Odeon Hotel Paris: A Gallery Walk from Odéon to Rue de Seine
Odéon, the Left Bank's Historic Crossroads
The Carrefour de l'Odéon is where Saint-Germain-des-Prés meets the Latin Quarter, right where rue Danton joins boulevard Saint-Germain. It's the first stop on the walk, 4 minutes from the hotel.
The Théâtre de l'Odéon
Walk up rue de l'Odéon and you reach place de l'Odéon and its theater, at 2 rue Corneille. Marie-Antoinette opened it on April 9, 1782. Architects Charles De Wailly and Marie-Joseph Peyre gave it its columned Neoclassical facade, and in 1784 Beaumarchais premiered The Marriage of Figaro on its stage. Fires gutted the building in 1799 and again in 1818; the current theater reopened in 1819 and has been known as the Odéon-Théâtre de l'Europe since 1990. Check what's playing on the Théâtre de l'Odéon website.
Literary Cafés and Art-House Cinemas
Nearby, the cobbled Cour du Commerce-Saint-André leads to the back door of Le Procope. Opened in 1686 at 13 rue de l'Ancienne-Comédie, it claims to be the oldest café in Paris. This is also movie-lover territory. Founded in 1971, the Saint-André des Arts cinema at 30 rue Saint-André-des-Arts screens independent and auteur films, while Le Christine Cinéma Club at 4 rue Christine is known for classic Hollywood titles, often in their original English. Both are less than a 3-minute walk from the hotel.
The Gallery Route: Rue de Seine, Rue Mazarine and Rue des Beaux-Arts
Paris's Left Bank art galleries cluster in a few blocks between boulevard Saint-Germain and the Seine, around France's national fine arts school, the École des Beaux-Arts. Modern art, Nouveau Réalisme and contemporary work are all free to browse, one storefront after another. Here's our suggested four-stop loop from the hotel.
Stop 1: Rue Saint-André-des-Arts and kamel mennour
Two minutes from the hotel, at 47 rue Saint-André-des-Arts, kamel mennour has filled a 4,300 sq ft space in a 17th-century mansion since 2007. The gallery represents artists such as Daniel Buren, Anish Kapoor and Camille Henrot. Mennour opened his first gallery on rue Mazarine in 1999 and runs a second Left Bank space at 6 rue du Pont-de-Lodi.
Stop 2: Rue de Seine and Rue Jacques-Callot
Follow rue de Buci to rue de Seine, the heart of the route. Galerie Vallois, founded in 1983 by Georges-Philippe and Nathalie Vallois, occupies numbers 33 and 36. It champions the Nouveaux Réalistes, including Arman, César, Niki de Saint Phalle and Jean Tinguely, alongside today's artists. Around the corner at 6 rue Jacques-Callot, Galerie Loevenbruck shows French and international contemporary art, Tuesday to Saturday, 11am to 7pm.
Stop 3: Rue des Beaux-Arts
Heading toward the river, rue des Beaux-Arts runs alongside the fine arts school. At 7-9, Galerie Claude Bernard has shown figurative painting and sculpture since 1957, including works by Giacometti and Francis Bacon. It's open Tuesday to Saturday, 10:30am to 1pm and 2:30pm to 7pm. At number 13, L'Hôtel, formerly the Hôtel d'Alsace, is where Oscar Wilde died in 1900.
Stop 4: Rue Mazarine and the Institut de France
Rue Mazarine closes the loop, with art bookshops, framers and galleries leading to the dome of the Institut de France on quai de Conti. From there, rue Dauphine and rue Saint-André-des-Arts bring you back to the hotel in about 8 minutes.
Most galleries close on Sundays and Mondays, and some shut for a few days between shows. For more ideas, follow our 48-hour artistic itinerary in the Latin Quarter.
Pimpan, an Odeon Restaurant at the Hotel
On the hotel's ground floor, Pimpan restaurant, led by chef Clément Courtemanche, serves seasonal French cooking made for sharing, with locally sourced produce. Weekend brunch runs Saturday and Sunday from noon to 3pm, and weekday lunch starts at noon . The Pimpan Garden, a wooden terrace open year-round, works for a morning coffee or an early-evening drink. The 9th-floor rooftop is closed for the fall and winter season and reopens in spring 2027.
Dame des Arts, an Odeon Hotel in Paris Steps from the Galleries
If you're looking for an Odeon hotel in Paris, Dame des Arts at 4 rue Danton is a 4-minute walk from the Carrefour de l'Odéon and 8 minutes from rue de Seine. Saint-Michel Notre-Dame station (RER B and C) is 5 minutes away on foot, with direct trains to Charles de Gaulle and Orly airports in about 25 to 35 minutes.
Inside, the art continues. Designer Raphaël Navot paired carved wood or contemporary fresco ceilings with fluted oak half-cylinders, and every room has its own art collection inspired by the neighborhood. Read more in an artistic hotel in Paris and behind the design of Dame des Arts.
Several rooms and suites have a private terrace facing the Eiffel Tower, from the Signature Terrace Eiffel View to the 312 sq ft Junior Suite Terrace Eiffel View, which sleeps up to three.
Key Facts
- Start and finish: Hôtel Dame des Arts, 4 rue Danton, 75006 Paris
- Route: Carrefour and place de l'Odéon, rue Saint-André-des-Arts, rue de Seine, rue Jacques-Callot, rue des Beaux-Arts, rue Mazarine
- Distance: about 1.2 miles (2 km) round trip, all on flat ground [[to be confirmed]]
- Time: 2 to 3 hours, including gallery visits and a coffee break
- Gallery hours: usually Tuesday to Saturday, 11am to 7pm, free admission
- Getting there: Odéon metro (lines 4 and 10), RER B and C at Saint-Michel Notre-Dame; the Saint-Michel metro station (line 4) is closed until December 2026
- Hotel phone: +33 1 81 69 00 60
FAQ:
What is a good hotel near Odéon in Paris?
Hôtel Dame des Arts, at 4 rue Danton in the 6th arrondissement, is about a 4-minute walk from the Carrefour de l'Odéon and Odéon metro (lines 4 and 10). This art hotel, designed by Raphaël Navot, has rooms with Eiffel Tower view terraces and its own restaurant, Pimpan, serving seasonal French cuisine.
Where are the best art galleries in Paris on the Left Bank?
Left Bank galleries cluster in the 6th arrondissement, on rue de Seine, rue des Beaux-Arts, rue Mazarine and rue Jacques-Callot, near the École des Beaux-Arts. Names to know include Galerie Vallois, Galerie Claude Bernard, Loevenbruck and kamel mennour. Admission is free, and most open Tuesday to Saturday.
Are Paris art galleries open on Sundays?
Most Saint-Germain galleries are closed on Sundays and Mondays. They usually open Tuesday to Saturday from 11am to 7pm, and some close for lunch between 1pm and 2:30pm. Hours change between exhibitions, so check each gallery's website before you go.
Where can I eat near Odéon in Paris?
Four minutes away, Pimpan at Hôtel Dame des Arts offers seasonal French cuisine and a weekend brunch from noon to 3pm.
A morning of galleries, lunch on rue de Seine, dinner at Pimpan: the Odéon neighborhood is best experienced when you stay there. Book your stay directly at Hôtel Dame des Arts, your Odeon hotel in Paris, with the best rate guarantee.
