[8] In his memoir of those days, Ernest Hemingway wrote in A Moveable Feast about the Place and its sites, both fixed like the benches, trees, statues of bishops, and lions, as well as the unfixed, walking pigeons.

[12] By the turn of the Century, this café was “frequented by literary types,” publishers, and students who all enjoyed the inexpensive coffee and “the lack of so many tourists.”[13] Several high-end brand shops opened up on the square, including Annick Goutal, Yves St Laurent, and Christian Lacroix.

[13] Shopping is available at Saint-Sulpice for “a wealth of great fashion and household delights.”[14] The big draw for tourists has always been the Church,[2][4][8] but “the entire generous space is beloved by Parisians on lush summer evenings and on frigid February nights.”[12] The Christmas Fair and an annual June antiques fair attract both locals and tourists.

[15] Other features include chestnut trees,[16] the city hall (French: mairie) of the 6th arrondissement, and the Café de la Mairie, a rendezvous for writers and students,[12][13] which featured in the 1990 film, La Discrète ("The Discreet"), directed by Christian Vincent, starring Fabrice Luchini and Judith Henry.

Servadoni had planned a coherent square of identical buildings surrounding Saint-Sulpice, but only one, at number 6, was built to his designs; the rest reflect his concepts.