Saint Germain Paris - General Information

Like the Latin Quarter, Saint-Germain-des-Prés – the part of the 6e arrondissement closest to the Seine – derives much of its appeal from its long association with the Left Bank’s bohemian philosophical and cultural traditions. However, the days of intellectual ferment and low rents are long gone. The area is now one of the most picturesque and wealthy square kilometres in Paris, though it does retain something of the old aura of tolerance and low key charm, with its narrow streets, freestone houses with flowered balconies, art dealers, antique shops and specialised bookstores.

The biggest change to the area in recent years has been the influx of designer clothes shops, especially in the streets around Carrefour del la Croix-Rouge and Place St-Sulpice (there’s also Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche on the corner of rue des Canettes.) Similar gentrification is apparent in the area’s cafés. The most famous, Les Deux Magots, is situated in Place Saint-Germain-des-Prés, the hub of the quartier. Writers such as Simone de Beauvoir, Jean-Paul Sartre and Albert Camus used to hang out here, attracted by the low prices and stimulating atmosphere, but it has become the victim of its own reputation. Named after the two wooden statues of Chinese commercial agents (magots) that adorn one of the pillars, it is now extremely expensive, though still a good place for people watching. Do be aware however that a romantic street-side table at either it or its neighbour and rival, Le Flore, will inevitably involve you in the attentions of buskers and street performers during fine weather.

The Place St-Germain-des-Prés is also the location of the church of St-Germain-des-Prés, its robust 11th century tower a local landmark. Close by there is the Théâtre de l’Odéon (inaugurated by Marie-Antoinette in 1782 to house the Comédie Française) and the monumental church of St Sulpice, while the lovely Jardin du Luxembourg borders the Latin Quarter to the east.