Saint-Germain-des-Prés Walking Tour: Paris Private Guide

Walk where writers and artists built modern Paris, then see the city from the Seine

A private walking tour of Saint-Germain-des-Prés in Paris with an English-speaking local guide, covering the historic cafes, churches, theaters and streets where 20th-century artists and writers gathered. The tour lasts about 90 minutes and includes the option to add a one-hour narrated Seine river cruise ticket, valid for a year from your tour date. Wheelchair accessible. Suitable for all fitness levels.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each6 stops

1. Saint-Germain-des-Prés10m
2. 6th Arrondissement10m
3. 1st Arrondissementpassing by
4. Eiffel Towerpassing by
5. Petit Palaispassing by
6. 7th Arrondissementpassing by

Explore Saint Germain des Prés neighborhood

• Visit historic cafes of 1920s artists
• See Treaty of Paris signing site
• Explore Paris’s oldest church
• Visit hotel of famous writers and jazz musicians
• Walk along one of Paris’s oldest streets
• Pass through 18th-century cobblestone passageway
• Visit national theater inaugurated by Marie-Antoinette
• See large church from “The Da Vinci Code”
• Optional Seine River cruise from Eiffel Tower
• Pass by Eiffel Tower on cruise
• Pass by Petit Palais on cruise
• Pass by Musée d'Orsay on cruise
• Pass by Notre Dame Cathedral on cruise

The experience

Saint-Germain-des-Prés built Paris's reputation as a city of art and literature. Your guide takes you through the neighborhood's oldest streets (some dating back to the 12th century), and stops at the cafes where Picasso, Hemingway, Sartre and De Beauvoir spent their days. You'll stand in front of the oldest cafe in Paris, opened in 1672, and learn how this single neighborhood became the center of the city's artistic and intellectual life. The guide points out where the Treaty of Paris was signed, declaring U.S. independence, and shows you the hotel that once housed famous writers and jazz musicians.

The walk includes Paris's oldest church, one of the few Romanesque structures left in the city, and a national theater inaugurated by Marie-Antoinette. You'll pass through a narrow 18th-century cobblestone passageway home to one of the oldest restaurants in Paris, and see one of the biggest churches in the city: the one that played a starring role in "The Da Vinci Code." Boulevard Saint-Germain itself was once the site of medieval fairs and marketplaces. Your guide explains how it transformed into the chic street it is today.

If you add the optional Seine river cruise, your ticket is good for one hour anytime within a year of the tour date. The narrated cruise departs and returns at the Eiffel Tower, passing Notre Dame, the Petit Palais, the Musée d'Orsay, and the Conciergerie. You can use it the same day or save it for another visit to Paris.

What’s included

• Experienced local private guide in English.
• access to historic cafes, churches, theaters and 12th-century streets where Picasso, Hemingway, Sartre and De Beauvoir lived and worked.
• optional one-hour narrated Seine river cruise ticket valid for one year from the tour date, departing at the Eiffel Tower and passing Notre Dame, Petit Palais, Musée d'Orsay and Conciergerie.

Options for this experience

2 options

Walking tour only, privateGuide in English · 15 departure times: the first at 09:00, the last at 16:00Cruise ticket is not included

Private walking tour and cruiseGuide in English · 9 departure times: the first at 09:00, the last at 13:00Seine cruise upgrade: includes a Seine river cruise ticket, valid for one year from the date of your tour.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Lasts 1h 30m, runs every day, 15 start times, from € 125 per person, with a live guide in English, as a private tour and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesEvery day15 departure times: the first at 09:00, the last at 16:00

Book up to2d before

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Child (4 to 11 years) · Infant (under 4)

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by ExperienceFirst

Is this one for you?Book the walking tour alone if you want to focus on the neighborhood's history and artistic legacy in 90 minutes. Add the Seine cruise if you'd like to see Paris from the water and have flexibility: your ticket works anytime within a year, so you can take it the same day or return to it later in your trip.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 11 years); Infant (under 4).

What's the oldest cafe in Paris that I'll visit on this tour?

Café de Flore, opened in 1672, is the oldest cafe in Paris and sits in the heart of Saint-Germain-des-Prés. It's where the neighborhood's artists and writers gathered throughout the 20th century.

Which church on the tour is famous from "The Da Vinci Code"?

Saint-Sulpice, one of the biggest churches in Paris, is the church featured prominently in the novel and film "The Da Vinci Code." It's a stop on the walking route through the neighborhood.

How long is the walking tour?

The walking tour lasts about 90 minutes and covers the main sites and streets of Saint-Germain-des-Prés with your private guide.

Can I use the Seine river cruise ticket on a different day?

Yes. The one-hour narrated cruise ticket included with the optional upgrade is valid for one year from your tour date, so you can take it anytime during that year. The cruise departs and returns at the Eiffel Tower.

Is this tour accessible for people using wheelchairs?

Yes, the tour is wheelchair accessible. All areas and surfaces are accessible, and public transportation options are available nearby if needed.

What language does the guide speak?

Your guide speaks English and is a local with deep knowledge of the neighborhood's history and the artists and writers who shaped it.