THE MUST-SEE ART GALLERIES OF SAINT-GERMAIN-DES-PRÉS

In Saint-Germain-des-Prés, art reveals itself in a shop window on rue de Seine, within a quiet courtyard or beneath the vaulted ceilings of a former Surrealist bookshop. From Hôtel Montalembert, located at 3 rue de Montalembert, this cultural landscape can be explored entirely on foot, through a Paris shaped by booksellers, art dealers, artists and collectors.

Here is our selection of art galleries in Saint-Germain-des-Prés, designed as an unhurried walk from postwar abstraction to contemporary creation, with a few carefully chosen stops along the way.

 

 

START
on rue de Seine

AT GALERIE VALLOIS

Rue de Seine remains one of the most stimulating artistic thoroughfares on the Left Bank. At numbers 33 and 36, Galerie Georges-Philippe & Nathalie Vallois brings New Realism, historic avant-garde movements and contemporary artists into dialogue. Its exhibitions appeal equally to first-time visitors and to the discerning eye of an experienced collector.

The two spaces are open from Monday or Tuesday to Saturday, depending on the address, generally from 10 am to 7 pm, with slightly extended opening hours on Saturdays. After your visit, make your way to Ralph’s Coffee at 173 boulevard Saint-Germain. With its dark wood panelling, tartan banquettes and details inspired by New York private clubs, this discreet café offers an elegant setting in which to continue the experience over an espresso, hot chocolate or pastry.

 

DISCOVER
forty years of passion

AT BERTHET-AITTOUARÈS

One of our favourite addresses, Galerie Berthet-Aittouarès occupies two spaces at 14 and 29 rue de Seine. Founded in 1986 by Michèle Aittouarès, who was later joined by her daughter Odile, the gallery champions major figures of the Art Informel movement of the 1950s while supporting contemporary artists.

The space at 14 rue de Seine was once associated with the art dealer Pierre Loeb, a key figure in the twentieth-century avant-garde. The gallery welcomes visitors from Tuesday to Saturday, from 11 am to 1 pm and from 2.30 pm to 7 pm. On the first Thursday of each month, the Jeudi des Beaux-Arts event regularly extends gallery visits into the evening.

 

DELVE
into the avant-garde

AT LE MINOTAURE

Located at 2 rue des Beaux-Arts and 23 rue de Seine, Galerie Le Minotaure is an essential stop for admirers of the School of Paris, Constructivism and the European avant-garde. Founded in 2002 by Benoît Sapiro, it first opened in the former Surrealist bookshop that had already borne the name Le Minotaure. It is an almost novelistic connection in a neighbourhood where art and publishing have long evolved side by side.

Opening hours vary according to the exhibition, so it is advisable to check the programme before visiting. A short walk away, the Musée National Eugène-Delacroix at 6 rue de Furstemberg continues the journey inside the painter’s final apartment and studio. Its small garden offers a welcome moment of tranquillity between gallery visits.

 

EXPLORE
contemporary creation

AT MENNOUR

Mennour operates several spaces in the neighbourhood, notably at 47 rue Saint-André-des-Arts and at 5 and 6 rue du Pont-de-Lodi. The gallery represents more than forty artists and creates dialogues between historic figures and contemporary creation. Minimalist rooms, carefully composed perspectives and precise lighting allow each artwork to establish its own rhythm.

Admission is free, and the spaces are open from Tuesday to Saturday, from 11 am to 7 pm.

 

ENCOUNTER
distinctive perspectives

AT LOEVENBRUCK AND LA FOREST DIVONNE

On rue Jacques-Callot, Loevenbruck cultivates a free-spirited programme bringing together historic artists, conceptual practices and personalities who resist easy classification. Its spaces at 6 and 12 rue Jacques-Callot are open from Tuesday to Saturday, from 11 am to 7 pm. It is the ideal gallery for visitors who wish to be surprised rather than reassured.

Just a few metres away, at 12 rue des Beaux-Arts, La Forest Divonne follows an independent artistic direction with a particular focus on painting, drawing, sculpture and photography. It is also open from Tuesday to Saturday, from 11 am to 7 pm.

 

FINISH
near Hôtel Montalembert

AT GALERIE DIANE DE POLIGNAC

On the edge of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, Galerie Diane de Polignac is located at 2 bis rue de Gribeauval in the 7th arrondissement. Its programme highlights modern abstraction and artists from the second half of the twentieth century, supported by extensive research into artists’ archives and estates.

Its proximity to Hôtel Montalembert makes it an ideal first or final stop along the route. Back at the Montalembert, the neighbourhood regains its peaceful atmosphere. It is a discreet address from which to imagine another walk between the Musée d’Orsay, the banks of the Seine and the galleries of the Left Bank.