6th Arrondissement

St-Germain des Prés is a district located in the 6th arrondissement of Paris, France. From the left bank of the Seine River, it extends several blocks south and ends in the area near the Luxembourg Palace, which is set in the expansive Luxembourg Garden. It is also the area where the Place Saint-Sulpice and the Église Saint-Sulpice are located.

Sights & Activities

Facing the bank of the Seine and directly across the foot of Pont de Arts is the Institut de France or the French Insitute, which is a learned society that manages several museums, foundations, and chateaux in the country. It is composed of five academies concerned with all aspects of French culture and society.

Next to the institute is the Hôtel de la Monnaie, a Neo-Classical building that houses the Monnaie de Paris or the Paris Mint. It is open to the public and features mint workshops, administrative offices, and a numismatics museum that displays several ancient coins.

Along Rue Bonaparte is the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-arts or the National School of Fine Arts. This well-known learning institution also houses collections of paintings, drawings, engravings, and sculptures. At its main entrance, visitors are greeted by the busts of Pierre Paul Puget and Nicolas Poussin. The foremost structure of the complex is the Palais de Beaux-Arts, which features a semi-circular award theater. Most of the buildings within the complex hold architectural significance and are a delight to explore.

Église de Saint-Germain-des-Prés is a church located along Boulevard Saint-Germain. It used to be a Benedictine abbey that was established in the 6th century, though the present structure was built in the 11th century. The philosopher René Descartes is buried in a side chapel of the church.

At the southern part of St-Germain des Prés is the Luxembourg Palace, which was built in the 17th century and became home to members of French Royalty. Though little of the original interiors remain today, the palace is still an important structure of the city, being the meeting place of the Senate of Paris. It is also located on the northern end of the extensive Luxembourg Garden, a formal garden that features statues, ponds, a puppet theatre, a fenced-in playground, a fruit orchard, and several open-air restaurants.

The Église Saint-Sulpice is a church situated on the eastern end of the Place Saint-Sulpice and is considered the second largest church of the city. Completed in the later part of the 18th century, it was built on the site of an older church. Interesting features of the church include the enormous shells set on rock-like bases, it beautiful murals made by Eugène Delacroix, its pipe organ built in 1862, and the gnomon that was built in the 18th century.

Eating Out

St-Germain des Prés is the location of two famous cafes in the area. The Les Deux Magots is located on the corner of Rue Bonaparte and the Boulevard Saint-Germain. The establishment boasts of being the meeting place of several intellectuals and literary figures in the past. Among its popular clientele is author Ernest Hemingway and painters Jean-Paul Sarte and Pablo Picasso. In the next block to the west is the Café de Flore, also a favorite meeting place of intellectuals. Those yearning for fine dining experience should head out to Piere Herme along Rue Bonaparte and just a few steps away from the Saint-Sulpice. Near the Luxembourg Palace are the Au Petit Suisse and the exotic Indonesia.

Several pubs are also located within the St-Germain des Prés, such as the Cavern on Rue Dauphine, the Le Bob Cool on Rue Grands, and the Next One on Rue Bernard.