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Discover the best neighbourhoods to stay in in Paris using the Hotel Guru’s detailed guide. We’ll help you find the right part of Paris to stay in whether you’re here to appreciate the elegant sights, to enjoy the museums, to explore the streets, to experience the nightlife, do some shopping, or just soak up the unmistakable, incomparable atmosphere.

Neighbourhood Guide to Paris

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Paris has been lauded in words, doted upon in paint, and sung about by so many people that there's little to add. So let's keep it simple: it's incredibly beautiful; it’s home to a glorious array of art and architecture; the food and the fashion have no equal, and its grand boulevards and their cafe culture offer one of the most pleasurable ways imaginable to while away time. Based on our combined experience, the best trips to Paris involve proper explorations, and new discoveries, as well as the appreciation of old haunts, because Paris is big and changeable. Use the Metro and your feet to get around and you shouldn’t have any problems, the road signs are prominent and elegant, and you’re never far from an impressive landmark in Paris.

1st Arrondissement

Flickr user Billy Wilson

The 1st Arrondissement is also called Louvre, which is a good indication of where it is: on the right bank, surrounding the Louvre and the Tuileries Gardens, including some of the Île de la Cité and Les Halles, and some of the most prestigious boutiques and hotels in town, many of them located on the Rue de Rivoli. The 1st is one of the smallest arrondissements, but it’s super central, and makes a very easy base for exploring the city on foot; it’s an especially elegant place to stroll around, with its covered galleries, or arcades, and its many grand buildings, though the 1st Arrondissement has 12 Metro stops, also. And there’s a very good choice of restaurants, though they do run towards the higher end.

8th Arrondissement, Champs-Élysées

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With clear views between the Arc de Triomphe and the Place de la Concorde, the Champs-Élysées is probably the most famous avenue in Paris, and certainly up there globally too. It’s lined with boutiques, cafes, restaurants, bars and theatres, but it isn’t as high-end as it once was, probably because of the tourists. The Elysée Palais, the Grand Palais and the Petit Palais, are here too, plus the Avenue Montaigne and Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, on which you’ll find the flagship stores of many couture and luxury brands. If you know where you’re going, the 8th is a luxurious place to stay, with some incredible dining options, but it does have its touristy pockets. It has more than 20 Metro stations, and it's a very central spot to stay in, within walking distance of many of Paris’s prime attractions.

Notre Dame and the 4th Arrondissement

Image by Leif Linding from Pixabay

The 4th Arrondissement is the part of Paris between Notre Dame, on the eastern side of the Île de la Cité, and the southern side of Le Marais. Paris’s Hôtel de Ville and the Centre Pompidou are within this district, as is the charming Île Saint-Louis. This is the part of Paris for lovers of architecture, pretty side streets, and anyone who likes to watch the world go by from a pavement cafe. There are lots of great bars and restaurants here, and plenty of opportunities to have a great time after hours. There are ten Metro stations in the 4th, including Bastille, worth mentioning because it serves several lines, and you’re within walking distance of many of Paris’s major sights.

Le Marais and the 3rd Arrondissement

Flickr user Henrik Berger

Evocative and grand, Le Marais straddles the 4th and 3rd Arrondissements, with the southern side, in the 4th, the livelier part. The northern side still has elegant bars and cafes, though, and this is where you’ll find some of the oldest houses in Paris, with Rue de Montmorency being a particularly good place to look for them. It’s also a good place for hip boutiques and little galleries, and elegant green spaces. The old Jewish quarter is in the 3rd too, and it has a very good collection of museums, including the Musée Picasso, the Musée Cognacq-Jay and an impressive museum of industrial design. The 3rd Arrondissement has ten Metro stations, but it’s very central for the rest of Paris.

The Eiffel Tower and the 7th Arrondissement

Image by Nuno Lopes from Pixabay

On the left bank of the Seine, just across the river from both the Louvre and the Arc de Triomphe, the 7th Arrondissement is a big one, both in size and in attractions. Firstly, this is where you’ll find the Eiffel Tower, and many of the big museums, including the Musée d'Orsay, Musée du quai Branly, Musée Rodin, the Musée de L’Armée and Napoleon’s resting place, Les Invalides. The stylish shopping district of Saint Germain des Prés is also in the 7th, and the traditionally aristocratic Faubourg Saint-Germain, which is where you’ll find many embassies, hôtels particuliers, and some of the fanciest of our recommendations for hotels on the left bank. There’s a huge range of places to eat and drink in the 7th, from traditional sidewalk cafes, to touristy eateries, to high end restaurants. The area has 16 Metro stations, and three stations on the RER C train line. It’s very central, with a good mix of accommodation.

Saint Germain des Prés and Faubourg Saint-Germain

Flickr user Jim Nix

Surrounding the former Abbey of Saint Germain des Prés on the left bank of the Seine, this is an especially elegant area, known for its hôtels particuliers and cafes, and some exceptionally charming squares. These streets are also lined with art galleries and antiques dealers, and there are a couple of small theatres too. Saint Germain des Prés has appeal for intellectuals, as this was the centre of the existential moment, and where Oscar Wilde spent his last days, strolling the streets and lamenting. Faubourg Saint-Germain is next door, and is where the French nobility have made their homes since the 18th century. These are particularly rewarding areas to walk around, with great places to eat, drink and people watch.

The Latin Quarter, the 5th and 6th Arrondissements

Image by Christel from Pixabay

Home to the Sorbonne, the Jardin du Luxembourg, the Panthéon and a lively cafe culture, the Latin Quarter runs up against the 7th Arrondissement on the left bank. There are lots of universities in this part of town, occupying a clutch of beautiful buildings, and the many student communities here give the place a lot of life. There are plenty of very Parisian cafes for the intelligentsia to mingle and discuss, and great restaurants and bars as well. The Latin Quarter is also known for its art galleries, book shops and fashion. 

Montmartre

Flickr user Ed Webster

Montmartre is a hill, in Paris’s 18th Arrondissement, topped by the beautiful, white domes of Sacré-Cœur. It gives its name to the whole surrounding area, which includes many cafes, restaurants and bars. Today it’s mostly known for its basilica, its nightlife, and for its role in the film Amelie, but historically it’s been well loved by artists, who have certainly left the legacy of their bohemian lifestyles — many of the bars, cafes, bistros and restaurants they frequented are relatively unchanged. The Musée de Montmartre is an important local landmark and museum, having housed many artists and their studios, including Renoir and Suzanne Valadon. This is also where you’ll find the refurbished Moulin Rouge. Montmartre still has the same incredible views, and many of its charms, and it still has rather a villagey feel, considering it’s just a stroll downhill to the Louvre.

The 9th Arrondissement

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Fashionable and elegant, the 9th Arrondissement is also called Opéra, and, logically, is the area around the Paris Opera, including the Boulevard Haussmann. As well as the opera house, this arrondissement has the Folies Bergères, the Théatre Mogador and the Théatre de Paris, so it’s lively in the evening, with diners and theatre goers. In the daytime this area is crammed with shoppers, visiting the Galleries Lafayette and Printemps, among other department stores and shops. Between Montmartre and the business district, the 9th Arrondissement has 20-odd Metro stations, so it’s well connected to the rest of Paris, and within a relaxed stroll of many of the major sights.

The 10th Arrondissement

Image by Patrick BARBAUD from Pixabay

The 10th is also called Entrepôt, which translates to ‘warehouse’, which makes sense when you hear that this is where you’ll find two of Paris’s major rail stations, the Gare du Nord and the Gare de l’Est. These big transport hubs make this an attractive spot if you’re passing through Paris, and the area is well set up for that sort of visit, with plenty of cafes, bistros and bars. It has its own sights too, though, one of the most popular being the Canal Saint-Martin area. The wide boulevards in this part of town are built over the canal, rather than beside it, along some stretches, but it’s still a popular place for a stroll or a cruise, and the working locks with their series of cast-iron footbridges add plenty of charm. It’s quite a good spot for boutique shopping too.