best district in paris for first timer?
 

We are looking for a place to stay that is right in the middle of all the action.

What kind of action?<BR><BR>Seriously, if you mean sightseeing, the single digit arrondissements are all central and are most often recommended, especially the 5th, 6th, and 7th.

The so-called "action" in Paris is so spread out that if you are in the center at one place, you will be well away from another center of what ever.<BR>I agree with Elaine, what kind of action are you looking for? Depending on what it is, you might be seeking <BR>Bois de Boulogne or Pigalle or Boulevard Montparnasse, which is alive and humming at night.<BR>Don't forget one thing, however, if your hotel is in the center of it so to speak, there may be more street noise in your room than you want.<BR>

Pitch a tent under the Arch de Triomphe.<BR><BR>Roll out a sleeping bag in front of Notre Dame.<BR><BR>Get arrested and spend a couple of nights in a Paris jail cell.<BR><BR>

The most middle you can get in Paris would be on one of the islands. There are about 3 or so hotels on Ile St-Louis if you want to be exactly right in the middle.<BR><BR>There is obviously lots of action in various parts of the city, it's a large ciy. So you could be many places and near some form of action. Although it may sound funny to you, I do agree that you might want to state what kind of action you mean for the best advice. Common tourist sites is very different from younger clubs/bars vs. older jazz/upscale bars/nice cafes vs. sleazeball/cabaret stuff.

I love staying in the suburb of Neuilly when Im in Paris. It is a tree-lined neighborhood just north of the Bois de Boulogne. Because of the Metro, it is so easy to get to other parts of Paris from there. If you want quiet, peaceful place to stay, stay in Neuilly.