Since it was founded in 543, the church of Saint-Germain-des-Prés has been the epicentre of the district, and the whole world knows that the heart of Paris beats in Saint-Germain-des-Prés. It was one of the first religious buildings in Paris, the very first basilica in the capital, and is one of the jewels in our heritage. This church is exceptional in terms of its history, its architecture and the wealth of works it contains. The abbey was listed in 1862, following the creation of the Monuments Historiques department.

The restoration of the church, begun in 2012 and led by the architect Victor Baltard, and the works of the painter Hippolyte Flandrin enable the building to bear witness to the virtuosity of artists practising religious art in the 19th century. The project includes all the murals, furniture, paintings, sculptures and woodwork, as well as the unpainted facings and medieval capitals.

As a long-standing partner of the festival and a place that has always welcomed the arts, this unique venue enriches each concert that is performed here with a resonance that is both sonic and emotional, as well as offering an exceptional setting in which to (re)discover great artists and their music.