Districts of Paris

The first district of Paris is located in the centre «Parisian snail» on the Right Siena. You may spend plenty time to investigate this district. There are situated the Louvre, the Palais-Roual, the Place Vendome, the Conciergerie – the well-known French prison and a fine Tuileries garden. The first district of Paris is the oldest, so also the legendariest. In general, it will take you about three days to find out all the details of this area.

Quartier Place Vendome is basically administrative and governmental buildings, banks, hotels, private residences. Quartier Palais-Royal and Quartier Saint-Germain-l’Auxerrois sparkle with luxury and impressiveness. The symbolical border separating royal wastefulness from more modest but also more live area passes between the Louvre and Quartier Les Halles. Les Halles is one of the most popular places where Parisians and visitors of Paris do shopping. This place was always trading area but earlier looked like the usual market.

By the way, the western part of Cité island is as well part of the first Parisian district. To get on it is possible to go through the Pont au Change (bridge of Change). In before there were trading benches in which were very noisy. Because of that appeared the name of the bridge.

In this area it is possible to rent very beautiful apartments with a very pleasant view.

It's a very unique district also there are not so many apartments there, so it's hardly believable that the prices in that area can go down. See evaluation.

The 2nd administrative district is also the central part of Paris. The feature of the architecture of this area is its magnificent buildings, built in the beginning of the 20th century for evolutive companies of that time.

This district can be called "Bourse". It’s name was taken from the Paris stock exchange situated here. Building of Stock exchange is former Palais Brongniart made in antique style. Despite the presence of sights all over the 2nd district there are lots of commercial complexes: shopping areas, boutiques, banks.

However, the administrative buildings are quite old: the complex of the Ministry of Finance and the Bank of France, complexes of Richelieu–Louvois and Opéra-Comique. The complexes of Richelieu–Louvois is building of the National Library of France well known for its extensive collection of ancient manuscripts. Here is the biggest in Europe cinema le Grand Rex, few galleries. The tourists may observe boulevards, compact squares.. everything is very conservative and very pleasant.

In short, the second Paris district has something to do. You can walk along the famous boulevard des Capucines, from where sinema became, or go for shopping in shopping district le Sentier.

The 3rd District is one of the oldest (it was inhabited as early as 13 – 14 centuries) central districts of Paris. Its most remarkable part is Marais district, which many travelers consider one of the most romantic places on the planet.

In the third district of Paris, as well as in the fourth district, are concentrated lots of Parisian buildings from the time of XVI-XVIII centuries. Traditionally, there lived the Parisian dynasty belonging to the royal family and other wealthy nobles. It is really Royal Paris with it’s palaces and mansions. Most of them are now converted into museums and other places of public use. For example, the Hotel Carnavalet is now a Museum of history of Paris. Mansion Sully today is the Picasso Museum.

The third area is rich in tourist attractions. Republic Square, a wonderful architectural structure is a tower of Saint-Jacques, the Opera Bastille, the house-museum of Victor Hugo, the so-called “hotel-partikyule” (mansions), Place des Vosges, and much more for every taste. Museum of Cognac-VE, incidentally, is not associated with strong drink – a museum of French art of the XVIII century. In the 3rd District also houses the National Archives of France, more precisely, its administrative part and a part of the store. In general, in the fourth district of the Temple throughout the luxury and splendor.

The symbols of the 4th district of Paris are the city’s municipality in the building of Hotel de Ville, Marais, Centre Pompidou, Chatelet Square, Bastille and Place des Vosges, the tower of Saint-Jacques, a house-museum of Victor Hugo, and, of course, the famous cathedral of Notre Dame. As it is a popular touristic area, so, be very careful about pickpockets, who can deprive you a wallet.

4th district today is known as ultrafashionable. Quarter Mare is a dream of all subjugators of Paris and is especially popular. Achievement of the social status when it will be possible to move safely in a quarter Mare is a dream of many provincials and inhabitants of less prestigious districts.

The heart of the quarter Mare is Place des Vosges. Houses situated along of this square were residences of kings of France in previous times. All buildings of this quarter represent monuments of architecture with the spikes, penthouses and non-standard building decisions of the last centuries. To live here is very beautiful, prestigious, but also it is expensive.

The Сentre Pompidou located here becomes the new centre of today Parisian bohemia. In general, 4th Parisian district is kind of unique. Being placed on the right conservative coast it contains in itself rather various public. Besides, there is the oldest Jewish community of Paris. Since XIII century area of rue des Rosiers is occupied by Jews. Today all indexes and inscriptions are duplicated here in a Hebrew. Rue Sainte-Croix de la Bretonnerie and rue Vieille du Temple are consist the Parisian gay village.

District 5 (Pantheon) – is a real student Paris. Cultural center of the area is the Sorbonne – world famous university. This is a very old school and during the Middle Ages teaching in the Sorbonne was provided in Latin language. All complex of picturesque buildings of the Sorbonne University is placed in Latin Quarter.

In addition to the Sorbonne in the fifth arrondissement of Paris there are still several prestigious educational institutions: Collège de France situated on the Marcelin Berthelot Square; the old building of the Polytechnic School placed on the Mount of Sainte-Geneviève, and the Ecole Normale Superieure on the Ulm street. Here are students coming from many countries around the world, so Latin Quarter looks like multicultural.

In 1968, the Latin Quarter of Paris was the scene of student actions. But today this area is much more quiet and traditional. A well-known boulevard Saint-Michel has converted from the hustle and radical in a large commercial center. If you prefer small shops and themed cafes, you’ll find them in the streets around the Boulevard Saint Michel. Very noisy student street is now Mouffetard, which is comprised almost entirely from bars and restaurants.

Historic Paris is presented in the 5th district with many ancient buildings, cathedrals, terms. Here are – the remains of the walls of the XII century. If you’re interested in multicultural Paris, student’s life or antique, so you need to rent an apartment in this district.

This is an elite district of Paris, characterized by 6-7 storey houses of the “classical” building up. These buildings with large entrances and sweeping staircases. On the third floor of these buildings the owners apartments with huge French windows to the floor, the massive doors, marble fireplaces and balconies around the entire floor are historically located. In the 6th district you can see the oldest church in Paris – Saint-Germain-des-Pres, Luxembourg Gardens, French Senate and other sights.

More commonly known as the “quartier des ministres” (ministers’ quarter), the 7th district also boasts some of Paris’ most beautiful monuments—the Invalides, the Eiffel Tower, the Champ de Mars—literally meaning “Field of Mars,” which was originally a parade ground for cadets in the Ecole Militaire (Military Academy). Between Quai Voltaire and Rue de l’Université, dozens upon dozens of antique dealers entice you into their shops on the Carré Rive Gauche, and if you are in an artistic frame of mind, the spectacular Musée d’Orsay is well worth a browse.

This is a district of Champs Elysees. It is popular among the tourists who like to relax actively. On the most famous avenue in the world you’ll find everything: shops, cinemas, theaters, music halls, circuses, cafes and restaurants, pavilions, fountains, bronze lamps, luxury mansions… It is always noisy, crowded, and light in the evenings, cafes work late, so that you can eat even at four o’clock in the morning. The main sights of this area – Arc de Triomphe, Place de la Concorde, Champs-Elysées gardens, Grand Palais and Petit Palais, Cabaret Lido. But such sights as Louvre, Notre Dame, d’Orsay, Grand Opera are rather far from here.

Place de la conrorde

The Place de la Concorde is one of the major squares in Paris, France. It is located at the eastern end of the Champs Elysée. It was built by architect Jacques-Ange Gabriel in 1763 to celebrate the glory of the then almighty king Louis XV, it saw the beheading of his successor and grandson Louis XVI on January 21st 1793 during the French revolution. The center of the Place is occupied by a giant Egyptian obelisk decorated with hieroglyphics exalting the reign of the pharaoh Ramses II. It once marked the entrance to the Luxor Temple. The viceroy of Egypt, Mehemet Ali, offered the 3,300-year-old Luxor Obelisk to France in 1831.

Pont neuf

With its marked humpback, the Pont Royal (Royal Bridge), remains, with the Pont Neuf (New Bridge), one of the three oldest bridges in Paris. It is listed as a historical monument. It is probably the only bridge in Paris that was not required to link the various districts of the city. None of the roads to which it leads are a direct continuation of the bridge. On the Right Bank, the bridge meets the Pavillon Flore (Flore Pavilion) and only reaches the Avenue du General Lemonnier after a twisting route. On the Left Bank, the same occurs with the Rue du Bac and the Rue de Beaune. A ferry used to link the two banks of the Seine. In 1632, Barbier built the first wooden bridge also called Saint-Anne, but which the people nicknamed the Pont Rouge (Red Bridge) because of its colour. This wooden bridge, for pedestrians and horseriders, who paid a double toll like many others, was burnt down and washed away by the river. After being replaced by a stone structure between 1685 and 1689, under the aegis of Jacques Gabriel, Jules Hardouin-Mansart and Pere Romain, the Pont Royal (Royal Bridge) was entirely financed by Louis XIV. Hence its name. In the 18th century, big Parisian festivals and celebrations were held here. The nautical festival held on the occasion of the marriage of Elisabeth of France and the Infante Philip of Spain attracted 500,000 people to the banks and bridges. The Pont Royal (Royal Bridge) impressively frames the view of the Bassin du Louvre (Louvre Basin), until then open to the West. It was on this bridge – called National from 1792 to 1804 – that Bonaparte placed the cannons used for the defence of the Tuileries where the Convention and the Comite de Salut Public (Committee of Public Safety) used to sit. On the last stretch of each bank the water level marker that showed the historic low- and high-water marks can be seen. The Mairie de Paris (Paris Town Hall) has decided on major renovation works which will be carried out over a number of years.

Palais elysees

Palais Elysees is the official residence of the President of the French Republic, where the president’s office is located, and the Council of Ministers meets. The Elysee has large gardens, in which the president hosts a party on the afternoon of Bastille Day. The architect Armand-Claude Mollet possessed a property fronting on the road to the village of Roule, west of Paris (now the Rue de Faubourg Saint-Honoré), and backing onto royal property, the Grand Cours through the Champs-Élysées. He sold this in 1718 to Henri-Louis de la Tour d’Auvergne, comte d’Évreux, with the agreement that Mollet would construct an hôtel particulier for the count, fronted by an entrance court and backed by a garden. The Hôtel d’Évreux was finished and decorated by 1722, and though it has undergone many modifications since, it remains a fine example of classic Régence style.

Pont Alexandre III

Pont Alexandre III is an arch bridge that spans the Seine, connecting the Champs-Élysées quarter and the Invalides and Eiffel Tower Quarter. Most people consider the Pont Alexandre III the most beautiful bridge in Paris.

Construction of the bridge, designed by the architects Resal and Alby, took almost 3 years. It was first prefabricated in a factory and later transported and assembled by a large crane. One of the requirements for the bridge was that it should not obstruct the view on the Invalides and Champs-Élysées This resulted in a very low 40 meters wide bridge with a single 107.5 meters long span and a height of only 6 meters.

This district is popular among the students, limited in their money. Many agencies prefer to settle their clients because it’s rather cheap district. Plus is that the sightseeing buses start their routes to the Louvre, Versailles, Fontainebleau from the building of Grand Opera. However, those who can rent an apartment in the Latin Quarter or in Marais do not like this area, and lovers of night life will die of boredom. The 9th district is the huge number of stores and boulevards, and the main sight is Grand Opera.

10-th district of Paris has two names Saint-Laurent (Enclos-St-Laurent) or the Gare du Nord (Arrondissement de l’Entrepot). There are two stations: East (Gare de l’Est) and North (Gare du Nord). Station buildings themselves are architectural monuments of the XIX century and are of historical value. Sometimes you can hear more poetic name of the 10 th District – Golden drop (Goutte d’Or). Previously, it was the name of vineyard which was located here in the Middle Ages.

There aren’t lots of museums and monuments in 10 th Parisian Arrondissement. Here you can see the Republic Square with the statue of the same name (1880), symbolizing the “Liberty, Equality and Fraternity” and the Church of Vincent de Paul (XVII century).

In this area live many immigrants. Because of that in the old buildings you will find a lot of ethnic shops. Here you can go to Parisian shopping at flea markets and visit such markets as is the famous African market Marche Dejean. Local cultural life is concentrated along the Canal Saint-Martin. The channel was needed in the XIX century to water fountains located on the little squares of the district. Park La Villette is considered to be the main attraction of the 10 th district, although the main part of the largest park of the French capital is placed already in a 19-th area.

The 11th arrondissement of Paris is the exact antithesis of the 9th district, the life boils up here always. Especially clearly it is manifested in the Place de la Bastille and around it, where people have fun with songs and dances during all 24 hours. The surrounding area has cafes, restaurants and nightclubs.

The main place of historical importance here is the Place de la Bastille in place of the notorious French fortress-prison. Bastille fortress itself was demolished after the French Revolution, and its walls were dismantled for other constructions by people within three years. Today, the famous prison is only three rows of paving stones laid around the perimeter of the former fortress. Also on it is installed the July column (1980) built in memory of “Three Days of Glory” during the July Revolution.

Today the Place de la Bastille – it’s quite popular and trendy place. In bars and restaurants of Quarter de la Bastille is quite noisy. Also in the 11-th District you can find the famous music halls of the 1930-ies. A more serious institution is the complex Opera Bastille (opera de la Bastille). It is popular enough to visit such places as the old handicraft quarters on the Rue du Faubourg-St-Antoine, Winter Circus (Cirque d’Hiver), Church of Saint-Moore, a beautiful boulevard Bon Marche.

The 12th district of the capital can’t be called a rich in sights, but there is a special street with shops of local artisans, where you can buy a variety of interesting and useful things. In addition, the area is a large green area thanks to Bois de Vincennes and Park Bercy.

If you go the 12th district from the Square of Bastille, the first thing you will see – a long wall with the arches with small artisan shops where masters spun carpets just near you. The wall stretches for a mile, and here you can see a lot of interesting things. The area lasts up to the borders of Paris – Bois de Vincennes. There are many parks in the district, as well as one of the richest European Zoos – Zoo de Vincennes (53 avenue de Saint-Maurice, metro station – Porte Doree) and, of course, Chateau de Vincennes.

A few decades ago the 13th district of Paris was the industrial area with many enterprises. Now it’s mostly a bedroom community with modern buildings, including nearly three dozen skyscrapers. What can we see? The Square of Italy, Paris China Town, the old factory of gobelins, la Butte aux Cailles.

13th district of Paris – is the heart of Paris East. The historical part of fashionable establishments is already left behind and here is the Parisian Chinatown. The National Library named after Francois Mitterrand (Bibliotheque Nationale, BNF) is the main decoration of 13th Parisian area. It has the most extensive collection of French-language literature in the world and is the largest library in France. Modern footbridge Passerelle Bercy-Tolbiac leads you from the library complex to the Bercy park. To the South there is older bridge Pont de Tolbiac across the Seine and it leads you back into the quarters of music studios, art galleries, cheaper restaurants and clubs.

Gobelins factory gave its name to the 13 th Arrondissement – des Gobelins. Masters of the factory more than 400 years have kept the secret of making the French tapestries. But most importantly for you is understanding that Paris has its own Silk Road. And this atmosphere is kept all over 13th district. In it’s restaurants, impregnated with spices, menus and signs written in kanji and Parisian Asians around you.

14-th district of Paris, The Observatory, refers to the historical city center. The building of the Paris Observatory itself is quite modest. In the same building the Astronomical Museum is located.

The main historical attraction of the 14 th District are the famous Parisian Catacombs (Catacombes de Paris). Today this network of tunnels and caves is used as a cemetery. For tourists only small part of the catacombs is opened and includes museums and chapels.

14th area is known by the main train station of the capital – Gare-Montparnasse and the Boulevard Montparnasse itself, whose glory has passed already. The peak of “life” of this district took place in 1970es. At that time the parties in Paris Montparnasse were full of ideas and artistic discoveries. Today it is only one of the nightlife centers of Paris.

But in the evenings «free track» for inline skating is crowded with thousands of people. The route goes around the park Montsouris and stretches along the esplanade of Gare-Montparnasse. In recent years it is one of the most popular sport routes of Paris.

Also in the 14th District you can visit the Museum of Modern Art Cartier Foundation (Fondation Cartier pour l’Art Contemporain), Lenin Museum located on the Marie-Rose street, Park Jardin Atlantique, a nonprofit museum of Montparnasse acquainting visitors with the history and culture of the district.

The 15th District is restraint and calm, there are no significant touristic sights, but well-developed infrastructure is. Area is equally popular among tourists and locals.

15th District Vaugirard is the largest and most densely populated district of Paris. It is known by located here Montparnasse Tower. This tower was the first skyscraper in Paris. From it’s observation platform (209m high) overlooks the entire historical center of Paris and the embankment Beaugrenelle.

In the 15th District you can visit the Museum of Pasteur, the Postal Museum and Museum of Lost Things, the House-Museum of the famous French sculptor Antoine Bourdelle, the famous studio La Ruche, which was home for many famous artists in 20-ies.Here are also two large sports facilities: a water sports center and the Paris Palace of Sport.

There are lots of parks in the area where you can enjoy a promenade. Take a stroll in the park named after André Citroën it is the newest one in Paris, or relax in the quiet park of Georges Brassens. In the Exhibition Park (Parc des Expositions) you may visit the exposition.

In this area you will surely find affordable housing. Visit our website offers. Here you will find an apartment, studio or loft to your taste.

This is the main bourgeois districts of Paris, where the residences of those people “who can not be poor and they merged to suffer together” :-). It is not a place to meet African or Arab person on the streets. On the streets of the 16th district you’ll see lots of the grandiose mansions and luxury cars. The shops sell only the world-known brands, and a dinner at a restaurant will cost more than 100 Euros. The most vivid illustration of bourgeois life is Rue Passy. It’s very convenient, that this quiet area is located near the main French sights as Champs Elysees, Arc de Triomphe, Eiffel Tower. Nearby there are museums of Claude Monet, the history of humanity, Asian Art, Contemporary art, Sports, the famous courts of Roland-Garros and, of course, Bois de Boulogne.

The main point of attraction in the 17th district of Paris is the Palace of Congress (Place de la Porte Maillot), where you can always visit some interesting exhibition. The 17th district was incorporated to Paris after 1860. There are many elegant buildings here, but without any special sights. This area is so beautiful like the sixteenth district, but less spoiled by bourgeoisie.

The architecture in the area is very original and attractive, there are many elegant buildings. You can take a pleasant walk in the park Monceau.

Have you ever been at the legendary Montmartre? If not, then your road is directly to the 18th arrondissement of Paris!

18th district of Paris is some kind of an exception from the rules. Despite that it is situated on the Right bank, on spirit it absolutely “left-bank”. It is sad, but the bohemian centre of Montmartre is superseded by tourists for a long time already. From a Bohemianism of the last century only a history and memoirs are left here. Modern 18th district one of the cheapest, but because of presence here Montmartre with the glory of a haven of artists it is still very far to “bottom” for this district. The matter is that art workers were not so rich and they were much poorer in comparison with today’s bohemia. Once here lived and painted Toulouse-Lautrec, Modigliani, Picasso. In XIX-XX centuries in galleries of Montmartre were exposed almost every artist of that time. Today there are sidewalk artists selling souvenirs with kinds of Paris and offering to write your portrait on the Tertre Square (Place du Tertre). The 18 district is completely not rich with sights. Perhaps, the unique “classical” monument of architecture is Sacré Cœur Cathedral. From its tower opens very nice view to Paris. The second sight is a Montmartre hill with its uncountable «the house in which lived …» and «cafe in which it was possible to meet …», and also cheap souvenirs you can by here. The basic value of this district, if you decide to stop here, is its spirit which has still kept the poetry and French atmosphere, despite a considerable quantity of tourists and immigrants. And the price of apartments if you want to rent apartment here, will seem to you quite accessible.

Montmartre is a hill 130 metres high, in the north of Paris, a part of the Right Bank, primarily known for the white-domed Basilica of the Sacre Coeur on its summit and as a nightclub district.

Many artists had studios or worked around the community of Montmartre such as Salvador Dali, Claude Monet, Pablo Picasso and Vincent van Gogh.

Montmartre is an officially designated historic district with limited development allowed in order to maintain its historic character.

Downhill to the southwest is the red-light district of Pigalle. That area is, today, largely known for a wide variety of sex shops and prostitutes. It also contains a great number of stores specializing in instruments for rock music. There are also several concert halls, also used for rock music.

Moulin Rouge (French for Red Mill or windmill) is a traditional cabaret, built in 1889 by Joseph Oller, who already owned the Paris Olympia. Situated in the red-light district of Pigalle on Boulevard de Clichy, near Montmartre, it is recognized by the large red imitation windmill on its roof. Over the past hundred years, the Moulin Rouge has remained a popular tourist destination, offering musical dance entertainment for adult visitors from around the world. Much of the romance from turn-of-the-century France is still present in the club’s decor.

If someone believes that 19th district on the outskirts of Paris has nothing interesting, then this is a misconception. Parks Buttes-Chaumont (called the Tuileries for the people) and La Villette (it is entertaining and educational complex “town of science and industry”), a concert hall Zenith – what you need visit in Paris. But overall it is an inexpensive sleeping area.

Some time ago the present 20th arrondissement of Paris was only a rural suburb and industrial area, as we can see many reminders of it. Now it is the place that a lot of immigrants have chosen to live in regarding the affordable and attracting prices of this parisian districts. The second largest Chinatown of the city is located here. If you want to get a bit of rest, you can have a walk at the Père Lachaise cemetery where all of the best french writers are resting in peace, where such great composers as Chopin and Rossini, writers – Oscar Wild and Marcel Proust, artist – Pissarro and Lafontaine, Musset, Jim Morrison. Unfortunately if you love to shoot on your camera beautiful views and sights, this place is not the best one for you. But in general, it is very colorful and multi-ethnic district with quarters Menilmontant and Belleville.