Considering an apartment in this area south of Luxembourg Gardens. Are there comments generally on the area and restaurants/cafes?

How far south of Luxembourg Gardens? It is generally a nice area, and lots of restaurants. Of course the metro is convenient, but if you are a walker, it really isn't far to the Pantheon, to the center of the Sixth (Odeon) or the Fifth (Latin Quarter).

Close to the Lux. gardens I'd say yes...closer to the Seine and I'd have to think about that , since it's a real "hangout" spot for young people and has heavy traffic.

Patrick,

It would be around Port Royal. Any suggestions for good restaurants/cafes in this area?

Sorry, no specifics. But I think you'll have no problem when exploring the neighborhood. Just look for the places busiest with locals (which there will be mostly locals), and you'll probably come up with a winner every time.

Jody, south of the Lux. gardens would be the opposite direction from going toward the Seine.

I never could read a map or a compass! But I never get lost either!

But I do know 2 good restaurants near Port Royal area...Le Cameleon, 6 R de Chevreuse and Parc aux cerf at 50 Rue Vavin!

The bottom part of bd St Michel doesn't really have many restaurants or cafes right on it, that I recall. There are some in nearby areas, a few around the corner of St-Michel and Port Royal. Generally, the area isn't bad but I don't think it's the most convenient for metro transportation as you only have the RER there. There is the no. 91 bus that runs along bd Montparnasse and bd Port Royal and goes across the river over to the Bastille stop which can be convenient to use if you want to get over there.

I attended classes at the Schola Cantorum, a music conservatory, just a couple blocks down rue St-Jacques from bd Port Royal so know the area pretty well and rue St-Jacques, as small as it is, seems to be a major traffic artery and can be noisy and bumper to bumper at some times of the day, so I'm not sure I'd want a place on that street, actually.

There is a nice small epicerie (grocer) down at the bottom of rue St Jacques, a popular Alsatian brasserie on Port Royal near there (Academy des Bieres or something, popular with students) and at least one decent cafe and a patisseries within a couple blocks east of bd St-Michel on Port Royal, and a few nice shops around the small square in front of the Val de Grace church (one good patiserrie there).

I was considering an apt. there and like the area pretty well, but would prefer better metro connections, that's the only drawback.

Thanks to both of you.