My habit has been, for the most part, to stay in the 18th. But I've read references to parts of the 9th having improved since I worked eons ago on Rue Clichy and I'm wondering, for those of you familiar with the nuances, if I might have some suggestions on neighborhoods of particular interest. I look forward to anything anyone can offer, including other areas altogether I may not know or have thought of.

If you worked on rue Clichy, you probably know that area fairly well, but I like the area around place Toudouze, say the area bounded by bd de Clichy to the north, rue des Martyrs to the east, rue Blanche to the west and place St Georges to the south. When I stay in the 9th, it's always in that area.

Not crazy about the bottom-most part between St Lazare and the dept stores.

Thank you Christina, very useful. I knew the area referred to was in the general area you outline but I couldn't find where I'd read it. I'm not familiar with that part, although I walked to work down Rue Blanche from where I lived up the hill. But it was a very long time ago. I'd like to get acquainted with a new neighborhood and I like that side of town. Thanks again. Now to street view.

The 9th arrondissement is the Parisian arrondissement with the greatest number of hotels. Most of them are clustered near the Grands Boulevards, which has been one of the liveliest areas in Paris for hundreds of years. It is also the location of the majority of the historic covered passages of Paris.

If I required accommodations, I would be very happy to find something along the rue du Faubourg Montmartre, for example.

The other side of the boulevard in the 2nd arrondissement is exactly the same and just as good, I should add.

A tour of the passages is at the top of my list this trip so very good to be reminded. I could, of course, have done them from anyplace I've stayed over the years but somehow never have. I'm treating this trip as the last, even if it turns out not to be, a good motivator for all the things I've left for "next time". Thanks, kerouac.

There are few parts of the 9th I don't like, so I may not be very helpful, but one of them is the area around the department stores which Christina already mentioned.

I would push Christina's eastern boundary out, to include the Place d'Anvers and the pretty Avenue Trudaine, to the Rue de Rochechouart, which runs into the Rue Cadet - a market street. Both have plenty of restaurants and shops as well.

As a side note, Denise Acabo's chocolate shop, A l'Etoile d'Or, on the rue Pierre Fontaine is set to re-open next week after a horrible gas explosion last year. That will absolutely be on my list next time I'm in the 9th.

Thanks, YankyGal, sounds intriguing. Back to street view.

The department store side is the extreme edge of the 9th. It can hardly be taken into consideration.

http://www.agence-attitude.com/image...ment-paris.jpg

Oops, that was the mislabeled 8th arrondissement. This is the 9th.

http://www.voyagesphotosmanu.com/Com...ment_paris.jpg