Paris 6th District
Paris 6th District is commonly known as Quartier du Luxembourg, as it unfolds around the Luxembourg Palace, the seat of the French Senate.
It includes: Quartier St-Germain-des-Prés, Quartier de la Monnaie, Quartier de l’Odéon and Quartier Notre-Dame des Champs.
The unique atmosphere of Paris 6th district is deeply linked to Saint-Germain-des-Prés, the gathering place for the Parisian intelligentsia of the interwar. Artists, philosophers and politicians indeed met in iconic cafes such as the Café des Deux Magots, Café de Flore and the Brasserie Lipp.
QUARTIER DE SAINT-GERMAIN-DES-PRÉS: The history of the area spans more than eleven centuries and has its origins in the influential Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, founded in the 6th century by the first kings of France.
The rampart erected by King Philip-Augustus at the end of the 12th century isolated the western part of the village, turning it into a faubourg (suburb). In the 13th and 14th centuries, many religious buildings and private mansions were built in the district, contributing to its prestige.
The Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés was also fortified during the Hundred Years War, but the Faubourg Saint-Germain remained outside the ramparts, making it vulnerable to attack, and was once again ravaged during the Wars of Religion. As for the abbey, it was demolished during the French Revolution.
QUARTIER DE LA MONNAIE: However, from the 17th century onward, the district was developed with private mansions and prestigious religious buildings, such as the Luxembourg Palace, Sain t-Sulpice Church, the Hôtel de la Monnaie (Mint) and the Collège des Quatre Nations (Institut de France).
The QUARTIER DE L’ODÉON developed around the theatre built on the estate of the Duke of Condé.
The QUARTIER NOTRE-DAME-DES-CHAMPS prospered around the Church of Notre-Dame-des-Champs that was built on the site of a former Carmelite convent.
Benefiting from its proximity to the Latin Quarter, Paris 6th district is known for its many educational institutions, theatres, and cultural centres. Fortunately, the urban transformations undertaken by Haussmann in the mid-19th century largely spared this district nestled between Boulevard Saint-Germain and the Seine. Today, Paris 6th district is one of the most sought-after districts, renowned for its luxury boutiques, gourmet restaurants and thriving art galleries.
Metro stations serving Paris 6th District
Line 4: St-Placide, St-Sulpice, St-Germain-des-Prés, Odéon, St-Michel
Line 10: Duroc, Vaneau, Sèvres-Babylone, Mabillon, Odéon
Line 12: Sèvres-Babylone, Rennes, Notre-Dame-des-Champs
RER B: Port-Royal, Luxembourg, Cluny-La Sorbonne, St-Michel-Notre-Dame
