# Saint-Germain-des-Prés, Paris > Saint-Germain-des-Prés is an elegant Left Bank quarter in the 6th arrondissement, grown up around one of the oldest churches in Paris, a 6th-century abbey. In the 20th century it became the capital of intellectual Paris: Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir wrote in the cafés Les Deux Magots and Café de Flore, and the streets filled with publishers, bookshops and art galleries. Today it's a quarter of boutiques, antique dealers, bistros and old mansions, made for aimless strolling. Entry to the church is free. Web page: https://yesgo.io/france/paris/saint-germain-des-pres - City: [Paris](https://yesgo.io/france/paris), France - YesGo score: 50/100 (Yes, go) - Time on site: 1 h 30 min - Opening hours: Quarter open 24 hours, church by day - With kids: Fine with kids - Entry: Quarter and church free - Church: Daily by day - Arrondissement: 6th - Duration: ≈ 1.5–2-hour stroll - Cafés: Les Deux Magots, Café de Flore, Le Procope - Location: Metro Saint-Germain-des-Prés - Coordinates: 48.85389, 2.33444 - Facts checked: 12.11.2026 ## Key facts - **558** — the abbey was consecrated (source: English Wikipedia) - **1163** — Pope Alexander III consecrated the church (source: English Wikipedia) - **1672** — the first café in Paris opened here (source: English Wikipedia) - **1783** — the Treaty of Paris signed on Rue Jacob (source: English Wikipedia) ## About Saint-Germain-des-Prés Saint-Germain-des-Prés is one of the quarters of the 6th arrondissement on the Left Bank, between the Latin Quarter and the Musée d'Orsay. Its name, 'Saint Germain of the Meadows', comes from the **abbey** founded in the 6th century among the flood meadows by the river. Little was built here before the 17th century because of flooding, and a village of bakeries and workshops surrounded the monastery. In the 19th century **Boulevard Saint-Germain** was cut through the quarter, and in the 20th it became the heart of literary and artistic Paris. Publishers and bookshops flourished, students of the École des Beaux-Arts studied here, and in the 1940s and 1950s the quarter's cafés became home to the **existentialists**, Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir. ## What to see in the quarter - **The church of Saint-Germain-des-Prés** — among the oldest in Paris. - **Les Deux Magots and Café de Flore** — legendary boulevard cafés. - **Le Procope** — one of the first cafés in Paris. - **The École des Beaux-Arts** — on Rue Bonaparte. - **Rue Jacob and Rue de Buci** — antiques, galleries and food shops. - **Place de Furstenberg** — a tiny corner of lamps and trees. ## The former abbey church The church of Saint-Germain-des-Prés is what remains of one of France's most important monasteries. The Frankish king **Childebert I**, son of Clovis, founded the abbey, consecrated in **558**, and it was later dedicated to Saint Germain, bishop of Paris. The present building with its sturdy **Romanesque bell tower** dates from the 11th century, and the choir in the new Gothic style was consecrated by Pope Alexander III in **1163**. Its flying buttresses are among the first around Paris. Inside, look for the tall nave with carved capitals and the vivid 19th-century painting, with walls and vaults covered in blue, gold and red ornament and murals. A recent restoration brought the colours back to life. The monastery was a centre of learning whose monks copied manuscripts that circulated across Europe. > **How to explore** Start at the church on Place Saint-Germain-des-Prés, have a coffee at one of the historic cafés, then wander Rue Bonaparte, Rue Jacob, Rue de Seine and Rue de Buci with their galleries, antique dealers and little shops. Be ready for the prices: coffee on the famous terraces costs more than usual, but you can sit as long as you like. Mornings are calm, evenings lively. ## The famous cafés Saint-Germain's cafés are part of Paris history. On the corner of the square stands **Les Deux Magots**, with **Café de Flore** next door: at their tables Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir, Hemingway, Picasso and many others wrote, argued and met. Opposite is **Brasserie Lipp**, a meeting place of politicians and writers. It was at the Saint-Germain fair in **1672** that the first café in Paris appeared, when coffee was thought of more as medicine. On the Cour du Commerce Saint-André stands **Le Procope**, one of the city's oldest cafés, once frequented by Voltaire, Rousseau and Benjamin Franklin, its interior still evoking the 18th century. ## Galleries, books and Rue de Buci On Rue Bonaparte stands the **École des Beaux-Arts**, where Degas, Seurat, Bonnard and many other artists studied. Around it are dozens of **art galleries**, antique shops and bookshops, and Rue Jacob is known for its design showrooms. On this street, at the Hôtel d'York, the Treaty of Paris recognising US independence was signed on **3 September 1783**. **Rue de Buci** and the lanes nearby are full of grocers, cheese shops, pâtisseries and florists, with street stalls at weekends. Close by hides tiny **Place de Furstenberg**, with its lamps and paulownia trees, one of the most romantic squares in Paris. ## A quarter of craft and taste People love Saint-Germain for its mix of history and style: fashion boutiques, chocolatiers and famous pâtisseries sit beside 17th-century mansions. The boulevard and nearby streets hold clothing, perfume and design shops, while the side streets have small bistros with set-price lunches. From here it's an easy walk to the [Luxembourg Gardens](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/jardin-du-luxembourg), Saint-Sulpice church, the booksellers' quays and the [Musée d'Orsay](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/musee-dorsay). The Pont des Arts footbridge links the quarter to the Louvre. ## How to get there 1. Metro line 4 to **Saint-Germain-des-Prés**, exiting by the church. 2. Metro line 10 to **Mabillon**, a 3-minute walk. 3. From the Louvre, across the Pont des Arts, a 10-minute walk. 4. Buses 39, 63, 70, 86, 95 and 96 to the Saint-Germain-des-Prés stop. ## Tips for your visit The quarter pairs well with the [Latin Quarter](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/latin-quarter) and the Luxembourg Gardens, which border it. Allow an hour and a half to two hours for an unhurried stroll with coffee. The church of Saint-Germain-des-Prés is free to enter, but visitors are asked not to walk around during Mass. Classical concerts are sometimes held in the church in the evening. For intellectual Paris, browse the quarter's bookshops; for shopping, try the concept stores on Rue de Seine and Rue Saint-Sulpice. ## Before you go Tick off what's ready — your ticks are saved in this browser. - [ ] Step into the church of Saint-Germain-des-Prés - [ ] Have coffee at Café de Flore or Les Deux Magots - [ ] Find Place de Furstenberg - [ ] Walk Rue de Buci - [ ] Look into Le Procope ## Places in Paris: compare and choose Places in Paris rated by YesGo. - [Champs-Élysées](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/champs-elysees) — YesGo score 61/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h 30 min · Free - [Place de la Concorde](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/place-de-la-concorde) — YesGo score 60/100 (Yes, go) · 30 min · Free - [Montmartre](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/montmartre) — YesGo score 56/100 (Yes, go) · 3 h · Free - [Place Vendôme](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/place-vendome) — YesGo score 54/100 (Yes, go) · 25 min · Free - [Palais-Royal](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/palais-royal) — YesGo score 53/100 (Yes, go) · 40 min · Garden and courtyard free - [Luxembourg Gardens](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/jardin-du-luxembourg) — YesGo score 52/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h · Free - [Pont Neuf](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/pont-neuf) — YesGo score 52/100 (Yes, go) · 25 min · Free - [Tuileries Garden](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/tuileries-garden) — YesGo score 51/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h · Free - [Shakespeare and Company](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/shakespeare-and-company) — YesGo score 51/100 (Yes, go) · 30 min · Free - [Île de la Cité](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/ile-de-la-cite) — YesGo score 51/100 (Yes, go) · 2 h 30 min · Free, it's a city island - [Saint-Germain-des-Prés](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/saint-germain-des-pres) — YesGo score 50/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h 30 min · Quarter and church free - [Place des Vosges](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/place-des-vosges) — YesGo score 50/100 (Yes, go) · 45 min · Free - [La Défense](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/la-defense) — YesGo score 47/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 40 min · Esplanade free, arch rooftop ticketed - [Le Marais](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/le-marais) — YesGo score 46/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · Free, it's a city district - [Latin Quarter](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/latin-quarter) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h 30 min · Free, it's a city district - [Canal Saint-Martin](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/canal-saint-martin) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 15 min · Free - [Parc Monceau](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/parc-monceau) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 50 min · Free ## Don't mix it up Saint-Germain-des-Prés is a quarter and church in central Paris; Saint-Germain-en-Laye is a suburb with a royal château west of the capital. ## Tips - Coffee on a terrace. - Galleries on Rue Jacob. - The church is free. - Luxembourg is close. ## Questions ### What is Saint-Germain-des-Prés famous for? Its ancient abbey church, literary cafés, galleries and boutiques. ### Which cafés are worth visiting? Les Deux Magots, Café de Flore, Brasserie Lipp and Le Procope. ### Is the church free to enter? Yes, outside service times for visits. ### How long do I need for the quarter? About an hour and a half to two hours. ### How do I get to Saint-Germain-des-Prés? By metro line 4 to Saint-Germain-des-Prés station. ## How we checked Facts from English Wikipedia. The quarter is open public space. Church opening hours weren't confirmed — hence the 'checking' badge. ## Sources - English Wikipedia: Saint-Germain-des-Prés, Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés - City of Paris website, paris.fr --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.