Paris Arrondissements: Where to Stay
Where To Stay in Paris: Paris Arrondissements
Before deciding where to stay in Paris, it is important to know a little about the neighborhood where the hotel or apartment is located. Generally speaking, close-in hotels are more expensive. You may want to balance cost, however, with the convenience of being able to walk to most of the important Paris tourist sites. Paris is set up in a system of arrondissements (districts / neighborhoods) that snail out from the center of the city beginning with Paris arrondissement number one -1er (see the Paris arrondissement map below).
Note: Paris arrondissements are identified by the last two digits of address postal codes, and are typically written as 17 eme or 17e arr.
Regardless of where you stay in Paris, every arrondissement is well connected by a wonderful Metro (subway) system that allows you to travel to any point in the city with no more than one transfer.
1eme Arrondissement
The 1st Arrondissement is the center of the old city of Paris and is located on the Right Bank (Rive Droit) of the Seine. It holds many beautiful old buildings, the Tuilleries gardens, and the elegant place Vendome.
Paris Travel Tip: Because of its central location, hotels in this area tend to be more expensive, but you are within walking distance to most of Paris’ attractions.
2eme Arrondissement
The 2nd Arrondissement is also located on the Right Bank and is home to the stock exchange and business district.
Paris Travel Tip: The eastern end contains the garment district, and while not an exciting tourist destination, it is a safe and quiet area.
3eme Arrondissement
As shown on the Paris Arrondissement map above, The 3rd Arrondissement encompasses part of the Marais district, a former swamp that is now a trendy, art-filled neighborhood.
Paris Travel Tip: This area also has a great Jewish quarter with excellent restaurants and shops.
4eme Arrondissement
The 4th Arrondissement forms the heart of Medieval Paris. Many tourist sites such as Notre Dame, St. Chapelle, and the National Museum of Modern Art in the Pompidou Center are all here.
Paris Travel Tip: The Marais spills into the 4th Arr. and contains the Place des Vosges, known as the most beautiful square in Europe.
5eme Arrondissement
The 5th Arrondissement is located on the Left Bank (Rive Gauche) and has been known as the Latin Quarter since the early 13th century because Sorbonne University professors and students all spoke Latin. It is still the intellectual center of Paris, now filled with bohemian restaurants and shops. There are also some great views of Notre Dame.
Paris Travel Tip: The 5th Arrondissement is also in close proximity to the glorious Luxembourg Gardens. Don’t even consider leaving Paris without a stroll through the Luxembourg Gardens.
6eme Arrondissement
The 6th Arrondissement also known as St. Germain de Pres is a colorful part of the Left Bank that was once the favorite haunt of Ernest Hemingway, and the artist Delacroix. Today you can stroll the famous Boulevard St Germain, or find the former homes of famous authors on rue Jacob. The gorgeous Luxembourg Gardens are in this district as well.
Paris Travel Tip: The little street in this district, called Cherche-Midi has some great little local restaurants. One of our favorites is Midi Vins at 83 Cherche-Midi.
7eme Arrondissement
The Eiffel tower, one of the most recognized landmarks and European tourist attractions in the world, is located in the 7th Arrondissement. The Invalides, which holds Napoleon’s tomb, and the Musee d ‘Orsay are also landmarks in this arrondissement.
8eme Arrondissement
The Right Bank 8th Arrondissement is where you’ll find the glitz, glamour, and elegance of Paris. The Champs Elysees, Arc de Triumph, famous fashion houses, elegant hotels and restaurants are all in this exciting and beautiful arrondissement. You may pay a little more for a hotel here, but the convenience and beauty is worth it.
9eme Arrondissement
The 9th Arrondissement holds the most elegant as well as the most tawdry areas of Paris. Pigalle, where you’ll find the now time-worn Moulin Rouge and adjacent strip joints is here, but closer in you will see the Palais Garnier, Paris’ elegant Opera house.
Europe Travel Tip: Be sure to visit the opera; its ornate décor is over-the-top and the Chagall painted ceiling is worth the price of admission itself.
10eme Arrondissement
The 10th Arrondissement centers around the Canal St. Martin and the restaurants and cafés which line its banks. The streets along the canal become car-free zones on Saturday afternoons/evenings, and all day on Sundays to make way for the Parisiene cycling and roller-blading hoards. Two great train stations, Gare du Nord and Gare de l’Est, are located here as is the historic Place de la République in the far south of the Arrondissement. This area has become quite trendy in recent years (see the Paris Arrondissement map above).
11eme Arrondissement
The Opera Bastille has helped to revitalize the once dreary 11th Arrondissement. There are more than a few good restaurants here to tempt you as well. It is safe and less expensive than the closer in areas.
12eme Arrondissement
The 12th Arrondissement has been totally revitalized and seems to be the new, trendy spot in Paris, especially for the younger crowd. Known as Bercy, this area is considered by many to be the “new Saint-Germain”. The metro Meteor – line 14 – makes Bercy a short 10 minutes from the Madeleine stop in the center of Paris.
Paris Travel Tip: The Parc de Bercy is a 26-acre garden at one end of this Arrondissement; at the other end you will find the restaurants, shops, and cinemas that are putting new life and excitement into this area.
13eme Arrondissement
The 13th Arrondissement centers on the Gare de Austerlitz, and is another area that has little to offer the tourist, unless you have a passion for tapestries. The Manufacture des Gobelins is located here at 42 ave des Gobelins.
14eme Arrondissement
Largely residential, the 14th Arrondissement is best known for Montparnasse (both the station and the towering skyscraper (Tour Montparnasse), for the Paris Catacombs, and the Parc Montsouris. The Cité Universitaire is also found in this district traditionally known for lively cafés and restaurants around the Boulevard du Montparnasse and the rue Daguerre.
Paris Travel Tip: The northern end of the district was the home to many American ex-pats and other famous literati; Hemmingway, Henry Miller, Scott Fitzgerald, T.S. Eliot, Alice B. Tolkas, Gertrude Stein, to name but a few. At the southern end, you’ll find a quiet residential area.
15eme Arrondissement
The 15th Arrondissement is a quiet residential area that was once the home of Mogdliani, Chagall and Leger. There are few tourist sights here except for the Parc de Expositions.
16eme Arrondissement
The former village of Passy, the 16th Arrondissement, is a lovely residential area that holds great charm for the tourist who is looking for refined calm. This arrondissement has beautiful boulevards, such as the ave d’Iena, ave Foch and ave Victor Hugo as well as the exquisite Bois de Bologne Park. Some wonderful museums are here, including the Guimet, the Marmottan, and the Balzac. And you can get a great view of the Eiffel Tower, just across the river, from the place de Trocadero. Check the Paris arrondissement map above.
17eme Arrondissement
The 17th Arrondissement is pretty much a nice residential area and has few touristic sights. It borders on the Arc de Triumph and can be a good choice if you don’t mind being a bit away from the city center.
18eme Arrondissement
The 18th Arrondissement, one of the most popular outer areas of Paris, Montmartre, attracts visitors because of the colorful street artists and stately Sacre Coeur church. Some of the world’s greatest artists lived here, notably Picasso, Matisse, Max Jacob, Utrillo and Renoir.
Paris Travel Tip: Unfortunately, the area is now also home to prostitutes and souvenir shops. And some of the “street artists” are rip-off artists as well; don’t feel obligated to buy anything you did not ask for, even if they made it “just for you”!
19eme Arrondissement
The 19th Arrondissement, an ethnically rich area, is home to the Museum of Science and Industry, an absolutely wonderful museum. You will also find the Buttes-Chaumont which is a great place for children to enjoy donkey rides and puppet shows.
20eme Arrondissement
The 20th Arrondissement is another ethnically diverse area. People from all of France’s former empire can be found here, bringing their own cultures with them. The most famous landmark is the Pere-Lachais cemetery that is the final resting place for Oscar Wilde, Isadora Duncan, Colette, Edith Piaf, and Jim Morrison of the Doors.
Paris Travel Tip: If you visit the Pere Lachais cemetery, be sure to look for the grave of Victor Noir; there is a life size statue of him lying dead, killed by Pierre Bonaparte. Interestingly, the statue is said to have fertility powers.
No matter where you stay, Paris is quite safe and one of the most beautiful cities on earth. Enjoy!
For a collection of reviews from around the web on hotels, restaurants, things to do and more in Paris we recommend checking out Uptake’s Paris page: http://www.uptake.com/france/ile-de-france/paris.html
this is a very insightful article into the various Parisian arrondisements. Tourists to Paris would benefit greatly from reading these kind of blog posts when they doubt whether to opt for one or another hotel or apartment in two distinct areas of paris.
As a Paris apartment owner often I come across questions from potential guests about the local area where my apartment is, the 14th arrondisement, how far it is to Luxembourg gardens or whether you can walk to the Latin quarter.
I have therefore placed a link to this post on my apartment website, so that my enquirers can read about the various Paris arrondisements on unbiased sources.
I would like to add however that the description of the 14th arrondisement on this posts lacks a bit of detail as how much of a village feel some areas of the 14eme arrondisement have. It is much like living in a little provintial town with the convenience to be able to walk to Luxembourg gardens and the Latin Quarter in 15-20 mins.
Regards,
David
love it
This post is very enlightening. Thank you for the information.
I am planning a trip with my family for July, for approx. 9 days. We’d like to rent an apartment. It will be my husband and me, my kids ages 17, 12 and 10. Ideally the kids each get their own bed but the younger two can share if necessary. I want to spend about $250 a night. Any suggestions?
Also, as for which arrondissement, I’m thinking the 3rd or 4th as first choice then I’m not sure. Thanks for any info!
Hi Leslie,
There are several companies that rent apartments in Paris. Here are a few reputable ones: Please note that the closer in arrondissements will be more expensive than those further out.
http://www.villavacations.com/france/paris/claire/claire_price10.shtml
http://www.parlerparisapartments.com/?utm_source=Parler+Paris&utm_campaign=fae2b44f63-pparis30_11_0911_30_2009&utm_medium=email
http://www.parismarais.com/rent-a-flat.htm
http://www.my-paris-apartment.com/
This is an Aparthotel: http://www.citadines.com/
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