This article was first published in February 2012 and was updated in July 2012.
Paris
is a very compact city, so no matter where you decide to stay you’ll be
able to get around the rest of town without too much trouble.
North of the Seine, the rive droit or right bank is associated with elegance and sophistication. The right bank's most famous street is the Champs-Élysées, but there are others of prominence, such as Rue de la Paix, Rue de Rivoli and Avenue Montaigne.
Starting at Kilometre Zero in front of Notre Dame, Paris is divided into 20 arondissements (districts). The numbering spirals from 1 to 20 in a clockwise direction from the front of the cathedral. The usual French notation is 1er for premier (1st), 2e for deuxieme (2nd), 3e for troisieme (3rd) and so on.
Each arondissement has a distinct personality. The 1er is full of sights but few residents; the 5th is studenty; the 7e full of ministries and embassies; the 10e was traditionally working-class but has succumbed to gentrification; the 16th is the bastion of the well-heeled.
Louvre & Les Halles (1er and 2e) is the district for museum lovers and the very heart of Paris. Île de la Cité (4e and 1er) is the site of the first settlement in Paris (c 3rd century BC) and home to Notre Dame. Île de St-Louis (4e) is an oasis of calm away from the din of the city.
The Latin Quarter (5e) is known for its literary heritage (being favoured by Hemingway, Fitzgerald and other members of the creative community) and continues to provide a lively backdrop to city life. St-Germain (6e) & Invalides (7e) oozes panache and is the best district for those that have shopping at the top of their list of things to do in Paris.
Once you’ve climbed the Eiffel Tower (16e), you might like to get away from the crowds by taking a stroll through the gardens nearby at the Bois de Boulogne (or go rowing on the lakes). To get a view of the Champs-Élysées (8e) & Grand Boulevards (8e and 9e) climb to the top of the Arc de Triomphe.
For picture postcard Paris, where everyone paints, wears a beret and sings to accordion music, head up to Montmartre (18e). Head to the Marais (4e) & Ménilmontant for the city’s hip drinking scene and fun for night owls. The area around the Bastille (11e) & Gare de Lyon used to be notorious for its high crime rate, but today you can spend time browsing the flea markets and people watching.
Avoid Montparnasse (14e) with its pricey eating establishments. Head eastwards to Chinatown (13e) for a colourful, multiracial taste of Paris today.
The table below will guide you through the sights, shopping, museum and galleries on offer in each distinct district of Paris.
| Area | Sights | Museums & galleries | Shopping |
|---|---|---|---|
| Louvre & Les Halles | Centre Pompidou Église St-Eustache Passages Couverts |
Musée du Louvre Les Art Décoratifs Musée de l’Orangerie |
L’Ecritoire E Dehillerin Boîtes à Musique Anna Joliet |
| Latin Quarter | Panthéon Mosquée de Paris Sorbonne |
Institut du Monde Arabe Musée National d’Histoire Naturelle Musée National du Moyen Age |
Shakespeare & Company Magie |
| St-Germain & Invalides | Église St-Sulpice Église St-Germain des Pres Institute de France |
Foundation Dubuffet Musée National Eugene Delacroix Pièce Unique Variations |
Pâtisserie Sadaharu Aoki Bonton Bazat La Dernière Goutte Le Dépôt-Vente de Buci |
| Eiffel Tower &16e | Eiffel Tower Bois de Boulogne CinéAqua |
Musée du Quai Branly Musée Marmotta-Monet Cite de l’Architecture et du Patrimoine |
|
| Champs-Elysees & Grands Boulevards | Arc de Triomphe Av des Champs-Élysées Palais Garnier |
Grand Palais Musée National Gustave Moreau La Pinacothèque |
Galeries Lafayette Place de la Madeleine Guerlain |
| Montmartre, Pigalle & 17e | Basilique du Sacre Cœur Place du Tertre Cimetière de Montmartre |
Musée de la Vie Romantique Musée Jacquemart-André Musée Nissim de Camondo |
Ets Lion La Citadelle |
| Marais & Ménilmontant | Place des Vosges Pletzl Cimetière du Père Lachaise |
Musée Carnavalet Musée des Arts et Métiers Maison de Victor Hugo |
Sic Amor CSAO Boutique & Gallery Red Wheelbarrow Bookstore |
| Bastille & Gare de Lyon | Cinémathèque Française Viaduc des Arts Passerelle Simone de Beauvoir |
Maison Rouge Cite Nationale de l’Histoire de l’Immigration Maison de Jardinage |
Marche aux Puce d’Aligre La Maison du Cerf-Volant Fermob |
- Paris highlights
- A perfect day in Paris
- Hidden flavours of Paris
- A shopper’s guide to Paris
- Travelling with children?
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