Decoding the 20 Arrondissements

Paris is structured like a snail shell, starting from the center (1st) and spiraling outwards to the 20th. The river Seine cuts it into the Right Bank (North) and Left Bank (South). Your choice of arrondissement will dictate your entire experience of the city.

The Central Core (1st - 4th)

The most historical, most expensive, and most tourist-dense. The Marais (3rd/4th) offers medieval streets and boutique shopping. The 1st is dominated by the Louvre and luxury hotels.

The Classic Left Bank (5th - 7th)

Saint-Germain-des-Prés (6th) and the Latin Quarter (5th) offer the romanticized intellectual Paris of Hemingway and Sartre, though today it's highly gentrified. The 7th is residential, wealthy, and home to the Eiffel Tower.

The Trendy East (10th, 11th)

The area around Canal Saint-Martin (10th) and Oberkampf (11th) is the culinary and nightlife engine of modern Paris. Natural wine bars, specialty coffee, and young chefs dominate.