The 6th Arrondissement was once a central hub of the artistic, ‘left bank’ tradition - though there’s now little evidence of bohemian living in this immesely wealthy and fashionable quarter.
The sixth arrondissement is undeniably famous for its former intellectual residents. Sartre, De Beauvoir and the existentialists used to hang out in Cafe des Flores and [...]
Just across the river from Notre Dame, and boasting two universities, the 5th is the traditional heart of the intellectual ‘left bank’ culture. The district’s northern, riverside sections offer plenty of life - especially the warren of bars and tourist restaurants around the St Michel fountain, but the real life of the quarter goes on [...]
The 4th Arrondissement lies at the very heart of Paris, both spiritually and geographically, and few other districts offer so much of interest in so compact an area.
It’s here that the city began, on the Ile de la Cite - the largest of two islands that float side by side on this unusually wide section [...]
The 3rd Arrondissement is a pleasant, quiet quarter - it’s the northern extension of the charming Marais district, which finds it’s more vibrant beginnings a few hundred metres south in the 4th. The third is an ancient district, home to some of the very oldest houses in the city. Many of the streets bear the [...]
La Bourse, France’s national stock exchange, stands at the centre of this compact district - the smallest Arrondissement in the city.
To the west, Rue de la Paix is one of the ritziest streets in the city, lined with jewellery stores and the boutiques of world-famous fashion names - much of this area around the foot [...]
