Zigzag itinerary along Boulevard Saint-Germain – Part 2: The 6th Arrondissement

Boulevard Saint-Germain crosses the left bank of the Seine and passes through The Latin Quarter, The Sixth District וSeventh DistrictWhile the boulevard itself, for the most part, is not particularly interesting (at least to me), if you deviate a little north or south and zigzag along it, you can discover very interesting places.

Since the boulevard is quite long, one walking route is not enough to help you discover all the secrets hidden along this avenue. That's why I have previously created A route that runs along the section of Boulevard Saint-Germain in the Latin Quarter And today I want to continue the trip, this time with the part that passes through the 7th arrondissement (in the future I will finish the trilogy with a hiking route that passes along the part of Boulevard Saint-Germain, which is in the XNUMXth arrondissement).

Route map and starting point

You can find below all the places we will visit. Since this is a trip to the heart of Paris, I decided to also present some hotels here, in case you want to live in the area. If you don't see all the attractions, you are welcome to Zoom Out or click on the link below the map and open it in a new window.

Open the map in a new window

The route starts near the Saint-Michel Fountain. If you did the route in the Latin Quarter, it ends not far from there (in the part that connects Rue de la Huchette and Boulevard Saint-Michel) and you are welcome to cross the road and reach the fountain.

Everyone else is welcome to take line 4, RER B or RER C and get off at Saint-Michel Notre-Dame station. If you are traveling by bus, you can get there using lines: 21,27, 38, 96, N14, N13, N12, N21, N122, N123.

Have you arrived and are you in front of the fountain? Great, let's start walking!

The itinerary in the 6th arrondissement

You should have seen a statue of Napoleon by now.

In the 12th century, a church was built here dedicated to St. Michael, who killed the dragon, and it served as a kind of twin church (although less impressive) of the Sainte Chapelle.

When it was decided to pave the Boulevard Saint-Michel, as part of Haussmann's plan to rebuild Paris, Napoleon III wanted to erect a statue of his uncle here. Napoleon IHowever, public opinion did not like this idea very much and in the end Napoleon decided to erect a fountain here with a statue of Saint Michael raising his sword above the dragon.

Beyond the fact that it is a very beautiful fountain, you will be happy to hear that from time to time a small market is held here, which I have encountered several times, but unfortunately I was unable to get you the days and hours when it is held, so you will have to rely on your luck.

The souvenir of François I

Cross the road to the west and enter Rue de l'Hirondelle. Go down the stairs and go to number 20. Look up, and what do you see? That's right! A salamander.

Anyone who knows the history of France knows that this is the symbol of François I (reigned between 1-1515) and here comes the question, why exactly here do we encounter this symbol, when most of the time we encounter it in all kinds of castles that he built inLoire valley.

The reason for this is that this is where the “Lovers' Nest” stood, built by Francis I for his second mythical mistress, Anne de Pisseleu d'Heilly, Duchess of Étampes (1-1508).

The king built her a house, decorated it with the salamander emblem, and there he met with her discreetly, until she became his official mistress. However, every Sabbath has a Sabbath night, and just as Anne managed to remove Francis I's former mistress from the king's court, she made a fatal mistake and came into conflict with Diana of Poitiers, the mistress of the heir to the throne, the future Henry II (reigned 1547-1559).

When Francis I died, Anne de Pisselle was banished from the king’s court – but there’s no need to pity her. Her years as the king’s mistress had made her a wealthy woman and she lived comfortably in Paris until her death at the age of 1 (an age considered very old in those days).

Over the years, the building where the Duchess d'Etienne lived was demolished, and in the 18th century the building you see now was built. This begs the question, was the salamander taken from the old building and affixed to the facade of the new building, or was it a new salamander, built together with the new building, as a tribute to François I and his mistress? Unfortunately, I was unable to find an answer to this question.

Lovely crepe, excellent boulangerie and a legendary (and expensive) restaurant

Continue on to Rue Gît-le-Cœur, which has existed in Paris since the 13th century and is named after a royal chef. If you want to live on this cute street, which is simply wonderful in the Saint-Germain district, you are welcome to stay atVilla d'Estrées, where good friends of mine stayed in the past and really enjoyed themselves.

Continue to number 40 and you will discover Frederic Benichou’s patisserie (is he “ours”?), with the compelling name LIBERTÉ. It turns out that the place won first place in the 2022 croissant competition, so of course I had to try one of his croissants.

So how was it? Delicious of course, even very tasty. On the other hand, maybe I don't have a delicate enough palate to distinguish between croissant that won an award and “just” a croissant from a neighborhood patisserie in Paris. That’s why you won’t see me traveling especially to eat a baguette or croissant that won a competition, and as you can see, you can find great places “on the road” too.

By the way, if crepes and croissants aren't enough for you and you want to have a serious meal, then at number 41 you will find the Allard restaurant, which has existed here since 1932 and has been run in recent years by the famous chef Alain Ducasse.

Here you will find traditional, meticulous and…expensive French food. If you are craving Allard-style frog legs, then this is the place for you (by the way, there is a very limited lunch menu, but at a reasonable price of 34 euros).

The Synagogue of Louis XV

From Rue Saint-André-des-Arts, turn onto Rue de l'Éperon, continue straight and turn onto Rue Suger. Go to number 5 and you will see a sign for a Jewish dentist named Ben Hamo. This is not the only Jewish spot here, and what you read right away may well surprise you.

Here once stood the Collège de Boissy, built in 1358 and one of the Sorbonne's educational institutions. In the 16th century a church was built here and then in 1772 a great surprise happened. King Louis XV (reigned 15-1715) decided to give this church to the Jews and turn it into a synagogue!

Here we have a double surprise: a king who turns a church into a synagogue, and beyond that, what did Jews do in France if they were expelled in 1394 and only received permission to live there 400 years later? So it turns out that there are Jews and there are Jews, and when the king needs people in finance and commerce, he can also turn a blind eye to the law. This is how Portuguese Jews arrived in France in small “trickles” starting in the 17th century and settled mainly in Bordeaux, but as you have seen, also in Paris.

I couldn't go inside to see if the synagogue exists behind the facade (I assume not), but don't worry, if you go back to Rue de l'Éperon and go to number 8, you'll find it there. Synagogue Open on Saturdays and holidays.

The yard where France's first guillotine was built

Continue on Rue de l'Éperon until you see Rue de Jardinet on your right, where the famous composer Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921) was born. If you happen to be lucky and the gate at the end of the street is open, I recommend you go inside and discover a series of 3 charming courtyards, connected to each other, called the Cour de Rohan.

Chances are you won't be able to get inside, so all you have to do is continue on Rue de l'Éperon towards Boulevard Saint-Germain and turn right. Walk to number 130 and you'll see a charming passageway that we'll enter in a few seconds, but first you're welcome to take a look in the opposite direction, i.e. on the other side of the street.

Not far from the statue there is a very nice cafe called Cafe Danton, where I had a nice breakfast and I definitely recommend it in case you feel like sitting down and drinking coffee in the middle of your trip (or just taking a pee).

At number 87, on the other hand, in a charming Haussmannian building, a beautiful dentist lives on the fifth floor. How do I know this? Because in 2016, while I was in Paris, I had a cavity in my tooth that became infected and caused me excruciating pain. A Parisian friend managed to get me an appointment that same day and she gave me a root canal. Her eyes were so blue and beautiful that no anesthesia was needed, all I had to do was look at them while she drilled my tooth, and the pain disappeared.

But let's get back to the reason we gathered here. Enter the passage and you will reach the Cour du Commerce Saint André. This open-air passage has existed since the 18s and has a fascinating history, including the fact that the first guillotine in Paris was built and tested here. If you want to read about the place, I highly recommend you go to the article Cour du Commerce Saint André – the charming passage of the Left Bank.

The most romantic square in Paris

After exiting the other side of Cour du Commerce Saint André, turn left and continue until you reach Rue de Buci. This used to be one of the gates (Porte de Buci) of the Philippe Auguste wall, and today it is a lively and bustling street with quite a few restaurants, most of which are unfortunately quite mediocre.

Continue on this street and turn right onto Rue de Bourbon le Château, which becomes Rue de l'Abbaye, named after the Abbey of Saint-Germain, of which only a few parts have survived. Turn right and you will reach Place Fürstenberg, which in my opinion is the most romantic square in Paris.

This square was once the stables of the abbot of the Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés. Today, it houses several boutique shops and the Eugène Delacroix Museum (Ferdinand Victor Eugène Delacroix 1798-1863). You can read more about the square and the museum in the article From the river to the monastery Therefore, I will not repeat here everything I wrote there.

Instead, let me recommend that you return to Rue de l'Abbaye and continue until you reach the Church of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, one of the oldest churches in Paris. I highly recommend entering this church, which has undergone a massive renovation in recent years and the result is…beautiful!

If you would like to learn about the history of this ancient church, you are welcome to read the article The History of Saint-Germain-des-Prés – From an Ancient Monastery to the Church of ReasonIf you would like to hear a concert in the church, you are welcome to enter.Link this And see if there are any concerts on the days you are in Paris.

Here at the Church of Saint-Germain-des-Prés we end this itinerary. If you would like to continue your journey, let me recommend the route. Between Saint-Germain and Saint-Sulpice, which starts right here and is a natural continuation of this route.

Want to get more information about the Sixth District?

If this route has “whet your appetite” and you want to discover more of the secrets of the 6th arrondissement, known as the Saint-Germain district, let me recommend that you visit the page Saint-Germain district for travelersYou will find recommended places to stay (hotels and vacation apartments), hiking trails, and of course many more trails that will help you discover the secrets of this charming district.