Living in Saint Thomas d'Aquin

Understanding life in Saint Thomas d'Aquin

Why people choose to live here

Saint Thomas d'Aquin is the eastern quarter of the 7th arrondissement, roughly bounded by the Seine, the Rue des Saints-Pères, the Rue de Sèvres and the Rue de Bellechasse. It covers the heart of the old Faubourg Saint-Germain, where aristocratic mansions, ministries, Sciences Po and the Musée d'Orsay sit side by side, and Saint-Germain-des-Prés begins across the street. Executives, academics and families choose it for its calm and refined atmosphere, its exceptional shopping around Le Bon Marché and its central position, with the Louvre and the Tuileries just across the river.

History and architectural character of Saint Thomas d'Aquin

The quarter takes its name from the Église Saint-Thomas-d'Aquin, built from 1682 as the chapel of a Dominican novitiate. In the 18th century the nobility left the Marais for the Faubourg Saint-Germain and built grand hôtels particuliers along the Rue de Grenelle, the Rue de Varenne and the Rue de l'Université. One of them, the Hôtel Matignon, has been the residence of the Prime Minister since 1935. Le Bon Marché opened as a modern department store in 1852, and the Gare d'Orsay, built for the 1900 Universal Exhibition, became the Musée d'Orsay in 1986.

Daily life in Saint Thomas d'Aquin

Shopping and local services

Shopping here is among the best in Paris. Le Bon Marché, at 24 rue de Sèvres, is the city's oldest department store, and La Grande Épicerie de Paris, next door, is a vast food hall for daily groceries and treats. The Rue du Bac and the Rue de Grenelle add bakeries, chocolatiers, fashion and design shops, and Deyrolle, at 46 rue du Bac, has sold natural history curiosities since the 19th century. The organic Raspail market runs every Sunday just across the Rue de Sèvres. Town hall services are handled by the Mairie du 7e, at 116 rue de Grenelle.

Education and family life

Families have several schools within the quarter. The public École polyvalente Chomel, at 8 rue Chomel, serves younger children, while the private Saint-Thomas d'Aquin school runs a primary school on the Rue Perronet and a lycée at 44 rue de Grenelle, and the Sainte-Clotilde school sits on the same street. The private Paul Claudel-d'Hulst is just west on the Rue de Varenne, and the public Collège and Lycée Victor Duruy are a short walk away on the Boulevard des Invalides. Sciences Po, on the Rue Saint-Guillaume, brings students and international events to the area.

Health and medical services

Healthcare is easy to reach. The Hôpital Necker-Enfants malades, an AP-HP teaching hospital and a leading centre for children, is two metro stops away near Duroc in the 15th arrondissement. The Hôtel-Dieu, on the Île de la Cité, and the Hôpital européen Georges-Pompidou provide further hospital care. General practitioners, dentists and specialists practise throughout the 7th and the 6th, and most accept the carte Vitale under the French public health system. Pharmacies line the Rue du Bac and the Rue de Sèvres. Newcomers should register with a médecin traitant to lower the cost of most consultations.

Transportation and connectivity

Getting around is simple. Rue du Bac station is on metro line 12, and Sèvres-Babylone, on the southern edge, adds line 10 towards Odéon and Austerlitz. Solférino, on the western edge, is also on line 12, which reaches Concorde, Madeleine and Saint-Lazare in minutes. The RER C stops at Musée d'Orsay, along the Seine, towards Saint-Michel, the Eiffel Tower and Versailles. Bus lines including the 63, 68, 69 and 87 serve the quarter, and the Passerelle Léopold-Sédar-Senghor footbridge leads straight to the Tuileries garden, with cycle lanes along the Seine quays.

Leisure, culture, and social life

Parks and green spaces

The quarter hides some lovely green corners. The Jardin Catherine-Labouré, at 29 rue de Babylone, occupies a former convent garden with lawns, fruit trees and a vegetable plot, and opens daily from 8:00 on weekdays and 9:00 at weekends. The Square des Missions-Étrangères, on the Rue du Bac, is a small shaded square with benches. The car-free Seine quays are ideal for walking and running, and the Tuileries garden is just across the footbridge. The Jardin du Luxembourg, in the 6th, is around fifteen minutes away on foot.

Restaurants, cafés, and nightlife

Dining is refined but varied. L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon Saint-Germain, at 5 rue de Montalembert, serves its famous counter dining every day for lunch and dinner. Café Varenne, at 36 rue de Varenne, is a classic bistro for duck confit, tartare and roast chicken, and opens Monday to Saturday. La Grande Épicerie de Paris has counters and a restaurant for quick meals, and the cafés and wine bars of the Rue du Bac and the Rue de Grenelle are popular after work. The famous terraces of Saint-Germain-des-Prés are just across the Rue des Saints-Pères.

Culture and local events

Culture is at your doorstep. The Musée d'Orsay, home to the world's largest collection of Impressionist paintings, opens Tuesday to Sunday from 9:30 to 18:00, with late opening until 21:45 on Thursdays, and booking a time slot is required during the renovation of its entrance areas. The Chapelle Notre-Dame de la Médaille Miraculeuse, at 140 rue du Bac, draws visitors from around the world. On the Rue de Grenelle, the Fontaine des Quatre-Saisons by Bouchardon is a fine 18th century monument, and antique dealers and galleries line the Rue du Bac and the Rue de Beaune.