Where to stay in Paris — and what to see

For a first trip, stay in Le Marais, Saint-Germain-des-Prés or the Latin Quarter — central, walkable and full of character. Opéra is the most practical for transport and shopping, Montmartre is the most romantic (and hilly), and Canal Saint-Martin or the 15th arrondissement give you a more local, everyday Paris.

How Paris is organized

Paris is divided into 20 arrondissements spiraling out from the center like a snail shell; the Seine splits the city into the Right Bank (north) and the Left Bank (south). The lower the number, the closer to the center. The metro is dense, so almost anywhere inside the city limits works — but staying central means more walking and fewer transfers.

Paris areas compared

Le Marais: the best all-rounder

One of the oldest and trendiest neighborhoods, where medieval mansions sit beside concept stores, contemporary art and some of the best falafel in Europe. It's also the heart of LGBTQ+ Paris. The arcaded Place des Vosges, where Victor Hugo lived, is the calmest square in the city.

Saint-Germain-des-Prés: the classic

The neighborhood of philosophers and writers — the famous literary cafés are still here — and today of expensive boutiques and beautiful people. Pricey, a little pretentious, gorgeous. The Jardin du Luxembourg with its green chairs is your local park.

Latin Quarter: student energy

Around the Sorbonne: always busy, full of bookshops, cheap eats and medieval alleys. Shakespeare and Company and the Panthéon are here, and Notre-Dame is across the bridge.

Opéra and Grands Boulevards: practical

Haussmann's Paris at full volume: wide boulevards, the lavish Opéra Garnier and the giant department stores. Many metro lines and the RER meet here, which makes it handy for airport transfers. Nearby, the 10th arrondissement around Gare du Nord is busier and grittier but well connected.

Montmartre and Pigalle

The Paris of films: a hill of narrow streets, artists on Place du Tertre and a sweeping view. Be ready for stairs. At its foot, Pigalle is the former red-light district turned trendy, home of the Moulin Rouge and lively bars — loud and a bit grubby.

Local Paris: Canal Saint-Martin, Belleville, the 15th and 17th

On summer evenings the canal banks fill with Parisians and their wine and baguettes. Belleville is multicultural, with street art, a Chinatown and a park with a little-known Eiffel Tower view. The 15th is the largest arrondissement and the most "normal" Paris, and the 17th around Parc Monceau is quiet old money. The tiny village of Butte-aux-Cailles in the 13th feels like provincial France.

Must-see sights in Paris

• Eiffel Tower — go up if you like, but the classic move is a sunset picnic on the Champ de Mars. For crowd-free views, try the Bir-Hakeim bridge or the Trocadéro gardens early in the morning.
• The Louvre — the world's largest museum. Don't try to see it all; find the Mona Lisa, then escape to the quieter Egyptian rooms. Book a time slot.
• Notre-Dame — reopened after the fire, with stone cleaned to almost new. Entry is free, but reserving a free slot online saves a long queue; the towers need a separate ticket.
• Sainte-Chapelle — walls of 13th-century stained glass that turn into a kaleidoscope on a sunny day.
• Musée d'Orsay — Impressionists in a former railway station, with the giant clocks.
• Sacré-Cœur — the white basilica crowning Montmartre; musicians play on the steps at sunset.
• Arc de Triomphe — climb to the roof to see the twelve avenues radiating out like a star.
• Les Invalides — Napoleon's tomb and the Army Museum under a golden dome.
• Opéra Garnier — gold, velvet and a Chagall ceiling.
• Panthéon — resting place of Hugo, Zola, Voltaire and Curie, plus Foucault's pendulum.
• Versailles — a day trip; arrive early.

Planning more than three museums? The Paris Museum Pass pays off quickly, though you still need time slots at some sights and the security line remains.

Local finds

• Parc des Buttes-Chaumont — cliffs, a suspension bridge and a temple above a lake.
• Promenade Plantée — a garden walk on an old railway viaduct.
• Père Lachaise — the cemetery as a park, with Jim Morrison, Édith Piaf and Oscar Wilde.
• Rue des Martyrs — cheese shops, bakeries and patisseries; build your perfect breakfast.
• 59 Rivoli — a former artists' squat where you can visit open studios.
• Galeries Lafayette — the stained-glass dome and a free rooftop terrace.
• Berthillon on Île Saint-Louis for ice cream, and the Catacombs for something darker.

Eat: a proper croissant that shatters into crumbs, escargots in garlic butter (with bread to mop up), and macarons from a good patisserie.

Practical tips

• From the airports. From Charles de Gaulle, the RER B train runs to Gare du Nord, Châtelet and the Latin Quarter; Orly is linked by the Orlyval and metro line 14.
• When to go. Spring and early autumn are lovely; August is quiet as many Parisians leave; winter is grey but has the shortest queues.
• Pickpockets work the metro, the Eiffel Tower area and Montmartre. Keep your phone out of back pockets.

Scams to avoid

• Friendship bracelets at Sacré-Cœur: someone ties a string around your wrist, then demands payment. Hands in pockets, keep walking.
• The found gold ring: a stranger "finds" a ring at your feet, asks if it's yours, then wants a reward. It's brass.

More patterns from Rome, Istanbul, Bangkok and beyond: common tourist scams. Continuing to London or Rome? Read where to stay in London and where to stay in Rome.

Paris in TripGist

TripGist maps sixteen Paris neighborhoods with a line or two on each, so you can see where your hotel falls before you book, plus the sights, local finds, food, the Notre-Dame and Museum Pass tips and the scams. Free and ad-free.