The Secret Garden Hidden in the Heart of Paris
If you walk down Rue du Cardinal Lemoine in the 5è, you’ll probably walk right past a pair of big green wooden doors without a second thought. But behind those doors is the Hôtel des Grandes Écoles, a place that feels like a time machine.
It’s a 3-star place made up of 3 old houses from the 1800s, and it’s famous for being one of the quietest, most “hidden” places to stay in the city.
The owner, Alexandre, actually started out working at the front desk 20 years ago before eventually buying the place, and he’s kept it exactly the same ever since.
A Real Break from the Noise
The name comes from the famous elite universities nearby. For almost 100 years, this place was a boarding house for students and professors who needed a dead-silent place to study. That vibe hasn’t changed.
One thing that surprises people is that there are no TVs in any of the 51 rooms. It’s because they want you to actually relax, read a book, or just look out at the garden.
They do have fast Wi-Fi and they finally put air conditioning in the main building, so you aren’t totally living in the dark ages, but the focus is definitely on unplugging.
The Secret Backyard
The best part about this hotel is the layout. Once you step through those street doors, the city noise just stops. You find yourself in a big cobblestone courtyard full of flowers, vines, and old trees.
It’s a huge luxury to have this much green space in the middle of Paris. Most of the rooms (42 out of 51) look right out onto this garden.
The rooms themselves feel like your grandmother’s country cottage in the best way possible. They use traditional floral wallpaper, old wooden furniture that’s actually been used for decades, and bronze lamps.
The rooms aren’t huge, they range from 10 m² to 25 m², but they are incredibly peaceful.
Living Like a Local in the 5è
Even though it feels like you’re in the middle of the countryside, you’re really just a 2-minute walk from the Rue Mouffetard, packed with cheese shops, wine bars, and open-air markets, so you have all the energy of Paris right at your doorstep.
If you’re driving, they have 12 parking spots in a private garage, which is almost impossible to find in this part of town. It costs between 25 € and 35 € a night, and you definitely have to book it ahead of time.
Breakfast is simple and runs until 12:00, which is great if you like to sleep in. You get fresh bread, croissants, and coffee, and if the weather is nice, you eat outside in the garden. You’ll probably run into Lutèce, the hotel’s calico cat, who basically runs the place.
If you’re coming by metro, get off at Cardinal Lemoine. It’s a flat walk to the hotel, whereas the walk from the other nearby stops is a pretty steep climb if you’re pulling a suitcase.
It’s a great spot if you want to be in the center of everything but feel like you’re miles away from the crowds.