Where to stay in Paris: the best neighbourhoods explained

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Step out of the metro at Saint-Paul on a Saturday morning and the street is already busy with people carrying baguettes and bags from the vintage shops. Two blocks north, the arcades around Place des Vosges are almost silent. That is Paris: every neighbourhood keeps its own pace, and you feel the change within a few minutes on foot.

The city is divided into 20 arrondissements that spiral outwards from the centre, numbered 1 to 20. A low number is not automatically better. We have chosen the areas where it is easiest to be a visitor without feeling like one, and say who each suits. If you want the hotels themselves, see our guide to the best hotels in Paris.

Short answer: where should you stay in Paris?

For a first visit, stay in the Marais (3rd and 4th arrondissements) or Saint-Germain (6th): central, walkable to most sights and full of places to eat. For livelier evenings and slightly lower prices, the Grands Boulevards and Canal Saint-Martin (9th and 10th) are good alternatives.

• Beste for a first visit: the Marais

• Beste for classic Paris: Saint-Germain

• Beste for nightlife: Canal Saint-Martin

• Beste for shopping and theatre: Grands Boulevards and Opéra

• Beste for views: Montmartre

The Marais: lanes, squares and shops

The Marais covers the 3rd and 4th arrondissements, between the Hôtel de Ville and Place de la République. It has Place des Vosges, the Picasso museum and a dense mix of galleries, falafel counters and independent shops. Notre-Dame and Île Saint-Louis are a fifteen-minute walk away.

It suits travellers who want everything on foot and like to wander without a plan. The catch: the streets are crowded at weekends, and hotel rooms are often small because they sit in old townhouses.

Pavillon de la Reine: a courtyard off Place des Vosges

Pavillon de la Reine hides behind an ivy-covered facade in a courtyard next to Place des Vosges. Once the gate closes, the noise of the Marais fades, and there is a spa downstairs for tired legs.

Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Pavillon de la Reine

Saint-Germain: classic Paris on the Left Bank

Saint-Germain-des-Prés in the 6th arrondissement means cafés, bookshops and quiet streets running down to the Seine. The Musée d’Orsay sits just over the border in the 7th, and the Jardin du Luxembourg is a short walk away.

Choose Saint-Germain for an elegant, calm base with excellent food nearby. The catch is price: it is one of the most expensive areas to stay, and evenings are quieter than on the Right Bank.

Hotel Montalembert: a small hotel near the Orsay

Hotel Montalembert sits on a side street a few minutes from the Musée d’Orsay, with a spa and restaurant in a house that feels more private than grand. From here you can walk past the riverside booksellers and across to the Louvre in a morning.

Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Hotel Montalembert

Grands Boulevards and Opéra: theatres, department stores and metro lines

The wide boulevards of the 2nd and 9th arrondissements were laid out in the nineteenth century and remain the city's shopping district, home to the Palais Garnier and the grand department stores. Around the Grands Boulevards, plenty of new restaurants and bars have opened in recent years.

It suits travellers who want a central, practical base with many metro lines and some life on the streets. The catch: the boulevards carry heavy traffic, so ask for a courtyard room if you sleep lightly.

Hôtel des Grands Boulevards: a roof terrace above the boulevard

Hôtel des Grands Boulevards stands near the Grand Rex cinema, with bright rooms and a roof terrace that is one of the best spots in the neighbourhood on a summer evening. You can walk to both the Opéra and the Marais.

Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Hôtel des Grands Boulevards

Canal Saint-Martin and the 10th: where Parisians go out

The canal with its iron footbridges runs through the 10th arrondissement, and on warm evenings its banks fill with people sharing wine and picnics. The streets around République and the canal hold many of the city's most talked-about new restaurants and natural wine bars.

Stay here if you have been to Paris before and want to see how locals use the city. The catch: the classic sights are further away, and some streets near Gare du Nord and Gare de l’Est feel less comfortable late at night.

Hôtel Providence: a small hotel near the canal

Hôtel Providence is close to République and the canal, with patterned wallpaper, a warm intimate style and a bar that fills with neighbours in the evening. A good choice if dinner is the highlight of your day.

Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Hôtel Providence

Montmartre and the Eiffel Tower: for a specific reason

Montmartre in the 18th arrondissement has Sacré-Cœur, the stairways and the view, and feels like a village on top of the city. The hills make daily trips in and out tiring, though, and the streets around Pigalle are busy at night.

The areas around the Eiffel Tower in the 7th and 16th are calm and elegant but quiet in the evening and some way from the rest of the city. Choose them only if a view of the tower is the point of the trip.

Good to know before you book

• Check the metro map: an area with two or three lines nearby saves a lot of time.

• Rooms are small: in old buildings 15 square metres is normal. Check the room size before booking.

• Street noise: ask for a courtyard room if the hotel is on a boulevard.

• Fashion weeks and trade fairs: prices rise across the city during the big shows and fairs.

Where to stay in Paris: frequently asked questions

What is the best area to stay in Paris for first-time visitors?

The Marais and Saint-Germain are the easiest choices for a first visit, as you can walk to most sights and have plenty of places to eat nearby.

Is it safe to stay in Paris?

The central neighbourhoods are safe, but pickpockets are common on the metro and at major sights. Take extra care around the big railway stations late at night.

What is an arrondissement?

Paris is divided into 20 districts called arrondissements, numbered in a spiral from the centre. The lowest numbers are the most central.

Should I stay near the Eiffel Tower?

Only if the view matters to you. The area is quiet in the evening and some way from the rest of the city, so many visitors prefer to stay more centrally and visit the tower.

Read next

• The best hotels in Paris

• Things to do in Paris

• Five unmissable bakeries in Paris

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