kch246

I know this must sound like an incredibly naive question, but could someone please tell me what the differnce is between staying on one side or the other?

Is one side closer to the main tourist areas than the other? Is one side quieter than the other?

Thanks!

StCirq

There are lots of differences, but to simplify things I'd say that IMO the Rive Droite is generally more staid, business-oriented, a little more upscale overall, and the Rive Gauche is more bohemian, bustling, younger. Both have quiet and noisy areas. There's no advantage of one over the other in terms of visiting tourist sites, as they are spread all over the city.

Guenmai

I agree with the above and I've always found the left bank more interesting and also hip/bohemian/artsy/ and chic thrown in there,too. Happy Travels!

socialworker

Ditto!

macdogmom

Having stayed in the 5th, 6th and the Marais in the last few years we are going to stay in the Marais for our next trip to Paris this spring. I think it is less touristy and full of character, charm and Paris trendy (if you want that sort of thing). And I love the walk through the Ile St. Louis over to the left bank.

Travelnut

The description St Cirq has applied is beginning to shift from "Left Bank/Right Bank" to West/East sides of Paris. It is more that the 17th, 16th, 7th, 6th and 8th arrondissements are 'staid, upscale' while the 5th has its student population and the trend areas around Oberkampf in the 11th have developed for younger tastes. I think there may be more ethnic influences on the north of center and east of center (Right Bank), other than the 'Chinatown' area of the 13th.

"Quiet" has more to do with what kind of street your hotel lies on versus which side of the river it is.

Nikki

Neither bank is closer to the main tourist sites, which are spread out along both banks of the Seine. I have stayed in several different neighborhoods now on both banks and I have liked them all. There are quiet and noisy areas on both sides of the Seine. There are artsy, bohemian neighborhoods on both banks. There is upscale shopping on both banks.

The main business areas are on the right bank, as well as the large department stores, the grands magasins. But there is also the Marais, with its narrow streets and trendy boutiques and galleries, and the Bastille, with its old alleys filled with furniture makers.

On the left bank, the narrow streets of St. Germain have fascinating small boutiques, and the hilly streets of the Latin Quarter are filled with interesting places to explore and more restaurants and cafes than a person can get to know in several visits.

Each bank has many distinct neighborhoods, and the more of them I get to know, the more I want to know the rest of them.

Grassshopper

Nikki, that's such a great response.

StCirq

And travelnut's too....

francophiletasmania

You could stay on the Ile de la Cité right between the two. Not far to walk to some of the best places either side. There are two comfortable hotels we like there Hotel de Lutece and Hotel des Deux Iles, owned by the same group.
www.paris-hotel-lutece.com
Price is Euro 189 a double ...

kerouac

Both sides of the river have equal shares of bohemian, chic, upscale, tourist-oriented, etc.

Northeast Paris (right bank) has a few 'poor' neighborhoods, which is something that the left bank doesn't really have.