Saint-Germain-des-Prés, Historic district in 6th arrondissement, France
Saint-Germain-des-Prés is a district in the 6th arrondissement on the left bank of the Seine, stretching between the river and Rue du Four. The streets connect galleries with fashion boutiques, while traditional French cafés stand at corners and benches under plane trees invite you to linger.
King Childebert I founded an abbey here in 558, which over centuries became a center for scholarship and royal burials. From the 1940s onward, writers and thinkers moved into the area and gathered in the cafés, turning it into the focal point of a philosophical movement.
The name comes from the abbey church that once dominated the entire left bank and now stands as the oldest surviving church in Paris. Bookshops and antique dealers line the narrow streets, while locals read newspapers or meet friends at café terraces.
Several metro stations are scattered throughout the district and connect it to lines 4, 10, and 12, with Saint-Germain-des-Prés station serving as a central point. The lanes are mostly flat and easy to explore on foot, while cafés and shops open during the day and a quieter mood settles in the evening.
A narrow townhouse on Rue Jacob hosted the signing of the treaty that officially recognized American independence in 1783. The building still carries the name Hôtel York and recalls that diplomatic moment that sealed the end of a war.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
