The 10 best areas to stay in Paris
Paris is a huge city with a lot of tourist attractions spread over a wide area. Deciding where to stay in Paris without knowing the city can be difficult.
The French capital is one of the most visited cities in the world and as such is also among those with the largest number of hotels.
The good news is that it has an extensive and efficient metro network, so deciding on a more remote location to stay in Paris, usually cheaper than the center which is quite expensive, can be a good idea.
The best area to stay in Paris
The area that includes the Louvre and Bourse is without a doubt the best area to stay in Paris for sightseeing, as it is the most central area of ​​all.
If you book your accommodation here you will be between Le Marais and the Champs Elysées, and you can easily cross the Seine by one of the several bridges to visit neighborhoods such as Les Invalides, Saint Germain de Prés or the Latin Quarter.
We can join these two adjoining districts into one since the area covered by both is small and the two have a very similar environment.
How could it be otherwise in one of the most central and tourist areas of Paris, here you will find a huge number of cafes, restaurants, shops and all kinds of services.
There is also some nightlife with bars and some clubs, which is also complemented by the more abundant nightlife in the neighboring Le Marais district.
The main tourist attraction of the neighborhood is the Louvre Museum, one of the largest in the world and a must-see.
The museum occupies one end of the emblematic Parc des Tuileries. In this park, do not forget to visit the Arc de Triomphe del Carrousel, and museums such as the Decorative Arts or the Orangerie.
Next to the Louvre is the Royal Palace, the former residence of Cardinal Richelieu, and today the headquarters of various government agencies.
Other attractions in the district I (Louvre) are the Vendome column, built by Napoleon to commemorate the battle of Austerlitz, or the Holy Chapel which houses the relics of the Passion of Christ (the Crown of Thorns and a piece of the Holy Cross.
The Holy Chapel shares an island in the Seine with the Cathedral of Notre Dame. Interestingly, half of the island belongs to Arr.1.
Following the route north, the Bourse area is more residential and commercial than the Louvre. It is an elegant area that receives the name of the Palais de la Bourse, headquarters of the Paris stock exchange.
Other notable buildings are the National Library and the church of Notre-Dame-des Victories.
In addition to everything there is to see and do in the area, it stands out for how well connected it is.
On the other hand, at the accommodation level, the offer is enormous. Of course, here you will pay dearly in any category.
Le Marais area, where to sleep in central Paris and in a lively area
The Le Marais neighborhood is one of the oldest neighborhoods in the city and one of the most central and best-connected areas.
Its narrow streets brim with lively life both during the day and at night, and it is located very close to some of the most interesting tourist spots in Paris.
To begin with, the neighborhood borders the Louvre Museum, and its main tourist attractions include sites such as Notre Dame Cathedral, today still under restoration after its unfortunate fire or the Pompidou Modern Art Center.
These two are not the only tourist attractions in Le Marais. It is also worth visiting the National Picasso Museum, Victor Hugo’s house, or the Carnavalet and Cognacq-Jay art museums among others.
Le Marais is a neighborhood with an incessant flow of people, both locals and tourists. During the day the shops, bars, cafes, and restaurants give it a lot of life. At night, it is one of the areas with the most nightlife in Paris.
It is one of the best places to stay in Paris but it is also one of the most expensive areas. If your budget allows it, you will be close to everything and in a very lively area.
The Latin Quarter, where to stay in Paris to party
This area adjacent to Le Marais is famous for its nightlife and its bohemian, intellectual, and student atmosphere.
Nearby there are tourist attractions such as the Pantheon, the prestigious Sorbonne University, or the Luxembourg Gardens.
Also some museums such as the Middle Ages, Natural History, or the Luxembourg Museum.
Personally, what draws me to this area is the night. It is full of restaurants to go out to dinner, cocktail bars, and nightclubs, some of them with a salsa atmosphere that is not bad at all.
The Latin Quarter is perfect to stay in Paris if you like to go out at night for a few drinks while allowing you to be in a fairly central neighborhood.
Keep in mind that crossing one of the bridges will leave you in a few minutes, especially if your hotel is near the banks of the Seine, in Notre Dame and the Le Marais district.
It also has the advantage that its hotels are somewhat cheaper than those in Le Marais or those in other central districts.
Saint Germain des Prés, one of the most pleasant areas of Paris
Saint Germain des Prés adjoins the Latin Quarter. It is an elegant area with a certain bohemian and artistic atmosphere.
It is the historic neighborhood of booksellers that also today houses a large number of art galleries and antique dealers.
It was also in the past an area whose cafes attracted intellectuals like Voltaire or Rousseau. Some of these cafes such as the Cafe des Deux Magots, the Le Procope cafe, or the Flore cafe have survived to this day.
Its situation is very good, especially if you stay near the riverbank since you will only have to cross one of the bridges to reach Le Marais, the Louvre or even the Champs-Elysées.
At the level of tourist attractions, the most notable would be the Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, the enormous church of Saint Sulpice, or the Eugene Delacroix National Museum,
It is one of the neighborhoods that I like the most in Paris and without a doubt one of the first where I would look for a flat if I had to move to the French capital.
The accommodation prices correspond to the elegance and the central location of the neighborhood. Prepare to pay higher prices.
Eiffel Tower, for those looking to be close to the symbol of Paris
Staying in Paris near the Eiffel Tower is a very popular option. However, I personally do not find it to be the most attractive area as it is too quiet and residential for my taste.
Apart from this, it is central, well connected, offers excellent cafes and restaurants, and has a large number of tourist attractions to visit.
If you stay here you will be a stone’s throw away from, in addition to the Eiffel Tower itself, Les Invalides (where Napoleon’s tomb is located), and essential museums such as Orsay or Rodin.
It’s a nice area, like the whole city, but for the type of place I usually look for, it’s too residential and with little movement at the end of the day. Even so, it is still one of the best options to sleep in Paris.
If you are lucky enough to be able to stay in the part of the neighborhood near the banks of the Seine, then you will only have to cross a bridge to stand on the Champs-Elysées.
Champs Elysées, where to stay in Paris to go shopping
This area is the most elegant and chic in Paris. The Champs Elysées is a tree-lined avenue of about 2 km full of exclusive shops, traditional hotels, restaurants, bars, cinemas, night cabarets, and some cocktail bars and nightclubs.
The Champs-Elysées extends from the Place de la Concorde, the second largest in the country after the Place Quinconces in Bordeaux and where the Egyptian obelisk of Luxor is located, to the Arc de Triomphe.
Near the Place de la Concorde, there are two buildings that you must include in your visit itinerary: The Grand Palais, which houses several museums such as the science museum (Palais de la Découverte) and serves as a venue for various events, and the Petit Palais, which takes the Museum of Fine Arts in Paris.
It is the perfect area to stay in Paris for those looking for glamour, luxury, and shopping, as well as being close to everything. The downside is that hotels are much more expensive than in other areas.
Opera, where to stay in Paris to attend cultural events
The Opera district borders both the Champs-Elysées and the Louvre so you can get an idea of ​​how well located it is.
It is one of the most elegant neighborhoods in the French capital and an excellent place to go shopping, visit museums, and attend cultural events since the theatrical and musical offer is enormous.
The name of the neighborhood comes from its famous Opera, the Palais Garnier, an emblematic building and a cultural reference. It is not the only reference of this type since the neighborhood is home to other theaters and event halls.
Here you will also have a good museum offer that complements very well with that of its neighboring neighborhoods. To highlight the Grévin museum, of wax, and the Freemasonry museum.
As I have already mentioned, in addition to the cultural aspect, Ópera stands out for being one of the best areas of Paris for shopping. The usual international brand stores are joined by chocolate shops, bookstores, art galleries, and luxury boutiques.
In this regard, it must also be said that the Lafayette galleries are located here with their enormous 42-meter-high glass dome.
Its central location makes this neighborhood one of the most sought after to stay in Paris. High Demand also translates into high prices.
Montparnasse, well connected and has good value for money
Although this area is not one of the most central, it is a good option for sleeping in Paris as it has excellent communication, very good restaurants, pastry shops, and creperies, and it is possible to find good deals in its hotels.
In addition, it also has some very interesting tourist attractions such as the Montparnasse Tower, you can go up to its observatory, the catacombs, the Paris Observatory, or the Montparnasse Cemetery, where great intellectuals and artists are buried.
Montparnasse is an accommodation alternative to other more expensive areas as it is not too far from the center and is well served by public transport.
To go to the center you only have a few minutes by metro, and depending on where you stay in the neighborhood if you like to walk you can walk to the Eiffel Tower, Luxembourg park, or the Latin Quarter.
I have stayed in this area several times and have always been comfortable.
Montmartre, where to sleep cheaply in Paris
This very special area is located on the highest hill in the city where the impressive Sacré Coeur Basilica is located, which you can reach by climbing stairs or by funicular.
It is a very charming neighborhood with cobbled streets, small shops, very romantic restaurants and bars, cabarets as famous as the Mouline Rouge, and a lot of nightlife.
Other attractions in the neighborhood are the Place du Tertre, always set by artists and street musicians, the Espace DalÃ, or the Montmartre Museum.
As for disadvantages, it is somewhat far from the center, you have to use the metro, and there is certain insecurity, especially at night, which blurs its traditional charm.
It is the area where there is the greatest abundance of cheap accommodation in all of Paris. If you are short on a budget consider this area.
Bastille, well located and with somewhat more affordable prices
Another of the downtown districts that are worth considering staying in Paris is the Bastille area. Its strength is that it is very central, playing with Le Marais and next to the Latin Quarter, and perfectly well connected.
As well as being within walking distance of many of Paris’s main tourist attractions, the neighborhood is well served by several metro stops and the Gare du Lyon.
On the other hand, it is a safe neighborhood, with a reputation for good (and not necessarily expensive) restaurants, a good range of places to go out for drinks, shops, and art galleries that are somewhat more alternative than those in its more opulent neighboring neighborhoods.
The neighborhood is large but if your accommodation is in the area of ​​the Place de la Bastille you will be excellently located. Pretty much like staying in Le Marais.
If you go to the edge of the neighborhood make sure you have a metro station nearby.
HOTELS IN PARIS
Hotels in Paris are quite expensive, especially in the more central areas. However, in areas somewhat further from the center of Paris, there are more affordable hotels.
Thanks to the efficient metro network, getting a little further from the center is an option to consider.
The prices of a double room per night exceed 100 euros as a general rule, however, it is also possible to find very acceptable small hotels for 70-90 euros, especially in areas such as Montparnasse, Montmartre, or in areas further from the center.
CHEAP ACCOMMODATION IN PARIS
Paris is an expensive city with little supply of cheap accommodation, especially in the city center.
However, there are a few youth hostels and hostels that offer beds in shared dormitories from 15 euros.
For their part, the cheapest hotels usually have rooms starting at 60 euros.
RENT AN APARTMENT IN PARIS
Renting an apartment in Paris is a good alternative to hotels. In addition to attractive prices, it allows you to enjoy more space and the advantages of an apartment.
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