14e (Observatoire)

Observatoire probably refers to the Paris Observatory, built here between 1667 and 1672 by order of Louis XIV – which predates the Royal Greenwich Observatory in England This arrondissment contains most of the Montparnasse District (Tour Montparnasse, Gare Montparnasse and Cimetière du Montparnasse), Les Catacombes de Paris and La Santé Prison
catacombsCOLOR2

The 14e contains most of Montparnasse district
Catacombs, Montparnasse Cemetery, Fondation Cartier

We stayed in the 14e for the first time, and it became one of our favorites because of:
Boulevard Raspall (a perfect morning jogging route into Paris
Naturalia
Montpanasse Cemetery (not one of our favorites
Catacombs
Grocery Stores and Marche

14th arrondissement of Paris

Districts (Quarters) within the 14th arrondissement

Quartier de Montparnasse
Quartier de Plaisance
Quartier de Petit Montrouge
Quartier de Parc de Montsouris

What we like about the 14e: We’ve visited this arrondissement only once, hoping to descend into the Catacombs. The Metro ride took us above ground on elevated tracks for a period. Usually we wouldn’t be attracted to “residential” neighborhoods, until we realized that this is where you might experience Parisian life, away from the tourist zones. We ascended from the Metro at Denfert Rochereau and saw the shabby ground-level presence of the Catacombs bathed in a familiar shade of ballpark green (think Fenway Park) with a seemingly endless line winding around the block. We-don’t-do-lines, but found a large residential grocery store and lively street market. A return visit to the Catacombs is on our schedule

Cimetière du Montparnasse 3 Boulevard Edgar Quinet
The second largest cemetery in Paris, but it’s occupants less familiar (to us)
Literature: Susan Sontag
Music: Serge Gaineboroug
Art: Chaim Soutine (Our personal favorite among Paris Painters – his work is featured at the L’Orangerie)
Philosophy: Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir
Jean Simone grave