When planning your trip to Paris, you’ll realize it is a rather small city compared to others in the world, but very eclectic, multicultural, and iconic. It is full of movement, history, and things to see!
However, Paris also welcomes many tourists, and between visitors and locals, it might get a little confusing to roam the city freely and choose where you want to stay. We’re here to share with you all the tips on choosing the best arrondissement for your stay in Paris!
Before we start, we have to say that your choice will entirely depend on your preferences, necessities, and the pace of your trip. We will explore the arrondissements based on their vibe, price, and sightseeing opportunities!
Here are all the arrondissements of Paris with the main monuments
The 1er arrondissement
The 1st arrondissement is located right at the city’s heart, on the Seine banks. It is very lively and Parisian-looking, chic and historic but also cosmopolitan and modern.
When wandering around the 1st arrondissement, you will find a mix of luxury shops, French and international cafés and restaurants, as well as historic streets and buildings. Its architecture goes from Renaissance-era palaces standing next to modern glass structures.
It has a great evening and nightlife, capturing the dynamic culture of the vibrant and charming Parisian crowd!
Being the center of the city, really popular for its attractions and historical landmarks, the 1st arrondissement is not the cheapest area of Paris. Accommodation prices can range from around 100 euros per night for a basic hotel room to several hundred euros for a more high-range hotel or apartment.
Dining out can also be expensive, with high-end restaurants offering menus over 100 euros a night. However, you can also find affordable options such as cafes, brasseries, and bistros. The 1st arrondissement has many high-end fashion boutiques and luxury brand stores, but also smaller, affordable shops and markets.
The 1st hosts many of Paris’s most famous attractions, including the Louvre Museum, the Palais Royal, and the Tuileries Gardens, which attract many tourists every year. You can also wander around the beautiful Rue de Rivoli. To sum up, the 1er arrondissement is a great option for first-time or regular visitors who want to be close to some of Paris’ most beautiful areas.
The Marais
The Marais is the name given to the trendy and historic neighborhood of the 4ème arrondissement. It is a relatively small area that you can visit on walking.
The Marais is full of shops, cafés, restaurants, and bars. You can get some great food, and it is one of the neighborhoods that have the most vibrant nightlife. It’s very lively, but also not the calmest area!
Being pretty trendy and popular, the Marais’ accommodation prices can vary depending on the type, location, and time of year. The budget accommodations can cost around 50-100 € per night, and mid-range and luxury hotels 150 to 500 €.
Dining out can also be expensive, but there are many affordable cafes, bistros, and bakeries too. If you travel around spring or autumn, you can grab something to eat at a supermarket or bakery and eat outside, given that the area has pedestrian streets.
Shopping in the Marais is diverse, with a mix of luxury boutiques and vintage shops that offer a great range of prices. To sum up, you can get many affordable options, but also stay elsewhere and visit it to enjoy its rich atmosphere.
The Marais has many sightseeing options, including several museums. You can get to:
- the Centre Pompidou,
- the Musée Picasso,
- the Hôtel de Ville,
- the Place des Vosges,
- the Eglise Saint-Paul-Saint-Louis,
and many other beautiful places! The area is a mix between culture and modernity, and after a day of visiting museums, you can get to a music bar to enjoy a nice cocktail and relax.
The Latin Quarter
The Latin Quarter is a beautiful and historic neighborhood that has a very authentic atmosphere. It is lively, historic, traditional, and calm at the same time. It hosts many students and Parisians love to go out for lunches, drinks, and dinners there.
The Latin Quarter has more affordable options than other neighborhoods: it is still not the cheapest area, but it is central while offering different price ranges. Accommodations can be budget hotels costing around 50 to 100 € a night, to more expensive hotels and apartments between 150 to 500 € a night.
Dining out is pretty affordable, as the Latin Quarter has many cafes, bakeries, bistros, and diverse restaurants with menus and fixed-price meals. Shopping can also be budget-friendly, with many independent boutiques and vintage shops.
Some museums and monuments offer free admission like the Jardin du Luxembourg, and others might charge a fee like the Panthéon. Overall, the Latin Quarter is a diverse neighborhood, possible to enjoy without going overboard.
When staying at the Latin Quarter, you will have plenty of options for sightseeing, and many of them aren’t the most known but are still great to see. You will be close to:
- The Mosquée de Paris,
- the Panthéon,
- the Jardin des Plantes,
- the Rue Mouffetard,
- the Val-de-Grâce,
- the Jardin du Luxembourg,
- and the Sorbonne Université.
Saint-Germain
Saint-Germain-des-Prés is a highly fashionable, historic, and charming neighborhood on the Rive Gauche (Left Bank of the Seine) in Paris. It is known for its intellectual and artistic heritage, and it has a lively and trendy atmosphere.
The area is sophisticated and high-end, mixing historic and modern Parisian elements: it is a popular destination for locals and tourists. It is home to elegant architecture, and also to many famous cafes such as Café de Flore and Les Deux Magots, which are known to have been frequented by famous Parisian writers, artists, and intellectuals.
Saint-Germain-des-Prés is very central and has many bougie fashion stores. It has a chic vibe, attracting shopaholics from around the world. It has a pretty lively nightlife scene, with bars and clubs, as it hosts several popular universities.
The area might be one of the most expensive ones in Paris: budget hotels cost around 100 to 150 euros a night and luxury hotels 300 to 500 euros per night. Eating out is also pretty expensive, as the area is very tourist.
In this neighborhood, you can find:
- Many cultural institutions, like the Théâtre d’Odéon and the Musée d’Orsay.
- The Eglise de Saint-Germain-des-Prés,
- the Boulevard Saint-Germain,
- the Musée Eugène Delacroix,
and many other options. If you are on a budget, you can wander around the Boulevard and visit the free places, and then grab a coffee in Les Deux Magots for the experience and the pictures!
The 7th arrondissement
This arrondissement is a chic and elegant neighborhood on the Left Bank, known for its fashionable landmarks, shops, restaurants, and buildings. It is sophisticated and luxurious, popular for those who want a high-end Parisian experience.
This area is one of the most prestigious and expensive areas of Paris: the daily expenses for accommodation and food in this arrondissement are pretty high and above average.
It hosts many famous landmarks and cultural institutions, including:
- the iconic Eiffel Tower,
- the Champs de Mars,
- the Musée d’Orsay,
- the Invalides,
- the Rodin Museum,
- the Musée du quai Branly – Jacques Chirac,
and many other cute streets, shops, and restaurants creating a lively and cosmopolitan atmosphere.
Montparnasse
Montparnasse is in the 14th arrondissement: it is a neighborhood known for its artistic and bohemian history. In the early 20th century, Montparnasse was the headquarters of writers, artists, and intellectuals who met in brasseries and art studios.
Today, the area has modernized but still retains an artistic and intellectual vibe. One of its main features is the Tour Montparnasse, a skyscraper with a stunning view over Paris. The tower is surrounded by shops, cinemas, and restaurants, and has prices that might be a little high.
There are also remnants of the area’s artistic past, such as the Cimetière du Montparnasse, where many famous artists, French and international, are resting.
The neighborhood also has a great nightlife, with many bars, restaurants, and clubs.
You can specifically visit Rue de la Gaîté, known for its theaters and music halls.
To sum up, Montparnasse mixes modern and artistic vibes and has a lively atmosphere coupled with rich cultural history.
Montmartre
Montmartre has a strong personality: located in the 18th arrondissement, it is a historic neighborhood with great artistic and bohemian vibes. It is famous for its beautiful and hilly streets, historic buildings, and stunning views of Paris.
Its unique atmosphere makes it different from other areas of Paris, but also kind of pricey. Like Montparnasse, it has an artistic heritage given that artists, writers, and musicians have always been present in the area, and it continues to be a creative place.
It has many cafes, restaurants, and bars, with an enjoyable nightlife and much charm and authenticity. Montmartre is famous for its Basilique du Sacré-Cœur, which offers a panoramic view of Paris.
To conclude, all these neighborhoods and arrondissements have unique and vibrant atmospheres that are all worth exploring. You can decide on where to stay based on your budget, travel itinerary, and travelers’ reviews, but we advise you to visit at least some of these arrondissements, they are all so beautiful!
When traveling with Trazler, you can book your trip to Paris very easily: our website allows you to book your accommodation, travel tickets, and car rentals on the same page so you can find the best prices for your trip.
We wish you a lovely time in Paris and hope that you stop by these beautiful arrondissements of Paris to discover the magic of the city!
