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The church of Saint-Germain-des-Prés has anchored this Left Bank neighborhood for 1,000 years. The leaders of a $5.7 million restoration effort want to keep it that way.

Writer Alexandra Marshall finds the reality behind the mystique of craft and artistry in the world’s fashion capital.

Newly opened in December 2023, Villa-des-Pres is a five-star, French-owned hotel in the Parisian neighborhood of Saint Germain-des-Pres. This luxury property has taken over what was originally constructed as an apartment building in 1911, and used as such up until recently. Although it retains its lived-in Parisian feel, the building underwent massive renovations to transform it from apartment to hotel.

The Experimental Cocktail Club was one of the first to bring the craft cocktail scene to Paris, landing here in a dark and moody room with stone walls. This once-simple bar has become the flagship of an international empire with satellites in Ibiza and London. But the scene here grooves on and on, much like the DJ tunes that spin until 2 a.m. Order a Bee’s Kiss (Jamaican rum, cream, organic honey, and crushed Indonesian pepper), or if you prefer wine, head to the sister establishment, La Compagnie des Vins Surnaturels, a natural-wine bar in St-Germain-des-Prés.

Husband-wife duo Yves and Claudine Camdeborde got their start as industry pioneers with their restaurant La Régalade, the city’s first “neo-bistro” (a trend marked by high-quality cooking at an accessible price point), which they ran for 12 years. Since 2005, their acclaim has come from their Relais Saint-Germain hotel-restaurant combo located in the beating heart of Saint-Germain. The hotel blends quaint Parisian style with a just-like-home atmosphere.

The design goal was to preserve the 17th-century soul of the building, keeping its original, exposed beams and stones and blending antique furnishings and old parquet floors with avant-garde decorative elements and rococo textiles hand-picked by Mme. Camdeborde. The result is an urban inn that guests would want to return to year after year. Each of the 22 rooms bears the name of a celebrated writer inspired by Paris—from Madame de Sévigné to Marcel Proust—and a unique aesthetic theme (Asian, African, Louis III) in a nod to the neighborhood’s literary past. What unites them is an intimate vibe that instantly makes guests feel at home.

Context Travel offers history, architecture and culinary tours in various European cities. I went on the " foodie” tour that began on a beautiful fall Paris morning in the toney neighborhood of St. Germain- de- Pres by meeting our friendly English speaking guide, a culinary and food history writer living in Paris, at cafe across from the Abbey. Our guide immediately taught our small group about the importance of the baguette to the French, and various virtues of real baguette verses machine- made by sampling both on the street and in a nearby boulangerie. We then took the handmade baguette and visited a cheese monger (Androuet fromagerie) to learn about different french cheeses. Next an exquisite artisan chocolate shop and finally an ice creamery . Highly educational, recommended for foodies and especially curious fist-time visitors to Paris.

One part tourist trap, one part beloved café, Les Deux Magots is a legendary spot that everyone should visit at least once when in Paris. Most famous as the place where the likes of Simone de Beauvoir, Jean-Paul Sartre and Ernest Hemingway spent their days writing at its tables, the café serves decent coffee and hot chocolate—but skip the spendy menu unless you’re really hungry. The best seats are on the terrace, under that iconic green awning, where you can just sit back and people-watch on this busy corner of Saint-Germain-des-Prés.

Cafe La Palette is one of the iconic cafes in the Latin Quarter in Paris, located in the gallery and art district of Saint Germain.

The cafe is known for its large terrace overlooking rue Jacques-Callot and is popular among Fine Arts students and gallery owners (from the streets nearby). But it’s not just local artists among the cafe patrons. In fact, La Pallete was frequented by Cézanne, Picasso and Braque, and later by Ernest Hemingway and Jim Morrison. Today’s celebrities include Harrison Ford and Julia Roberts.

Go for the scene, not the food, and enjoy the Art Deco décor and great people-watching at this buzzy Left Bank landmark. Despite a limited menu and steep prices, the place is packed day and night. Order a chocolat chaud and sit on the terrace, watching the world go by.

There are two entrances to this historical restaurant. The main entrance on the rue de l’Ancienne-Comedie and a “back” entrance that is part of a lovely passage called Le Passage de Cour de Commerce Saint-Andre. There are many passages still remaining in Paris [note, I am going to do a separate post on some of the ones we visited and will link to it when I do]. They are covered shopping areas that allowed the wealthy to shop unencumbered by the elements. Architecturally they are fantastic to visit and photograph, some have endured better than others. This passage was opened in 1735, and was built on part of the old wall of Paris, around the time of the King of France, Phlippe Auguste. This wall made up the limit of Paris during the Middle Ages! The entrance to this passage is at 128 Blvd St. Germain. No matter what door you enter, Le Procope is a great restaurant to experience a traditional (and yes, heavy) French meal. The menu has all the classics: coq au vin (chicken in wine sauce), entrecot (steak), magret de canard (duck breast); beouf tartare, as well as several fish selections. The starters are equally traditional with terrines, salades and escargot (snail), among others.

A new member of The Set hotel group, the Lutetia reopened in the summer of 2018 following a four-year renovation led by noted architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte. Now, the original Art Nouveau–meets–Art Deco structure provides a backdrop for 184 enlarged rooms and suites, each with wood paneling, handblown Murano glass, and Carrara marble. The seven signature suites, which include two penthouses, also boast perks like private balconies and 360-degree views of the city. Enjoy a drink in the sophisticated Bar Aristide (with its two smoking rooms and cigar sommelier) or the chic Bar Josephine (named for actress and dancer Josephine Baker, another hotel regular), then find sanctuary in the glass-roofed Le Saint-Germain salon and its adjacent courtyard. L’Orangerie restaurant serves casual fare with a healthy, organic twist, while the sleek Lutetia Brasserie offers gourmet menus from three-Michelin-starred chef Gérald Passedat. Continue the indulgence at the brand-new, 7,500-square-foot Akasha Spa, with six treatment rooms, a pool and Jacuzzi, and a state-of-the-art gym.

The location for the most charming scenes in the movie Amélie, this once-forgotten neighborhood is now a destination for the young and fun-loving. As soon as the weather turns warm, picnickers line the paths along this 19th-century waterway, watching bridges rise and turn to allow barges to pass. Shopping, food, drink, and diversions also abound here: Artazart (83 Quai de Valmy) is recognized as one of the best design bookstores in Europe, while Le Comptoir Général, just across the bridge, offers live music and cheap drinks. Chez Prune has one of the city’s most popular terraces for enjoying a glass of something refreshing and a chance to watch Paris go by.

The historic Androuet fromagerie has been sourcing and maturing exceptional cheeses since 1909. Their shop on rue Mouffetard is staffed by friendly English-speakers who will be happy to explain and vacuum-seal your selections, including the utterly charming manager Patrick who grew up on a goat farm. He wrote a book called “Allo les Chèvres!” (Good Morning Goats!) and makes his own fromage fort (strong cheese paste) on site. 134 rue Mouffetard, 33/(0)1-4587-8505.

Paris is known not just for romance but also as a destination for art—creating art, viewing art, and buying art in all its forms. On the first Thursday of every month the art galleries in the neighborhood of St.-Germain-des-Prés turn culture into a fete as they stay open until 9 p.m. Opening night exhibitions and ongoing shows turn the neighborhood into one large block party and attract celebrities like Jane Birkin and Catherine Deneuve. Visit Galerie Flak to learn more about the primitive arts and admire Inuit sunglasses, African masks, or Hopi kachina dolls. Galerie Marcelpoil specializes in modernist furniture from Lyonnais master Sornay, and Galerie Claude Bernard specializes in collectible contemporary art. After the shows, head to Alcazar for dinner in an indoor garden or listen to live jazz at L’Hôtel’s Le Bar.