Travel Tips

Looking down short rue du Haut Pavé from its entrance on the Quai de Montebello, past Square Restif de la Bretonne, down rue Frédéric-Sauton to Place Maubert. From this point, if you were to turn around, you'd see the glorious southern façade of Cathèdrale Nôtre Dame with its rose window. Please click on Faux's Hotel tip to read her review of the Hôtel les Degrés de Nôtre Dame and to see her photo going in the other direction with Nôtre Dame as a backdrop!

The Hôtel les Degrés de Nôtre Dame located in the Quartier Latin in Paris is my FAVORITE hotel in Paris. It is steps from Nôtre Dame & a 5-minute walk to Shakespeare & Co.

It's actual address is 10 rue des Grands Degrés, which is the cross street you see in the photo.

To the right is the blue façade of the Tapisserie de la Bûcherie, home of "reproduction, réparation, restauration de tapis et tapisseries" (reproduction, repair & restoration of carpets or tapestries).

Here's their website:
www.lesdegreshotel.com

Take a walk with me down rue du Haut Pavé to get a side view of the hôtel. To the right you can see some bare trees jutting from the tiny, picturesque Square Restif de la Bretonne.

In the distance is the Place Maubert site of the Maubert marché & the Métro Maubert-Mutualité. The marché (food market) is open Tuesday, Thursday & Friday from 7am-2:30pm. Place Maubert is "anciennement Carmes", a site associated in the past with the Carmelite friars.

During nice weather you can try out the restaurant's signature Algerian couscous - delicious - or just hang out enjoying a glass of wine with the nice weather, watching local inhabitants pass through on their way to rue de la Bûcherie (which rue des Grands Degrés becomes as you pass through the square going west towards Shakespeare & Co)!

If it is very sunny, they will push a button to scroll out the canopy over the terrasse.

As you walk in the side door of the hôtel on your way to the ancient stairs, a pretty floral arrangement greets you! Trés charmant et jolie (very charming & pretty!)

This will be your first glimpse of Room #47 should you decide to stay at this hotel in this room. It is one of 2 rooms that has views of Nôtre Dame's tower - you'll see those views in the next album. Room #501 is larger and has a fuller view of Nôtre Dame.

Click on the photo and you'll see the room is equipped with bed (naturally!), oriental rug, glossy wood desk, mirror, artwork, TV & radiator. It's very comfortable, indeed!

Here's a close-up shot of the beams of the ceiling - very nice! I'm a sucker for old buildings and this one is ancient, one of the reasons why you won't find an elevator here - it would make the rooms smaller and detract from its overall charm.

See the nice, pretty billowing floor-to-ceiling curtains? Lovely!

Looks comfy, doesn't it?