Last Updated: January 29, 2021
Saint-Germain-des-Prés is located in the 6th arrondissement, on the left bank (“rive gauche”) of the Seine river, and is often referred to as the most artistic neighborhood of the capital. It is also one of the chicest districts in Paris.
The church of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, the oldest in Paris, gave its name to the neighborhood. To be more precise, it is called “Saint-Germain-des-Prés” (meaning “Saint-Germain in the meadows” in French) because this neighborhood used to be a village located outside the walls of Paris in the middle of meadows.
Saint-Germain-des-Prés was famous for its legendary writers and artists. In the 50s, with its many “jazz clubs”, the neighborhood was also a real hub for jazz lovers.
Today, Saint Germain is mostly famous for its mythical cafés, such as ‘Les Deux Magots’ and ‘Café de Flore’, its bookstores and art galleries. Even though Saint-Germain became quite touristy, the area remains artistry and unique. A day in the neighborhood can still offer many memorable surprises, especially if you know where to go and where to look.
Saint-Germain-des-Prés itself is quite small so I will broaden this article to Saint-Germain-des-Prés and its surrounding neighborhoods, more specifically the Odéon quarter and the Monnaie quarter.
Here, you’ll discover what to see and what to do in the 6th arrondissement. More than a visit, be ready to experience the unique neighborhood of Saint-Germain-des-Prés like a local. Let’s go !
Table of Contents
The Church of Saint-Germain-des-Prés (Eglise Saint-Germain-des-Prés)
Where? 3, Place Saint Germain des Prés, in front of the café Les Deux Magots.
Access? Saint Germain des Prés station (Metro Line 4).
Price? Free.
When? July and August (every day from 9am to 8pm) / September to June (Monday and Sunday: 9am to 8pm & Tuesday to Saturday: 8:30am to 8pm).
The Church of Saint-Germain-des-Prés is the oldest church in Paris. The original abbey was founded in the 6th century by the son of Clovis I, King Childebert I, after his return from Spain with the stole of Saint Vincent. The Church was achieved and consecrated by the Bishop of Paris, Saint Germain; hence, the name of the church.
The Church of Saint-Germain-des-Prés was the burial place of the Merovingian Kings. After being destroyed by the Normans at least 3 times in the 9th century, the Church of Saint-Germain-des-Prés was rebuilt and enlarged from the 10th century to the 13th century. Luckily, parts of some structures still remain from the 6th century. The Church was attacked and destroyed many times but always rebuilt. The restoration work of the Church Saint-Germain-des-Prés began in 2013 and was achieved in 2020.
Our opinion
Located in the heart of the famous Saint-Germain-des-Prés quarter, the Church of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, as the oldest church in Paris, is a true jewel. Despite the fact that some parts were under renovation the last time we went there (Nov. 2019), we loved it. The architecture is stunning and the vibrant colors of the church, breathtaking!
The Church of Saint-Germain-des-Prés is now fully restored. The Church was so beautiful, even during the renovation. Now, the Church looks outstanding.
Do not forget to look up, the beautiful painted ceiling and pillars are sumptuous and unique. L’Eglise Saint-Germain-des-Prés is, without a doubt, a must-see. A true hidden gem that is not often visited by tourists, nor locals.
Saint-Germain’s most iconic cafés and restaurants
The cafés and restaurants of Saint-Germain-des-Prés have contributed to Saint-Germain-des-Prés’ history and reputation. It is where famous artists, writers and political figures spent the majority of their time. Here, you’ll come to experience the café’s historical atmosphere more than the food itself. To be honest, those cafés are now very touristy and have kind of lost their authentic vibe. Still, a coffee (or a lunch) at one of these cafés should be experienced at least once.
Les Deux Magots
We don’t need to introduce the most famous café of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, “Les Deux Magots”. This café is a very popular tourist spot, if not the most, in Saint-Germain. The café opened in 1885. Among its most famous regular clients, ‘Les Deux Magots’ has welcomed: Jean-Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir, Ernest Hemingway, Picasso, James Joyce and James Baldwin. The name “Les Deux Magots” stands for the two Asian figurines installed inside the café; these two Asian figurines are older than the café itself and were there when the place was a novelty shop (before becoming a café). Les Deux Magots’ specialties are the coffee served from the pot and the hot chocolate. The café is located at No.6, Place Saint-Germain-des-Prés, in front of the Church of Saint-Germain-des-Prés. The nearest metro station is Saint-Germain-des-Prés station (Metro Line 4).
Café de Flore
Very famous (and touristy as well), “Café de Flore” opened in 1887, right after its rival “Les Deux Magots”, and had its fair share of famous clients over the years. Its most regular clients were also Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir, but also Apollinaire, Jacques Prévert, Jane Fonda, Sonia Rykiel and Paolo Coelho. “Café de Flore” is located at No.172, boulevard Saint-Germain, just beside “Les Deux Magots”. The nearest metro station is Saint Germain-des-Prés station (Metro Line 4).
Brasserie Lipp
“Brasserie Lipp” was founded in 1880. The founder of the brasserie, the Alsatian ‘Leonard Lipp’, left his native home when it became german. Verlaine and Apollinaire were Brasserie Lipp’s most regular clients. The specialty of the house was, and still is, the “choucroute”, a traditional dish from Alsace. The legendary “Brasserie Lipp” is located at No.151, boulevard Saint-Germain, just on the opposite side of “Les Deux Magots”.
Le Procope
The oldest café-restaurant in Saint-Germain-des-Prés is also the oldest in Paris. Le Procope was opened by an Italian, Francesco Procopio, in 1686. Among Le Procope’s most famous clients were Voltaire, Verlaine, Rousseau, Diderot and Benjamin Franklin. Le Procope’s specialties are: ‘Cald’s head made like in 1686’ and the traditional ‘Coq au Vin’. The café-restaurant is located No.13, rue de l’Ancienne Comédie. The nearest metro station is Odéon (Metro Lines 4 and 10).
Interesting fact: You can find Napoleon’s hat on display inside the restaurant. The story says that when he was 15 years-old, Napoleon left his hat as a guarantee to pay his coffee later. As you can guess, he never paid his debt.
The Church of Saint-Sulpice (Eglise Saint-Sulpice)
Where? Place Saint-Sulpice, in the Odéon neighborhood.
Access? Saint Sulpice station (Metro Line 4), Mabillon station (Metro Line 10) or Odéon station (Metro Lines 4 & 10).
Price? Free.
When? Every day from 8am to 7:30pm.
The Church of Saint-Sulpice is located in the Odéon neighborhood, near the Jardin du Luxembourg. It is the second largest church in Paris, after Notre-Dame.
The Church of Saint-Sulpice was built between the 17th and 18th centuries on the foundations of a former church dating from the 12th century, and is dedicated to Sulpitius the Pious, a 7th century bishop of Bourges and saint. In the 18th century, a gnomon was built inside the church to help determine the time of the Easter Equinoxes.
Saint-Sulpice is where Victor Hugo married Adèle Foucher in 1822, where the Marquis de Sade and Charles Baudelaire were baptized and it is also where the funeral of former French President Jacques Chirac was held on September 30, 2019.
The church was briefly on fire on March 17, 2019 but fortunately, the church has remained (almost) intact.
Interesting fact: If you look up when standing in front of the church, you will notice that the two front towers don’t have the same height. In fact, the construction was interrupted during the Revolution and the south tower was never finished.
Our opinion
The Church of Saint-Sulpice is a very beautiful church and definitely worth a visit! The Church became a major tourist attraction after the publication of the book ‘Da Vinci Code’ (and even more after the release of the movie). But the fame has faded with time and now, there aren’t many tourists who are visiting the site, so Saint-Sulpice offers a way more authentic experience compared to other religious sites like the Sacré-Coeur or Notre Dame.
Another reason to visit: The church possesses amazing mural paintings made by Romantic artist Eugene Delacroix.
Do not miss the ‘Fountain of the Four Bishops’ located on the square in front of the church: This monumental fountain was built in the 19th century by architect Louis Visconti and is truly stunning.
Institut de France (Institute of France)
Where? 23, Quai de Conti, facing the Pont des Arts and the Louvre.
Access? Louvre-Rivoli station (Metro Line 1), Pont Neuf station (Metro Line 7) and Saint-Germain-des-Prés station (Metro Line 4).
When? The building is closed to the public; however, it is possible to visit the Institute of France during the Journées du Patrimoine (Europe Heritage Days – 1 weekend per year – usually, 3rd weekend of September). It is possible to visit the dome every Saturdays from 10am to 6pm.
Created in 1795, the impressive ‘Institut de France’ is a French institution consisting of 5 academies:
- The Académie Française (The French language Academy) founded in 1635 by Cardinal Richelieu,
- The Académie des Beaux-Arts (The Academy of Fine Arts) founded between 1648 and 1671,
- The Académie des sciences morales et politiques (The Academy of Moral and Political sciences) founded in 1795 at the same time as the Institute,
- The Académie des sciences (The Academy of Science) founded in 1666,
- The Académie des inscriptions et belles-lettres (The Academy of Humanities) founded in 1663.
The Institute also manages many museums, châteaux and historical sites in France.
Note that the Mazarine Library, the oldest public library in France, is located on the premises of the Institute, and is open to the public Monday to Saturday from 10am to 6pm.
Pont des Arts
Where? Bridge crossing the Seine and connecting Quai François Mitterrand and Quai de Conti.
The Pont des Arts, formerly known as the ‘Love Lock Bridge’ in Paris, is a pedestrian bridge which crosses the Seine river and links the Institute de France to the Louvre. It was the first metallic bridge built in Paris (between 1801 and 1804). The Pont des Arts is registered as a national historic monument since 1975. In 1979, the bridge collapsed and was only rebuilt between 1981 and 1984.
The Pont des Arts is considered as the most romantic bridge in Paris (little less since the love locks were removed from the bridge in 2015).
Before 2015, it was known as the ‘Love Lock Bridge’ because tourists started to attach padlocks to the bridge in 2008. Unfortunately, in June 2014, the bridge was damaged and a part where the love locks were attached collapsed.
Now, it is a bridge without locks. But it has kept its charming atmosphere. In spring – summer, you can see many painters capturing the beauty of the surroundings from this bridge. You can also find people picnicking on the Pont des Arts.
Musée Eugène Delacroix (Eugène Delacroix Museum) & Place Furstenberg
Where? Behind the church of Saint-Germain, at 6 rue de Furstenberg.
Access? Saint-Germain-des-Prés station (Metro Line 4).
Price? 7€. If you want to add the Louvre to your visit, it is 15€. Free on the first Sunday of each month for everyone. Free for the visitors under 18 years old and for the visitors under 26 years old from E.U.
When? Wednesday to Monday from 9:30am to 5:30pm.
The museum Eugène Delacroix is dedicated to the Romantic French painter Eugène Delacroix (1798-1863), famous for his painting « Liberty leading the People » (which you cannot see inside this museum but in the Louvre museum). The museum is located inside the last apartment of Delacroix (which also served as his art studio) that he occupied until his death, from December 1857 to August 1863. The museum possesses paintings, drawings, prints, writings and objects belonging to the artist.
Our opinion
The museum is absolutely great. Eugène Delacroix was one of the greatest artists of his time, and it is a delight to discover this wonderful setting (including a picturesque garden) in the heart of Paris.
However, if you aren’t a fan of museums, you don’t have to visit Eugène Delacroix museum to enjoy the beautiful Place de Furstenberg (where is the museum is located). This very discreet and charming square is probably the most romantic square in Paris and just for that, it is worth visiting.
L’Odéon
Where? Place de l’Odéon, near the Luxembourg gardens.
Access? Odéon station (Metro Lines 4 and 10).
L’Odéon is one of France’s 6 national theaters. The Odéon theater was inaugurated in 1782 by Queen Marie-Antoinette herself and was originally supposed to host the Comédie française. It is a national historic monument since 1947.
Our opinion
The Odéon neighborhood is very charming and the Place de l’Odéon is no exception. It is very near the Jardin du Luxembourg (Luxembourg gardens), one of the most beautiful gardens in Paris. So, if you are heading to the Luxembourg gardens, do not miss Place de l’Odéon.
Jardin du Luxembourg (Luxembourg Gardens)
Where? There are many entrances to the gardens: entrances from rue Guynemer, rue de Vaugirard, place Edmond Rostand and place André Honnorat.
Access? Odéon station (Metro Lines 4 and 10), Notre-Dame-des-Champs station (Metro Line 12) and Luxembourg-Sénat station (RER B).
Price? Free.
When? Every day | Hours vary depending on the season.
The Luxembourg gardens (‘Jardin du Luxembourg’ in French) are located on the border between Saint-Germain-des-Prés and the Latin quarter. The Jardin du Luxembourg is one of the most popular gardens in Paris among tourists, students and locals alike.
With its impeccably manicured lawns, colorful parterres, romantic statues, and magnificent tree-lined promenades, the Jardin du Luxembourg is, without doubt, the most beautiful garden in Paris. Covering 23 hectares, it is also one of the largest.
The Luco (nickname given by the locals to the Jardin du Luxembourg) is the perfect place for a break or a picnic; there are plenty of chairs available to sit on and relax. Even on busy days, there is always a peaceful atmosphere in the Luxembourg gardens.
The Jardin du Luxembourg is mostly famous for its large octagonal pond (the ‘Grand Bassin’) and its Medici fountain. But, there are so many other things to see and do in the Luxembourg gardens. Click here to see my guide to the Luxembourg Gardens.
Ecole Nationale des Beaux-Arts (National School of Fine Arts)
Where? There are few entrances but the main entrance is at No.14, rue Bonaparte.
Access? Saint-Germain-des-Prés station (Metro Line 4).
The Ecole Nationale des Beaux-Arts was founded in 1817. Among its famous students and professors, there were Eugène Delacroix, Auguste Renoir, Claude Monet and Bernard Buffet. The school possesses 450,000 artworks. Expositions and guided visits (quite rare!) allow visitors to discover the prestigious Ecole des Beaux-Arts. They are planning to open a museum with some of the former students’ artworks on the premises of the school. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to enter the school at the time of our visit.
Monnaie de Paris (Paris Mint)
Where? No.2, rue Guénégaud (ticket office) and No. 11, Quai de Conti.
Access? Pont Neuf station (Metro Line 7).
Price? €12. €8 for the visitors under 26 years old.
When? Tuesdays to Sundays from 11am to 7pm.
Founded in 864, the Monnaie de Paris is said to be the oldest company in the world. The institution is responsible for minting circulating coins (French Euros as well as other foreign currencies ~ for 42 countries to be precise).
The Paris Mint is ‘internationally recognized as one of the top five mints in the world in terms of striking quality’ (source: www.monnaiedeparis.fr).
During its twelve centuries of existence, the Monnaie de Paris has moved several times before settling at No.11 Quai de Conti in 1775. The Monnaie de Paris was in charge of the industrial production of coins in France. However, in 1973, the Monnaie de Paris relocated its production site to Pessac, near Bordeaux.
The Monnaie de Paris museum (known as the ‘11 Conti Museum’) displays a fantastic collection of coins, medals, tokens, ancient machines and art objects. Visiting the Monnaie de Paris is the chance to see more than 30,000 coins from more than 110 countries, and 75,000 French and foreign medals. It is also possible to witness the different phases of the production of coins and medals, and to discover the preparation of art fonts in the Foundry.
Serge Gainsbourg’s House
Where? 5 bis, rue de Verneuil.
Access? Saint-Germain-des-Prés station (Metro Line 4).
First things first, who is Serge Gainsbourg? Many people do not know him and chances are that if you aren’t French, you do not know him neither. Serge Gainsbourg was a very popular French singer who died in 1991; he’s known as the most unconventional and provocative French singer and one of the most important artists of his time. However, if you never heard of him, this place may not be of interest to you. Besides, you cannot visit the house.
Our opinion
I wanted to see it… and I did like it. But this is my personal opinion (I am French and I like Gainsbourg so I might be biased). Krishna didn’t know Gainsbourg, so besides the (great) graffiti in front of his home at that time, it might not be of interest to you neither if you do not know the artist. If you like street art, you should check it out though.
Looking for the perfect one day in Saint-Germain-des-Prés itinerary? Don’t worry, I got you covered! Click here to see my detailed itinerary to Saint-Germain-des-Prés.
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