The coloured interior
Blue, gold and red on the columns after restoration.
Axel Brocke — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Perelle, Adam (1638-1695). Graveur Silvestre, Israël (1621-1691). Graveur Perelle, Gabriel (1603-1677). Graveur Marot, Jean (1619-1679). Graveur Perelle (famille). Graveur — Public domain · Celette — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Mozartracks — CC BY 4.0
**The oldest church in Paris**, originally an abbey founded by King Childebert I in the sixth century in fields outside the city — hence the name: "Saint Germain in the meadows". The abbey was destroyed repeatedly in Viking raids and rebuilt, and the stone tower standing today is from the **eleventh century** — the oldest church tower in Paris, standing here a century and a half before Notre-Dame. In the Middle Ages the abbey became a major centre of scholarship with an enormous library, then the French Revolution partly destroyed it; it was used as a gunpowder store which exploded in 1794, burning what remained of the library. What surprises a visitor today is the **colour**: a major restoration completed in recent years uncovered the nineteenth-century wall paintings and returned blue, gold and red to the columns and arches — so the church is now brightly coloured, quite unlike what anyone expects who knows the grey churches of Paris. The philosopher **René Descartes** is buried here, and in front of it lie the square and the literary cafés that made the quarter what it is.
Blue, gold and red on the columns after restoration.
The oldest church tower in Paris — older than Notre-Dame.
The philosopher is buried inside the church.
3 Place Saint-Germain des Prés, 75006 Paris
Monnaie de ParisThe French mint, on the bank of the Seine opposite the Louvre, and among the old6 minutes walk4.5
Pont des ArtsA wooden footbridge across the Seine between the **Louvre** and the domed **Inst7 minutes walk4.7
Pont NeufIts name means "New Bridge," and it is the oldest standing bridge in Paris — a f8 minutes walk4.7
Musée MaillolA private museum in Saint-Germain, built around the work of the French sculptor 9 minutes walk4.6
Musée de ClunyIn the heart of the Latin Quarter two ages meet under one roof: the Roman baths 9 minutes walk4.6Looking for halal food near Church of Saint-Germain-des-Prés? There are several options nearby, from Moroccan and Indian kitchens to quick casual spots and places with a view. Confirm the halal status and opening hours before you go — these can change.
Ministry of SpiceHalalModern halal Indian cooking, the sit-down option for an unhurried dinner. About 22 minutes walk · $$$
Chez le LibanaisHalalA small counter on Rue Saint-André des Arts, one of the busiest pedestrian stree7 minutes walk · $4.5Al DarHalalAl Dar is a Lebanese restaurant in the Latin Quarter, a few minutes on foot from15 minutes walk · $$4.1AssanabelHalalAssanabel is a small Lebanese restaurant on Rue Jacob, one of the prettiest and 1 minute walk · $$4.9Because it has been **recently restored** and its original colour returned. The Paris churches you know are dark grey because centuries of candle smoke and pollution coated their walls, and because many were never cleaned. Saint-Germain-des-Prés went through a long restoration that uncovered the **nineteenth-century wall paintings** beneath the layers and brought back deep blue, gold and red on the columns, arches and ceiling. The result surprises visitors and looks "new" — but is in fact much closer to how it actually was.
Saint-Germain-des-Prés was **the heart of Parisian intellectual life** in the mid-twentieth century: the cafés **Les Deux Magots** and the **Café de Flore**, directly opposite the church, served as Sartre, de Beauvoir and Camus's office, and both still trade — but at **steep prices**, where you pay for the history rather than the coffee. Around them are bookshops, publishers, galleries and old shops, and the back lanes are far cheaper for the same coffee. Add the **church of Saint-Sulpice** and the **Luxembourg Gardens**, minutes away.