Guided Walking Tour of Saint-Germain-Des-Prés

Paris is known for its sophisticated appeal, romantic allure, and joie de vivre (or the cheerful enjoyment of life). Spend an hour and a half strolling through Saint-Germain-des-Prés to understand why Paris is known as a city of art, literature, and culture.

Explore Saint-Germain-des-Prés Parisian Style

Walk down Boulevard Saint-Germain to discover how this neighborhood became a hub for writers, artists, and intellectuals. Walk where existentialist philosophers like Sartre and Simone De Beauvoir walked, and visit places frequented by personalities like Picasso and Hemingway. Marvel at Saint Germain des Prés—an excellent example of Romanesque architecture in Paris.

Survey the Culture and Art Center of France

Pass by Hotel La Louisiane, frequented by famous existentialists, artists, and jazz musicians of the 1950–60s. Walk into Cour du Commerce Saint-André, a hidden cobblestoned passage, home to the oldest cafe in Paris, the 17th-century Café Le Procope. Visit Odéon-Théâtre, one of the six national theaters in France and the third largest church in Paris, Saint Sulpice. The latter is famous for being a prominent setting in the popular novel and film The Da Vinci Code.

Learn about "Cafe Society," the term used for the intellectuals' gatherings at fashionable cafés and restaurants.

Discover some of the popular churches, restaurants, chocolate shops, and jazz clubs, and see the spot of the medieval Saint-Germain fair. Spend a few hours in Saint-Germain-des-Prés for a memorable experience and feel like a Parisian when you walk out!

Itinerary

Boulevard Saint Germain | Rue Jacob | Church of Saint-Germain-Des-Prés | Hotel La Louisiane | Rue de Buci | Cour du Commerce Saint André | Odéon-Théâtre de l'Europe | Église Saint-Sulpice