May 17, 2024
7 min read
The Best Neighborhoods to Visit in Paris
We're here to immerse you in Paris, from thousand-year-old villages to the best gay bars in town and everything in between. There's a lot of information out there, so we've pulled together everything you need to know about the best neighborhoods in Paris from the travel mavens we all know and trust. From shopping hot spots to insider Eiffel Tower views, we've got you covered on where to stay and visit in the City of Lights.
Saint-Germain-des-Prés
Saint-Germain-des-Prés is an upscale, foodie area near many landmarks.
"The neighborhood is a postcard-perfect vision of Paris: a grand, boutique-filled boulevard; café terraces practically made for people watching; former mansions turned hotels; antique shops and bookstores spilling out on cobblestoned squares." -
Travel + Leisure"This is a ritzy corner of the French capital – filled with grand-dame hotels and smart shops (Ladurée pit-stop, anyone?). Lots of the old-school Parisian cafés are in this neck of the woods, such as Cafe de Flore." -
Conde Nast Traveler"For the five-star Parisian experience, it has to be Saint-Germain-des-Prés. From existentialism to jazz, this is where Paris’s key 20th-century cultural movements thrived… That golden age lives on in the many independent stores and boutiques…chill out around the lakes and palm trees of the nearby Jardin du Luxembourg." -
Time Out
Pigalle and South Pigalle
Pigalle and South Pigalle are hip, foodie areas in Paris with great nightlife.
"Pigalle's grand 19th-century streets were once better known as the red district – this is where the Moulin Rouge sits, after all. That icon is still here, and years ago this is where artists would settle in the city. Now, it's soared past up-and-coming to become firmly on the map..." -
Conde Nast Traveler"...this is the place to sample the very latest going-out trends, whether that’s fusion bistros (Buvette), concept hotels (Le Pigalle) or clandestine cocktail bars (Lulu White’s)." -
Time Out"Think gourmet shops around rue des Martyrs and nocturnal goings-on at the hotspot likes of Le Carmen, composer Georges Bizet’s baroque home-turned-club. New bars and restaurants continue to open in this quarter below Montmartre." -
Culture Trip
Montmartre
Montmartre is an upscale residential area near many Parisian landmarks, loved by locals for its classic Parisian charm.
"Streets lined with retro cafés, ivy-clad apartment buildings and the dazzling white domes of the Sacré-Cœur: Montmartre is most people’s idea of what Paris is really like…This northern neighbourhood has retained its enchanting village feel thanks to its steep hills, charming multi-coloured houses and tiny old-world shops." -
Time Out"Montmartre might just be the most handsome neighbourhood in Paris. It's not off-the-beaten-track or under the radar, but it's a classic for a reason. We love the photo opportunities in the side streets (make sure to stop by La Maison Rose and Lamarck-Caulaincourt metro station) and the weekend artist market." -
Conde Nast Traveler
Le Marais
Le Marais is an upscale and hip gayborhood in Paris.
"The leafy Marais district, in the 4th arrondissement (just across the river from Notre Dame), is a fairly peaceful part of the city, all cobblestone alleys and courtyards and tree-flanked streets. This is a shopping sweet spot and is home to a 17th-century market Marché des Enfants Rouge." -
Conde Nast Traveler"This area is known for being home to a large LGBTQ+ community and hosting a diverse mix of independent art galleries and specialist stores nestled between aristocratic mansions." -
Time Out"Gay bars rub shoulders with Renaissance mansions and Jewish dining establishments in the Marais, a warren of narrow streets known for their breathtaking architecture and buzzy vibe." -
Culture Trip
Louvre and Palais-Royal
The upscale area surrounding the city landmarks, the Louvre and the Palais-Royal, has great shopping.
"This district is home to the world-famous Louvre museum and the Jardin des Tuileries, as well as hotels and restaurants brimming with over-the-top luxury." -
Michelin Guide"It's a well-known fact that the French like their fashion, and a stroll along rue Saint-Honoré in the 1st arrondissement is almost guaranteed to make you style-obsessed, too. Whether you're indulging in window shopping at Hermés, giving your wallet a workout at Goyard, or simply watching the parade from a sidewalk table at Le Castiglione, this neighborhood is très à la mode." -
Travel + Leisure"Situated just west of the imposing Louvre Museum and former palace, the lush formal garden in central Paris known as the Jardin des Tuileries is part of the same-- originally royal-- complex…It's a UNESCO World Heritage site, part of the historic stretch alongside the Seine riverbanks of Paris to be named as precious cultural and historical territory." -
Trip Savvy
Les Halles
Les Halles has a fantastic food and shopping scene.
"Les Halles is not just anchored by the world-famous museum, the Centre Georges Pompidou, but one could say it is defined by it…It is surrounded by a pedestrian zone now and nearby is the Théatre du Chatelet and also the Stravinsky Fountain…It was Emile Zola who is credited with first saying that Les Halles is the "belly of Paris."" -
USA Today"...the city’s best chefs have overhauled the grungy former wholesale district with chic brasseries, new-wave bistros, and low-key fish shacks that even the locals are lining up for." -
bon appetit"The Forum des Halles is a sprawling shopping, dining, and transportation hub right in the heart of Paris, with nearly 150 shops and restaurants. A 2016 renovation saw the addition of a spectacular wavy roof nicknamed La Canopée—you’re going to want a picture of it. Though the architecture is new, the shopping concept is not: A market has stood on this very site since the 1100s." -
Conde Nast Traveler
Canal Saint-Martin
Canal Saint-Martin is a hip residential area and a popular haunt for young locals.
"Boasting a notably slower pace of life than elsewhere in Paris, the bike-friendly Canal Saint-Martin has become a foodie hit thanks to its numerous organic wine and cheese stores, craft coffee shops and canal-side restaurants serving globally inspired cuisine." -
Time Out"The canal has cut itself a trendy new image over the past few years, and this is partly thanks to its constantly evolving, eminently affordable bar and restaurant circuit." -
Thrillist"The neighbourhood surrounding the Canal Saint-Martin is an established centre of cool, clustered around the nearly-200-year-old waterway, which you can stroll." -
Culture Trip
Oberkampf
Oberkampf is a hip residential area, loved by locals for its great food and nightlife scene.
"If this were a list of Paris’ best coffee shops or bars, the streets around Oberkampf would probably come out on top." -
Thrillist"Here, you’ll encounter everything from fancy cocktail joints to basement dives to sleek wine bars. This is Paris’s most vibrant nightlife destination, and you’re bound to find a drinking den to suit you. The area’s also great for a stroll whatever time of day, but it’s after dark that Oberkampf really lights up." -
Time Out"...[Oberkampf] reverberates with things to do after dark, including arty cocktail bars and foodie havens such as Pierre Sang’s French-Korean must-try establishment. There are also a number of West African restaurants concentrated in the streets all around, such as the convivial African Kitchen, loved for its authentic Nigerian cuisine." -
Culture Trip
Bastille
Bastille is a hip area with great food.
"Near the Marais, but much cheaper, Bastille is well worth considering as your base in Paris. To start with, the area has some excellent eating and drinking destinations." -
Time Out"You’ll still find rowdy bars pushing happy hour drinks, but this traditionally working-class Parisian quartier has also been building a reputation as a gastronomic hotspot. A new wave of creative restaurants has gradually moved in, followed by a young, “bobo” (bourgeois-bohème) crowd of Parisians, to make themselves at home among no-frills bars and bistros." -
The Independent"The expanse of exciting restaurants around the Place de la Bastille could probably keep you going for months." -
Thrillist
Gros-Caillou
The Gros-Caillou neighborhood surrounds the Eiffel Tower and is an upscale area close to other notable Parisian landmarks.
"Wanting to be within touching distance of the main attractions is not to be sneered at – especially if you're only in Paris for a limited time...where the Eiffel Tower sits, there are tons of churches, and it's the spot for visits to Musée d’Orsay (where you'll find Monets, Manets and Renoirs)." -
Conde Nast Traveler"Local tip: Set some time aside to explore rue St Dominique and rue Cler, which are the most charming streets in the area with good French delis selling everything from pastries to wine." -
Lonely Planet
Champs-Élysées
Champs-Élysées is an upscale area, home to businesses, shopping, and many famous landmarks.
"...the glittering area around the Champs-Elysées may not be your first port of call when planning a hotel location. However, this upscale neighbourhood is a brilliant base from which to explore the city on foot or by bike....there’s loads for art fans to see." -
Time Out"The chestnut tree-lined Champs-Élysées is one of the world’s most iconic avenues. Named after the resting place of heroes, it is the annual scene of Bastille Day parades and Tour de France finishes. But as the high-end clutch of malls, boutique stores and theatres demonstrate, France’s legends aren’t limited to military and sport." -
Culture Trip
Haut-Marais
Haut-Marais is a hip residential area near many landmarks and museums, frequently visited by locals for its bustling energy and charm.
"Nowhere is the city's legendary romantic aura more on display than in the charming streets, hidden gardens, and historic places of the 3rd arrondissement. At night, the street lamps cast a seductive glow, and by day the cul-de-sacs and hidden corners are wonderful for exploring arm-in-arm." -
Travel + Leisure"Best neighborhood for cafes and museums…the 3rd arrondissement (troisième) underwent a mid-2000s metamorphosis and today bursts with design ateliers and stylish cafes. Unmissable sights include the Musée National Picasso, in a mid-17th-century private mansion, and the Musée Carnavalet, retelling the history of the French capital." -
Lonely Planet
Latin Quarter
The hip Latin Quarter is perfect for foodies and nightlife-seekers.
"Known as the Latin Quarter, the 5th arrondissement is dominated by university students and expats who create a young, artistic, and bohemian atmosphere. The neighborhood is lively at all times of day and well into the night." -
Travel + Leisure"...this Left Bank locale has everything a newcomer to Paris could want – underground jazz bars open till dawn, ultra-trendy restaurants and gardens so pretty they’ll clog your phone with photos...It also has Roman relics, 13th-century cloisters, ancient universities and Paris’s grandest mosque." -
The Independent
