes served at a bistro, including escargots , veal with sauce ravigote , navarin of lamb, hachis Parmentier , eggs, sausages and hot roast chicken. The Oxford Companion to Food comments that
32-626: Is not recorded until towards the end of the century. An early appearance of the term in print is in Les deux gosses by Pierre Decourcelle , published in 1880. A popular folk etymology, not attested by the Dictionnaire de l'Académie française , claims that the word originated among Russian troops who, following the Battle of Paris in March 1814, occupied the city and visited these tiny places to drink
40-850: The Latin language , which was widely spoken in and around the University during the Middle Ages , after the twelfth century philosopher Pierre Abélard and his students took up residence there. The Latin Quarter is home to many academic institutions, including Sorbonne University and the Panthéon-Sorbonne University in the Sorbonne historical building. It is also home to the largest university libraries in Paris, such as
48-985: The Sainte-Geneviève Library , the Sorbonne Library , the Sainte-Barbe Library , the Assas Law Library and the Cujas Law Library . University administrative buildings are also located there, such as the presidency of Sorbonne University in the Cordeliers Convent or the headquarters of Paris Cité University in the former École de Médecine . 48°51′00″N 02°20′33″E / 48.85000°N 2.34250°E / 48.85000; 2.34250 Bistro A bistro or bistrot ( / ˈ b iː s t r oʊ / ), in its original Parisian form,
56-523: The idea of simple inexpensive food served in a French atmosphere has wide appeal, so that by the end of the 20th century the term had "begun to be annexed by more pretentious premises". The etymology is unclear. The Dictionnaire de l'Académie française dates the word from the 19th century term, bistro , "innkeeper", and suggests that it may be linked to the Poitevin word bistraud ("little servant"), or to bistrouille ("cheap liquor"). It recommends
64-423: The spelling "bistrot" in preference to "bistro". The word was used to describe a drinking establishment, estaminet or small popular local restaurant where alcoholic beverages were served. This is also what Emile Zola called an "assommoir" in his famous novel, L'Assommoir . In the early part of the 19th century, the term "gargote" signified a basic style of restaurant, but the term "bistro" or "bistrot"
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