Should You Split Your Visit between Different Neighborhoods?

Which neighborhood or arrondissement should you stay in during your first visit to Paris? And in that area, which hotel should you choose?

In the Sunday edition of my free Paris Discoveries Newsletter, I answer reader questions about Paris travel. Recently, readers have asked whether it makes sense to move from one Parisian neighborhood and hotel to another when time permits.

This article is part of the Paris Discoveries Q&A Archive and brings together my answers based on my own experiences with staying in multiple neighborhoods on longer trips.

You'll find advice about whether splitting your stay is worth doing, how to choose neighborhood combinations, hotel suggestions for several popular areas, and practical tips for making the move from one hotel to another easier.

I've lightly edited, expanded, and updated my original answers, and added photos to make this a more complete Paris travel resource.

Beth's Question: Is the 9th Arrondissement a Good Area for a Paris Stay?

A corner of Passage Jouffroy with Hotel Chopin — A corner of Passage Jouffroy, an early 19th century covered passage with Hotel Chopin in the center, a bit of a bookstore (with a small English-language section) on the left, and the Paris wax museum, Musée Grevin on the right, in Paris's 9th arrondissement

I am going to Paris for the first time in April and am going to stay in the 9th Arrondissement. A friend is letting me stay at her apartment and she said it's close to metro.

Is the 9th a good area to stay in, and what do you recommend for places to go?

Susan's Reply:

The 9th is a fantastic district - one of my own favorites because it offers so many things to see and do. It's also an arrondissement where lots of Parisians live, so you'll have easy access to wonderful cafes, delis (traiteurs) with carryout food, and specialty bakeries, charcuteries, and cheese shops. A couple of wonderful market streets, Rue des Martyrs and Rue Cadet, provide even more opportunites for enjoying all types of cuisine.

If you haven't already, check out this article about things to do and see in the 9th from Paris Discovery Guide.

Top areas to visit include a couple of the grands magasins department stores, Printemps and Galeries Lafayette, and the Paris Opera House, which in some ways is even more gorgeous and impressive than Versailles (if you want to visit, get your admission ticket about a week in advance).

I always enjoy the Grevin Wax Museum too (get a ticket in advance to avoid the long lines). At the wax museum, you enter through a Hall of Mirrors with a light show that dates backs to over 100 years ago, and the wax exhibitions take you through the entirety of French history.

The historical covered passages in the 9th are also fascinating, and ideal rainy day destinations.

My "Rule of Thumb" for Splitting a Paris Stay Between Neighborhoods & Hotels

Because changing neighborhoods always takes me a minimum of about 3 hours between packing, checking out of the hotel, getting to the new location, checking into the new hotel, and unpacking, I typically don't split my stay when my total time in Paris is 8 days or less because I'm unwilling to give up those 3 hours that I could spend enjoying the city.

On the other hand, there are also times when I book a trip close to the last minute, which makes finding hotel availability in the location I want for more than a few days in a row can be challenging. In those cases, I try to find reservations that give me at least three nights in one place.

Regina's Question: Which Hotels & Locations Are Best for a First-Time Visit?

The Medici Column near Bourse de Commerce in Les Halles

We'll be in Paris for a first visit, and are deciding between 2 apart'hotels for our stay.

One is in The Citadines Saint Germaine, which has great reviews for location but some concerns about cleanliness and needing to be updated.

The other is in the Citadines Las Halles, which again has great reviews for location, but with better reviews about cleanliness and the quality of the facility, but the surroundings sound not as good, loud, and more touristy and active.

Do you have any insight as to these neighborhoods and what your recommendation would be for a first time visitor?

Susan's Suggestions

Both of these apart'hotels are in excellent locations. Saint-Germain is one of the most popular neighborhoods for first-time visits - and more about Les Halles in a moment.

But first, cleanliness. I looked at recent reviews on TripAdvisor about both of these Citadines properties - and I was shocked by the number and variety of complaints about the one in Saint-Germain, despite a few reviews that were fine.

In fairness, just about every hotel gets at least a few negative reviews, partly because people are more likely to post when they're unhappy - and you also can't overlook the possibility of jealous competitors. But the number for this hotel, and especially their preponderance in recent months, seems much higher than average.

In addition to cleanliness issues, it sounds as though the property itself needs updates, maintenance, repairs, and perhaps a complete makeover. Citadines hotels in Paris generally have great reputations, but this one appears to be experiencing a rough period. Based on what I read, I would not stay there myself at this time.

As you said, the reviews for the Les Halles Citadines are much more positive. Aside from the possible need for better soundproofing, it sounds fine. I did see one complaint about lack of daily cleaning, but once-a-week cleaning is the norm for most apart'hotels. However, not everyone realizes that ahead of time, even though apart'hotels typically take care to disclose this in their online descriptions.

So now, back to the Les Halles location. I personally love this area. My favorite attractions include the truly magnificent Saint Eustache Church, the Pinault Collection (contemporary art museum; get a ticket at the machine across from the entrance) in Paris's old Bourse du Commerce, the Medici Column built in 1575 by Catherine de' Medici for her favorite astronomer, and a wonderful historical food street, Rue Montorgueil, where you'll find a lot of good cafes, bakeries, chocolatiers, and lots of sidewalk tables for excellent people-watching.

Plus, nearby you'll find a constellation of Paris's best kitchenware and cooking supply stores: E. Dehillerin (truly a paradise for serious cooks), G. Detou, MORA, Deco Relief, TOC (Trouble Obsessionnel Culinaire - formerly La Bovida), A. Simon, and probably a couple more that I'm forgetting.

But there's also a lot more to enjoy in this area. A huge wholesale food market occupied much of the space near the hotel until it was demolished, with great controversy, about 50 years ago - the kitchenware stores mostly date back to that time. The whole area was again renovated about 6-7 years ago, and there's now a very nice park with a splash pool (a popular spot during the summer) as well as a shopping center connected to a metro/RER station - not particularly interesting, but the design of its roof is spectacular.

The elegant (and quite pricey) Samaritaine department store overlooking the Seine is a 2-3 minute walk away, along with hundreds (or maybe thousands?) of other stores, boutiques, cafes, restaurants, several very good wine bars, and coffee shops in the general area - so much to explore! And if you're into jazz, three of the city's best jazz clubs are a few blocks away on Rue des Lombards.

Les Halles is also an easy walking distance (maybe 8-10 minutes) to the Louvre, and the recently relocated Fondation Cartier (also get tickets here from the machine near the entrance), which is possibly my favorite spot in the city at the moment to see contemporary art. But the Pinault Collection runs a very close second.

The area is quite lively - but so is much of Saint-Germain, which also tends to feel more touristy. Both neighborhoods are about equally convenient to Paris's most famous attractions such as the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, and Notre Dame Cathedral, which may be of interest to you as a first-time visitor.

Michael's Question: Is the Haute Marais a Good Neighborhood for Walking?

Place du Tertre, where artists congregate in Montmartre

We'll be first time visitors to Paris for 5 days in December. We are staying at Hotel National des Arts et Metiers in the Upper (Haute) Marais neighborhood in the 3rd arrondissement.

In your opinion, is there a better arrondissement for walkability?

Susan's Suggestions

Your hotel is in the Upper Marais neighborhood (3rd arrondissement) - a very walkable part of the city with lots of interesting places to see and visit in all directions. You're about a 15-minute walk from the Seine and Ile de la Cité, where Notre Dame Cathedral is located, but your hotel is almost next to a metro station, where you can hop on the metro if you want to reach more distant parts of the city. Your area is also well-served by city buses.

I also think that it's a good choice for a first-time visit. You're a little outside of the most touristy parts of the city, meaning that you'll get a somewhat more relaxed and more authentic feel for Paris, plus lines at coffee shops, etc, won't be quite as long. Walk a few blocks southeast and then stroll down Rue Rambuteau/Rue des Francs Bourgeois, and you'll see what I mean - way more commercial.

The part of the 2nd arrondissement a few blocks to the west of your hotel is especially interesting - several of the old 19th century covered passages (Rue du Caire, Passage du Grand Cerf, Passage du Bourg l'Abbé) are here, as well as a couple of famous food streets - Rue du Nil and Rue Montorgueil, which goes down to the Les Halles neighborhood, also a big foodie area ever since the city's now-relocated huge wholesale market was here.

Depending on where you're planning to go, other hotels closer to the Seine in the 1st, 4th, 5th, or 6th might put you in a somewhat more central location, meaning you might occasionally save up to 10 minutes of walking time - probably not a big deal as long as you like walking, which is always interesting in Paris because there's so much to see along the way.

Jane & Greg's Question: We're Staying in Hotel Regents Garden Astotel in the 17th Arrondissement - Is that a Good Hotel & Good Neighborhood?

Good morning, Susan, we’re staying at Hotel Regents Garden Astotel. Is that a good hotel in a good area?

Susan's Answer:

Astotels are usually excellent, and based on the website of the one you booked, the Hotel Regents Garden Astotel looks wonderful. It is also in the 17th arrondissement's very chic, very upscale Ternes neighborhood, known for its gorgeous architecture.

Since I remember that you described yourselves as “foodies” in an earlier message, I want to let you know that your hotel location provides a special bonus for you: it's less than a 5-minute walk from the best food market street area in Paris: Rue Poncelet (plus nearby Rue Bayen), known for its gourmet products and specialty producers. You'll most likely be thrilled by what you discover here - in particular, check out the small cafes, bistros, and wine bars surrounding the market streets, many of which procure their high-quality meats, fish, and produce directly from the markets' vendors. Any one of them would be a terrific place for lunch or a casual dinner.

Toward the western side of the 17th in the trendy Batignolles neighborhood, there's also another wonderful and authentic food street, Rue de Lévis - definitely not as gourmet-oriented as Rue Poncelet, but worth exploring and one of my personal favorites thanks to its relaxed, friendly vibe.

To get there from Rue Poncelet, I'd walk over to Parc Monceau (maybe a 6-7 minute walk), stroll around the park for a bit (it's known for its English-style gardens and numerous follies, including an smaller-than-life-size Egyptian pyramid and Grecian-style "ruins,") then head up Rue Georges Berger from the park to Rue de Lévis - maybe another 4-minute walk.

Along the way, right before Blvd Malesherbes you'll pass Citeco, Paris's newish (and fascinating) economics museum, on your left and you may spot an entrance to Inform Cafe, the museum's onsite cafe/bistro, one of three in this part of Paris. It's an excellent spot for just a coffee, other beverage, and/or lunch with contemporary French brunch-type cuisine - I'm a big fan of their bun with salmon gravlax and their creamy house-made ricotta.

Similar to Rue Poncelet/Rue Bayen, many of the Rue de Lévis vendors offer carryout food - perfect for a picnic in Parc Monceau.

Tip: If you need to heat anything, head over to Monoprix on Rue de Lévis, where you'll spot microwave ovens between the entrance and the cashiers. They're free for anyone to use - no charge.

Your hotel is also close to the Arc de Triomphe (go up to the top for rooftop views of Paris, the Eiffel Tower, and Sacre Coeur) and Champs Elysees in the other direction, and the Seine River is also nearby.

So to wrap up, you'll find a lot to see and explore near the Astotel - excellent choice!

Aneesa's Question: Is Oberkampf a Good Neighborhood for a First Paris Stay with Teens?

Good morning, Susan, we’re staying at Hotel Regents Garden Astotel. Is that a good hotel in a good area?

Susan's Answer:

How to Choose Your Own Paris Neighborhood Combination

Are you interested in splitting your Paris stay between two or more neighborhoods in order to get a broader sense of the city, but wondering which ones to choose?

One approach is to start with your interests, and combine neighborhoods where you'll a variety of experiences linked by a common theme.

For example:

For museums: Louvre/Les Halles + Marais + 7th arrondissement + Trocadéro (16th)
For art galleries: Upper Marais (3rd arr) + Saint-Germain + 7th arr
For a village vibe: Montmartre + Latin Quarter + Batignolles (17th arr) + Passy (16th)
For a trendier/contemporary vibe: Oberkampf (11th) + Canal Saint-Martin (10th)
For a medieval vibe: Latin Quarter + Marais
For food markets/cafés/shopping: Upper Marais + Sentier (2nd) + Saint-Germain + Ternes (8th)/Batignolles