Description: Start your day from where it all began. The Jardin des Plantes complex is a monumental complex itself housing several museums related to natural history, biology, and geology but one of its most spectacular gems in the Gallery of Paleontology and Comparative Anatomy. This hall of dinosaur and animal bones assembled to perfection is a walk through 540 million years into the past. Enjoy and bask at the overwhelming scale of early earth dwellers through this educational trail. Bonus tip: At Rue Geoffroy-Saint-Hilaire you can have cheap tea and North African sweet treats at the Grande Mosquee de Paris!

Description: At the Rue des Arènes, you will see the unassuming entrance to the remnants of the Arenes de Lutece. Lutece is the old name of Paris during the Gallo-Roman times (around the 1st century AD) and this arena once hosted the bloody gladiator combats. It is now converted into a park, but the ruins of the tiered amphitheater are still evident. It remains to be one of Paris’ hidden gems. Chill at one of the steps and imagine the ancient Roman lifestyle where the locals now enjoy an afternoon of petanque and football with their kids.

Description: This stop is nothing extravagant but is probably the heartbeat of the Latin Quarter where you will relive the footsteps of struggling writers and artists of the roaring 1920’s which they commonly refer to as "les années folles". The rotunda of Contrescarpe is sort of a small hub that connects you to some of the Latin Quarter’s most interesting streets such as Rue Mouffetard (one of Paris’ oldest neighborhood) and Rue Cardinal du Cardinal Lemoine which used to be the address of writers Ernest Hemingway and James Joyce. Due to the proximity of this area to Paris’ biggest universities, it remains to be one of the hippest and most animated corners of the city. Bonus Tip: If you pass by Rue Clovis, watch out for the remnants of the old city walls of Paris, a chunk of the Wall of Philippe Auguste, from the 13th century).

Description: The church is dwarfed by its colossal and more famous neighbor, the Pantheon but it also is a significant historical gem in itself. It houses the relics of Saint Genevieve (the patron saint of Paris) as well as tombs of famous figures like Blaise Pascal and Jean Racine. Its also known for its choir screen with spiral staircases at the altar from the 16th century, the only one still standing in Parisian churches. From here, the more touristic ambience of Paris looms, but you can still enjoy a glass of drink or two from the cozy bars along Rue de la Montagne Saint Genevieve to perfectly cap your day.