Where to Stay in Paris

Paris is made up of numerous neighborhoods with different styles and spirit, and in each one you will find interesting places to visit.

Below we explain in detail what you will find in each area. At the end, a selection of the most booked hotels by our travelers.

Map of the districts of Paris

As you can see on the map, the city of Paris is divided into 20 districts or ” arrondissements ” that are distributed in a spiral and are crossed in the middle by the Seine.

Safe Areas To Stay In Paris

The safest areas to stay in Paris are those located in the center, in the first districts, on the banks of the Seine.

The “arrondissements” from 1 to 9 are usually the safest. Because they have the most important points of interest and are inhabited by the upper-middle class, these areas are among the most guarded in Paris.

The following neighborhoods are usually very quiet and safe. As is logical, they are also the ones with the most expensive accommodation:

• Saint-Germain-des-Prés – See hotels
• Trocadero – See hotels
• Île de la Cité – See hotels
• Montparnasse – See hotels

If you’re looking for a chic, quiet setting and don’t mind paying a bit more, check out accommodations near the Champs-Elysées, the Louvre area, and Place de la Concorde.

About the cheap neighborhoods : the further away you are from the circle of the first arrondissements (those that are closest to the Seine), the cheaper the accommodation will be. However, in the center you can also get good deals, thanks to the competition between the large number of accommodations that are located there.

Districts of paris

1st Arrondissement – Louvre

The first district or 1er arrondissement is the old center of the city. It is a wonderful place to stay in Paris .

This district is on the banks of the Seine, and a short distance from the main places of Paris, such as the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower and the Tuileries Gardens.

Normally the hotels located in this area are the most expensive.

It is within the safest areas to stay in Paris .

See hotels in the 1st Arrondissement.

2e Arrondissement– Bourse

The second arrondissement, is similar to the first, is located on the right side of the Seine, and is the area where the Stock Exchange Palace and many theaters are located.

It is a good option to stay because it is still close to the tourist spots, with slightly more competitive prices.

It is the smallest of all the districts.

See hotels in the 2e Arrondissement.

3e Arrondissement– Temple

A part of the trendy neighborhood of Le Marais belongs to this district number three.

Fashion shops, restaurants and art galleries abound in this area .

Ideal if part of your purpose of visiting Paris is to go shopping or buy art.

Here is the Picasso Museum and an old Jewish quarter.

See hotels in the 3e Arrondissement.

4e Arrondissement – Hotel-de-Ville

This district can be considered as the medieval area of Paris, and one of the best neighborhoods to stay . In it is the City Hall of Paris, which works in the building known as the Hôtel de Ville.

On its eastern side, the 4e Arrondissement de Paris is home to the Notre Dame Cathedral, located on the natural island of the Seine called Île de la Cité.

Within this district are also the modern Pompidou Center and another part of the lively Le Marais district, known for being the old Jewish quarter and at the same time the gay district of Paris .

The pretty Place des Vosges, the oldest square in Paris, is part of the 3rd and 4th arrondissements.

See hotels in the 4e Arrondissement .

5e Arrondissement – Panthéon

Latin Quarter is located .

This is a bohemian area, full of bars, restaurants, and bookstores, it is considered the intellectual heart of Paris.

At night it has a lively activity, full of young people and tourists. Good places to have a drink and souvenir shops abound.

Here are located, among other things, the Pantheon, the Museum of Natural History and the beautiful botanical garden Jardin des Plantes.

This can be a good place to stay, since the prices of the accommodations are cheaper than in the previous districts, and from here you can quickly reach the main places to see in Paris by metro or bus.

See hotels in the 5e Arrondissement.

6e Arrondissement – Luxembourg

This district of Paris is one of the most beautiful.

This part of the city is proud to have been the favorite of two famous people: Ernest Hemingway and Eugène Delacroix.

The two most famous neighborhoods found within the 6th arrondissement are Saint-Germain-des-Prés and the Notre-Dame-des-Champs neighborhood.

The Luxembourg Palace and Gardens are located in this part of the city.

See hotels in the 6e Arrondissement.

7th Arrondissement – Palais-Bourbon

This is the district of the Eiffel Tower, the most famous monument in Paris, and one of the most famous in the world.

This arrondissement is very safe and quiet, despite the movement of tourists that exists around its main monuments.

It’s the kind of area where you’ll see ladies walking their dogs at night and in the morning and where there are more residences than bars.

In this part of the city you can also find The Les Invalides building (where Napoleon’s tomb is), The Orsay Museum, The Rodin Museum and The UNESCO building.

This is one of the districts that we recommend to sleep in Paris if you are traveling with children.

See hotels in the 7e Arrondissement.

8e Arrondissement – Élysée

The 8th arrondissement of Paris can be considered the most glamorous.

It is located on the right side of the Seine and is where you will find the Champs Elysées with its fashion shops, The Arc de Triomphe, The Grand Palace of Paris, The spectacular Madeleine Church and The famous Boulevard Haussmann.

In this area, hotels are usually more expensive, but be sure to check the offers.

See hotels in the 8e Arrondissement.

9e Arrondissement – Opera

This area of Paris is home to the Opera Garnier building and the impressive Galeries Lafayette department store : a huge shopping area where you can find all kinds of luxury items.

If you are not interested in buying a €2,000 handbag, we still recommend that you go in and admire the decoration of the Galeries Lafayette and its beautiful dome if you are in the area.

The restaurant Le Bouillon Chartier is located in this district, we recommend it too.

See hotels in the 9e Arrondissement.

10e Arrondissement – Enclos-St-Laurent

The 10th arrondissement is centered around the picturesque Canal St. Martin and the cafes that line its banks.

The RER station at the Gare du nord (or north station) is located in this arrondissement as is the eastern or Gare de l’Est .

Precisely because they are located here, you must be alert to pickpockets that normally appear in this kind of places.

See hotels in the 10e Arrondissement.

11e Arrondissement – Popincourt

This district is less touristy, although there are plenty of restaurants, bars and nightclubs that bring life to the area.

The greatest movement is registered in the surroundings of the Plaza de la Bastille and Oberkampf street.

Pablo Picasso was one of the illustrious inhabitants who once lived in this arrondissement.

It is a good place to stay if you are on a budget.

Pay attention at night in some streets in this area. They can feel a bit intimidating. Give preference to accommodation located near metro stations.

12e Arrondissement– Reuilly

This area is better known as Reuilly or Bercy , and after having undergone several alterations it has become a meeting point for the youngest.

The Opéra Bastille is located here, as is the Station Lyon and the Bois de Vincennes park , one of the most beautiful parks and gardens in Paris.

In this district you get good accommodation and in safe areas with a nearby metro.

See hotels in the 12e Arrondissement.

13e Arrondissement– Gobelins

Gare de Austerlitz station and its Asian neighborhood in the southern part.

It is of little tourist interest, although if you pass through here you will see that simple restaurants with good prices abound. The National Library of France is located in this district.

See hotels in the 13e Arrondissement.

14e Arrondissement – Observatory

This district is better known as Montparnasse, where the Montparnasse Tower is located , from where one of the best views of Paris can be appreciated.

It is quite a residential area, with the lively Boulevard du Montparnasse for a drink or something to eat and the Montparnasse RER Station.

Among the tourist attractions that you can find in this arrondissement are the Paris catacombs, the Cartier Foundation and the Montparnasse Cemetery.

Good neighborhood to stay in Paris, just be careful around the station, especially at night.

See hotels in the 14e Arrondissement.

15e Arrondissement– Vaugirard

This district, known as the Arrondissement de Vaugirard, has very little tourist activity.

It’s more of a quiet residential area that sits right next to Montparnasse and the 7th arrondissement , which is where the Eiffel Tower is located.

This is the advantage of this area, it is cheap and within walking distance of important Paris monuments such as Les Invalides or the Military School.

See hotels in the 15e Arrondissement.

16e Arrondissement– Passy

Better known as Passy, the 16th arrondissement is a residential area with a lot of class and elegance.

Its streets and boulevards are charming and it is home to interesting places such as the Balzac Museum.

Most of the consulates and embassies that operate in Paris have been established in Passy.

Paris Saint-Germain soccer team and the Trocadero neighborhood, from whose square on the banks of the Seine you can enjoy the best view of the city. Eiffel Tower.

For a respite in nature, visit the Bois de Boulogne Park in this area .

See hotels in the 16e Arrondissement.

17th Arrondissement – Batignolles-Monceau

It starts from beyond the Arc de Triomphe and has few places of interest for tourists.

If you want to stay in a good and cheap place in Paris, this area may be of interest to you.

However, remember that you will have to use public transport to reach the main sites of Paris.

The Palais des Congrès de Paris is this way.

See hotels in the 17e Arrondissement.

 18e Arrondissement– Butte-Montmartre

Of the areas “furthest away” from the center of Paris, this is the most visited, since it is home to very popular places such as the Sacré Coeur, the bohemian neighborhood of Montmartre and the most famous cabaret in the world, the Moulin Rouge.

This district has a lot of charm, once it was home to artists like Matisse and Renoir , and today you will find an infinite number of artists trying their luck through its cobbled streets.

Although it is a must-see in Paris, it is not the most ideal place to stay , some areas can be intimidating due to the presence of homeless people, prostitution and pickpockets.

If you find an irresistible accommodation offer here, take advantage of it, most likely everything will be perfect, but we recommend you to be very attentive to your belongings and to strangers when you walk at night, and to prefer hotels next to the metro.

For fans, this is the neighborhood of Paris where Amélie was filmed , and you can do our Amélie Tour through Montmartre when you’re in this area.

See hotels in the 18e Arrondissement.

19e Arrondissement– Buttes-Chaumont

Within the 19th arrondissement are two of the most beautiful parks in Paris: the Parc de la Villete and the Parc des Buttes-Chaumont.

People of many ethnicities mix in this arrondissement , and Asian and African restaurants abound.

There are places to stay at a good price, but it is considered one of the least safe places in Paris.

See hotels in the 19e Arrondissement.

20e Arrondissement – Menilmontant

Located on the right bank of the Seine River, this district is home to the most famous cemetery in Paris, the Père Lachaise, the final resting place of the likes of Oscar Wilde, Chopin, Isadora Duncan, Edith Piaf, and Jim Morrison.

Belleville neighborhood and park is part of this district.

We do not recommend staying here due to the distance you would have to travel daily to get to the center of Paris, however if you want to look at the options:

See hotels in the 20e Arrondissement

Accommodation in Paris

If you prefer to stay in an apartment in Paris with all the comforts you can click here and you will see the map of available options conveniently organized by arrondissement .

In Paris you can find decent accommodation and for a reasonable price , although if you want to stay in the center it will always be a little more expensive, especially if your room has views of the famous Eiffel Tower. (Although there are always exceptions, of course: 5 cheap hotels near the Eiffel Tower

You can see this selection of 5 cheap apartments in the center of Paris, we have selected them for having a good price and being within the best areas to stay in Paris.

If you are looking for a quick answer, it may help you to know the hotels most booked by our users:

• St Christophers Inn Paris Canal
• HotelF1 Paris Porte de Chatillon
• Generator Paris
• Hotel Vivienne
• ibis budget Porte D’Orleans

Sleeping in Paris

• 5 cheap hotels in Paris
• 5 cheap hotels near the Eiffel Tower
• 5 cheap apartments in the center of Paris
• Our selection of Apartments in Paris
• Cheap and central hostels in Paris
• Hotels in Paris