windy63

My husband and I are happily booked for an early April trip to Paris in the Hotel Cluny Sorbonne, right across the street from - the Sorbonne. I have since read in Lonely Planet that there is renovation/construction in progress at the Sorbonne until 2015. Has anyone been in the neighborhood recently who can give us a comment on how big an impact this might have on our stay?

acc929

I stayed around the Sorbonne, St. Michel area, over the New Year (late december to early january) and i didn't find there to be much obtrusive noise going on, or even see construction happening actually. french people and construction, you don't hear much going on early in the morning like you do in the states or canada.

Palenque

the Sorbonne covers a big area and i think does not just apply to the main building?

windy63

thank you for your replies, acc929 and palenque - we're relieved! glad to hear they don't start at dawn with the drills and hammers as they do here in the states.

Christina

They have sold out to the rich oil barons like the Louvre. They are constructing a Sorbonne branch in Abu Dhabi right now, I wonder if that's what you read about.
photo of Sarkozy on campus
http://www.sorbonne.ae/sites/psuad/Pages/PSUAD.aspx

The Louvre also opened a branch in Abu Dhabi, I don't know what is going on. The Louvre got about $500 million from Abu Dhabi just to use the name as a brand. They will pay even more for art exhibits.

Palenque

And i think Emirates oil money is being used by the Louvre for a newly improved Mid-East section?