Where to Stay in Paris - A Local’s Neighborhood Guide
Affiliate disclosure: some of the links in this article are affiliate links. If you book using one of them, we’ll earn a small commission. All of our info is free to read and free of ads, so we appreciate it!
Working out where to stay in Paris can be tricky! For a start, it has 1,600 hotels and 95,000 short-term rentals (according to 2024 figures), which is a lot of choice!
Then there’s the city’s layout, a snail-shaped spiral of 20 arrondissements (administrative districts), which coil out clockwise in numerical order starting from the Louvre, each with their own neighborhoods, attractions, and history. Add to that, your budget requirements, as some areas are pricier than others, and you’ve got yourself a head-spin.
A friend of mine once said that deciding where to stay here is like standing in front of a patisserie counter with 100 different cakes: Everything looks amazing; but you can’t pick because there’s too much to take in!
So how do you reduce your options? Well, as a long-time Paris resident and the author of multiple guidebooks on Paris, my advice for you is this:
You need to decide what version of Paris you want to wake up to. This is a multifaceted city, and each neighborhood has its own individual feel, so…
Do you want to wake up to the big tourist sights, like the Louvre or the Eiffel Tower? Or would you rather sip your morning coffee in a quiet, residential part of town? Are chic streets and designer shops important to you? Or would you like to experience Paris’ artsy, more offbeat side? Do you want to avoid tourists? Or do you enjoy the bustle of international visitors (some 50 million a year, by the way!)?
Answering these questions will help you to whittle down your options.
To get you started, I’ve put together a breakdown of the five neighborhoods that I recommend below, plus their pros and cons, and a few hotel recommendations in each. Whether you’re a first-time visitor or a returning Paris lover, this list should help you make up your mind.
Table of Contents
Overview of Paris’ layout
Paris’s arrondissements, with the Seine River dividing the city into the left and right banks. Photo: Hmaglione10, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Before getting into the neighborhoods, I think I should quickly give you a look at the lay of the land!
As I said before, central Paris is organized around 20 fixed administrative districts called arrondissements (abbreviated to arr.). They are numbered 1 to 20, and spiral out in a snail shape from the Louvre (1st arr.) to the 20th in the north-east. Because the districts are large, they can be further broken down into individual neighborhoods (more on this below).
The River Seine cuts through the middle of it all, creating the Right Bank (Rive Droite) to the north and the Left Bank (Rive Gauche) to the south. The right bank covers arr. 1 to 4, 8 to 12, and 16 to 20 while the left bank covers arr. 5, 6, 7, and 13 to 15. In between all of this and literally inside the river are two small islands: Ile de la Cité (where you’ll find the Cathedral of Notre-Dame), and Île Saint-Louis, where the Gallic Parisi tribe first founded a settlement in the Iron Age - hence Paris’ name.
But… these arrondissements are primarily used for official purposes (like maps, government services, and postal codes). Parisians really think of their city in terms of neighborhoods. You’ve probably already heard of a few of them: Montmartre, the Marais, and the Latin Quarter, among others.
They’re throwbacks to the time when Paris was a collection of separate villages, each with their own distinct personality. The villages were absorbed into the city over the centuries (with the last lot, like Montmartre, arriving in 1860), but their original identities are still very present, giving each part of town its own distinctive feel and name.
Most neighborhoods fall within a single arrondissement (the Latin Quarter, for instance, is the 5th arr., and Montmartre is in the 18th) but some straddle a few: the Marais is in both the 3rd and 4th arr.; Nation, a cool residential area on the eastern edge of town, has sections that fall within 3 different arrondissements - the 11th, 12th and 20th.
Unlike arrondissements, neighborhoods aren't defined by firm borders - they're more about the history and character of an area. So, when I make recommendations on where to stay, I’ve referred to the neighborhoods and not the arrondissements (although I’ve listed them too, just to be safe).
Unrelated to neighborhoods, but worth keeping in mind, is that many of the city’s main sights are spread along the River Seine from east to west. This means that there’s no one touristic center in which you’ll find all the main sights packed close to each other.
Oh, and a quick word on transport:
Paris is a relatively small, walkable capital. On foot, you can cover its entire breadth from east to west - taking in a bucket-list worth of sights on the way - in 2-3 hours.
It also has one of best metro systems in the world (16 lines and 303 stations), plus the RER (an underground train network linking central Paris to the suburbs), so no matter where you stay, you shouldn’t be more than a 5-minute walk from a station or more than a 20-minute ride from an attraction. A comprehensive bus and tram system complete the offerings.
Quick summary of my 5 recommended neighborhoods
1 - The Marais (3rd and 4th arr.) - red on the map above
Highly central and packed with culture, history, and great architecture, it’s here that you’ll find the Picasso museum and the Pompidou center, along with a host of other cultural institutions and sights.
It’s also an ideal area for shopping as it’s filled with boutiques which are even open on Sundays (a rarity in Paris). A big LGBTQ hub, it has loads of fun bars and good nightlife too.
2 - The Latin Quarter (5th arr.) - purple above
A buzzy student-centric area that’s equal parts scholarly and boho. It’s full of quaint, narrow streets that wind between big monuments like the Panthéon and the Sorbonne university, many lined with low-key cafés and restaurants. It’s also here you’ll find a big concentration of bookshops, like Shakespeare & Co, and Seine-side sights like Notre-Dame.
If you’re a culture vulture or a bookworm, this is the area for you. Just sharpen those elbows in high season, when it’s assailed with tourists.
3 - Montmartre (18th arr.) - yellow above
Of all the neighbouhoods in Paris, hilly Montmartre, with its cobblestone streets, vineyard, and the Sacré-Cœur basilica, feels the most like a village to me. It’s great for sweeping views over the whole of the city; and it’s here, at its base, that you’ll find the famous Moulin Rouge.
But it is less central, so be prepared to take the metro (or walk up steep hills) to get back after a day’s sightseeing.
4 - Champs-Élysées (8th arr.) - blue
A posh spot that mixes luxury shops with offices, and landmarks like the Arc de Triomphe. If you’re into high-end shopping, palace hotels, and like the idea of walking down what Parisians call ‘the most famous avenue in the world!’ this neighborhood’s for you. Just be aware that you’ll find more character in other areas.
5 - Saint-Germain des Près (6th arr.) - black/grey
This classy Left Bank area is filled with art galleries, chic shops, and historic literary cafés (think Les Deux Magots and Café Flore), as well must-sees like the Luxembourg gardens. For years, its cafes drew intellectuals like Sartre and Hemingway, whereS nowadays, you’re more likely to spot well-healed shoppers there rather than tomorrow’s thinkers.
That said, if your Parisian dream is staying somewhere that mixes art, history, and luxury, this is your match.
1. Marais (3rd & 4th arr.)
Best for: Anyone looking for a great combination of museums, art, shopping, and food
Pros: Buzzy and eclectic atmosphere, super central with great public transit, gorgeous architecture, mixed local/touristic feel
Cons: Very busy, especially in high-season when the streets heave with visitors
Rue Saint-Antoine, one of the Marais’ main streets. Photo: Jeanne Menjoulet from Paris, France, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The half-timber houses on Rue François Miron. Photo: Mbzt, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The lovely and serene Place des Vosges. Photo: Cette photo a été prise par André ALLIOT., CC0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped
People strolling about on Rue des Rosiers in the Marais. Photo: ninara from Helsinki, Finland, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
If I had to choose just one neighborhood to suggest you stay in, it would be the Marais, which has truly got it all.
Spanning the 3rd and 4th arr. on the right bank of the River Seine, this neighborhood is within easy walking distance to many of Paris’ major sights, like the Notre-Dame cathedral, the river itself, the Pompidou Center, and the Louvre. It’s also an extremely convenient location from which to move about the rest of the city, as several metro lines have stations very close by (lines 1, 3, 5, 8, and 11). But, above all else, it’s insanely pretty.
The neighborhood survived Paris’ 19th-century remodeling under Napoleon III, so it still has tons of beautiful narrow streets that look like ready-made postcards (don’t miss pink-bricked Place des Vosges) and that are lined with gorgeous 17th-century mansions. Some of them now house museums like the Picasso-Paris and the free Musée de la Carnavalet, which covers much of Paris’ history.
There are multiple medieval throwbacks here too - like the half-timbered houses on Rue François Miron, the Flamboyant Gothic Hôtel de Sens (once the archbishop’s residence and today’s Forney art library), and Paris’s oldest house, the 15th-century Auberge Nicolas Flammel. Yes, Harry Potter fans, this is the house where the maker of the Sorcerer’s Stone, Nicolas Flammel, really lived – well, the historically accurate version of him anyway. Today it’s an amazing restaurant.
And all this architecture and history cohabits wonderfully with modern life, with the area also hosting lots of contemporary art galleries, hip brunch spots, trendy fashion boutiques, vintage clothes shops, and very cool cafes. When I said above that the neighborhood has it all, I really meant it.
As if that wasn’t enough, the Marais is also both the historic heart of Paris’s Jewish community, centered along Rue des Rosiers (famous for its falafel shops), and the city’s LGBTQ+ hub, with all sorts of fun bars and clubs that keep the party going until far later than you’ll find me staying up.
People from both the communities mentioned above live here, but it’s such a melting pot that you’ll find a neat cross-section of other residents too: middle-class families with young kids, upwardly-mobile thirty-somethings, retired Parisians, and, unsurprisingly, tourists. Lots of them - AirBnB lists around 900 apartments in the area!
Of course, the appeal of all of this isn’t lost on Parisians or visitors, and so while this is a dazzling and super fun area, the crowds can get a bit much at times. If you’re a history-lover, foodie, shopaholic, night owl, or all four mixed together, it’ll be worth it. If it’s quieter streets you’re after, I’d try somewhere else.
Where to stay
A quick note on hotels in the Marais: despite the popularity of the ‘hood, prices are pretty average for Paris – less expensive, even, than a few other areas I’ve recommended in this guide, like Saint-Germain-des-Près and the Champs Elysées.
Le Pavillon de la Reine - Great for a special splurge - a luxury boutique hotel on Place des Vosges that feels like a private mansion, with a hidden garden, and drop-dead gorgeous décor (lots of velvet, and bold patterns mixed with slick furniture). It’s restaurant, Anne, has one Michelin star. $500
L’Hôtel du Petit Moulin - Set in an old bakery and with design by Christian Lacroix, this is a quirky 4-star hotel for fashion lovers. Rooms have wild and wacky colors and patterns, so expect everything from giant butterfly motifs and leopard-print fabrics to stripy wallpaper and trompe l’oeil theater scenes. The result is fun but elegant. $370
Hôtel Jules & Jim - This 4-star (in a converted processing plant) is on a street lined with restaurants bars, yet it’s amazingly quiet, thanks to 2 courtyards, one of which has a cocktail bar and an outdoor fireplace (a rarity in Paris). Rooms are modern with lots of whites and greys, and high-tech touches. Top-floor ones have fab views over the rooftops. $270
Hôtel Caron de Beaumarchais - Smack bang in the bustle of the Marais, this 3-star hotel, named after the great Enlightenment-era playwright, is dressed up like an 18th-century boudoir with lots of toile-de-jouy wallpaper and antique furniture. Rooms and beds are small (even for Paris), but you’ll wake up in the midst of it all. $200
Hôtel Emile Le Marais - Right by the St Paul Metro station, this small 2-star hotel has a lot going for it: great location, simple but well-decorated rooms (many with balconies), comfy mattresses and a pleasant little breakfast area. It’s a top choice if you’re on a budget. $190
2. The Latin Quarter (5th arr.)
Best for: Students, families, history lovers, and anyone who likes to mix the big sights with lesser-known ones. Oh, and Emily in Paris fans too!
Pros: Very central, plenty of affordable bars and restaurants (thank you student population!), lots of noteworthy sights, and - for reasons that escape me - hotel prices tend to be quite low
Cons: Student-heavy areas can be noisy, and some parts are seriously touristy
The Luxembourg gardens on a busy Sunday. Photo: missbossy from Singapore, Singapore, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Place de l’Estrapade. Photo: Celette, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped
Place de la Sorbonne, in the Latin Quarter. Photo: Celette, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped
The Institut Oceánographique and other lovely buildings in the center of the neighborhood. Photo: oceano, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
This hilly, central neighborhood hugging the Left Bank of the Seine (in the 5th arrondissement) has so much going for it that I hardly know where to start.
It’s named for the Latin-speaking students who studied here in Medieval times, a trend that has continued through to the modern day, with a host of universities still here (the most famous of which is the Sorbonne). In line with that, you’ll find all the obligatory student-trappings - cheap eats, bookstores (including the fabulous Shakespeare & Co), happy hour hotspots, and bustling cafés.
But that’s just a part of it: well-healed local families and literary types make up most of the local fauna, lending it pleasant, semi-residential vibe. If you like being in the thick of it, but with some opportunities for escaping the crowds, this could be your area.
Ditto, if you’re an architecture fan, like me: The Latin Quarter has, quite possibly, more architectural styles condensed into one small area than anywhere else in town: Here, Roman-era amphitheater ruins at Arènes de Lutèce (a throwback from when Paris was a Roman settlement, and now a park) roll into quaint 19th-century streets and grand boulevards that flow past typical Haussmann-style apartment buildings.
Continuing on, you’ll find old medieval mansions (like Musée du Cluny), and one of the grandest buildings in the whole of Paris: the Panthéon, whose white, US-Capitol-like dome you can climb for sweeping cityscapes.
There’s Modern architecture too, at the 1920s Mosquée de Paris (Paris’s mosque, with a fab tearoom and Moroccan restaurant), and the 1980s high-rise of the Institut du Monde Arabe, dedicated to Islamic art.
Of course, if you’re just looking for atmosphere, you’ll find plenty of that – especially around Rue Mouffetard, which has one of Paris’s loveliest street markets, or on place de l’Estrapade, by the Panthéon, which Emily in Paris fans will recognize as the square she lived on (the bakery and the restaurant are here too)! Both areas are fab for people-watching over coffee.
This neighborhood is also, in my opinion, the best choice for families, thanks to the Jardin des Plantes - a vast, 17th-century botanical garden with multiple museums, including the Natural History Museum and the world’s second oldest zoo, the Ménagerie - and the nearby Luxembourg Gardens which are filled with play areas and kids’ activities.
With that said, some areas are mega touristy and should probably be avoided - like Rues Saint-Séverin and Galande by the river, which drip in cheap souvenir shops. Ditto for Rue de la Huchette, though don’t write this one off entirely: it’s home to the Caveau de la Huchette, a tiny, but world-class jazz joint that’s wholly worth your time. It was featured in movies like 1958’s Funny Face, and more recently, 2017’s La La Land.
Where to stay
Hôtel Grand Coeur Latin - You’ll find a swimming pool and spa in the basement of this hip 4-star spot – a rarity in Paris. Rooms are slick, and there’s a fab cocktail bar. $366
Hôtel Monge - Right by the Arènes de Lutèce and Jardin des Plantes (from where it draws its floral décor inspiration), this place feels like a private home. There’s a hammam and a massage room in the basement. $330
Hôtel Jardins de Cluny - Pretty nature-inspired décor and a brilliant location by the Sorbonne make this a good option. It has a few triple and quadruple rooms for families too. $300
Hôtel des Grands Hommes - You’ll be right by the Panthéon at this quaint little 3-start hotel. In fact, some front rooms offer views straight on to it. Décor is rather grand, with lots of toile de jouy and antique furniture. A good central spot. $240
Hôtel des Grandes Ecoles - At the bottom of a leafy courtyard, this place feels like a secret. The trees outside your window and the kitschy floral wallpaper lend it countryside vibe. Sip your morning coffee to the chirruping of birds. This is my favourite budget hotel in the whole of Paris. $180
3. Montmartre (18th arr.)
Best for: Romantics looking for a slice of old-fashioned boho Paris, night owls searching for edgy nightlife, and anyone who values charm over convenience (the hills are steep, steep steep!).
Pros: Great views and a distinct village-feel with vineyards, winding lanes, and even a couple of windmills. Young and artsy population, so there’s a great boho vibe too.
Cons: The parts around place du Tertre get overrun with tourists. The hills are brutal, so expect to use the metro a lot for getting back.
Touristy Place du Tertre in the upper part of Montmartre. Photo: KimonBerlin, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The Sacre Coeur basilica. Photo: Superchilum, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped
A typically pretty but hilly street in Montmartre. Photo: David McSpadden from Daly City, United States, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Montmartre sits right up on top of the Butte (hillside) in the 18th arrondissement, so offers amazing views from the foot of the Sacré-Coeur basilica – that Neo-byzantine, white-domed landmark that you can see from all over the city.
It was one of the last villages to be annexed to Paris (in 1860) and is still - in my opinion - the most village-like area of the city. But, there are two distinct parts, the upper zone around the Sacré-Coeur, which is all quaint and “old world”, and the lower part, towards Pigalle, which is much edgier.
If you’re looking for your own little old-fashioned world, the parts around the Sacré Coeur are probably for you. It’s here that many of Paris’ artists and musicians still live – amid cobble-stone streets, two windmills, little houses covered in ivy, and even Montmartre’s vineyard (by rue St Vincent), which is brilliant to see in October when the neighborhood celebrates the Fête des Vendages (grape harvest) and tables spill out in the street. It’s also desperately romantic!
Overly-touristy Place du Tertre, lined with artists hawking portraits is a downer, but you can quickly get that out of the way to amble through the lanes towards little art museums like Musée Dalí (on surrealist painter Salvador Dalí) and the Musée de Montmartre, where Renoir used to live and work.
Younger professionals tend to prefer the lower part of Montmartre, around Rue des Abbesses (which is lined with brilliant boutiques and boho cafés), and the Boulevard de Clichy right at the bottom of the Butte.
This is where you’ll find the Moulin Rouge cabaret (birthplace of the French Can-Can), plus edgy nightlife, with hip clubs and bars, sex shops, and a burgeoning culinary scene, with everything from big brasseries to chic modern bistros. If you’re a night owl, you love this part of town.
In short, if you want to experience what it’s like to live in a modern Parisian ‘village’ that’s’ steeped in history and romance, has unparalleled views, and buzzy nightlife (and you’re okay with climbing hills and staircases and a bit of metro-hopping), then choose Montmartre.
If you don’t fancy the hills, or you’d rather be somewhere more central with minimal commuting, you’d be better choose somewhere else.
Where to stay
Hôtel Particulier Montmartre - A chic old manor house, set on a hidden lane, with a tree-filled courtyard and just five plush suites, each decorated by artists. Even if you don’t sleep here, come by for the brilliant cocktail bar and restaurant. $720
Terrass Hotel - This trendy 4-star hotel has a rooftop bar and restaurant with sweeping views over the whole of the city, making it a coveted spot for Parisians. Rooms are slick; some have Eiffel Tower views. There’s also a Nuxe spa and a fitness area. $400
Hôtel le Relais Montmartre - A fab family-run hotel with bright, simple rooms in a cool part of Montmartre, smack bang in the middle of the Butte. $250
Hôtel des Arts - Another family-run gem - with cool retro-style rooms and views over the streets and rooftops. A hamman and fitness room in the basement cap things off nicely. Good price too. $190
Hotel Basss - Amongst the shops and cafés of Rue des Abbesses, this 3-star hotel has cool, minimalist rooms in light shades of peach and pink, and a quaint little courtyard terrace. $175
4. Champs Elysées (8th arr.)
Best for: Anyone with cash to spend, and lovers of palace hotels, grand monuments, and big museums
Pros: Incredible transit connections, great designer shopping and flagship high-street stores, luxury hotels galore (if that’s your thing), several major art museums
Cons: Busy and almost always overrun with both tourists and office workers. It’s also expensive and can feel quite impersonal.
Avenue des Champs Elysées seen from he Arc de Triomhe. Photo: Josh Hallett, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Rue de Marignan near the Champs Elysées. Photo: Steven Depolo from Grand Rapids, MI, USA, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped
Grand architecture along the Avenue des Champs Elysées
Rue du Faubourg-Saint-Honoré. Photo: Celette, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Sometimes, you just want an area that screams ‘Parisian grandeur!’, and this is it. The neighborhood’s main artery, the Avenue des Champs Elysées, which stretches from Place de la Concorde in the east to Napoleon’s Arc de Triomphe monument in the west (climb to the top for great views), is that famous tree-lined street filled with typical Haussmann-style architecture (Paris’s iconic, elegantly carved, six-story apartment buildings), flagship shops, movie theaters, and uber-expensive restaurants and hotels.
Oh, and tourists. Lots and lots of tourists! In fact, you won’t find many Parisians living here at all. Most of the buildings house offices or famous stores, plus bars and restaurants where workers (and tourists) stay on at the end the day for drinks and food – often till the wee hours.
Staying around here will put you by tons of big-name designer stores, like Louis-Vuitton, Dior and Kenzo, and Michelin-starred restaurants, like Le Cinq and Le Gabriel, themselves housed in 5-star palace hotels that cost thousands a night. If you’re after glamour, luxury, and a feeling of high-fashion and high-society, this you will be hard-pressed to do better than this area.
You’ll also be right by a two of my favorite art museums, the Grand Palais (for world-class temporary exhibitions) and Petit Palais (for fine art), both set in sumptuous Belle Époque palaces. Speaking of culture, you really are spoiled for choice in this area, with a host of other notable museums and galleries like the Yves Saint Laurent Museum, Palais Galliera fashion museum, La Galerie Dior, Guimet Museum, and Modern Art Museum all here.
Just be aware that most of this area feels pretty impersonal, so you won’t find anything quaint here and won’t get much of a feeling for Paris’s soul. This is a hub for commerce, high-end consumerism, and arts and culture, but it isn’t representative of the Paris that most of us locals live and breath every day. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but I want to make sure you know what to expect.
For a more intimate experience, I always tell people to head off the main avenue towards Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré (home of the French president in the Elysées palace), where you’ll find narrower streets, lined with palatial government buildings, expensive, but smaller boutiques, and lots of art galleries. It’s still exclusive, but less in-your-face!
In a nutshell, this area is tourist heavy, with nonstop crowds (day and night) and little in the way of cozy charm, but, if you love a posh atmosphere, a constant city buzz, and don’t mind the high prices, this could well be the place for you.
It’s also very well-served by public transit, with metro stations spread all about it, and is conveniently close to lots of other places/areas of interest: yhe Eiffel Tower is just across the river, the Trocadero Gardens are just to the southwest, and the the Place de la Concorde and Jardin des Tulieres can be reached via lovely stroll down the namesake Avenue des Champs Elysées.
Where to stay
Hôtel Barrière Fouquet’s - Even Parisians jostle for a spot on the 5-star Fouquet’s hidden rooftop garden, which feels a world away from the bustle of the Champs Elysées outside. Rooms are ostentatious. There’s an 8,600 sq ft spa, and the downstairs brasserie is an institution. $1850
Hôtel Lancaster Paris - A classy 5-star hotel that feels like private home. A stream of film stars have stayed here – from Orson Wells to David Lynch—and it’s still a celebrity favorite. It’s got a brilliant cocktail bar and a courtyard restaurant. $550
Citizen M Champs Elysée - A big, modern hotel just off the Champs Elysées with fun design objects in common areas (think a bending lamppost light). There’s a rooftop bar with an Eiffel Tower views too! $500
Maison Albar - Right by the Arc de Triomphe in a classic Haussmann-style building, choose this for kitschy-chic rooms in orange, gray and/or blue (some with mirrored ceilings), and a low-key bar restaurant, that opens out onto the street outside. $380
Hôtel Regents Garden - A brilliant budget option about a 10-minute walk from the Arc de Triomphe. Rooms are small, with bold patterned fabrics. There’s a big, sheltered courtyard garden with tables – a godsend on a hot day. $185
5. Saint-Germain-des-Près (6th arr.)
Best for: Visitors who like chic surroundings and want to walk everywhere. Anyone looking to relive Paris’s literary history
Pros: Central location close to big sights, tons of pretty streets filled with chic boutiques and art galleries, the charming Seine-side booksellers, some interesting museums
Cons: Restaurants and hotels tend to be expensive here. Nightlife is thin on the ground.
The Rue de Seine. Photo: Ralf.treinen, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped
Les Deux Magots on Place Saint-Germain-des-Près. Photo: Celette, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
If you’re looking for a slice of Paris’s literary history, insanely central Saint-Germain-des-Près is for you.
It was here in the post-war era that thinkers like Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir once debated existentialism in cafés like Les Deux Magots, Café de Flore and Le Procope. And it’s here that you can still feel traces of it today – in the above cafés (which despite drawing hoards of tourists still feel genuine and have annual literary prizes), and in the area’s higgledy-piggledy bookshops, and Seine-side Bouquinistes book stalls.
But literary history aside, if I had to pick one neighborhood to be quintessentially ‘Paris’, I’d choose this one: It feels simultaneously polished and understated, and somehow timeless. It’s a bit like stepping into a Parisian postcard – or a Woody Allen movie.
Here, chic boutiques mix with little neighborhood bakeries, quirky art galleries, and sidewalk cafés (great people-watching spots), as you venture off tree-lined Boulevard Saint-Germain (by medieval Saint-Germain des Près church, famed for its painted interior), down bustling side streets like Rues de Seine and de Buci.
If you like culture, you’ll be well-served: It’s with easy walking distance of the Louvre and Musée d’Orsay, and also has its own share of museums, with everything from painter Eugène de la Croix’s tiny former home to the palatial Monnaie de Paris (the Paris mint), which still churns out France’s euro coins and official medals.
The charming Pont des Arts, which crosses the Seine River over to the Louvre is right here, and the Île de la Cité, home to the Sainte-Chapelle and Cathedral of Notre Dame, is just a couple of minutes east by foot.
As if that weren’t enough, if you’re with small children, you’ve also got the Luxembourg Gardens nearby, which are filled with playgrounds, and kid-friendly activities – from pony riding to model boat sailing.
Simply put, the location is absolutely unbeatable, with many of Paris’s main sights right at your fingertips.
In terms of the local life in the area, Saint Germain-des-Près draws an affluent crew – successful artists, authors and expats, plus Parisians whose families have lived here for generations. It’s not a neighborhood for bargain hunters, and the exclusivity is reflected in the high cost of housing (and hotels if you’re a visitor).
All in all, if you want to walk everywhere, and/or are motivated by café culture and a touch of literary history (and you can afford the high prices), I would strongly recommend putting Saint-Germain very high on your list.
On the other hand, if you’re on a budget, you’d be better off in the Marais or the Latin Quarter, which offer some of the same appeal but at much more affordable prices.
Where to stay
L’Hôtel - Oscar Wilde died a pauper on the ground floor of this now-sumptuous hotel. Rooms are dressed up like Victorian boudoirs – all velvet and satin. There’s a hip cocktail bar, and a pool in the medieval basement. $620
Hôtel d’Aubusson - You’ll get a mix of old-school and modern grandeur in the rooms at this 5-star venue. The patio is a nice touch – as are the music nights in the hotel’s famous Café Laurent jazz bar. $570
Hôtel Dame des Arts - There’s a cool Mid-century vibe in the rooms here, some with balconies. The restaurant doubles as a cocktail bar, and the rooftop bar has 180° views of the city, including the Eiffel Tower. $480
Hôtel des Grands Voyageurs - This 4-star is a find, with chic vintage liner-themed rooms, a Franco-American brasserie cum cocktail bar, and a speakeasy in the basement. $376
Hôtel des Marronniers - A great budget option, with bright, traditional rooms, and a beautiful courtyard garden (complete with its own tree), that doubles as an all-day tea room. $200
Other neighborhoods to consider
I’m pretty sure the 5 neighborhoods I’ve listed will suit most travellers, but Paris is such an eclectic city, with a wealth of atmospheres, so here is a quick lowdown of three more areas you could consider:
The Louvre - 1st arr.
Insanely central area, with the Louvre museum, Tuileries Gardens and Palais Royal. It’s within easy walking distance of the Opera Garnier (the famous setting for Gaston Leroux’s novel, the Phantom of the Opera), the Champs Elysées, and the Left Bank.
I haven’t included it as one of my recommended neighborhoods above because it can feel overwhelmingly touristy, so will be somewhere that many people wouldn’t enjoy. If you don’t mind the tourist crowds though, the location and access to big sights is hard to beat.
Bastille and the north-east - 11th arr.
This is my part of town: it’s where I’ve always lived and I still think it’s cool and fun every time I walk out my door. It has a lively, local feel, and lots of bars, cafés, and destination restaurants. Accommodation will also be much more affordable here than in the other neighborhoods that I’ve recommended above.
The streets here might not be as posh as those closer to the Seine, but it’s a great option if you’re on a budget or you’re looking to live as young Parisians do today. It’s a bit further away from many of the places you’re likely to want to visit during your trip and there aren’t really any major sights here, which is the tradeoff for the good prices and lovely local atmosphere.
Eiffel Tower area - 7th and 15th arr.
The Eiffel Tower isn’t quite a central as you might think, which is why I’ve kept this as a bonus area. It’s mostly a mix of high-end residences and embassies, though rue Cler is a quaint market street.
You’ll find the statue-filled gardens of the Musée Rodin here, and Les Invalides, France’s national armories museum. Strangely, though, for me, this area lacks some soul. But there’s no denying that waking up to the sight of the Iron Lady can be magical.
More France travel info
For more advice on planning a trip to the French Riviera, check out some of our other guides and itineraries!
- Chat with a local expert
- 1 hour planning session
- Get pro tips & hidden gems
- Personalized to you
Connect with a Local Expert
