Paris - Districts and Map

Paris is divided into 20 districts, known as "arrondissements" - the last one or two digits of the postcode indicate the district, ie 75009 is the 9th district. All districts of Paris have their own particular charm and atmosphere. The following are very general guidelines to the districts of Paris where our hotels and apartments are located.

1st - Includes the Tuileries Gardens, Rue de Rivoli with its colonnaded shops and luxury hotels, the Place Vendôme home to the finest jewellers in the world and the Rue St-Honoré, one of Paris’s most famous shopping streets full of chic boutiques, famous designers and home wares.  Les Halles, formerly the fruit and vegetable market, is now a lively area of shops, restaurants and pedestrian streets.

2nd - Mainly a business and shopping area, includes the Bourse (Paris Stock Exchange). Some of Paris’s older character is found in the many ‘passages’ in the 2nd district (as well as 9th district), narrow shopping arcades which have been restored and contain many fascinating and specialised shops.

3rd - The Marais, one of the most fascinating areas of Paris, revived in the 1960’s by the Charles de Gaulle government. Fashionable, yet in parts with a ‘village’ atmosphere.   Full of former private16th and 17th century townhouses which are now museums, galleries or public buildings. One of the few areas in Paris where many shops are open on Sundays - attracting both tourists and locals.

4th - Includes a large part of the Marais, the splendid Place des Vosges and surrounding narrow streets crammed with shops and restaurants. The Beaubourg district with the futuristic Pompidou centre, recently re-opened after renovations.   The surrounding streets attract many tourists and students, and there are many inexpensive restaurants and bars.

5th - The ‘Latin Quarter’ on the Left Bank of the Seine.   A lively area, full of student book shops, cafés, cinemas and jazz clubs.   Home to the Sorbonne University. Narrow cobbled streets off the main boulevards some dating back to the 13th century.   Plenty of inexpensive restaurants.

6th - St. Germain-des-Prés.  Home to some of Paris’s most celebrated cafés and brasseries, Les Deux Magots, Café de Flore, Brasserie Lipp and Le Procope.   The area abounds with chic boutiques of some top designers, wonderful shoe and antique shops.  The Luxembourg Gardens in the 6th are a haven of peace and tranquility. Excellent restaurants.

7th - Encompasses a large part of the Left Bank of the Seine and some of the best known sites in Paris - the Eiffel Tower, Les Invalides (Napoleon’s tomb) and the Musée d’Orsay with its wealth of impressionist paintings.  The eastern part borders St. Germain-des-Prés with a similar atmosphere. 

8th - The 8th district is dominated by the wide Champs-Elysées and other well known streets such as the Boulevard Haussmann.   The ‘Golden Triangle’ of Paris contains many of the world’s most famous ‘haute couture’ fashion houses. An area with many luxury hotels, fine restaurants and excellent shopping for both food and fashion.

9th - A busy but very Parisian area, with wide boulevards to its south, and the large department stores, Galeries Lafayette and Printemps. Includes the Opéra Garnier sometimes thought of as the heart of Paris. Many smaller, narrow streets, with small food shops and sometimes fruit and vegetable markets.  In the north the 9th borders the start of the foothills of Montmartre.

11th - The Bastille area, becoming increasingly fashionable and offering good value hotels and restaurants and lively nightlife, often with a Latin American influence.  The western edge of the district is close to the Marais.

12th - Stretching from Bastille to the edge of the Bois de Vincennes. Includes the Gare de Lyon and the Bercy Sports Stadium and new development on the banks of the Seine.

14th - Located on the Left Bank, south of Montparnasse, this is a peaceful residential area of Paris.  The 16 ha. Parc Montsouris, created between 1865 and 1868 includes an artificial lake.   The famous flea market “Puces de Vanves” is also in the 14th.

15th - Now dominated by the Montparnasse tower, the 15th district was once the haunt of writers, artists, sculptors and poets who enjoyed the Bohemian lifestyle of the quarter.   The area has not lost its appeal and the cafés and restaurants still flourish and cinemas thrive, especially at weekends.

16th - A refined and expensive residential district, its northern part includes many museums, embassies and company headquarters, with the famous Trocadero Gardens and Palais de Chaillot opposite the Eiffel Tower.

17th - Begins at the Arc de Triomphe, where wide avenues radiate out from the Place de l’Etoile.  Another refined and elegant largely residential district.

18th - Montmartre.  Always lively, yet still retains its village atmosphere with steep, winding streets, small terraces and tiny squares, plus the Sacré Coeur, Moulin Rouge and Place du Tertre (artists’ square).  A wonderful area to explore on foot.  At the bottom of the hill is the nightlife area of Paris.