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It’s funny to observe the difference in character between the Right Bank and the Left Bank of Paris. Both are crowded and busy, though the composition of the people walking the streets and riding the Métro looks pretty different. The Right Bank, the location of many hotels and most of the city’s world-famous attractions is full of tourists seeking the best vantage points for their Instaphotos. The Left Bank is an entire of Parisians going about their business among an array of specialty shops, smart cafés and restaurants, and a few attractions of its own—not the least of which is a metal structure known as the Eiffel Tower.

Eiffel Tower with the Statue Of Liberty.

For cosmopolitan travellers who have visited Paris multiple times, the Left Bank is a holy grail of Parisianness. Appreciation of life’s simple pleasures seems to be the collective ethos in a city that sometimes seems like an assault on the senses, and such is the overwhelming stimulation it provides. The expansive grounds of the beautiful Luxembourg Garden near the grand Odéon Theatre are the perfect place to regain and retain a sense of calm.

The Garden is located behind the Palais du Luxembourg, which houses a museum that showcases eclectic temporary exhibitions in a less famous locale than the busy Musée d’Orsay, another Left Bank sight to see. Within the Garden is a set of venues for various activities, from tennis courts to a quaint puppet theatre where colourful characters on the small stage entertain children and adults alike.

Further east on the Left Bank, the curious visitor will find a variety of sights off the beaten path of the typical tourist, among them the Roman ruins of the Arènes de Lutèce, the Institute of the Arab World, the Jardin des Plantes, and the ever-appealing street market along rue Mouffetard, one of the oldest streets in Paris. The Place de la Contrescarpe at the top of rue Mouffetard is one of the city’s most convivial squares, lined with outdoor cafés along every side.

Esprit Saint Germain Suite 202.

Also near Luxembourg Garden is the Panthéon, the Sorbonne, and that esteemed university’s landmark Astronomy Tower. There is something special about the green-domed tower, planted in a city much more significant than when the observatory was built at the end of the 19th century. Seeing it down the rue Saint-Jacques, integrated with the general streetscape, reminds us of a simpler time when we knew less about the universe and the quest for knowledge was integral to society.

The lovely Esprit Saint Germain hotel parallels the tower’s evocation of simpler times. More a feeling of a grand home than a hotel, Esprit Saint Germain does not have a lobby but rather an entrance foyer, living room, and lounge area on its ground floor. Above, rooms, suites, and apartments provide comfortable and stylish retreats after the day’s sightseeing. Small in scale in the midst of a big city, Esprit Saint Germain elevates the guest experience to a higher plane. It is the right choice on the Left Bank for being in the midst of things without things or crowds, being in the midst of you.