Where to Stay in PARIS, France

Hey guys, Sean here from The Tour Guide and today I'm going to show you the best places you should stay in Paris. Not like specific hotels, but areas. Whether you're in Paris for art, shopping, nightlife, or overall cultural experience, there's a perfect spot in the city for you to stay. This video will walk you through all of my favorite neighborhoods in Paris and help you understand which one is best for your stay. Before we do that, I need to drop some foundational knowledge about Paris on you. Number one, Paris is split into what we call arrondissements, which are similar to districts. If you're looking at the center of the city, the arrondissements are organized like a spiral, with the lower numbers closer to the center and the higher ones reaching more to the outskirts of the city. Number two, so if you're planning to go to Paris, you most likely watched some sort of French film and heard the terms Rive Gauche and Rive Droite. It basically means left bank and right bank. Rive Gauche, which is on the south side of the Seine, is the left bank and that's where you can find the Latin Quarter, which is super famous, and La Sorbonne University, which is like a mega famous university in France and all over the world. Historically, a ton of students lived there and it was the poor side of the Seine. They're pretty fun, it's pretty fun. The Rive Droite is the north side of the Seine or the right bank and that includes basically all the wealthy accommodations. So left bank was poor and right bank was rich. Now Paris is just like a super expensive city, so there really is no class difference from the right to left side, but just different accommodations and different feel. Another thing you need to know to sound like a local when you're in Paris is the different neighborhoods. So we went over the fact they're called arrondissements, but the locals just refer to them as like the fifth. So instead of the fifth arrondissement, they would just say I'm going to the fifth or the 18th or the 14th or wherever they're going. It's just like a way to do things locally. Quick recap, Paris is split into what we call arrondissements, which are neighborhoods. People often refer to different sides of the city as Rive Gauche or Rive Droite, which is the left bank and the right bank. And then people often just refer to each neighborhood by their number and not the 15th arrondissement. They'll just say the 15th, at least locals. Out of the 20 arrondissements, we've narrowed down to the top four that we recommend staying in because of their character, the attractions, and overall vibe. So let's take a walk around and explore each one. Let's start with one of my favorites, La Marais. Known for chic boutiques, the Jewish quarter, LGBT scene, a neighborhood feel, but very close to the main attractions like Le Louvre. La Marais spills over from the third arrondissement into the fourth. So it's hard to pinpoint which one exactly it's really in. So we can kind of just say both. The neighborhood is known as one of Paris's most chic and diverse spots and has exceptional cuisine. Most of Paris does, but this one particular. However, La Marais wasn't always a hip culture hub spot. Interesting fact, La Marais translates to the swamp. Since back before the 16th century, the land was where the city's vegetables were grown in irrigated fields. During the 16th, 18th century, the bourgeois, the rich class, developed the land and built residences. Whether or not you decide to stay in La Marais, you definitely need to at least enjoy a meal there. If you want to explore, you know, amazing places to eat, drink champagne, and eat oysters, and try like typical traditional Paris sit-down cuisine, we recommend our La Marais Paris food tour. It was actually designed by local Parisians and it's an amazing taste of Parisian nightlife and cuisine. 100% recommend this and it's the best way to experience our favorite foodie district in the city. La Marais is most famous for being home to the Jewish and gay quarters of Paris. Beyond that, it's also famous for shopping. If you want to pursue independent boutiques rather than posh designer stores, this neighborhood is a definite thing you should check out. While you're in La Marais, make sure you check out Place des Beaux. Paris is old as square. You know, there's also Notre-Dame, which is technically not located in La Marais, but it's still considered the fourth Arrondissement, so be sure to check it out as well. So I've been sightseeing all day. I need a little break. While I'm doing that, if you just wouldn't mind, if you like this video, click the like button. If you love this video, subscribe so you get all of our latest content as soon as it comes out. Otherwise, I'm gonna go get a coffee, Now on to the Latin Quarter. Known for bookstores, student populations, dive bars, budget-friendly accommodations, and restaurants, Latin Quarter is an awesome neighborhood we recommend staying in while in Paris. It's located in Paris's fifth Arrondissement. It's home to Paris's oldest university, La Sorbonne. The Latin Quarter is a lively neighborhood mainly inhabited by students. The neighborhood got its name from the high concentration of Latin-speaking around the La Sorbonne University campus in the Middle Ages. The area is also home to Rue Mouffetard, a great market street where you'll be able to find cheeses, breads, and pretty much anything and everything you've ever wanted to eat in France. The fifth Arrondissement is on the left bank, but borders the river, making it an ideal central location. Major metro stops include Saint-Michel and Place Mange. In the Latin Quarter, you'll also find the famous Shakespeare & Co. bookstore, which is arguably one of the most famous bookstores on earth. The store you see today is actually a remodel of the Shakespeare & Co. shop that existed in 1941. It closed during the German invasion, and now we have it reopened. When the store reopened, it became a popular research and writing hub for literary greats like F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway. Located a bit south of Latin Quarter, you can find Montparnasse, another charming area of Paris that's fun to walk around in. Here you'll find lots of creperies, as well as Cartier Center of Contemporary Art. You will also find the Paris Catacomb, one of my absolute favorite places to check out in Paris. This underground network of tunnels was created due to lack of grave space in Paris, and now houses the remains of over six million bodies. If you're someone who enjoys eerie stories and mystery, our Privileged Access Paris Catacombs filled with secret rooms is the perfect experience for you. It's important to note that the line to enter the Paris Catacombs can last literally two to three hours, especially during the summer, which is peak tour season, so skipping the lines is absolutely vital when visiting the Ossuary. Because of Latin Quarter's student population and high concentration of dive bars, bookstores, coffee shops, and other perks for traveling on a budget, we recommend staying in this area if you are part of the younger crowd. However, its close neighbor Saint-Germain-du-Prince is right by this area and offers a more upscale ambiance. Well, that leads us right into Saint-Germain-du-Prince. Known for luxurious shopping and hotels, if you're seeking a classic Parisian neighborhood feel, stay in the 6th arrondissement. The Saint-Germain-du-Prince neighborhood is filled with countless bars and cafes, including the oldest cafe in Paris, Les Procopes. The streets are filled with interesting history. This is the neighborhood where Ernest Hemingway and Albert Camus hung out and where Pablo Picasso painted the famous Guernica. As you walk the streets of Saint-Germain, you'll find that something seems very familiar. This is because most of the classic paintings of Parisian cafes were most likely inspired by the iconic cafes that line the streets, such as Les Deux Magots and Café des Fleurs. In the 6th, you'll be only a short walk from beautiful Luxembourg known for its collection of impressionist artwork. You probably won't find many budget deals in this neighborhood, but it's perfect for splurging on a luxurious vacation. Major metro stops include Saint-Germain-du-Prince, Saint-Suply, and Odéon. Another neighborhood to check out in Paris is Montmartre. Montmartre is usually referred to as a sort of village, with winding uphill streets and fewer cars than the rest of the city. This is the 18th arrondissement, where you'll find the Sacré-Cœur filled with artists. If you're a fan of Van Gogh, Montmartre is the first place you should check out, as this area used to be the place where he and Renoir called home. As you walk the streets, you will notice that this is the area of many of Van Gogh's most famous works. If you want to see the very apartment where Van Gogh imagined many of his iconic works and brought them to life, you can even visit this 19th century residence in Montmartre. This is actually where Pablo Picasso got his start, as well as many famous artists in Paris. This arrondissement borders the Pigalle area, home of the Moulin Rouge and the city's red-light district. While this makes the location not so ideal for families, the area is actually pretty safe. Today, most of the area just south of Pigalle is trendy. Some of the trendiest bars have popped up here. Locals even refer to it as Soapy, after London's famous Soho. The 18th usually offers cheaper accommodation than the other arrondissements listed here, thanks to its reputation as a working-class, diverse neighborhood. But if you choose the 18th, make sure to stay in the southern part of the arrondissement in Montmartre. The major metro stops include Abbesse and Anvers. Paris is a large city, so there are tons of other areas to check out in addition to these four neighborhoods. However, we recommend staying in one of these four areas if you're looking to experience Paris's main local attractions and culture. Let's do a little recap. La Marais, known for chic boutiques, Jewish quarter, LGBT scene, neighborhood feel, but close to the main attractions like the Louvre. Latin Quarter, known for bookstores, student populations, dive bars, budget-friendly accommodations, and restaurants. Saint-Germain-des-Prés, known for luxurious shopping and hotel. Montmartre, known for artist community and nightlife, and an amazing view of Paris. While you're staying here, we'd love to see you on one of our awesome Paris experiences, but for now, au revoir! So that's it. If you like the video, click the like button. If you love the video, then subscribe, and we get all of our content as soon as it comes out. We're covering so many cities in Europe. Otherwise, au revoir for now until you see our next video, and then it won't be our bonjour, like ciao, you know, or hola. You never know, depending on the city. Sean here. Hey guys. Hey guys, Sean here from the European sirens. Reminds me of like any Jason Bourne movie. Oh, sorry. Hey guys, Sean here from the tour guide.