Where to Stay in Paris, France?
In Paris, like everywhere, the answer to "Where to Stay in Paris?" is location, location, location. But, which location is right for you?
Think of Paris as 20 arrondissements or districts that spiral around the Seine river like a seashell. The 1st through 11th arrondissements are the center of "Traditional Paris."
Here you'll find cobble-stoned streets, interesting architecture, ancient churches, open-air markets, famous monuments and museums, quaint corner cafes, and boutique shops. You'll have easy access to tourist sites, and be within walking distance of the sublime Seine River.
You can save money by staying in one of the outer arrondissements, but the trade-off is your time. Bypass spending your precious hours in Paris on the metro, and focus on finding a hotel in the 1st - 11th arrondissements.
Which Arrondissement is Right for Me?
If you are... |
Stay here |
Within Walking Distance |
---|---|---|
Visiting Paris for the first time.. | 6th or 4th.
Close to major attractions, enchanting, old neighborhoods that capture the essence of Paris, and the Seine River for strolling at night. |
Notre Dame Cathedral (4)
Musee d' Orsay (6) Luxembourg Gardens (6) |
Looking for a quiet, refined, upscale area to stay | 7th or 8th.
Upscale residential areas which are quiet at night. |
Eiffel Tower (7)
Musee d'Orday (7) Arc de Triomphe (8) Champs Elysees (8) |
Young or young-at-heart that loves nightlife | 3rd, 9th, 11th.
Close to club areas on Rue du Oberkampf, Bastille, and Belleview. 5th for student bars in the Latin Quarter. |
Pompidou Center (3)
Bastille (11) Canal St. Martin (9) Notre Dame Cathedral (5) |
Shopoholic | 2nd
Next to the Grand Magasins, some of the most over-the-top department stores in the world. |
Opera (2)
Louvre Museum (1) |
Easy, central area close to tourist attractions | 1st.
Tourist central. Walk to the Louvre, Tuileries Gardens and up the Champs Elysees in minutes. |
Louvre Museum (1) Tuileries Gardens (1) Champs Elysees (8) |
Fashion-forward | 3rd or 11th.
Up-and-coming fashion designers, artist boutiques and fun, small shops. |
Marais (4)
Opera Bastille (11) Canal St. Martin (9) |
Art Lover | 9th.
Walk in the steps of Picasso, Degas, Monet, and other Impressionists in Montmartre. Visit artists square in Place du Tetre seen in Amelie. |
Sacre Cour Basilica (9)
Place du Tetre (9) |
Literature Lover | 5th and 6th
Walk in the steps of Hemingway, Fitzgerald, Satre and Camus. 5th for where Hemingway lived and Shakespeare's bookstore. 6th for famous cafe hangouts like Les Deux Magots and Cafe Flore. |
St. Germain des Pres (6)
Musee de Orsay (6) |
Value for your Money | 9th, 10th, 11th.
Up-and-coming neighborhoods off of the tourist track. Discover great restaurants and hotels for a fraction of the price in other areas. |
Montmartre (9)
Canal St. Martin (9) Bastille (11) |
Alternative culture, hip neighborhood | 4th and 3rd
The Marais. Home to artists and Parisian Gay and Lesbian culture. Hip clubs, great boutiques, and reasonable restaurants. |
Pompidou Center (3)
Notre Dame Cathedral (4) |
Family-friendly | 3rd and 4th.
Many young families make the Marais their home. Playgrounds filled with children, room for strollers on the sidewalks, reasonably-priced child-friendly restaurants, and close to major attractions. |
Pompidou Center (3)
Notre Dame Cathedral (4) Place des Vosges (4) |
Dream of "Postcard-Perfect" Paris | 4th
Ile St. Louis. Picture-perfect island in the middle of the Seine River. Great shops and restaurants. |
Notre Dame Cathedral (4) |
Author: Cheryl Montgomery