2004 Vacation to Paris. The fabled Latin Quarter. This neighborhood takes its name from the Sorbonne, where Latin was the common tongue for all students during the Middle Ages. The neighborhood has the feel of a small village and students mix freely with professionals in its winding streets. The rue Mouffetard is a primary artery where shops, international restaurants and student bars and cafés are found. The Latin Quarter has been the center of learning in Paris for more than 700 years. Notre Dame is the famous cathedral built in the 12th century.