The Second Arrondissement of Paris
You're nearly there - Paris, France's glistening capital city! You can hardly wait to get there. You've gotten your flights to Paris, France , now you are assessing some wonderful sounding specials on a number of Paris hotels . What neighborhood 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 2nd arrondissement so you can learn more about whether this area of Paris is where you want to be!
It is unlikely that you will be spending alot of time in the Second arroondissement as a tourist, but if you choose accommodation in this here, you will be in the pulsing heart of Paris's financial and working center. Home to the Bourse (stock exchange) and the CAC 40 index of France's top listed companies , the 2nd arrondissement is also widely noted for its prospering fashion and journalism industries, as well as its general atmosphere of business.
What To Know About The Second Arrondissement :
The Good :
You will hardly spot any tourists here, meaning that the people-watching will be strictly French : Parisian businessmen going to lunch, stressed traders dashing to work, journalists meeting sources over tea for the next big story . Travelers who stay here will also be close to the wonderful nineteenth century "galleries," a tradition when the Duke of Orleans decided to rent out his garden to shops in the late 18th . These "galleries," like early shopping malls, have glass windows and tiled floors, are still in operation now . Visit for a nostalgic and enchanting look at Paris's nineteenth-century past.
Here's The Cons:
This isn't an especially with-it part of Paris by any means, and while there are lots of places for lunch in the area , geared toward those with an expense account, nightlife doesn't exist . However, with the Marais in the fourth arrondissement only a few minutes away, there's not much to worry about. In addition, near the eastern end of the district, you may run into a few prostitutes looking to ply their trade, but don't worry - 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 Visit:
If you are interested in finances , visit the Bourse, or Stock Exchange, for a look at Paris's economic heart. Or check out the Galleries - the Gallerie Vivienne is regarded the best-preserved, with geniune and gorgeous nineteenth-century decor, a splendid mosaic floor, and elegantly upscale shops. In contrast, the Passage Choiseul is more "authentic," catering to business folks on their way to work, and selling newspapers and offering services like shoe-shining to frantically busy traders at the nearby Bourse.
Where To Go To Eat :
Cafe Etienne Marcel, on Rue Etienne Marcel, is a stylish Costes brothers joint - less costly than most of their others - with a menu to match. Or have a drink or two at Harry's New York Bar on Rue Danou, allegedly the birthplace of the Bloody Mary, and a hangout of Hemmingway. While Harry's isn't cheap by any means, it's nevertheless a wonderful 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 :
Brentano's, on Avenue de L'Opera offers an excellent 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 take a look at buying boutique clothes, antiquarian books and far more at all of them.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Paris Hotels: Where to Stay in Paris - A Guide to The First Arrondissement
You're nearly there - Paris, France's crown jewel and capital city! You can hardly wait to start your journey. You've gotten your inexpensive flight for your trip to Paris, France , now you're trying to decide on some wonderful sounding offers on hotels and other accommodation in Paris . Where you are staying in the city is always an important consideration for hotel accommodation in Paris, France even if you are looking at hotels in Paris city centre. Here's a guide to Paris's 1st arrondissement so you can learn more about whether this part of Paris is where you want to be!
The First Arrondissement of Paris
Paris's first arrondissement is filled with the sort of elegance and grandeur that centuries' worth of tourists have imagined when thinking of Paris . Wide boulevards, fashionable shopping , and well maintained parks overlooking the smoothly flowing Seine River are all to be found in this neighborhood, a district mainly of office space and tourist sites. Les Halles, Paris's unusual take on a shopping center , can be found here as well.
What To Expect If You Are Staying In The First Arrondissement :
The Good :
Spending time in the First has many benefits. When you walk under the nineteenth-century arches of the Rue de Rivoli arcade, you will be following in the footsteps of generations of dandies and duchesses: vanished citizens of Paris of long ago . You will be near some of Paris's most remarkable tourist sites - the Tuileries garden to Chatelet -site of the Comedie Francaise, where Moliere once produced his plays - to the world-class Louvre . And the shopping, on the elegant Faubourg Saint Honore, is unparalleled !
Why You Don't Want To Stay :
While daytime in the First provides a visitor with access to some of Paris's finest sights at a few moments' walk, the business-like character of the area means that nightlife, by contrast, is limited within the arrondissement. So unless you go to the Les Halles/St. Denis area there's not much to do. Les Halles/St. Denis's low brow pleasures may appear slightly seedy to those over the age of twenty-one (that said, the area bordering the Les Halles mall is consistently nice - a fine place to stop after watching a film in Les Halles's enormous cinema, which presents many US and British movies 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 extremely 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 abound here. Take a stroll down the Faubourg Saint-Honore, where nearly every top fashion house of the world has a store . 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 excellent desserts is not. Angelina, on Rue de Rivoli, has lost some of its legendary 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 among the best in Paris. For a more current 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 sketchier character - not at all dangerous, but nevertheless unsavory.
Where To Shop :
If the exclusive shopping of the Faubourg Saint Honore is a bit out of your budget , go 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 really cheap (think 3-5 euro) clothes and shoes, the mall itself has much higher quality items at pretty good prices.
The First Arrondissement of Paris
Paris's first arrondissement is filled with the sort of elegance and grandeur that centuries' worth of tourists have imagined when thinking of Paris . Wide boulevards, fashionable shopping , and well maintained parks overlooking the smoothly flowing Seine River are all to be found in this neighborhood, a district mainly of office space and tourist sites. Les Halles, Paris's unusual take on a shopping center , can be found here as well.
What To Expect If You Are Staying In The First Arrondissement :
The Good :
Spending time in the First has many benefits. When you walk under the nineteenth-century arches of the Rue de Rivoli arcade, you will be following in the footsteps of generations of dandies and duchesses: vanished citizens of Paris of long ago . You will be near some of Paris's most remarkable tourist sites - the Tuileries garden to Chatelet -site of the Comedie Francaise, where Moliere once produced his plays - to the world-class Louvre . And the shopping, on the elegant Faubourg Saint Honore, is unparalleled !
Why You Don't Want To Stay :
While daytime in the First provides a visitor with access to some of Paris's finest sights at a few moments' walk, the business-like character of the area means that nightlife, by contrast, is limited within the arrondissement. So unless you go to the Les Halles/St. Denis area there's not much to do. Les Halles/St. Denis's low brow pleasures may appear slightly seedy to those over the age of twenty-one (that said, the area bordering the Les Halles mall is consistently nice - a fine place to stop after watching a film in Les Halles's enormous cinema, which presents many US and British movies 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 extremely 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 abound here. Take a stroll down the Faubourg Saint-Honore, where nearly every top fashion house of the world has a store . 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 excellent desserts is not. Angelina, on Rue de Rivoli, has lost some of its legendary 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 among the best in Paris. For a more current 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 sketchier character - not at all dangerous, but nevertheless unsavory.
Where To Shop :
If the exclusive shopping of the Faubourg Saint Honore is a bit out of your budget , go 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 really cheap (think 3-5 euro) clothes and shoes, the mall itself has much higher quality items at pretty good prices.
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