Frenchtown St. Charles: Historic Shopping North of Main Street St. Charles
The crown jewel of the City of St. Charles is, without question, Historic Main Street. The cobblestone-lined business district shines with retail, dining, services, and charm, not to mention the many festivals that take over the space. Frontier Park, just a block east of Main Street, adds to the atmosphere with its winding paths and sweeping views of the Missouri River.
But Historic Main Street isn’t the only show in St. Charles, or even the only historic one. Just a few blocks north of Main Street lies another likeable historic district, with its own appeal.
Getting There:
According to its nomination to the National Register of Historic Places, the Frenchtown Historic District (Google Maps link) is “roughly bounded by N. Fifth, Clark, and French streets, and the Missouri River.” Most of Frenchtown’s businesses reside on Second Street in that area.
The closest highway to Frenchtown is MO-370, which runs from St. Peters to Hazelwood. If you get off of 370 at Third Street and head south, you’ll reach a roundabout. Take that roundabout to your left, following the sign for 94 West, and the road will then curl around to your right and turn into Second Street. You’ll start seeing businesses appear on both sides of the road within a couple of blocks, with more of them show up as you pass the French Street intersection.
Drivers can also reach Frenchtown from the south by getting off of I-70 at Fifth Street and heading north. When you reach Clark Street, turn right, then make a left onto Second Street. You’ll drive straight into Frenchtown from there.
Parking:
Most of the parking in and around Frenchtown is of the street parking variety. Street parking is free. There are also a handful of parking lots around the district – some of them are reserved only for customers of specific businesses, while others are for anyone.
If you are looking for a public lot, you can find a small one just off of Randolph Street. Alternatively, the Blanchette Boat Access area off of Olive is a larger lot and is also a great place to park.
Costs and Considerations:
Like most business districts, each business keeps its own hours. You’ll want to check on each individual business to see their hours.
As of mid-2026, construction is underway at Second Street and Clark Street. Traffic is open northbound there but to go south you’ll need to detour around to the west.
Things to Do:
If you’re an antique shopper, Frenchtown has a few options. A local favorite is Secondhand Chic, an expansive and beautifully arranged antique shop on the south side of Frenchtown that is usually only open the first Friday through Sunday of each month.
Next door to Secondhand Chic is Black Cat Antiques, which is open every Friday through Sunday. On the north end of Frenchtown, right at the corner of Second and Olive, you can shop Frenchtown Antique Mall, which is open seven days a week.
The food and drink scene in Frenchtown is a mashup of coffee shops, bakeries, breweries, bars, and food truck locations. Unlike Main Street, there aren’t many traditional sit-down restaurants in the area. One option in that space would be La Belle Vie, a breakfast and lunch cafe in the middle of Frenchtown that is open Tuesday through Sunday. Another would be Good News Brewery, a pizza-and-beer joint.
It’s worth noting that Frenchtown sits just a couple of blocks west of the Katy Trail, so there are a scattering of bike shops and bike-themed places in the district.
Our Thoughts:
Frenchtown may be the lesser-known cousin of Historic Main Street, but it still has its virtues. There are some nice businesses along Frenchtown, including several quality antique shops and a few coffee shops. Frenchtown also benefits from having less car and foot traffic than Main Street, making it a generally more tranquil experience.
We’ve been to the Frenchtown district several times over the years, and we appreciate just getting to walk the district and check out the shops. We also don’t mind dropping in one of the coffee shops for a spell. It’s also right next to the Katy Trail and just a few blocks from Historic Main Street, should you want to drift that way.
