Stroll Faubourg Saint-Germain

Although the boundaries between the Faubourg Saint-Germain (7th arrondissement) and the Saint-Germain des Prés district (6th arrondissement) are fairly indistinct, the Faubourg is marked by a greater number of religious communities, government ministers, embassies and institutions, many of which are located in former private mansions.

It all started with the abbey of Saint-Germain des Prés, founded in the 6th century by King Childebert where the Merovingian kings were buried. The abbey was extremely rich. Rich spiritually and intellectually, it was equally rich in terms of its land resources. The lands covered with vines, fields, woods and meadows, were outside the abbey walls, between what is now the Rue Bonaparte and the Pont de l'Alma, extending up to the present 15th arrondissement. These lands became known as the Faubourg Saint-Germain.

Turgot's map, from the early 18th century, shows the area with many fields and few mansions being built by the aristocracy. The only recognisable area is the Invalides with two avenues planted with trees, the future avenues de Breteuil and de Ségur.

The very select 7th arrondissement is both much-visited and relatively little known. While tourists flock to the Musée d'Orsay, the Invalides and the Eiffel Tower, few Parisians know very much about the district. When they come, it's either to do some shopping around the Bon Marché, or to work in any of the many embassies, government ministries, institutions and schools.

The stroll starts in the eastern part of the 7th arrondissement, close to the 6th. We will walk around the Rue du Bac, Rue de Grenelle and Rue de Varenne, before coming to the Hôtel des Invalides via Rue de Babylone. The final part of the stroll will be around the Gros Caillou neighbourhood, before ending near the Ecole Militaire.

- Around rue du Bac, de Grenelle et de Varenne

- From rue de Sèvres to the Hotel des Invalides

- From Gros Caillou to Ecole Militaire