Paris: The Second Arrondissement

You’re nearly there – Paris! You can hardly wait to land. You’ve gotten your flights to Paris, France , now you’re trying to decide between some great looking offers on hotel accommodation for Paris, France. What arrondissement you are staying in is always an important consideration for accommodation in Paris, France even if you are looking at hotels in Paris city centre. Here’s a guide to Paris’s Second arrondissement so you can learn more about whether the Second is where you want to be!

It is unlikely that you’ll be spending alot of time in the 2nd as a tourist, but if you choose accommodation in this here, you will be in the heart of Paris’s finance center. Home to the Bourse (stock exchange) and the CAC 40 – France’s top listed companies, the 2nd arrondissement is also widely noted for its thriving fashion and journalism industries, as well as its general atmosphere of business.

What To Expect If You Are Staying In The Second Arrondissement :

The Good :

You’ll hardly spot any tourists here, meaning that the people-watching will be strictly French : Parisian business men and women going to lunch, stressed traders rushing to work, journalists meeting sources over coffee for the next big news break. Those who stay here will also be close to the lovely 19th “galleries,” a tradition when the Duke of Orleans decided to rent out his garden to shops in the late eighteenth century. These “galleries,” similiar to early shopping malls, have glass windows and tiled floors, are still operative today. Visit for a nostalgic and enchanting glance at Paris’s 19th century past.

The Bad :

This isn’t an especially happening part of Paris by any means, and while there are lots of places for lunch in the area , suitable for an expense account, nightlife absent . However, with the Marais in the fourth arrondissement only a few minutes away, there isn’t much to be concerned about. Also, near the eastern end of the arrondissement , you may run into a few prostitutes looking to ply their trade, but don’t be too alarmed – it’s safe, if seedy, and nevertheless you’re likely to encounter far fewer than in similar sections like Rue St. Denis or the Pigalle area.

What To Do:

If you’re a financial type, visit the Bourse, or Stock Exchange, for a look at Paris’s economic heart. Or check out the Galleries – the Gallerie Vivienne is considered the best-preserved, with authentic and beautiful 19th decor, a stunning mosaic floor, and elegantly upscale shops. In contrast, the Passage Choiseul is more “authentic,” catering to businesspeople on their way to work, and selling newspapers and offering services like shoe-shining to harried traders at the nearby Bourse.

Eating Spots :

Cafe Etienne Marcel, on Rue Etienne Marcel, is a stylish Costes brothers joint – less expensive than most of their others – with a menu to match. Or have a drink at Harry’s New York Bar on Rue Danou, reputed to be the birthplace of the Bloody Mary, and a hangout of Hemmingway. While Harry’s not cheap by any means, it’s nevertheless a great hangout for those who want the elegance and decadence of Art Deco bohemian expatriate life. And, of course, a bloody Mary mixed to perfection.

Where To Shop In Paris’s Second Arrondissement :

Brentano’s, on Avenue de L’Opera offers an outstanding selection of English-language and art books. And, of course, the Galleries are filled with fascinating stores. Wander in and out of a few of the delightful galleries, looking at the many wonderful shops on offer, and consider buying boutique clothes, antiquarian books and far more at all of them.

You are nearly there – Paris, France’s crown jewel and capital city! You can’t wait to start your journey. You’ve gotten your cheap airfare to Paris, France , now you’re trying to decide on some wonderful sounding offers on Paris hotels in the First arrondissement. What arrondissement you are staying in is always an important consideration for your hotel in Paris even if you are looking at hotels in Paris city centre. Here’s a guide to Paris’s First arrondissement so you can learn more about whether it is where you want to be!

Paris: The First Arrondissement

Paris’s first arrondissement is filled with the sort of elegance and grandeur that centuries’ worth of travelers have imagined when thinking of Paris . Broad boulevards, haute couture, and precisely maintained parks overlooking the dreamy Seine River are all found in this neighborhood, a district mainly of office space and tourist sites. Les Halles, Paris’s weird take on a shopping mall, can be found here as well.

What You Need To Know :

What’s Good :

Spending time in Paris’s First has many advantages . When you stroll under the nineteenth-century arches of the arcade Rue de Rivoli , you’ll be following in the footsteps of generations of dandies and duchesses: vanished remnants of an older Paris . You’ll be near some of Paris’s most exquisite tourist sites – the Tuileries garden to Chatelet -site of the Comedie Francaise, where Moliere once produced his plays – to the world-class Louvre Museum . And the shopping, on the elegantly understated Faubourg Saint Honore, is without peer !

What’s Bad About The First :

While daytime here provides access to some of Paris’s top sights within a few moments’ stroll , the business-like nature of the area means that nightlife, by contrast, is limited within the arrondissement. So unless visitors go to the Les Halles/St. Denis area there’s not much to do. Les Halles/St. Denis’s cheap pleasures may appear slightly seedy to travelers over the age of 21 (that said, the section bordering the Les Halles mall is very nice – a good place to stop after catching a movie in Les Halles’s enormous cinema, which presents many American and British films in their original languages. But avoid going towards Rue St. Denis/Blvd. Sebastopol unless you’re consciously seeking that sort of milieu.) What’s more, this area can get very, very touristy – especially around the otherwise lovely Rue de Rivoli. So watch your handbag and control your buying impulse for souvenirs until you’re a bit further off the beaten path.

What To See:
Sites and sights abound here. Take a walk down the Faubourg Saint-Honore, where nearly every top fashion house of the world has a presence. Visit the Louvre or Tuileries Gardens near the Place de Concorde, see a play at the Comedie Francaise in the Chatelet area.

Eating Places :
Finding untouristy food is difficult in this area, but finding wonderful desserts is not. Angelina, on Rue de Rivoli, has lost some of its former elegance, but the aging-grande-dame feel of the place makes the yellowed mirrors and creaky chandeliers worth seeing on their own merits. Plus, their famously rich hot chocolate and Mont Blanc desserts are some of the best in Paris. For a more recent hotspot, Cafe Marley in the Louvre offers views not only of the museum’s art, but also of Paris’s current celebrity scene. For good food, the area right around Les Halles has a number of good brasseries, but, as said earlier, the area closer to Rue St. Denis and Sebastopol has a slightly rougher character – not at all dangerous, but nevertheless unsavory.

Places To Shop:
If the high fashion of the Faubourg Saint Honore is a bit out of your desired spending range, head to the Les Halles mall. A surprisingly beautiful, art nouveau-inspired underground city (complete with street names, a swimming pool, park, and more), Les Halles proves that even Paris’s malls have a particular Parisian flair. While the area around the mall is useful for super-cheap (think 3-5 euro) clothes and shoes, the mall itself has much higher quality merchandise at pretty good prices.

You can’t wait to leave for Paris, the City of Lights . You’ve gotten your deals on Paris, France flights , now you are trying to decide between some wonderful sounding bargains on hotel accommodation in Paris, France . Here’s a guide to Paris’s arrondissements or neighborhoods so you can learn more about what neighborhoods in Paris the hotels you are considering are in . It will help you figure out where in Paris you want to be and where you don’t!

The ideal of living in Paris is an extravagant one. It’s quite easy to begin picturing extravagant living – canopy beds, pure crystal antique chandeliers , silk sheets – before coming to terms with the reality of budget constraints. Paris is an expensive place . And living like Marie Antoinette isn’t feasible for most people . Furthermore, Paris is a diverse city. It has a vast collection of different arrondissements and neighborhoods , and sections of the city . Some that might suit a married couple and two children might not work for the trendy young person traveling alone , the group of backpackers, or the retired couple celebrating their golden anniversary. So before you finally select which Paris hotels near the Eiffel Tower are for you and your companion, or which 5 star hotels in Paris you think is best , or which Paris hotels in the Latin Quarter offer the best deal , you should also consider the ambiance and milieu of the neighborhood you’re about to stay in. This is essential if you are to choose the best hotel in Paris for you . Remember it’ll be your home away from home during your stay in Paris and you’ll want it to be a good fit. So factor in neighborhood along with price, safety and convenience as you make your final Paris hotel, motel or apartment decision. Neighborhood is always an important consideration for hotel accommodation for Paris, France even if you are looking at hotels in Paris city centre.

General Guide To Pricing

In general, nice Paris’s Right Bank hotels in elegant districts like the 8th and 16th arrondissements are the most expensive of any hotels in Paris. On the left bank, prices are generally lower. Of course there are exceptions, the upscale artsy Boulevard St. Germain area is also rather expensive , though not as expensive as Paris’s Right Bank hotels. Less expensive areas include more residential, student-y , or less central arrondissements. Boulevard St. Michel – though perhaps over-crowded, is rather inexpensive , though not as much so as Montparnasse. These two areas are good for finding cheap accommodation in Paris. Other neighborhoods that are generally on the bottom end of the price scale, but that aren’t considered too dangerous to stay in, include Montmartre, which is low-key, artsy-hippie, and relaxed, the studenty, though perhaps a tad touristy, Rue Mouffetard, and the residential Portes d’Orleans/Alesia area. These areas aren’t close to attractions like the Eiffel Tower, but it’s easy to get around on the Metro or through the city’s Velib bike-rental system.

Your Guide To The Star Ranking System

The concept behind France’s star rating system is arithmetic – not a value-judgement. In France, a standardized system of star-ranking measures not the quality of the hotel but the quantity of its amenities. The one- four star scale (there are no five -star hotels in France) is based on twenty-two criteria about the square footage, features, and amenities, and doesn’t reflect on the “charm,” “niceness,” or lack thereof. So dig deeper; don’t assume stars automatically mean good, or that a hotel with only one star is no good – it could be a lot more charming than its “four-star” a four star hotel .

Choosing A Paris Neighborhood

As a rule of thumb, the first , 8th , 16th, and seventh arrondissements are the most “elegant,” with the seventh by and large more aristocratic, residential, and refined, and the eighth , 1st and sixteenth more opulent, catering to businessmen and government officials. The sixth is also upscale, but in an artsier, more bohemian fashion. For young, trendy tourists , the Marais (third and fourth) is the best place to be, although for student travelers on a budget Montmartre (18th – but be sure you’re not in the less safe district of Barbes-Rochechouard or the seedy Pigalle, also bordering the eighteenth ) is a great bet, as is the slightly more picturesque Latin Quarter (fifteenth ). Quiet residential areas like the thirteenth , twelfth , fourteenth , fifteenth , and 17th are excellent for families looking rent out a Paris apartment and experience “neighborhood life.” Seedier areas include bits of the 2nd, the 9th, and outlying areas – be sure you’re not in Barbes-Rochechouard, on Rue St. Denis (unless you’re low down near Les Halles), or in Pigalle or Clichy – these are all slightly seedier, or even dangerous neighborhoods. Staying in the banlieus – suburbs- is not suggested .

Once you’ve gotten your cheap flight to Paris for your vacation in France or gotten that wonderful Paris, France travel or vacation or hotel deal, you can take a deep sigh of relief.  Now’s the time to really have fun and plan and explore.  You’ll soon see why France is the world’s top tourist destination.  Dijon, a day trip from Paris, is one such jewel in France’s tourism crown.

Most Americans and Canadians are familiar with the humorous Grey Poupon mustard commercials. When it comes to Dijon mustard, Grey Poupon is probably the most recognizable brand .  However, there is much about where this mustard originates from that folks don’t know. Beyond the influences of catchy condiment advertising is a region of culture and fascinating history.

Situated between France’s border with Switzerland and Paris, France’s capital, is the quaint town of Dijon.  It was here that combinations of white wine and grape juice produced the uniquely flavored mustard now know around the world as Dijon mustard.  Of course, visitors will wish to get an original jar of the famous mustard to take back home, but what else can be seen here?

Architecture of Dijon

Just like many neighboring regions of France, Dijon claims some inspiring architecture as expressed in its churches. Often referred to as the “town of a hundred spires,” this charming locale is home to an amazing collection of churches and other religious buildings. Among these beautiful edifices is the La Chapelle de Elus, or Chapel of the Elected Representatives. Construction on the Chapelle began in 1738.  A tour of it presents an array of interesting designs.  The intricately sculptured walls provide an air of refinement as you make your way through the lightly colored halls.

Shopping in Dijon

Dijon offers exciting shopping choices, a wonderful place to get presents to give to your friends and family after returning from your vacation in France . Here, visitors can find one of the famous Galeries Lafayette department stores. Located at 41, rue Liberté, this massive retailer offers a variety of items.  The La Toison d’Or is a second option for shoppers. There are also cafes , fashionable boutiques and tempting chocolate shops. Dijon only adds to the incentive to find dirt cheap airline tickets to France so that you can spend more of your vacation money on shopping and gourmet treats!

Tour Philippe le Bon

The Tour Philippe le Bon, or “Good Philip’s Tower” stands at 46 meters and encircles the Dukes of Burgundy. The oldest portions of this historic structure date back to the 14th century. A trip up to the top of the tower provides visitors with a breathtaking photo opportunity. All around, the town of Dijon sprawls out before you.  Buildings range from the charmingly ordinary to the sharply pointed steeples and gently curved domes of churches.  Altogether creating an interesting skyline.  The ancient palace was demolished then later rebuilt in the 17th century, and currently is Dijon’s town hall. Many of the palace’s significant rooms, such as the vast reception halls and grand kitchens, were transformed into fine art museums.

Wine With Your Dijon?

Dijon, the capital of Burgundy is close to the famous vineyards of Burgundy. Wine enthusiasts must visit the Cote de Nuits and the Chateau du Clos de Vougeot. The wine cellars here date back to the 12th century, and when it is warm outside, these cellars provide a lovely, cool tour after roaming outside, taking in the beautifully vibrant vineyards. Of course, no tour to Dijon would be complete without the obligatory wine tasting as you explore the cellars.

The Route des Grand Crus, or “Road of the Great Wines” runs through this area. Most famous of the wine produced are excellent red wines. Clearly, getting your cheap hotels in Paris selected and cheap flights to Paris, France in hand is just the beginning, Dijon and the rest of France beckon!

The idea of living or staying in Paris is an extravagant one. Yes it can be expensive; you can just quite easily begin picturing luscious living – canopy beds, crystal chandeliers, silk sheets – before coming to terms with the reality of pricing.  Paris is an expensive city, and living like a king or queen isn’t feasible for everyone. Furthermore, Paris is a diverse city, with a wealth of different neighborhoods, and areas that might suit a married couple and four children might not work for the trendy young single,  the group of backpackers, or the retired couple celebrating their fifty-year anniversary. So as you pick your Paris hotel for price, safety, and convenience, also consider the ambiance and milieu of the neighborhood you’re about to stay in; it’ll be a big part of your Paris France vacation, and you’ll want it to be a good fit.  Of course you will be able to splurge more on a Paris hotel if you get cheap flights to Paris France.

PICKING A NEIGHBORHOOD – Next Step After Getting A Deal On Paris Airfare But Before Finally Selecting Your Paris Hotel

In general, the 1st, 8th, 16th, and 7th arrondissements are considered the most elegant Parisian neighborhoods. The Seventh is considered more aristocratic, residential, and refined.  The Eighth, 1st and 16th are mainly for affluent businesspeople and government officials. The 6th is also upscale, but in more artistic, more bohemian fashion. For young folks the Marais (3rd and 4th) is the best place to be. For student travelers on a budget Montmartre (18th – but be sure you’re not in the less safe district of Barbes-Rochechouard or the seedy Pigalle, also bordering the 18th) is a great bet, as is the slightly more picturesque Latin Quarter (15th.) Quiet residential districts like the 13th, 12th, 14th, 15th, and 17th are great for families looking to inexpensively rent out an apartment and experience “neighborhood life.” Seedier areas include bits of the 2nd, the 9th, and outlying areas – be sure you’re not in Barbes-Rochechouard, on Rue St. Denis (unless you’re low down near Les Halles), or in Pigalle or Clichy – these are all slightly seedier, or even more dangerous neighborhoods. Staying in the banlieus – suburbs- is not recommended.