11 best areas of Paris for the tourist

Paris - many-sided, multifaceted, diverse. Everyone has their own associations with this city. Someone sees romance in Paris, someone - a treasury of art, someone - the richest historical heritage, someone - the perfect place for shopping and entertainment. And the truth is, it is all there. This is a paradise for lovers and connoisseurs of beauty, for fashionistas and gourmets, for adventure seekers and vivid impressions.

But Paris can also be a huge disappointment, especially if you make a mistake with your place of residence. Alas, in this city there are disadvantaged areas. And one of the biggest mistakes of tourists is to succumb to the temptation to settle in such zones, due to the low prices of hotels and apartments. Therefore, the first thing you should pay attention to when planning a trip to Paris is the number of the district in which this or that hotel is located (be sure to check this detail with the tour operator if the trip takes place as part of a group tour).

Geographically, the capital of France is divided into 20 districts, located in a spiral from the center of the city, and schematically resembles a snail shell. Thus, the lower the county number, the closer to the center it is. But the problem of choice is not so much in the location as in the well-being of the districts. There are areas in which it is not recommended to settle because of the low level of security. In particular, these include 10 and 11 districts, where many come from African and Asian countries. The proximity of the North and East train stations, as well as low prices for accommodation, tempt tourists who are not yet familiar with the realities of life in Paris. For example, few people expect "pitfalls" from Montmartre –18th district, erroneously associated with churches and artists. Montmartre is also a “red-light district” with all sorts of zalachny institutions, a “bohemian” habitat with all the attributes of bohemian life, including drugs, and the “workplace” of numerous thieves, beggars, etc. It is certainly interesting to visit this district, but it’s not desirable to stay there during your stay in Paris.

The same applies to some other areas of the city. Therefore, you need to be extremely careful when choosing a place to stay and walk in Paris. Our county rating will help you navigate the French capital and find the area that best suits your needs.

Ranking of the best districts of Paris

Nomination	a place	district	rating
Rating of the best areas of Paris	1	First district	4.9
	2	Fourth district	4.9
	3	Seventh District	4.8
	4	Eighth District	4.8
	5	Third district	4.8
	6	Fifth district	4.7
	7	Sixth district	4.7
	8	Ninth District	4.6
	9	Second district	4. 5
	10	Sixteenth district	4.4
	11	Seventeenth district	4.4

Map of the Districts of Paris

First district

Rating: 4.9

The heart of Paris is the first district. Geographically, it is located in the heart of the French capital and is replete with sights. Even if a visit to Paris is only for one day, it’s impossible to ignore this district. After all, it is here that the Louvre and the Palace Concierge complex, the Palais Royal and the Orangerie Museum, the Tewilri Gardens and the New Bridge, as well as many other attractions are located.

This is a very convenient place to rent a hotel or apartment, as in the immediate vicinity and within walking distance are the attractions of the surrounding areas (this is one of the smallest districts both in size and population - less than one percent of Paris residents live here).

Also, the first district is famous for its chic boutiques and jewelry stores, located on the Place Vendome and in the surrounding streets. Shopping lovers can visit the Forum desHalles shopping center, one of the best in Paris.

Fourth district

Rating: 4.9

The crowded and noisy fourth district tourists rarely choose to stay because of high prices. However, it is imperative to visit this central area of ​​Paris, because here is one of the most famous sights of France - Notre Dame Cathedral. From the viewing platform on the tower of this temple offers a fabulous view of Paris. You can also admire the French capital from a height by visiting the Georges Pompidou Center. This modern art museum also has an observation deck, a ticket for which can be purchased separately. Beautiful views open from the bridges of Marie, Notre Dame, Changed.

In this district is located the city hall of Paris - Hotel de Ville, located on the eponymous square. Another area that attracts attention is the Royal Square, the oldest surviving in Paris, and one of the most famous. Hugo, Gauthier, Cardinal Richelieu, and even the wedding of kings were celebrated here.

Seventh District

Rating: 4.8

The district of Paris that attracts the most tourists is the seventh arrondissement. Here is the symbol of the French capital - the world famous Eiffel Tower. Inspection of this sights - point number 1 in the excursion plans of travel companies and individual travelers. It is not surprising that there is always a lot of people here. But, despite the high concentration of people, this is one of the safest places in Paris. Indeed, besides the sights, in the seventh district there are government buildings (Parliament, ministries), offices of many official structures, embassies of other states. This part of the capital is considered a political center.But for tourists there are also many interesting things, in particular, museums (Orsay, Rodin, etc.), Les Invalides (a luxurious palace complex in which Napoleon Bonaparte is buried). Travelers from Russia can, among other things, visit the Russian Spiritual and Cultural Center.

Eighth District

Rating: 4.8

The central location, the legendary sights, the abundance of historical and entertainment places - all this makes the eighth arrondissement one of the most attractive for tourists in Paris. Here is another symbol of the French capital Arc de Triomphe. This is one of the most beautiful areas where you can see Paris dreams - the way it looks on the pages of glossy magazines.

The eighth arrondissement is famous for its “Golden Triangle” formed by the Champs Elysees and two streets - George V and Montaigne. In this triangle are located the most fashionable boutiques. Most hotels and restaurants in the eighth arrondissement are also from the “extra-class” series. Therefore, tourists often choose to live in other areas, and this area is visited only for informational purposes. And there are plenty of objects for acquaintance here: the oldest station is Saint-Lazar, the Madeleine church in classical Greek style, the ancient Egyptian Luxor obelisk, the Elysee Palace - the residence of the French president, and much more.

Third district

Rating: 4.8

The history of the third district of Paris is connected with the Order of the Templars, who built a castle in the area. But the construction was prepared for a difficult fate: the castle changed owners, was rebuilt several times, twice became a prison and ruined many lives until it was destroyed by Napoleon I. But the third district is called the Temple - in memory of this magnificent fortress. But although the Templars castle was not preserved, many other buildings of that era remained here. This is a real corner of the Middle Ages in modern Paris, which was chosen by people of art. However, this place was attractive for them and in ancient times - many writers, poets, artists lived on the Place des Vosges. Now there are open museums of Picasso, Hugo, Cognac-Ge (the museum of painting of the XVIII century). In addition, there are many other interesting museums here: the history of Paris, the Carnival, the architecture of Paris, located in the mansion of Sully, the museums of dolls, hunting and nature, castles and door handles.

Fifth district

Rating: 4.7

This is one of the most popular districts in Paris, thanks to a combination of a number of factors. Firstly, this is the most ancient district of the French capital, which the ancient Romans (Latin Quarter) began to build.Secondly, there are a lot of historical sites. Thirdly, in comparison with other central districts, prices in the Pantheon - as the fifth district is also called - are quite loyal.

This is the center of intellectual life in Paris. In addition to the famous Sorbonne, in the fifth district there are many other educational institutions, research institutes and libraries. And Saint-Germain Boulevard is a real “mecca” for bibliophiles and not only. The fountain Saint-Michel on this boulevard is one of the most romantic places in Paris.

Among other objects of interest to tourists are the Pantheon, in which many prominent personalities are buried, one of the oldest churches of Saint-Severin, the Museum of the Middle Ages, the ancient arena (Lutetia Arena), built in the first century of our era.

Sixth district

Rating: 4.7

One of the nooks of peace in ever-bustling Paris is the sixth arrondissement, which is considered one of the safest in the French capital. The main attraction of this area is the Luxembourg Palace with the same garden, where the Parisians love to relax.

Luxembourg, as this district is also called, is rich in historical buildings - along with the Pantheon, it is the oldest part of the city. Here are also the oldest churches in Paris: Saint-Germain-Des-Prés, Saint-Sulpice (a temple known to many from the novel and / or the film “The Da Vinci Code”), the Cathedral of Vladimir the Great, whose construction began under Maria de Medici.

Far beyond Paris, the Bridge of Arts is also known, which has become an open-air studio for artists and photographers, and for lovers it is a place of pilgrimage. The couple still continue to hang locks with their names on the fence and throw the key into the river at a sign of eternal love, despite the fact that several years ago a part of the fence could not withstand ardent passions and collapsed into the water.

Ninth District

Rating: 4.6

Opera, as this district is also called, is known, first of all, for the luxurious building of the Opera Theater Garnier, which is considered one of the most beautiful theaters in the world. But besides the opera, there are many other interesting places in the ninth district. Music lovers can visit one of the most beautiful concert halls of Olympia or the Folies Bergeres cabaret, while shopaholics will be delighted with the abundance of shops. In particular, this is where the Galerie Lafayette shopping mall is located - the main center of Parisian shopping. In this huge building of 30 thousand square meters there is everything that your heart desires - from cosmetics to the most fashionable clothes. And if something is still not found, you can go in search of another famous shopping center Printsam, located nearby.

There are other interesting objects in the ninth arrondissement, among which temples (Saint-Trinite, Notre-Dame-de-Lorette) and the Grevin wax museum attract the most attention.

Second district

Rating: 4.5

The second district is located between the Louvre and the Paris Opera. This small area is also called the Exchange. This is the business center of the French capital, where, besides the country's main exchange, there are numerous banks, offices, etc. There are also a lot of shops here - from fashionable boutiques to small shops selling products and everyday things. And although life is in full swing here too late, but, in general, there are fewer tourists, and much calmer than in other central districts.

Hotels in the second district are mainly chosen by those who visit the capital of France for business purposes (prices for accommodation, by the way, are also at the business level). However, there is plenty of entertainment in this part of Paris too - these are night clubs, galleries, and museums. Here is the Grand Rex - the largest cinema palace in Europe. And music lovers, no doubt, will appreciate the Opera Comic (or, as it is also called, the Paris Opera), famous for its extraordinary productions and creative approach.

Sixteenth district

Rating: 4.4

The sixteenth arrondissement (or Passy - under the name of the suburb, which was later included in the territorial boundaries of Paris), although it is not located in the central part, but there are many sights worthy of attention. Also, do not lose sight of this area, if you are looking for a place to stay in Paris. This is a rich and fashionable part of the city, but due to its remoteness from the center, the prices are not exorbitant. Traffic is very good, so you can get to any point of Paris quickly and without problems. Yes, and in the district there is something to do. On the territory of Passy there are numerous museums, in particular the Balzac Museum, organized in the house where the writer lived for almost 8 years. Excellent expositions can boast of modern art museums in the Tokyo Palace and Oriental arts. Guimet. You can look into the museums of crystal, wine, crafts. Various interesting events are organized by the private Dapper Museum.

Seventeenth district

Rating: 4.4

The seventeenth arrondissement does not abound in landmarks, like many other areas. It can rather be called "sleeping." But, in comparison with some other areas, it is distinguished by a calm and comfortable atmosphere, as well as a fairly high level of security. It will appeal to those who, even when traveling, cannot imagine life without sports - there are many different places for sports activities in this district (stadiums, swimming pools, gyms). In addition, there are magnificent green areas, in particular the parks of Bitinol and Martin Luther King, which are true masterpieces of landscape art. Fans of painting will be interested in a large seven-story museum of Jean-Jacques Enner, in whose collection over two thousand paintings, including other authors.

Living in this district will give the opportunity to see Paris real, not tourist, and plunge into the ordinary life of ordinary French people. Plus it will cost significantly less than in the central districts.

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Attention! This rating is subjective, is not advertising and does not serve as a guide to the purchase. Before buying, you should consult with a specialist.