Paris’ 7th Arrondissement
The towering presence of the Eiffel Tower ensures that a visit to the 7th is on every tourist’s itinerary - a huge swathe of the district’s western corner is given over to hosting Eiffel’s iron mountain, and in fairly dramatic style.
But the tower is only one of many national monuments contained in the 7th arrondissement: the district also finds space for the National Assembly Hall, the French Military School and the Hotel des Invalides - an extravagant gold-domed palace that houses the final resting place of Napoleon Bonaparte. Art lovers will no doubt lap up the outstanding Impressionism collection at the Musee d’Orsay, or the famous sculptures on show at the Musee Rodin.
The quarter’s grandiose architecture can certainly make for some impressive vistas, but the district can seem a little sterile. The density of government departments (including the departments of agriculture, education and defence) and the staggering price of property means that the district’s wide streets can often seem curiously dead. Tourists and residents alike pay through the nose for a location near the Eiffel Tower, but it’s worth remembering that the posh western quarters aren’t always the liveliest places to stay.
[...] 7th - Eiffel Tower [...]