in short
- What's there: Luxembourg Gardens, Saint-Germain-des-Prés Church, Saint-Sulpice, Delacroix Museum, School of Fine Arts, Font des Arts and the famous cafes.
- Location: The left bank, between the 5th and 7th districts.
- Tickets: Most sites have free admission, and only the two museums charge a fee.
- Who is it for: For those who like to sit in cafes and look around, rather than wander between museums.
- Food markets: Three, including an indoor market that is open six days a week and an organic market that operates on Sundays only.
- Restaurants: Six recommendations, a specially reserved list because in this district it is easy to pay a lot for a little.
- Itineraries: Nine take place mostly in the district, and another eight pass through it.
The 6th arrondissement is the Saint-Germain-des-Prés district, and in my opinion it's the most pleasant district to sit in. If in the 1st arrondissement you stand in lines and in the 3rd arrondissement you walk, here the main occupation is to order something at a cafe and look at the street.
It is also the district where the heaviest intellectual weight is: Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir wrote at Café Fleur, Hemingway drank at the Closets de Lila, and the School of Fine Arts produced generations of painters. In terms of hiking trails, this is the richest district on the site: nine trails take place within it, and another eight pass through it.
So just before we get going, let's talk about what you'll find on this page: first the hotels and apartments I recommend in the district, then the attractions and museums one by one, the restaurants I send people to, the three food markets with the days and hours, and finally the itineraries.
Recommended hotels in the 6th arrondissement of Paris
Saint-Germain is one of the most sought-after places to stay in Paris, and the prices reflect that. If you're not sure what's right for you, answer three questions and I'll choose from my recommendations:
My personal recommendation
Which hotel in the 6th arrondissement is right for you?
One short question, and I'll filter for you from the accommodations I've already checked and written about on the site what's suitable for the vacation you're planning.
Just a moment, I'll go through my recommendations and look for what suits you...
Prefer to go through all the recommendations yourself, with photos and details about each hotel? Go to my recommended hotels in the 6th arrondissement page.
Recommended apartments in the 6th arrondissement of Paris
An apartment in Saint-Germain is a way to lower the price of a night in an expensive area, and in this case also take advantage of the three food markets in the district. Here too, you can let me choose:
My personal recommendation
Which apartment in the 6th district is right for you?
One question about the area, and I'm sifting through the apartments I've reviewed and written about on the site. Up until now, I've recommended Udi's apartments directly here, but they're snapped up very quickly, so I've also included some great apartments from Booking.com that I handpicked for my readers.
Just a moment, I'll go through my recommendations and look for what suits you...
Want to go through all the apartments I recommend, with photos and details? Go to my recommended apartments in the 6th arrondissement page.
Attractions and museums in the 6nd arrondissement of Paris
These are the sites I recommend in the 6th arrondissement. Note that most of them have free admission, and that three of them are cafes where you only pay for what you order.
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Free entrance
Luxembourg Gardens (Jardin du Luxembourg)
The favorite park in Paris, and the place where every trip to the 6th arrondissement comes together.
The garden and palace were commissioned by Marie de Medici in the 17th century, and she asked that they be reminded of Florence, her hometown. The palace is now used by the French Senate, and the garden itself is open daily from morning until an hour before sunset. Listen for the whistles of the garden guards, they are a sign that the gates are closing. The Medici Fountain is also hidden within the garden, and on the east side are the regulars' chess games.
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The Old Church in Paris
Church of Saint-Germain-des-Prés
The oldest church in Paris, parts of which have survived from the 6th century. After a long renovation, it looks amazing.
What remains is only a small part of a huge monastery that dominated large parts of the Left Bank until the revolution. Renovations in recent years have revealed the original colors of the columns and ceiling, and the result is surprising to those who remember the gloomy church of earlier years. Inside is also the tomb of Rene Descartes.
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Free entrance
Saint-Sulpice Church
The second largest church in Paris, with two frescoes by Delacroix and a famous sundial.
The sundial was built in 1727 to help the priest determine when Easter was, and Dan Brown made it a plot point in his book, bringing waves of tourists here and an explanatory sign making it clear that it is under discussion. The two Delacroix frescoes are in the first chapel on the right, and I recommend starting with them.
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Delacroix Museum
Delacroix's studio and last home, in a small museum that opens onto the city's romantic square.
Delacroix moved here at the end of his life to be close to the church of Saint-Sulpice, where he painted his great frescoes. The museum is very small and takes about half an hour to visit, but its interior garden is one of the quiet corners of the district. The Louvre ticket also covers this museum, as the two are run together.
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Luxembourg Museum (Musée du Luxembourg)
The first public museum in Paris, and today a hall for temporary exhibitions only.
Opened in the 18th century to showcase works from the royal collection to the city's residents, the museum predates the Louvre as a museum. The current building was built in 1879, and since then it has only been used for temporary exhibitions. It has no permanent collection, so it's worth checking what's on display before deciding to buy a ticket.
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architecture
School of Fine Arts (École des Beaux-Arts)
A spectacular neo-Renaissance building that also contains parts of the burned Tuileries Palace.
The school moved to its current location in 1816, and consists of several buildings around courtyards. The chapel features a replica of Michelangelo's Last Judgment, and the courtyard incorporates stone remains from the Tuileries Palace, which burned during the Commune and is no longer standing. On days when there is no exhibition, entry is limited to the courtyards, and they are also worth the price.
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The best view in the district
Von des Ars and the College de France
The pedestrian bridge from which you can enjoy a beautiful view of Paris, and opposite it is the dome of the French Institute.
The bridge was the first in Paris to be built of metal, and the building opposite is the Collège de France, which Marzani founded in his will and which today houses the French Academy. The love locks that were attached to the railing were removed in 2015, after their weight caused part of the railing to collapse. If you come to photograph a sunset, this is the place.
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A charming passage
Cour du Commerce Saint-André
The charming passage of the Left Bank, from the 18th century, which also includes La Prokop.
This passage is home to La Procope, the oldest café in Paris still in operation, and where Doctor Guillotine also used the nearby cellar to test the machine that bears his name on sheep. A tower from the Philippe Auguste wall is also incorporated into the floor, and can be seen through the glass in the floor.
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coffee shop
Flore's coffee
Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir's cafe, and to this day the place to sit and watch.
Sartre and de Beauvoir worked full shifts here during the war, partly because the cafe was warm and their apartments weren't. The prices here are more than justified, and for those who buy, it's the privilege of sitting for an hour in a place that hasn't changed since. The second floor is quieter than the sidewalk.
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coffee shop
Les Deux Magots
Café Flor's neighbor and competitor, with a terrace that directly overlooks the church.
The two Chinese characters on the pillar inside are what gave the place its name, from the days of the silk shop that stood here in front of the cafe. The place has been handing out an annual literary prize since 1933, and its winners include names that have changed French literature. In terms of prices and crowd, it's hard to tell it apart from Flor.
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coffee shop
The Closerie des Lilas
Hemingway's cafe, at the southern end of the district, overlooking Montparnasse.
Hemingway wrote parts of The Sun Also Rises here, and the bar still has a brass plaque with his name on it. There are two options: the family brasserie on one side and the expensive restaurant on the other. I recommend the bar and a cocktail, not a full meal.
Other attractions in the 6th District worth exploring
These are smaller places that you enter on your way to somewhere else. I have already written separate articles about the first two:
| the place | Address | Why stop there? |
|---|---|---|
| Place de Furstemberg | Place de Furstemberg | In my eyes, the romantic square in Paris. Four paulownia trees, one lantern and silence |
| Medici Fountain (Fontaine Médicis) | Inside the Luxembourg Gardens | A 17th-century fountain at the edge of a shaded pond, and few reach it without being led. |
| Saint-Germain Indoor Market (Marché Saint-Germain) | 4 rue Lobineau | A small indoor market open six days a week, behind the facade of a shopping center |
| Odéon Theater | Place de l'Odeon | A neoclassical theater from the 18th century, and the square in front of it is a great place to sit. |
| Zadkine Museum | 100 bis rue d'Assas | The sculptor's home and workshop, with a small sculpture garden. Municipal museum, permanent collection, free admission |
| French Numismatic Institute (Monnaie de Paris) | 11 Quai de Conti | The former Royal Mint, now a museum and a chef's restaurant |
Tours and activities in the 6th Arrondissement that might interest you
And if you're looking for attractions in other neighborhoods of the city, my Paris attractions page brings them all together in one place.
My recommended restaurants in the 6th arrondissement of Paris
In Saint-Germain it's easy to pay a lot for a little, which is exactly why this list is small and reserved. These are the places I send people to:
| the restaurant | Type | Address | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seed | On the radar | 54 Rue de Seine | Contemporary French cuisine with an open kitchen, and one of the best places in the district for lunch |
| Le Danton | coffee shop | 103 Bd Saint-Germain | A cafe on the boulevard itself, suitable for an impromptu stop |
| Baillotte | On the radar | 16 Rue du Dragon | A small restaurant on Rue du Dragon, a place that came on my radar |
| La Méditerranée | Reader's recommendation | 2 Place de l'Odeon | A recommendation I received from reader Efrat. Fish restaurant across from the Odeon. |
| Korean Counter | Asian | 66 Mazarine Street | Korean cuisine on Matzran Street, in an area where you wouldn't expect to find Korean cuisine |
| The Palanquin | Asian | 12 Rue Madame | Vietnamese on Madame Street, a family-run place that has been operating for years |
Looking for restaurants in other neighborhoods? My recommended restaurants page is organized by cuisine type and neighborhood.
The food markets of the 6th arrondissement in Paris
There are three markets in the 6th arrondissement, and they are three completely different types: an indoor market that is open almost all week, a regular morning market, and an organic market that operates only on Sundays. The latter two are located in the exact same place, on Boulevard Raspail.
| The market | Address | Days and hours | Metro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saint-Germain Indoor Market (Marché Saint-Germain) | 4 rue Lobineau | Tuesday to Saturday 08:00 to 20:00, Sunday 08:00 to 13:30. Closed on Mondays | Mabillon |
| Raspail Market | Raspail Boulevard | Tuesday and Friday 07:00 to 13:30 | Rennes |
| Raspail Organic Market (Marché biologique Raspail) | Raspail Boulevard | Sunday only, 07:00 to 14:30 | Rennes |
The Sunday organic market is one of the best-known in Paris and also one of the most expensive, and if you just want to buy food for your apartment, the indoor market is more convenient. On my markets page you will find recommended markets in other neighborhoods of the city.
Itineraries in the 6th arrondissement of Paris
This is the district with the richest number of routes on my site, and it's no coincidence: Saint-Germain is built for aimless walking. I divided the routes into two: those that take place mostly within the district, and those that pass through it and continue.
Routes that take place in the 6th arrondissement
Routes that pass through the 6th district and other neighborhoods
Want all the itineraries I've written, by district and by theme? My Paris itineraries page has them all.
The history of Saint-Germain-des-Prés
Before it was the neighborhood of Sartre and its famous cafés, it was the land of a monastery. The Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés was founded in the 6th century and was one of the richest in France, with grounds that extended over all of what is now the 6th arrondissement and parts of the 7th. The abbey church that stands there today is the oldest church in Paris, and almost nothing remained of the monastery itself after the Revolution.
For the full article on the history of Saint-Germain
The next step in your trip
The 6th arrondissement is the heart of the Saint-Germain district, but the neighborhood itself is more than an administrative unit. If you're interested in the atmosphere and identity rather than the full list, my Saint-Germain district page has it all. To the east, the 5th arrondissement awaits you , and to the north, across the Pont des Arts, the Louvre and the 1st arrondissement.
And if you want to be prepared for any scenario, my comprehensive Paris guide brings together all the knowledge I've accumulated for you. Have an amazing trip, and don't forget to sit in a cafe for me.
