Saint-Germain-des-Prés Tour

Welcome to the real Paris

$40 per adult €36 per adult £31 per adult C$54 per adult A$59 per adult

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  • Local experts
    Personal stories and insider travel tips
  • Top-rated
    Thousands of reviews averaging 4.9 stars
  • Worry-free booking
    Flexible scheduling and refunds

$40 per adult

€36 per adult

£31 per adult

C$54 per adult

A$59 per adult

$40 per adult €36 per adult £31 per adult C$54 per adult A$59 per adult

review-star
  • Local experts
    Personal stories and insider travel tips
  • Top-rated
    Thousands of reviews averaging 4.9 stars
  • Worry-free booking
    Flexible scheduling and refunds

Highlights

  • Stroll down the chic Boulevard Saint-Germain-des-Prés filled with boutiques and cafes like the famous Café de Flore.
  • Walk some of the oldest streets and cobblestone passageways in Paris.
  • Explore a neighborhood that reflects real Parisian life and French joie de vivre.
  • Admire the Saint-Germain-des-Prés Church, the oldest in Paris, founded in the 6th century.
  • Learn about café society and how Saint-Germain was a hotspot for artists like Hemingway and Picasso.
  • Snap photos at a "Da Vinci Code" movie location, among the largest churches in Paris.
  • Upgrade to enjoy a narrated cruise on the beautiful Seine river.
  • Take our Paris shuttle for convenient transportation, included with your tour.

What you'll do

If you think of Paris today as a sophisticated city of art, literature, and culture, you can thank Saint-Germain-des-Prés. This charming neighborhood will show you “la vraie vie parisienne” — real ...

If you think of Paris today as a sophisticated city of art, literature, and culture, you can thank Saint-Germain-des-Prés. This charming neighborhood will show you “la vraie vie parisienne” — real Parisian life — as you tour its best-loved sights with a local. 

Our Paris Saint-Germain-des-Prés walking tour uncovers the fascinating history and culture of this unique neighborhood, from the city’s oldest cafe, opened in 1672, to its oldest church to some of its earliest restaurants, jazz clubs, and chocolate shops. As you explore Saint-Germain-des-Prés, you’ll discover one of the trendiest areas of Paris and its intellectual and cultural heart.

Stroll down the chic Boulevard Saint-Germain and see where the medieval marketplace fairs used to be held. Learn how this area evolved as a hub for artists and writers like Picasso and Hemingway and became the birthplace of the French existentialist movement founded by Sartre and De Beauvoir.

You’ll also get the chance to see one of France’s six national theaters and one of Paris’s largest churches, as seen in “The Da Vinci Code”.

After your Saint-Germain-des-Prés Walking Tour ends, we recommend spending another couple of hours here to visit the church on your own, enjoy shopping at the luxe boutiques, and have lunch at one of the many restaurants. Your expert guide is happy to share tips on more to see and do! You can also join our Montparnasse tour on Fridays to experience a complete visit to the 6th arrondissement of Paris.

Saint-Germain-des-Prés tour itinerary

  • Boulevard Saint-Germain

    Historic cafes where writers and artists gathered in the 1920s 

  • Rue Jacob 

    Where the Treaty of Paris was signed declaring U.S. independence 

  • The Church of Saint-Germain-des-Prés

    Paris’s oldest church, one of the few remains of Romanesque architecture in the city

  • Hotel La Louisiane

    That once housed famous writers and jazz musicians 

  • Rue de Buci

    Among the oldest streets of Paris, dating back to the 12th century

  • Cour du Commerce Saint-André 

    Narrow 18th-century cobblestone passageway, home to one of the oldest restaurants in Paris

  • The Odéon-Théâtre de l’Europe

    A national theater inaugurated by Marie-Antoinette

  • Saint-Sulpice Church  

    One of the biggest churches in Paris, famous for its starring role in “The Da Vinci Code” movie

Plan your trip

Upgrade

Add on a Seine river cruise, good for one year from your tour date.

Tour ending point

This tour ends in front of Saint-Sulpice Church, where you can take a free self-guided visit.

Refund policy

We offer a 100% refund up to 24 hours before the start time.

Saint-Germain-des-Prés tour reviews

Rim was a great tour guide — friendly, full of knowledge of and love for her neighborhood. Great recommendations for food.

— Jessica
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We really enjoyed this tour
Maybe this tour doesn't have the same name recognition of the Latin Quarter or Montmartre, but it was very worthwhile. Very interesting old neighborhood. The tour finished in front of Saint-Sulpice Church, which is one of the largest in Paris and was featured in The Da Vinci Code.

Doug

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Phenomenal
We loved Saint Germain so much that we spent most of our unscheduled time in the neighborhood. RT really sold it. This walking tour was one of my favorite activities in our very packed two week stay in Paris. Book with ExperienceFirst — it’s a phenomenal tour!

Sarah

Meeting point

Please meet your guide outside Église de Saint-Germain-des-Prés at 3 Place Saint-Germain-des-Prés, 75006 Paris. It’s just across the street from the Louis Vuitton store. Your guide will be holding an orange sign that says “ExperienceFirst.”

For easier navigation, you can paste Église de Saint-Germain-des-Prés or “V83M+HP Paris, France” into Google Maps. 

To get here, you can take metro line 4, 10 or bus number 95, 96, 87, or 39 to Saint-Germain-des-Prés.

FAQs

How much walking is there?

This tour covers approximately 1.5 miles at a leisurely pace. If mobility is an issue, please arrange for a private tour.

How does the Seine cruise upgrade work?

Your guide will give you instructions on where to find the boat. Your ticket is good for a one-hour cruise along the Seine anytime within one year of the date of your tour. Make sure to arrive on time for your Eiffel Tower tour to receive your boat tickets — if you miss your tour, you won’t be able to pick up your cruise tickets. Reservations are not required for the river cruise. Just show up 20 minutes early with your tickets. The boat ride is roundtrip, starting and ending by the Eiffel Tower. Here is a map of the meeting point. 

What is the cancellation policy?

We understand plans change. We offer a 100% refund or the option to reschedule up to 24 hours before your tour start time. Cancellations within 24 hours aren’t eligible for refunds or rescheduling.

When should I get there?

Plan to show up 15 minutes early. The tour starts promptly, and you may not be able to catch up if you arrive late.

What if it rains?

Our tours run rain or shine. If there’s extreme weather and we have to cancel, you’ll get a full refund.

Are gratuities included?

Tips aren’t included but are always appreciated by our guides. If you think your guide did an outstanding job, a tip is a great way to show that.