VIBE

Bringing together the boho intellectual culture of the Latin Quarter with the upscale elegance of Haussman’s boulevards, Boulevard St-Germain and its surrounding streets offer a fun mix of high-end shopping and artsy cafés. Along the boulevard itself, standouts include major design houses like Hugo Boss, Louis Vuitton, Ralph Lauren, Emporio Armani, and Sonia Rykiel, and smaller, specialist French lines like Fragonard (fragrances and homewares), Paule Ka (upscale concept store), and Berluti (bespoke men’s clothes and shoes). Side streets like Rue du Four, Rue des Sts-Pères, and Rue de Grenelle hold treats like boutiques and flagships by Paris-based labels (think Yves Saint Laurent, Catherine Malandrino, Paul & Joe, Repetto, Anne Fontaine, Zadig et Voltaire, children’s label Zef, and cult lingerie designer Sabbia Rosa) and a smattering of international lines (Prada, Ferragamo, Diane Von Furstenberg).

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Looking chic

WHY WE LIKE IT

The perfect mix of bohemian and upscale–a great area for low-key rambling, window-shopping, and café hopping.

GOOD TO KNOW

If you need a break from shopping, check out Sartre’s favorite hangout, Café de Flore, at 172 Boulevard St-Germain.

CLOSEST COMPS

Rue Bonaparte and Rue Saint-Sulpice (Paris); Avenue Montaigne and Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré (Paris); Bruton Street (London); SoHo (New York)

Click here for our full-form mobile travel guide, The Purple Passport to Paris