Saint-Germain-en-Laye: Paris Day Trips
Next time you’re in Paris and want to avoid the typical tourist route, take a day trip to Saint-Germain-en-Laye. The town is only 20 kilometres west of Paris and 15 km from Versailles.
It couldn’t be easier to travel from the City, as it takes only 20 minutes on the RER A line from Paris direct to the terminus of Saint-Germain-en-Laye. As we live five minutes away from this Royal Burgh town, I’m proud to present it to start off my new series on interesting day trips out of Paris.
Saint-Germain-en-Laye & its Scottish Connection
Not to be confused with the quarter of Saint Germain-des-Prés in Paris, the town of Saint-Germain-en-Laye is perched on the edge of a forest of 3500 hectares and today has a population of about 43,000. It’s home to the Paris Saint Germain football (soccer) team but before it was a Royal town, home to the Kings of France.
With my Scottish roots, I can’t help feeling particularly patriotic passing the church, where King James VII of Scotland (II of England) lies. Across the road from his tomb is the château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, where the Stuart family lived while in exile.
The town even has its own tartan, such is the Franco-Scottish Auld Alliance with the Scots – and Saint-Germain-en-Laye is twinned with the town of Ayr in Scotland.
This French Royal Burgh has been a market town since King François I, who decided as of 1526 that there should be two market days. Today there are THREE legendary MARKET DAYS: on Tuesday, Friday and Sunday mornings (check out my Instagram feed, as you’ll see me regularly shop here!)
I joined Victoria’s weekly guided weekend walk, organised by the Tourist Office, tracing the influence of King François I on the town. He stayed in Saint-Germain-en-Laye for over a thousand days – the longest for a monarch choosing between a wealthy choice of fairytale French castles. He left the town with its layout, a pentagon-shaped castle and a centre for trade.
Bread Street (Rue au Pain)
Update 2018: The tour (in French and English) meets up at the Tourist Office – now renovated and situated in the Jardins des Arts. Before its location was on the ground floor of the Claude Debussy Museum, birthplace of the composer in 1826 (the museum is free of charge).
Rue au Pain, the town’s oldest Medieval street, supplied bread to the castle. Today it’s still home to a bakery, chocolate shop, Pâtisserie and fromagerie. As we’re taken along pedestrian-only cobbled streets, passing boutiques and mansion houses from the 17th and 18th centuries, we learn fascinating facts from taxes to the gradual increase in population. The King had put Saint-Germain-en-Laye on the map.
Today the castle is home to the National Archeological Museum and is currently undergoing renovations. Certain parts now look so pristine, it could have been build last year! The castle dates from Louis IX in 1235, with the oldest part of the castle that’s left, the Royal Chapel, inspired the Saint Chapelle in Paris. Look up and spot numerous reminders of François I’s (F) symbol and the invincible salamander; N for the Napoleon III empire; and R symbol of the third Republic.
The chimney-packed castle roof is open to the public for visits too, on demand, from May-September. I wasn’t lucky this year but as soon as May appears, let’s go up together when the renovations are finished.
Birthplace of Louis XIV
The Pavillion Henri IV Hotel houses the small red-brick pavilion where Louis XIV was born and baptised in 1638. It’s all that’s left of the new castle (Château Neuf) which was demolished in 1776 at the request of Louis XIV’s brother, the Count of Artois. Rather than restore the castle that had run into disrepair while Louis had moved to the new royal residence at Versailles, the Count told the King he much preferred the castle in Maisons-Laffitte. So the people of Saint-Germain-en-Laye re-cycled the “new” bricks for their mansion houses.
It wasn’t just the King that was born here; the hotel is also famous for inventing the Sauce Béarnaise and Pommes de Terre Soufflées (puffed potatoes) after it opened in 1836.
The Park
The Grand Terrace, designed by Louis XIV’s favourite gardener, André Le Nôtre, is over 2km long. He worked on this before Vaux-le-Vicomte and Versailles.
For lovers of architecture, there are plenty of explanatory signs in English to learn more about the history and designs of the gardens.
Saint-Germain-en-Laye Vineyards
Replanted in 1999, nearly 2000 Pinot Noir vines grow just under the Terrace to make the Vin des Grottes, although this isn’t commercialised. Instead it’s traditionally served at the harvest festival in September.
Just look at this perspective, lined with lime blossom trees. Ready for a walk? Imagine in Louis XIV’s time this wasn’t paved or pathed, there was no grass and no railings with a drop of 13 metres. It was simply sanded so walkers may have felt slightly daunted…
From the terrace, the cherry on the cake is this magnificent view of the west of Paris including La Defense: on clear days like this you can spot Sacré Coeur and the Eiffel Tower. Can you see them plus other Parisian landmarks?
It’s a favourite spot for weekend walks, which leads eventually to the well-guided paths in the forest just outside the gates.
Let’s finish with a partial view of the park in Autumn.
Don’t forget Saint-Germain-en-Laye next time you visit Paris – add this ‘mini Paris’ to your bucket list! There’s so much to see just outside the City that’s within easy access; there’s not just the Palace of Versailles.
Just to whet your appetite, I have also compiled your very own DIY chocolate-pastry tour of Saint-Germain-en-Laye, just to give you a taste of the wealth of award-winning chocolate and pastry boutiques the town has to offer.
François I Tours: 3pm Saturdays (1.5 hrs) 9 April- 15 October
October-April: Various conferences, exhibitions & bigger group tours
For more information, tour reservations & visits, contact:
Tourist Office
Jardin des Arts
3 rue Henri IV
78100 Saint-Germain-en-Laye
Tel: 01-30 87 20 63
(Updated 2018, following relocation)
Jill Colonna
Hi Jill,
I have loved St Germain en Laye for a long time, especially the market and the ease of training there – great fromageries – and so much more! Are you aware of any pastry classes or culinary classes?
Merci!!
Dorette
Hi Dorette,
So glad you also adore St Germain-en-Laye as much as me and appreciate its gastronomic haunts too. There used to be patisserie classes run by two different owners in the past – just 5 mins walk from the main RER train station. Alas, it not longer exists (now a chocolate shop, which is still wonderful!) but I’ll keep my ears to the ground for you. I know of a couple who run gluten-free classes if you’re interested nearby in Mesnil-le-roi and although I don’t give classes myself, you’ll find my step-by-step baking books with some local haunts in Paris added in there too 😉
Thank you Jill for all these good ideas !
It’s a real pleasure! So happy you’re coming to visit – and on Sunday, too, when it’s the most lively at the market. Have fun!
I loved when you showed me Bread Street and all the other goodies in St-Germain-enLaye. So full of lovely surprises and not horribly crowded
Isn’t it a lovely town? A miniature version of Paris but with different pastry and chocolate shops – as well as great walks for afterwards!
I absolutely love this place at all times of the year. The Christmas Market is really interesting too. Book me in for the roof of the castle tour next year please.
Let’s do it together, Mum. Yes, the Christmas market is fun too. I’ll cover that in my next foodie post on Saint Germain-en-Laye.
Jill! I love that you are doing this, it’s perfect! Love and hugs!
I’m so glad, Alisa. Been on my planning for a long time but happy to finally get around to it!
Another reason to head back to Paris!!! Any town with a “bread” street sounds perfect to me!!!
There’s also Flour Street (Rue de la Farine), Liz. Will that make you come quicker? 🙂
I love this post, Jill! Thank you for taking Denisa and me there in May. I agree that it’s a perfect place to visit to get a taste of a town that’s not as huge and touristy as Paris, without having to travel for miles and miles outside the city.
I can’t wait to spend more time in this pretty town and see more of the area nearby. Looking forward to your upcoming posts in this series, which I think is a brilliant idea!
I love this place so much – it’s a little Paris with such lovely shops. There are times when people seem surprised that I’d rather be here than come into Paris at times!
Hi Jill- just got your Oct newsletter and I’m looking forward to the day trip addition. I went to Saint-Germain-en-Laye last March on a market day. I’ll be returning there when I’m in Paris this November!
Merci!
I’m so glad you came to Saint-Germain-en-Laye on a market day, Tish, and that you’re returning soon. A good sign!