Paris: The 2nd Arrondissement

You’re nearly there – Paris, the fabled City of Lights! You can hardly wait to arrive . You’ve gotten your deals on Paris, France flights , now you are assessing some wonderful sounding offers on a bunch of Paris hotels. What neighborhood you are staying in is always an important consideration for your hotel in Paris even if you are looking at hotels in Paris city centre.  Here’s a guide to Paris’s 2nd arrondissement so you can learn more about whether the Second arrondissement is where you want to be!

It’s unlikely that you’ll be spending much time in the Second arroondissement as a tourist, but if you choose a hotel in this district, you’ll be in the heart of Paris’s financial center. Home to Paris’s Bourse (stock exchange) and the CAC 40 index of France’s top listed companies , the second arrondissement is also widely noted for its prospering  fashion and journalism industries, as well as its general atmosphere of business.

What To Expect :

Here’s The Upside :

You’ll hardly spot any tourists here, so that the people-watching will be authentic: Parisian business men and women going out to lunch, stressed traders rushing to work, journalists meeting sources over drinks for the next big scoop . You will also be close to the lovely nineteenth century “galleries,” a tradition when the Duke of Orleans decided to rent out his garden to shops in the late 18th . These “galleries,” along the lines of early shopping malls, have glass windows and tiled floors, are still in use today. Visit for a nostalgic and enchanting look at Paris’s nineteenth-century past.

The Negatives :

This isn’t an especially happening section by any means, and while there are many places for lunch in the area , suitable for an expense account, nightlife absent . However, with the Marais in the fourth arrondissement only a few minutes away, there’s not much to worry about. In addition, near the eastern end of the arrondissement , you may run into a few prostitutes looking to ply their trade, but don’t worry – it’s safe, if seedy, and nevertheless you’re likely to encounter far fewer than in similar areas like Rue St. Denis or the Pigalle area.

What To See:

If you are a business type , visit the Bourse, or Stock Exchange, for a look at France’s economic heart. Or check out the Galleries – the Gallerie Vivienne is considered the best-preserved, with authentic and gorgeous nineteenth-century decor, an amazing mosaic floor, and elegantly high end shops. In contrast, the Passage Choiseul is more “authentic,” catering to business men and women on their way to work, and selling magazines and newspapers and offering services like shoe-shining to busy traders at the nearby Bourse.

Where To Eat:

Cafe Etienne Marcel, on Rue Etienne Marcel, is a trendy Costes brothers joint – less costly than most of their others – with a menu to match. Or have a drink or two at Harry’s New York Bar on Rue Danou, reputed to be the birthplace of the Bloody Mary, and a hangout of Hemmingway. While Harry’s not cheap by any means, it’s nevertheless a wonderful hangout for those wanting the elegance and decadence of Art Deco bohemian expatriate life. And, of course, a bloody Mary mixed to perfection.

Shopping Spots :

Brentano’s, on Avenue de L’Opera has an outstanding selection of English-language and art books. And, of course, the Galleries are filled with fascinating shops . Wander in and out of a few of the delightful galleries, looking at the many wonderful shops on offer, and consider buying boutique clothes and far more at all of them.

You’re nearly there – Paris, the fabled City of Lights! You can’t wait to arrive . You’ve gotten your cheap international airline ticket to Paris, France , now you’re trying to decide on some great looking offers on hotels in Paris, France . What neighborhood you are staying in is always an important consideration for accommodation in Paris, France even if you are looking at hotels in Paris city centre.  Here’s a guide to Paris’s First arrondissement so you can learn more about whether this neighborhood in Paris is where you want to be!

The First Arrondissement of Paris

Paris’s first arrondissement is filled with the elegance and grandeur that centuries’ worth of tourists have imagined when thinking of Paris . Wide boulevards, fashionable shopping , and precisely maintained parks overlooking the dreamy River Seine are all to be found in this neighborhood, a district mainly of office space and tourist sites. Les Halles, Paris’s bizarre take on a shopping mall, can be found here as well.

What To Expect :

What’s Good :

Spending time in the First has many benefits. When you walk beneath the 19th arches of the Rue de Rivoli arcade, you will be following in the footsteps of generations of dandies and duchesses: vanished remnants of Paris of another time. You will be near some of Paris’s most beautiful tourist sites – the Tuileries garden to Chatelet -site of the Comedie Francaise, where Moliere once produced his plays – to the fabulous Musee de Louvre. And the shopping, on the elegant Faubourg Saint Honore, is unparalleled !

The Downside :

While daytime here provides a visitor with access to some of Paris’s most wonderful sights at a few moments’ stroll , the business-like character of the area means that nightlife, by contrast, is limited within the arrondissement. So unless visitors go to the Les Halles/St. Denis area there’s not much to do. Les Halles/St. Denis’s low-budget pleasures may appear slightly seedy to those over the age of 21 (that said, the area bordering the Les Halles mall is very nice – a fine place to stop after watching a movie in Les Halles’s enormous cinema, which presents many US and UK movies in their original languages. But avoid going towards Rue St. Denis/Blvd. Sebastopol unless you’re consciously seeking that sort of milieu.) What’s more, this area can get very, very touristy – especially around the otherwise lovely Rue de Rivoli.  So watch your wallet and control your buying impulse for souvenirs until you’re a bit further off the beaten path.

What To Visit:
Sites abound here. Take a walk down the Faubourg Saint-Honore, where nearly every famous fashion house of the world has a store . Visit the Louvre or Tuileries Gardens near the Place de Concorde, see a play at the Comedie Francaise in the Chatelet area.

Eating Spots :
Finding untouristy food is hard in the First , but finding superb desserts is not. Angelina, on Rue de Rivoli, has lost some of its world renowned elegance, but the aging-grande-dame feel of the place makes the yellowed mirrors and creaky chandeliers worth seeing on their own merits. Plus, their famously rich hot chocolate and Mont Blanc desserts are among the best in Paris. For a more recent hotspot, Cafe Marley in the Louvre offers views not only of the museum’s art, but also of Paris’s current celebrity scene. For good food, the area right around Les Halles has a number of good brasseries, but, as said earlier, the area closer to Rue St. Denis and Sebastopol has a slightly sketchier character – not at all dangerous, but nevertheless unsavory.

Shopping Spots :
If the exclusive shopping of the Faubourg Saint Honore is a bit out of your desired spending range, head to the Les Halles mall. A surprisingly beautiful, art nouveau-inspired underground city (complete with street names, a swimming pool, park, and more), Les Halles proves that even Paris’s shopping centers have a Parisian flair. While the area around the mall is useful for super-cheap (think 3-5 euro) clothes and shoes, the mall itself has much higher quality at affordable prices.

You can hardly wait to leave for Paris .  You’ve gotten your flights to Paris, France , now you’re considering some great looking specials on hotel accommodation for Paris, France. Here’s a guide to Paris’s arrondissements or neighborhoods so you can learn more about what sections of Paris the hotels you are considering are in . It will help you figure out where in Paris you want to be and where you don’t!

The ideal of vacationing in Paris is an extravagant one. It’s quite easy to begin picturing indulgent living – canopy beds, crystal chandeliers, silken sheets – before waking up to the reality of cost . Paris is an expensive city. And living like a king or a queen isn’t possible for everybody . Furthermore, Paris is a diverse city. It has an assortment of different arrondissements and neighborhoods , and areas.  Some that might suit a married couple and four youngsters might not work for the trendy young couple , the group of backpackers, or the older couple celebrating their golden anniversary. So before you finally decide on which Paris hotels near the Eiffel Tower are for you , or which 5 star hotels in Paris you think is best , or which Paris hotels in the Latin Quarter make the most sense for you, you should also consider the ambiance and milieu of the neighborhood you’re about to stay in. This is essential if you are to select the best hotel in Paris for you and your family . Remember it’ll be your home away from home while in Paris and you’ll want it to be a good fit. So factor in neighborhood along with price, safety and convenience as you make your final Paris France accommodation selection . Neighborhood is always an important consideration for accommodation for Paris, France even if you are looking at hotels in Paris city centre.

General Guide To Price

As a rule of thumb, nice hotels on the Right Bank in elegant districts like the eighth and sixteenth arrondissements are the most expensive of any hotels you can find . On the left bank, prices are generally lower. Of course there are exceptions, the upscale artsy Boulevard St. Germain area is also rather expensive , though perhaps not to the same extent . Less pricey areas include more residential, student oriented, or out-of the way arrondissements. Boulevard St. Michel – though perhaps congested , is rather inexpensive , though not as much so as Montparnasse. These two areas are good for finding cheap accommodation in Paris. Other neighborhoods that are generally on the bottom end of the price scale, but that aren’t worryingly dangerous , include Montmartre, which is low-key, artsy-hippie, and relaxed, the studenty, though perhaps a bit touristy, Rue Mouffetard, and the residential Portes d’Orleans/Alesia area. These areas tend not to be a five minute walk from the Eiffel Tower, but it’s easy to get around on Paris’s Metro or through Paris’s Velib bike-rental system.

General Guide To The Star Ranking System

The concept behind France’s star rating system is arithmetic – not a value-judgement. In France, a standardized system of star-rating measures not the quality of the hotel but the quantity of its amenities. The one- four star scale (there are no 5-star hotels in France) is based on twenty-two criteria about the square footage, features, and amenities, and doesn’t reflect on the “charm,” “niceness,” or lack thereof. So do your research ; don’t assume stars automatically equal good, or that a hotel with only one star is bad – it could be far more charming than its “four-star” a four star hotel .

Selecting A Neighborhood

For the most part, the 1st, 8th , sixteenth , and seventh arrondissements are the most “elegant,” with the seventh by and large more aristocratic, residential, and refined, and the 8th, first and sixteenth more opulent, catering to businessmen and government officials. The sixth is also upscale, but in a more artsy , more bohemian fashion. For young, trendy visitors , the Marais (3rd and 4th) is the best place to be, although for student tourists on a budget Montmartre (eighteenth – but be sure you’re not in the less safe district of Barbes-Rochechouard or the seedy Pigalle, also bordering the 18th) is a great bet, as is the slightly more picturesque Latin Quarter ( 15th). Quiet residential arrondissements like the 13th, twelfth , fourteenth , fifteenth , and 17th are wonderful for families looking rent out an inexpensive Paris apartment and experience “neighborhood life.” Seedier areas include bits of the 2nd, the ninth , and outlying areas – be sure you’re not in Barbes-Rochechouard, on Rue St. Denis (unless you’re low down near Les Halles), or in Pigalle or Clichy – these are all seedier , or even dangerous  neighborhoods. Staying in the banlieus – suburbs- is not suggested .