Le Gros Caillou – The Big Pebble

The Gros-Caillou

The Paris audio-guided tour lets you discover the district of the Gros-Caillou and its church of Saint-Pierre, in the heart of an area that today houses the Eiffel Tower and the Quai Branly museum.

A boundary stone become a district

The church of Saint-Pierre-du-Gros-Caillou has been in the district since 1733. The name of the district intrigues: it goes back to a natural boundary stone, probably prehistoric, which once marked the limit between the seigneuries of Saint-Germain and Sainte-Geneviève. In the eighteenth century, this still rural area was near the wall of the Farmers-General, an unpopular enclosure that served to collect the taxes on goods entering Paris. When the city was redivided into districts in 1860, under Haussmann, it was decided to name this one after the nearby church and tobacco manufactory, both called Gros-Caillou, in memory of this landmark stone.

What there is to see

The Gros-Caillou district, with its church of Saint-Pierre and its lively streets, offers a more intimate face of Paris, a stone's throw from the great monuments. It is the occasion to understand how the capital was built and named over the centuries, and to stroll in a lively area that combines shops, history and the proximity of the Eiffel Tower.

Practical information

The Gros-Caillou district is in the 7th arrondissement of Paris, between the Eiffel Tower and the Invalides. Its streets can be walked freely at all hours; the church of Saint-Pierre-du-Gros-Caillou can be visited with respect for the services, according to its opening hours.

Where does the name Gros-Caillou come from?

From a natural boundary stone, probably prehistoric, which marked the limit between the seigneuries of Saint-Germain and Sainte-Geneviève.

Since when has the church of Saint-Pierre been there?

Since 1733, in the heart of the district that partly owes it its name.