Staying at: Le Lapin Blanc Hotel in Paris

An honest review of a whimsical boutique hotel in the historic latin quarter of Paris

Written by Lauren

This post contains affiliate links.

Let me set the scene for you.

It’s the spring of 2018, I’m twenty-five years old, and I’m in Paris for the first time with my good friend Ashley—one of my all time favorite human beings and travel companions.

We’re about to embark on a ten day French adventure, and we’re starting in the City of Lights.

Enter: Le Lapin Blanc.

Follow the white rabbit: checking in to Le Lapin Blanc

“When I used to read fairy tales, I fancied that kind of thing never happened, and now here I am in the middle of one!” 
— Alice’s Adventure in Wonderland, Chapter 4, The Rabbit Sends in a Little Bill

We arrived at Le Lapin Blanc in the early evening. 

From the outside, it is really quite unassuming. Sandwiched between retail shops and a graffiti’d storefront on boulevard Saint-Michel, all you’ll find hinting at the world beyond is a crisp, white Le Lapin Blanc sign hung above French black-trim beveled glass doors.

But then, you enter. 

Through the geometrically-lined doors, we entered a mirror-lined corridor. Following the  pastel-tiled hallway up a few stairs, we found the lobby and front desk—white, curved, fit perfectly snug into the corner. 

All images from Expedia

“Bon Soir!” 

“Bon Soir!” We replied, feeling oh-so cultured and glamorous, and dare I say, Parisian. 

And then, as soon as it’d begun, the gig was up. We were had. Our French-speaking and understanding abilities hit their peak. (Well, mine had at any rate. Ashley has several years of high school and college French under her belt.)

We’d entered into the inevitable transitional moment where the person speaking a language you don’t understand has to figure out that you are not, in fact, picking up what they are laying down. Our host was smooth though, and the switch to English happened without skipping a beat. 

Note: Staff here speak French, English, Japanese, and Spanish (oh, to be so multi-lingual! That’s the dream right there.)

Now that we were all speaking the same language and could all understand each other, our reservation was found, we were checked in, given a key, given a lay of the land, and were sent on our merry way.

I’ll note here that there is an elevator (and also stairs), which is great for getting luggage up to your room for the first time.

Further down the hallway, past the front desk, there is a small waiting-room sized lobby,  and a wall-mounted desk with computer and phone. But, don’t forget to look up, or you’ll miss the enchanting glass ceiling that curves to the contours of the building. 

Down the rabbit hole: vibes

“Curiouser and curiouser!” cried Alice. 

Remember what I was saying earlier? Twenty five years old, first time in Paris (and having been entirely indoctrinated by Disney in my formative years), we opened up the door to our room and . . . 

First views of our room at Le Lapin Blanc
sound on for my captivating commentary ha 😉

Out of cross-breeze windows—and not just any windows, FRENCH windows—there were chimney pots and Parisian rooftops bathed in the ochre light as far as the eye could see. 

It was nothing short of pure magic. 

I was done for. 

France had me at those windows. 

The room itself enchanted in pastel shades of blue and creams, with a whimsical bird and leaf foil wallpaper accenting one wall. Our beds were two twins with a shared headboard, like a proper married couple from the 1950s (which, honestly, for all intents and purposes we kinda are).

We booked the Standard double room—with the bed on one side of the room, and on the other side, past the bathroom, a small seating area and loveseat.

Our bathroom was a soft baby blue with a European style shower, but no tub (other rooms do have tubs). The rounded matted hardware and features were a nice design touch, as were the white with embroidered white towels. Nothing says elegance like embroidered towels, am I right?

Other rooms come in shades of muted teals, blues, pinks, purples, and yellows. All complemented with the namesake shades of creams and whites.

In case you’ve missed all the subtle and not-so-subtle hints at this point, Le Lapin Blanc means the white rabbit and was masterfully designed by Quantic Studio et Anais Albar.

The detail to design in this space is impeccable. Not a single detail is missed here, from the muted tones to the rounded shapes. 

And the woven interplay of the subtle and the not-so-subtle design details playing on the Alice in Wonderland theme are nothing short of brilliant. 

From the white coffee mugs with little bunny poof tails, to the daily treats you’ll find in your room: whimsy meets elegance meets excellence here at Le Lapin Blanc. (Also, if you’re tempted to slip those cute little bunny mugs into your luggage, know they sell them at the front desk!)

To give credit where credit is due, Ashley was the one who found Le Lapin Blanc. Though, ironically, the play on Alice in Wonderland was entirely lost on her until she saw the macaroons with the “Eat Me” label on them.

Le Lapin Blanc was a real treat, in every meaning of the word.

Deets

41 boulevard Saint-Michel
75005 Paris

Check in is at 3pm
Check out is at 11am

Costs

≈ $300 USD/night 

Depends on the room, day, and time of year, but I would expect to pay no less than $250 a night, with costs being closer to $300 USD night. 

Contact

+33 1 53 10 27 77
[email protected]

Accessibility

Not ADA compliant or wheelchair accessible. 

Amenities

• Free wi-fi
• Concierge
• Newspapers
• Lift/elevator
• Non-smoking
• Room service
• Luggage room
• Laundry and dry cleaning service
• Daily housekeeping
• Safes in rooms
• Soundproofed rooms
• Heating and air 

Dining at Le Lapin Blanc

Enjoy a fresh, gourmet meal each morning in the breakfast room! 

Sleek, minimal, all-white—it would almost feel Scandinavian with its clean lines and simplicity, if it weren’t for the magnitude of whimsy pouring out of every carefully-selected touch. 

Continental buffet breakfast costs 17€ / $19 USD and is served from 7-10am on weekdays, and 8-11am on weekends. Choose from your choice of pastries, cakes, breads, pancakes, fruit salads, yogurts, cheeses, ham, sausages, scrambled eggs, and a selection of jams and hot beverages.

Express breakfast includes a drink (tea or coffee, juice, and still water), 3 pastries, a selection of breads, and a yogurt. Costs 7€ / $8 USD.

You can also have breakfast delivered to your room!

Location: The Latin Quarter

“We’re all mad here.”

The whimsical decor is a delightful match for the historic Latin Quarter.

The Latin Quarter is located in the 5^th Arrondissement, the oldest neighborhood in Paris. These medieval, cobblestoned streets were laid by the Romans!

It is home to La Sorbonne, France’s oldest university (and fun fact: also home to France’s first printing house, founded in 1470). 

The Latin Quarter is so named after the many latin-speaking students who once walked these ancient streets. 

A lay of the land

Latin Quarter highlights

Historic churches + places of worship

• Saint-Etienne-Du-Mont
• Eglise Saint-Medard
• Saint Julien-Le-Pauvre
• Eglise Saint Séverin
• Grande Mosquée de Paris 
  • This is the largest Islamic place of worship in the city. Stroll the Islamic architecture, peaceful gardens, and pop in to enjoy the tearoom and restaurant on site. It also served as a refuge and underground passage route out of Nazi-occupied France for Algerian and European Jews. 

Gardens

• Luxembourg Gardens (5 minute walk from LLB) 
• Jardin des Plantes
• Le Jardin d l’Ecole Normal Superieure 
  • A little gem of a garden thats open to the public during school hours

Markets

• Rue Mouffetard
  • The iconic food market street that was a favorite of Julia Child’s

Architecture

• Panthéon (5 minute walk from LLB) 

Books

• Shakespeare and Company bookstore (10 minute walk from LLB)   
• The Sainte Genevieve Library (5 minute walk from LLB)
  • The first independent public library in the world 

Scenic streets

• Stroll Boulevard Saint-Michel’s wide, tree-lined street. 
• Stroll one of the narrowest streets (more of a passage really) in Paris — Rue du Chat qui Peche (the street of the fishing cat) with a width of just under six feet. Find it at 14 Rue de la Huchette
• Speaking of Rue de la Huchette — it’s an oft seen sight in tourist photos. Walk down if you must, but it’s a tourist (and germ) trap that is probably better left avoided. But see for yourself below.

Distances from LLB

An hour’s drive from Charles de Gaulle airport.

5 minute walk to the Luxembourg Gardens and the Panthéon.

Less than a 10 minute walk to the Seine, St. Michael’s Bridge, and Notre Dame.

20 minute walk to the Louvre and Jardin des Tuileries.

Line 10 connects the Latin Quarter with the rest of the city.

Latin Quarter Tours

A wanderer at heart—a true flaneur, if you will—I still find the best way to acclimate myself to a new city is to get the inside scoop from a local who knows what’s up. This can easily be done by making friends with your barista or bartender (doing god’s work, bless ‘em), and I always recommend doing so (don’t forget to tip generously). But, I personally also love to get the context of history and place from a tour guide. 

More things to do in the Latin Quarter

One thing I will be booking next time for sure!

Until you get there

Here are two of Corey Frye’s latin quarter tours to lose yourself in until you arrive.

Reading Recommendations

A few light reading selections to accompany for your stay at Le Lapin Blanc.

“I do wish I hadn’t drunk quite so much!” 
— Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Chapter 4, The Rabbit Sends in a Little Bill

Same, girl. Same. But when in Paris! 

Enchanting, whimsical, with impeccable attention to detail and design, located in the  historic Latin Quarter, with various room sizes to meet all your needs, with the most delightful and accommodating staff, I cannot recommend Le Lapin Blanc enough for your stay in Paris! 

Follow the white rabbit to Le Lapin Blanc!