Paris Arrondissements: Where to Stay
Terri March 17th, 2008
I am often asked “which is the best arrondissement to stay in while in Paris?” I have to tell people that it all depends on what you want in the neighborhood in which you’ll be staying.
Do you want to be close-in and in walking distance to the major attractions? Do you want to be in the most glamorous neighborhood, the safest, or the trendiest? The following will give you a glimpse into each of the arrondissements, so you can choose the best arrondissement for you.
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 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 er 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.
The 1st Arrondissement is the center of the old city of Paris and is located on the Right Bank (Rive Droit). It holds many beautiful old buildings, the Tuilleries gardens, and the elegant place Vendome. 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.
The 2nd Arrondissement is also located on the Right Bank and is home to the stock exchange and business district. The eastern end contains the garment district, and while not an exciting tourist destination, it is a safe and quiet area.
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, arty neighborhood. We love this area with its great Jewish quarter, excellent restaurants and shops, and many gay bars.
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. The Marais spills into the 4th Arr. and contains the Place des Vosges, known as the most beautiful square in Europe.
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, shops and views of Notre Dame. It is also in close proximity to the glorious Luxembourg Gardens. Don’t even consider leaving Paris without a stroll through the Luxembourg Gardens.
The 6th Arrondissement 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.
The Eiffel tower, one of the most recognized landmarks 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.
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.
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. 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.
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).
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.
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 Madeline stop in the center of Paris. 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.
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.
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. 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.
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.
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.
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 away from the city center.
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. 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”!
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.
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. If you visit the 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 one of the most beautiful cities on earth. Enjoy!
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