Where To Stay In Paris ?

There are two things you should consider before deciding Where To Stay In Paris. First, find out what area is right for you according to your visiting goals and then choose the type of accommodation matching your budget and taste.
The historical center (intra muros) of Paris is divided into 20 districts (arrondissements). As you notice on the map below the city is split in two by the Seine river. Each district is like a little village within the city with its own history, culture and way of life. The Left bank and its Latin Quarter is supposed to arbor the intellectuals and artists when the right bank is more up market and business centered. There might be some truth in this even though it is a little cliché.




View Larger Paris Arrondissements Map

No matter where you stay in Paris you will walk a lot. You won’t realize it at first taken by the euphoria of the moment. . Le Louvre museum alone can be quite a physical experience if you want to see it all (plan that over two days if you have time). Be gentle on your feet and try to avoid the good looking but uncomfortable shoes. Think comfort or it will hurt.
There is a place for everyone in Paris, it goes from the bed & breakfast room if you want to get in touch with the locals (you might even get some Parisian insider tips), the cheap 2 star hotel that will be kind on your wallet, the holiday apartment for a feel at home (great with kids) or the glamorous luxury hotel if you want to treat yourself.

I have grouped the districts in five areas. Each has recognizable monuments tourist attractions and own charm. If you are planning to see it all during your vacation try to stay at a central location around Le Louvre museum.



Where to stay in Latin quarter – Saint Germain des Prés: (Arrondissements 5,6,7,13 )
So you want to jump right into the heart of French culture? Latin Quarter and surrounding areas on the left bank are the right place for you to start with. Inheritance of the middle age when teaching was done in Latin, home of the famous La Sorbonne University, Latin quarter has always attracted those eager to learn and confront their ideas.

Join the thinkers and undisciplined students just here to party. Feel the bubbling ambiance as you walk down the small paved streets and pass by markets, numerous cafes, libraries and other gathering places. This is a lively tourist friendly area with plenty of places to eat drink and enjoy life the French way day and night. Shopping is good too even though it is targeted at younger consumers.

The area is located at a walking distance from lots of Paris monuments and the more remote ones are easily reached from one of many metro, bus and taxi
stations. Hotels and holiday rentals are very affordable in this part of the city, Prices tend to move up as you get closer from the more trendy and chic Saint Germain des Pres.
Choose your accommodation in Latin quarter area:

• Bed & Breakfast
• Cheap hotels


• Boutique hotels

• Holiday apartments






Where to stay in Montmartre - Sacre Coeur: (Arrondissements 18,19,20)


Looking for a more out of the way romantic place? Montmartre might be the right choice for you to stay in Paris. Named by the Parisians “the Paris village” It is built on the slopes of a hill. This is the highest point of the city overhung by the Sacre Coeur basilica.
Incredible views over Paris and a great place to be on 14th of July during French national day fireworks. The place is quite busy and peaceful all together. You can easily leave the crowd and find a lost little village square around the next corner. You would be surprised to see that it has its own vineyards and produces some wine.

Montmartre and its surroundings were also the choice of many famous painters such as Renoi
r Toulouse Lautrec and Picasso seduced by its inspiring ambiance. You can still go to the famous Tertre square watch artists paint and draw in the street but it is a bit of a tourist trap.
Montmartre is a little more distant than other areas from the major monuments and tourist sights but public transports will get you there and back in a snap.

Going out and staying in Montmartre is inexpensive. It has the highest concentration of hotels in the city. You will easily find the perfect romantic nest you have been
looking for your holidays in Paris.

Choose your accommodation in Montmartre area:

• Bed & Breakfast

• Cheap hotels

• Boutique hotels• Holiday apartments



Where to stay in Le Marais - Le louvre : (Arrondissements 1,2,3,4)


If you are on a shopping spree and looking for the latest Paris trends you can’t be wrong staying in Le Marais and its nearby area. The contrast between 16th century mansion houses where Victor Hugo wrote his master pieces and the brightly colored glass and steel contemporary art museum Pompidou center sums up what le Marais area has to offer to you. A magnificently preserved historic center as a launching pad for young fashion designers who often go on to become internationally famous.

This mix of trend and culture gives you a great place to stay in Paris. If you are
not staying there I would advise that you take the time to stroll on rue Charlot on Sunday afternoon to enjoy the unpretentious restaurants, wine bars and art galleries when the rest of Paris is usually closed.Night life is also quite intense and Hip places will keep you awake until the wee hours of the morning.

It is very central and close from major tourist attractions, at a walking distance from Le Louvre
museums and nearby major Paris transport arteries.

You wi
ll find places to stay for all pockets in Le Marais and surrounding areas, Budget mid range or luxury, make your choice:

Choose your accommodation in Le Marais area:
• Bed & Breakfast

• Cheap hotels

• Boutique hotels


• Holiday ap
artments


Where to stay in Champs Elysees- Trocadero: (Arrondissements 8,9,16,17)
Here you have it all. Paris major pieces of architecture monuments and symbols all together as well as the outrageous price you will have to pay for a coffee on the famous Champs Elysees avenue. The lights, glitters and glamor all around will soon make you forget about that painful bill.

If you are on a budget don’t worry, you can stop at Monoprix ( a department store with a food market attached ) on 50 Avenue des Champs Elysees and grab drinks and sandwiches.

Whether y
ou are a confirmed shopaholic or simply a Now-and-then dilettante you will find it there. The top brands have huge flagships stores on the avenue. The Cartier store is spread over 600m2 Lancel 700 m2 Hugo boss a mere 1100m2 and last but not least Louis Vuitton boutique occupies a vast 1800m2 area ( I can hear your credit card choke already).

On the less materialistic side of things there is a great moment to be there on a sunny day right at sunset the light goes trough the arch of the Arc de Triumph monument and puts a golden veil on the famous avenue, quite a spectacular sight.

This area is a more expensive place
to stay in Paris but it is worth it. You will find the same wide variety of accommodation type than in other areas but of course luxury hotels are really top of the notch.

Watch video of Champs Elysees area to see what it looks like:








Choose your accommodation in Champs Elysees area:



• Bed & Breakfast

• Cheap hotels

• Boutique hotels

• Holiday apartmentsWhere to stay in Bastille – Oberkampf: (Arrondissements 10,11,12)
Are you into neo-punk Lolita, vintage or mangas and tattoos or just don’t know what I am talking about? Then you need to check the Bastille area a place for fashion and partying. This is the right spot to find out about young fashion designers and cool street wear.

For those just waiting for the ring of the “happy hour bell” you are right in the middle of party time Paris. You will find a concentrated mix of pulsing cafes, lounge
restaurant cocktail bars and ecstatic dance floors. The new trend in bars is that the audience provides the music. Bring your Ipod along and share with the rest of the crowd.

Choose your accommodation in Bastille area:

• Bed & Breakfast

• Cheap hotels

• Boutique hotels

• Holiday apartments



The above links will take you to the resource pages for each type of accommodation in the Paris areas described. The resource pages are updated often with new tips and advices so if you want to get the latest info about
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