Saint-Germain-des-Pres still trades on its literary past, but the 6th holds more than famous cafes, from cellar wine bars to two of the sharpest cocktail rooms on the Left Bank. The list below covers the rooms our editors return to. Compare them with our best cocktail bars in Paris and the full Paris bar guide.
Place Saint-Germain-des-Pres · $$$
Les Deux Magots holds its corner on Place Saint-Germain-des-Pres as the literary cafe of Sartre and de Beauvoir. The terrace remains a prime people watching seat. Prices match the address.
Boulevard Saint-Germain · $$$
Cafe de Flore sits beside its old rival on Boulevard Saint-Germain with the same intellectual history. The first floor stays quieter than the street terrace. It works for a slow coffee or an evening drink.
Rue de Seine · $$
La Palette has served the Beaux-Arts crowd on Rue de Seine for over a century. The tiled back room and terrace fill with gallery regulars. It suits a glass of wine and a long sit.
Rue de Seine · $$
Le Bar du Marche works the corner of Rue de Seine and Rue de Buci as a busy people watching cafe. Waiters in market smocks keep the terrace moving. It is a reliable Saint-Germain aperitif.
Rue Hautefeuille · $$$
Castor Club hides a two floor cocktail bar on Rue Hautefeuille near Odeon. The downstairs room leans into a 1960s mood with rum and whisky drinks. It stays low key and late.
Rue Mazarine · $$$
Prescription Cocktail Club brings the Experimental group's polish to Rue Mazarine. The room runs precise classics for a dressed up Saint-Germain crowd. It fills after dinner.
Rue des Canettes · $$
The Comptoir des Canettes, known as Chez Georges, pours wine in a cellar on Rue des Canettes where students have packed in for decades. The downstairs vault runs late and loud. It is a Saint-Germain rite of passage.
Boulevard Raspail · $$$
Bar 228 sits inside the Hotel Lutetia on Boulevard Raspail with a clubby Left Bank polish. Live piano runs many evenings beside the leather seating. It suits a refined nightcap.