03.25.09
The Square of Saint-Germain-des-Prés
The cobblestone square of Saint-Germain-des-Prés offers a starting point for exploring this fabulous Left Bank area of Paris. From here, in one direction via rue Bonaparte one may visit antique and fabric shops and the irresistible Ladurée tea salon. Or one may take the wider thoroughfare, rue de Rennes, the opposite direction leading to more contemporary shops.
This exploration certainly can offer a day or afternoon well spent, and is often one of my favorite ways to savor moments in Paris. The area is also home to some of the city’s most well known cafés, such as Café de Flore and Les Deux Magots, whose reputations were fueled by their literary and artistic patrons from Hemingway to Picasso. As you explore, don’t miss the all the side streets that offer specialty shops and fabulous bakeries. Though the charm of Saint-Germain is no secret, I have not ceased to find a new discovery with every visit.