Saint Germain des Pres is an area of Paris that is particularly charming and has inspired creative people for generations. The Spanish painter, Pablo Picasso, lived in Rue des Saints Augustins and it is where he completed his famous work, Guernica, in 1937.

If you choose to book a holiday apartment in St Germain you will be spoiled for dining options: During daylight hours the cafés, bistros, brasseries and gourmet restaurants buzz with chatter and excitement and at night the clubs schmooze to the sounds of jazz and contemporary music.

Places to eat in St Germain that are considered the best by Parisians include:

LES DEUX MAGOTS
Les Deux Magots which is a café restaurant that was originally an early 19th century drapery. Many notable names in literature and art visited Les Deux Magots such as Oscar Wilde, Hemingway, Jean Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir, and Picasso and it is a wonderful place to have a light meal or just a glass of wine.

RESTAURANT JACQUES CAGNA
Jacques Cagna is a Parisian chef that specialises in creating wonderful sauces. His restaurant is by the River Seine and is in a most beautiful 17th century mansion house. The ambiance within the restaurant is one of elegance dipped in history, complemented by Flemish paintings, exposed woodwork and fine dining.

ROGER LA GRENOUILLE
Roger la Grenouille is a very popular bistro that specialises in frogs’ legs. It is a tiny space with just a few tables but it is a wonderful dining experience not just for the food but for the clientele that the restaurant attracts. Booking a table is essential but eating frogs’ legs isn’t as there is plenty of choice on the menu.

HELENE DARROZE
Restaurant de Helene Darroze offers exquisite cuisine in the centre of Saint Germain near the Luxembourg Gardens. The food is gourmet and the choice of wines is equally impressive.

BRASSERIE LIPP
Founded in 1880, the Lipp Brasserie has been a rendezvous for political dissidents, painters and writers for more than a century. The atmosphere is rich and stimulating and the food is always top notch.

The most impressive restaurant in St Germain is Procope, which was founded in 1686 and is probably the oldest restaurant in Paris. The interior décor is plush, traditional and sophisticated and steeped in history. The Comédie-Française moved into the building opposite the Procope in 1689, and the café immediately became a second home for both the actors and theatre-goers. It is said that Benjamin Franklin worked with his advisers on the American constitution while dining in Procope.

Photo Credit: Collinox | Holiday Velvet offers a fantastic selection of accommodation in Paris and St-Germain short-term rentals.