Across the street, down the lively St. Andre des Arts, Rue de Buci and Rue de Seine in the heart of St. Germain des Pres, the 6th Arrondissement of Paris. The Rue St. Andre des Arts is a narrow 13th century street that leads from the Place Saint Michel to Place Buci near Odeon. Interesting shops line the street along with what seemed to be hundreds of restaurants in this entire Saint Germain des Pres area. If you can’t find a place to eat, shop or stay, your eyes are definitely closed.

The Rue de Buci differs slightly from Rue St. Andre des Arts by its plethora of food for sale in shops and street markets. This is one of my favorites streets to look at with all the fresh seafood, purveyors selling produce and absolutely yummy pastry shops. Of course, there are cafes and boutiques. What would any Paris street worth its salt be without a cafe or boutique? The Rue de Buci is most lively on weekdays.

just one tempting patisserie on Rue du Buci, Paris
Continuing down the Rue de Seine with countless art and antique shops, we came at last to the Seine River and crossed over the Pont des Arts to the Louvre on the right bank. From here, we began making our way east on the Rue de Rivoli towards the Marais district to look for another restaurant and see what the Rue de Rivoli offered going in this direction. If you are a first time Paris tourist, you’d probably go west down the Rue de Rivoli, into the Louvre for a visit, continue down through the Jardin des Tuileries, across the Place de La Concorde with the gigantic obelisk in the center and on to the Champs Elysees. This has been our direction in the past but today, we’re heading east…

Now in the 4th Arrondissement and east of the Louvre was the Hotel de Ville…View image. Hotel de Ville does not mean a “Hotel” but is French for “City Hall.” It took us a while to learn this little tidbit. The City Hall of Paris since 1357, this very imposing building stands on a square called Place de l’Hotel de Ville, formerly called Place de Greve where executions were held. (Nothing like a good beheading to stir up the crowd.)

Hotel de Ville (City Hall), Paris
Past a school building with a plaque on the side paying homage to Jewish children who were deported by the French during World War II and killed in concentration camps…View image…and then the Tour Saint Jacques. This Gothic Tower was built between 1508-1522, and is the only surviving part of a church built on this spot in the 16th century. I had trouble translating the French information but did get that it was located along the route taken by pilgrims to Santiago de Compostela. This route is also called the “Way of Saint James,” “Chemin de St. Jacques de Compostelle” and “Route St. Jacques.” A “been there…done it…” moment. We’ve walked a small portion of the pilgrimage route from Le Puy to Conques!

Tour Saint Jacques, Paris 

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