Best Arrondissement to stay in for first time in Paris
 

Sorry for double posting. I forgot to tag my post.

Which is the best Arrondissement to stay in if we want lots of cafes, restaurants, quaint neighborhoods. We also want to see the usual tourist attractions.

Which do you prefer?

5, 6 or 7 work for me

"quaint" really? :-)

After a lot of research I am staying in an apartment on Isle Satin-Louis for my honeymoon. Appears to be the best of both worlds- quiet and in the middle of it all.

I like the Marais, in the 4th. Close to the river, which we like to walk along each night on Ile Saint-Louis (which is also in the 4th)...with ice cream! Walking everywhere in the Marais is a treat.

ssander

Forget "quaint."There's nothing "quaint" about Paris. It's one of the world's most famous cities. Most first-timers seem to gravitate toward the 1st through 6th arrondissements. The Isle St-Loius (it's not satin) is one of the most expensive, touristy places on earth, but maybe that would appeal to you.There are loads of cafés and restaurants in every single one of Paris's 20 arrondissements. The tourist attractions weren't all planned at once like a theme park, but rather built one by one over many centuries, so they are of course spread out over the entire city. You can't jut plonk yourself down somewhere and have them all right at your disposal.

There isn't just "one" best arrondisement to stay at in Paris nor any other city (or district for cities that use that term). I think in almost any city that a tourist goes to for the first time, the conventional wisdom is to stay in the city center around typical sites of interest to a tourist, as that was usually the center of the city and of historical interest. I can't think of any city where most tourism is in the suburbs or outer areas of the city, but perhaps somewhere that I don't know of.

So just look for anywhere most centered around the dead center of the city which is Notre Dame. that is arrondisements 1-7 as Paris numbered them in a circle starting at the center. I left off 8 as it is more the expensive business area (and expensive residential areas for part), except for some far out parts, say NW of gare St Lazare, and that would probably not be the "best" area for a first time tourist although not terrible if you were there. 8 isn't so "quaint" either, nor is 2 which is a lot of business, also. Others are quaint enough.

Everyone has a favorite for a myriad of reasons, mine is the 6th. It is close to many of the attractions we like, has good Metro service and I love all the cafes and boutiques. I love the areas around the Odeon metro station and also around the St Germain des Pres church. There are lots of small hotels throughout the area. Click on my name to see my trip reports and pictures if you are interested.

I have never stayed on Isle St Louis but enjoy it.

We have stayed in the 7th, 5th and 9th in the past...there isn't an area that isn't good but of those I liked the 7th the least and the 5th the best.

Enjoy your trip....if you are in Paris you can hardly go wrong.

6. Very chic.

Thin

It's not entirely easy to generalise, since any one arrondissement may well have a range of areas, some not so nice as others and others less typical of the stereotypical image of the arrondissement as a whole, e.g., 9 covers the Opera and the big department stores, and parts of the neighbouring business-oriented areas of 2 - but also the muckier bits of Pigalle. Here's a summary for people thinking of finding somewhere to live in Paris:
http://www.expatfocus.com/c/aid=2618...ents-of-paris/

Personally, I don't care for the upmarket and grand areas, broadly in the west, or those oriented around business and government offices. Parts of 5 and 6 strike me as particularly tourist-oriented and crowded, and what was once quirky and alternative about a lot of 3 and 4 is now very much more blandly gentrified - and it's creeping east into what were much more workaday areas of ordinary daily life in 10 and 11 that I've liked a lot over the years. But all that may be to someone else's taste.

The other thing to be said is that you won't everything you want to see on your doorstep anywhere in Paris. The numbered arrondissements are still a fairly concentrated area by comparison with London, but you will need to use public transport.

"Isle St-Loius (it's not satin)..."

I don't think it's St-Loius either ;-)

FWIW, the Île Saint-Louis can be a pleasant place to stay in low season. I think of it as the Bruges of Paris. When it's crowded, it's very crowded. But in the off season, in the off hours, it's absolutely lovely.

To the OP: when are you traveling? Do you want to be at the very heartbeat of the area you pick or a quiet corner?

You can make a case for almost any arrondissement. Lots of posters here adore the Marais; we didn't like it that much, esp for a warm weather stay (we prefer leafier, greener spots).

Yes, leave out quaint. It doesn't fit 21st century Paris any more than it would fit Manhattan. Which still leaves you lots of richly satisfying adjectives to choose from, depending on where you are: elegant, romantic, vibrant, energizing, inspiring...

1, 4, 5, 6, 7 all work

Most of the advice given to stay in low numbered arrondissements close to the river is directed toward visitors who are here for only 3-5 days. Your 9 night visit (mentioned on another post)gives you time to explore areas outside of the tourist area. So my advice is to get in to your Paris guide and pick out an area away from the center that appeals to you. Because of excellent transportation everything is relatively close. In 2017, if any areas still could be described as quaint, they're in the outer arrondissements away from the hordes, just waiting for you to find them. You can google such topics as hidden Paris, secret Paris to give you an idea, while keeping in mind that Paris is still one of the most touristed city in the world

I've stayed all over Paris regularly since the mid-70s. However, I've stayed the most in the 6th as it's very walkable to meet my needs and needs of where I' going and what I'm doing. Plus, since I also take the buses far more than the metro, as I'm not found of subways, the bus routes work out very well for where I need to go from the 6th and into other areas of Paris.

Happy Travels!

I forgot to add that I usually stay in Paris from 7 nights to 10 nights.

Happy Travels!

1-6 are infested with tourists.
No problem as such but if you want to experience the real Paris life I'd recommend 14e or my all time favorite 18ème.

The best arrondissements for a first trip are the outer arrondissements, because you will see so much more of Paris. Absolutely everybody will end up along the Seine to see Notre Dame, the Louvre or the Eiffel Tower, and the poor sould who stay in those areas will rarely stray away from the river. If you stay in the outer arrondissements, besides saving at least 30% on accommodations and foord, you will still go to the center to see various sights but you will also discover more of the real residential areas of Paris and not just the tourist ghetto.

First time I visited I was in the 16th.

It has its charm but to see the usual attractions, it was a long metro ride.

I've stayed only in the 5th or 6th since, whenever I've visited.

And these arrondissements, like others, have real neighborhoods where residents live.

I love the 14th now. We ride the metro or bus wherever we need to go but really got into the whole vibe of the neighborhood and like the peaceful slower feel after a busy day. First time I would stay in 1-6 probably. I do love the 2nd but last trip was so glad to head back to the 14th at night.

@Macross. Any specific hotel recommendations? This will be my fifth trip (my husband's second) and am overdue for a new neighborhood. I've tentatively decided on the Lenox Montparnasse.

I have, over the years, stayed in the third, fourth, fifth, sixth, eleventh, fourteenth, and seventeenth arrondissements. I have enjoyed them all. There are nice residential neighborhoods all over Paris. There are some areas that are too full of business or government buildiings for my taste. You can get a sense of the neighborhoods by taking a virtual walk around the area using Google street view.

I would look for a place that is close to a metro station, no matter which arrondissement you end up in.

The 16th arrondissement is the one exception to my recommendation of the outer arrondiseements. It is a dull and overpriced place just like the 7th arrondissement. The 16th is non stop embassises, just like the 7th is non stop government ministries.

embassies

Beautiful ones I must say.
Dull is the word for 16th.
I have recently 'discovered' the 15th further away from center. Passy is nice. Some kind of village. A village full of art galleries posh shops and Porsches.

I quite liked the 15th. Nowadays I'm mostly in the 10th, or 19th. (Buttes Chaumont!)

<<I don't think it's St-Loius either>>

Oh Lord, no, sorry, typo! St-Louis. I DO know how to spell in French.

Anyway, my new favorite arrondissement is the 11ème. But we also favor the 19th and 20th. But we are regulars in Paris, not looking to see the main tourist sights or eat in fancy places but rather to scout out the back alleys and forgotten places, so it makes a difference as to what your goals are.

indy hiker, that hotel looks good. We are one of the dreaded apartment renters so am not going there. We might end up there next month and she is booked solid so thinking her daughter is back home. She owns and lives in the building and rents out one apartment when her daughter is gone.

On the first (5-10?)visits to Paris , I stayed in 5 and 6 . Touristy, but
probably a good place for a first time visitors (or a short stay)

Another vote for the 6th......

I'm not big on being tied to using public transportation every day, that's why I would choose someplace central. Wouldn't matter if it was 5 days or 21 days for me.

(If I were actually lucky enough to be living in Paris for any length of time the answer might be different.)

I think it depends, if staying in a hotel I'd stay in the single digit arr. However, we stayed in an apartment in the 17th arr. and loved the neighborhood feel and the Rue Poncelet market.

Topping so that replies can be directed to the thread with a greater number of posts.

Thanks everyone for your replies. We will stay in 2 locations for our May 21 to May 31 trip. We will definitely be in the lower A/s.

I guess our main issue now is comfort in the rooms. We have budgeted $300/night complete with breakfast, which is so pricey, and we may not choose it if there is a good place really close by.

(don't take the hotel breakfast)

Oh jeez, I cannot paying such a price in Paris unless you require turndown service and a chocolate on your pillow every evening.

I guess that explains why I would never stay in the center and don't mind taking the metro for 15 minutes.

I cannot -imagine- paying

Not of use to Edward now, but since kerouac's photos of La Mouzaïa (19th), I hope to stay there next time.

http://anyportinastorm.proboards.com/thread/3592

Coincidentally, I had lunch once in the Brasserie Danube (roast chicken), lovely people.

Well, that's about 6 times what I pay for accommodations in Paris, so good luck to you.

MmePerdu, I have not seen the rooms of the Hôtel Rhin et Danube on the square of the same name in the Mouzaïa, but I found the price of 70 euros for rooms with an equipped kitchenette very appealing.

I would confess, however, that for first time visitors to Paris even though there is a metro station at the foot of the hotel, it is one of the less convenient metro lines in Paris for people with an agenda in the center of the city.

The metro does indeed have sort of a weird route to Danube. And definitely not meant to be a suggestion for even the first few times in the city. But I liked it, was investigating an apartment across the square in the tallish building on the opposite side from the brasserie, why I had lunch there. It was before I'd seen your pictures of that lovely neighborhood and didn't have a clue. But I do now.

After years of travel, I can say without reservation that it is more desirable to be in a hotel that is convenient to your site-seeing locale. Laden down with purchases, it is much easier to run back to your room than to make a long trip and then return to your tourist activities!

1. OK, I don't know from arrondissements but when DH and I went searching for an area of Art Nouveau buildings, we spent a couple of hours walking through Auteuil. We were looking at the homes so can't help with cafe life.

https://bonjourparis.com/history/par...e-in-the-city/

2. When we walked to Monet's Museum ( http://www.marmottan.fr/uk/ ), we were struck by the family "feel" of that area. Is that Passy?

3. On our very first trip to Paris, we stayed at Hotel Ceramic on Avenue Wagram. It was just a couple of blocks from Arc du Triomphe and it's very convenient metro stop. We strolled down the Champs Elysees to the Louvre.

4. We stayed several times in Montparnasse/St. Germain and rather liked that general area the most. Many famous authors hung out there. Garden of Luxembourg, Sorbonne, Hemingway's resto.

5. With your budget, check area around La Madeleine.