The One Paris Neighborhood We’d Actually Stay In (Saint-Germain-des-Prés)

The 6th arrondissement is the neighborhood most people picture when they imagine Paris: cafés, bookshops and tree-lined streets. Yet almost everyone visits it the wrong way. In this video we share our Saint-Germain-des-Prés walking route, the exact ten stops we recommend to our friends, from the Seine to the most beautiful garden in Paris, with where to stay, eat and shop, and the famous spots we would honestly skip.

The stops on our walk

  • Pont des Arts, the first iron bridge in Paris, and the bouquinistes along the river
  • The antiques and gallery streets (most galleries close on Sunday and Monday)
  • Rue Bonaparte, with macarons at Richart, Blue Lemon and Maison Brémond 1830
  • The church of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, with a bell tower about a thousand years old
  • Les Deux Magots and Café de Flore, and where to go instead
  • Cour du Commerce Saint-André, Le Procope and the Delacroix Museum on Place de Furstenberg
  • Saint-Sulpice, with its Delacroix frescoes and famous organ
  • Le Bon Marché, La Grande Épicerie and the Hotel Lutetia
  • The Luxembourg Gardens and the Medici Fountain

Where to stay and eat

Our hotel picks are the Hotel Odeon Saint Germain, Colleen’s favorite in the area, the Da Vinci Hotel & Spa for a spa after a long day of walking, and the five-star Pavillon Faubourg Saint Germain for a special occasion. For lunch we went to Colvert, a relaxed bistronomy spot with a seasonal tasting menu. We also like La Jacobine, La Grande Crèmerie and the Belle Époque Brasserie Vagenende.

Our verdict on the famous cafés

We have eaten at both Les Deux Magots and Café de Flore. They are iconic, but you often queue for a table, prices are high and the food is so-so. Walk a couple of blocks and you will find a terrace with no line, food just as good and half the price.

Follow our exact route with the Saint-Germain Walking Tour. For more places to eat, use our 125 best restaurants in Paris guide or book a Devour food tour, and plan the rest of your trip with our Paris Guide Bundle.