Paris - Faubourg Saint-Germain

The Faubourg Saint-Germain in Paris extends from Saint-Germain-des-Prés to the Invalides. A select aristocratic district in the 18th C, it now contains the residence of the Prime Minister, various ministries and foreign embassies and, in the eastern part of the faubourg, high-class antique shops and art galleries.

Towards the end of the 17th C the Marais fell out of favor and the aristocracy and new-rich nobility moved to this area and to the Faubourg Saint-Honoré. The court's return to Paris speeded up the process, and numerous hôtels (town mansions) were built here. Since then the Faubourg Saint-Germain has remained the favored residential district of the upper ranks of Paris society. Some streets in the area still give an