Download GPX file for this article
48.86272.3361Full screen dynamic map

From Wikivoyage
Jump to navigation Jump to search

The Louvre

The centre of contemporary Paris and the site of such landmarks as the Louvre and of the Tuileries and Palais-Royal, the 1st arrondissement is full of attractions for travellers of all inclinations, including some of the finest parks, museums, shops, and bars in the city. The 1st occupies the Right Bank of the River Seine and extends onto the western section of the Île de la Cité in the midst of the river.

For occupying such a compact space, however the 1st feels remarkably different from one end to the other. The almost incredibly upscale western end of the arrondissement gives way to the hustle and bustle of the big city east of the Palais Royal, and then further east to the pedestrian (and tourist) dominated area around Les Halles and the (currently shuttered) Samaritaine, where tourists mix with (especially young) Parisiens and Parisiennes in huge numbers (on the order of 800,000 unique visitors per day according to the Mayor's office).

Understand

Quartiers of the 1st arrondissement

Paris was historically centred on the Ile de la cité, but by the time Baron von Hausmann was given the task of carving up the city, the centre had shifted somewhat to the previously suburban Royal Quarter surrounding the Louvre and the Palais Royal, which is why the numbering of the arrondissements started there.

With fewer than 18 000 inhabitants, the 1st is statistically the least populous and least densely inhabited of all the 20 arrondissements, but at the same time among the most visited by Parisians and tourists alike. Like every other arrondissement, it is divided into four quartiers, each with a different character:

  1. Quartier Saint-Germain-l'Auxerrois runs along the bank of the Seine across the district, encompassing the Tuileries gardens, the Louvre and the western part of Ile de la cité.
  2. Quartier Les Halles has a markedly different, much more down-to-earth character, dominated by the eponymous massive Les Halles shopping centre (under redevelopment until 2016)
  3. Quartier Palais-Royal is obviously dominated by the Palais Royal itself, and also contains the larger part of the busy cosmopolitan Avenue de l'Opera.
  4. Quartier Place Vendôme in the west is centred around the Place Vendome and characterized by regular, 18th-century street grid. The quarter's historic buildings house the most luxurious hotels and boutiques of famous fashion and jewellery brands.

Get in

Schematic of metro and RER lines in and around the 1st arrondissement

The transportation hub of the 1st arrondissement is the 1 Châtelet/Les Halles station in its eastern extremity, the largest and busiest of the metro stations. RER lines A, B (from the Charles de Gaulle airport) and D stop there, as well as métro lines 1, 4, 7, 11 and 14. There exists a total of seven entrances/exits scattered around the eastern end of the 1st Arrondissement, concentrated (not surprisingly) between Les Halles and Place du Châtelet, and also accessing the basement of the Les Halles shopping mall itself. If you are in a hurry—or have never used this station previously—it might be better to alight one Métro stop earlier or later. Until 2016 the Les Halles area will undergo extensive reconstruction, which further adds to potential confusion and inconvenience.

Other métro stations that are major hubs allowing easy access to the 1st arrondissement are the 2 Concorde. (lines 1, 8 and 12)  and 3 Madeleine. (lines 8, 12 and 14) , both with exits at the western border of the 1st. Lines 1, 7 and 14 traverse the arrondissement roughly from east to west, stopping close to important points such as the entrance to the Louvre museum. Lines 1 and 14 are fully automated and it is worth acquainting oneself with their modus operandi and safety precautions before using them.

RER C, which runs generally on the left bank of the Seine, does not stop in the 1st, but you can use it to arrive at 4 Musee d'Orsay.  and cross the Seine in style over the Passerelle Solferino footbridge right into the Tuileries.

The 5 Pyramides.  metro station is at the Rue de Pyramides, not at the pyramid at the entrance of the Louvre. For that pyramid and the entrance to the museum, travel to the station called 6 Palais Royal / Musee de Louvre. .

Arriving from specific points

  • From Charles de Gaulle (Roissy) Airport (CDG), take RER B3 to Châtelet/Les-Halles.
  • From Gare du Nord (where many high-speed international trains arrive, including the Eurostar from London), the direct connections are pretty much exclusively those with Châtelet/Les-Halles on RER B, D or metro 4
  • From Gare de Lyon, take metro line 14, which stops at Châtelet/Les-Halles and Pyramides
  • From La Défense, take metro line 1 and alight at any station within the 1st, e.g., Palais-Royale/Musée-de-Louvre or Tuileries

Get around

Map
48°51′43″N 2°20′9″E
Map of Paris/1st arrondissement

Having arrived in the 1st arrondissement walking will most likely suffice for transport. That said, Paris cabs are quite cheap. Still, even they don't have access to much of the car-free eastern end of the arrondissement.

If travelling from east to west by Métro you are probably better off using any station other than Châtelet/Les Halles unless you have to connect there. Although the Métro trains themselves are fast and frequent, the crowded labyrinth at Châtelet can make getting to the trains an adventure.

See

Window in Sainte Chapelle

Landmarks

Le Palais Royal
  • 1 Colonne Vendôme (Template:RATP Opéra). The centrepiece of a magnificent 8-sided square first laid out in 1699 to show off an equestrian statue of the Sun King, Louis XIV. The statue was removed amid revolutionary fervor in 1792 and replaced in 1806 with the Colonne de la Grande Armée. This was modelled on Trajan's column in Rome and decorated with Napoleon's military exploits. The present column is a replica, however, as the original was pulled down during the 1871 Paris Commune. Place Vendôme represents the best of well-heeled Paris, being home to an abundance of exclusive boutiques, jewellers and fashion labels—Cartier, Boucheron, Trussardi, van Cleef & Arpels—several banks, the French Ministry of Justice, and the Ritz Hotel. 
  • 2 La Conciergerie (Template:RATP Cité), ☏ +33 1 53 73 78 50. Daily, 09:30-18:30 Apr-Sep; daily, 10:00-17:00 Oct- Mar. The ancient medieval fortress and prison of the city's island, site of some remarkable medieval royal architecture and the scene of Marie Antoinette's imprisonment in the period leading to her execution in 1793; lots of revolutionary associations. €6.10, concessions and guided tours available, under-18 free. 
  • 3 Église Saint-Eustache (Template:RATP Les Halles). This massive church is one of the best standing examples of the early Gothic style. 
  • 4 Jardin des Tuileries (Template:RATP Tuileries). Originally adjoining the now-lost royal palace of the Tuileries, these gardens lying immediately west of the Louvre offer a central open space for Parisians and visitors with semi-formal gardens (an outdoor gallery for modern sculpture), various cafés, ice cream and crépe stalls, and a summer fun fair. The gardens are frequently home to a giant Ferris wheel and enclose the Musée de la Orangerie and the Jeu de Paume. 
Place Vendôme
  • 5 Le Palais Royal (Template:RATP Palais Royal – Musée du Louvre), ☏ +33 1 45 20 82 56. 07:00-23:00 during the summer and 07:00-20:30 in the winter with hours varying spring and autumn. Ordered by Cardinal de Richelieu (1585-1642), King Louis XIII's prime Minister in 1629 (completed in 1636); originally called Palais Cardinal; it became Le Palais Royal when Anne d'Autriche, Louis XIII's wife, came to live here to get away from the Louvre palace. It eventually housed Louis XIV until the move to Versailles. It includes also a beautiful garden Les jardins du Palais Royal, enclosed by the buildings. It's been the theatre of one of the seminal events of the French Revolution (Camille Desmoulins made a famous declaration here in 1789). The Théatre Français nearby was built in 1716. There are numerous restaurants inside the garden , including famous Le Grand Véfour. There's also the controversial Colonnes de Buren, striped columns installed within the inside yard amid the 17th century architecture. 
Map of the 1st Arrondissement
  • 6 Sainte-Chapelle, 4 blvd du Palais (Template:RATP Cité), ☏ +33 1 53 73 8 51. Soaring stained glass windows beaming ample light onto the rich primary colours of the tile mosaics on the floor, this photogenic church was built by the French kings to house the relics of the Crown of Thorns - far more beautiful than the famous, but gloomy, Notre Dame, which is nearby. Make sure you go on a sunny day, as the highlight of this small chapel in Rayonnante Gothic style are the large stained-glass windows which soar up to near the vaulted ceiling. Also of interest is the extremely ornate lower level. If it happens to be rainy or cloudy, give Sainte-Chapelle a miss, as the play of coloured lights on the floor are well worth the wait for a sunnier day. As the chapelle is inside the Courts of Justice, there will thus be a security check. 

Museums and Galleries

  • 7 Jeu de Paume (Template:RATP Concorde; NW corner of the Jardin des Tuileries). Built during the First Empire, in imitation of the Orangerie, this small building is used by the Galerie Nationale to mount shows dedicated to lesser known, but nonetheless interesting, artists or (sometimes) the lesser known works of the Great Masters. This museum once housed many of the Impressionist painters that are now to be found in the Musée d'Orsay on the other side of the River Seine. 
  • 8 Musée des Arts décoratifs, 107, rue de Rivoli (Template:RATP Palais Royal – Musée du Louvre), ☏ +33 1 44 55 57 50. A monument to the French art de vivre, housed in a 19th-century wing of the Louvre that has been restored to beaux-arts splendour, its galleries and period rooms showcase eight centuries of Gallic taste in interior decoration. 
  • 9 Musée en Herbe, 21, rue Hérold (Métro: Les Halles, Palais Royal, Rambuteau, Sentier), ☏ +33 1 40 67 97 66. Daily 10:00-19:00. The little brother of the original Musée en Herbe in the Bois de Boulogne, this museum is also geared to children. They have games and hands-on exhibits so won't have to supervise quite as closely as in other museums. Arts workshops are available as well, but you'll need to reserve a space in advance. €4 for the exhibitions, €8 for the workshops. 
  • 10 Musée du Louvre, Place du Carrousel (Métro: Louvre), ☏ +33 1 40 20 53 17. Daily 09:00-18:00, closed Tu and public holidays; evening openings W and F until 21:45. Its exhibits come from such diverse origins as ancient Egypt, classical Greece and Rome, medieval Europe, and Napoleonic France. Its most famous exhibit, of course, is Leonardo da Vinci's painting of the Mona Lisa (French: La Joconde, Italian: La Gioconda), generally to be found surrounded by hordes of camera-flashing tourists. If you want to see everything in the Louvre, plan at least two full days. However, it is better to pick and choose, as the collection was assembled with an eye to completeness rather than quality. €12-16; under 18, free; EU-residents, 18-26 years free; exhibitions in the Hall Napoléon €13; combined ticket (museum + special exhibitions) adults €16 Carte Musée. 
  • 11 L'Orangerie (Musée de la Orangerie), ☏ +33 1 44 77 80 07. Daily, except Tu, Christmas Day and 1 May; individuals 12:30-19:00, Th till 21:00; groups, 09:30-12:30;. Recently reopened after extensive renovations, this small museum near the Louvre houses the Jean Walter and Paul Guillaume Collection, sold to the French Republic on very generous terms and numbering 143 paintings from the late 19th century and the first half of the 20th century (15 Cézannes, 24 Renoirs, 10 Matisses, 12 Picassos, 28 Derains, 22 Soutines… ). The collection joined the eight immense Water Lilies that Monet gave France in 1922 and which have been displayed since 1927 in two huge oval rooms purpose-built on the artist's instructions. Adults, €7.50; concessions, €5; special exhibitions, + €1.20; audio guides available in several languages €4.50/€3. 

Do

Comédie Française

One of the great joys of a visit to Paris is to simply walk around and explore to get the feel of the city. The 1st is as good a place to start as any, with the largely car-free section around Les Halles, and the right bank of the river Seine as good places to start. As a little bonus if you are in Paris in the summer time, the express lanes at river level are converted to an all pedestrian road called "Paris Plage" which fills with rollerbladers and sun-bathers just about every afternoon.

A number of Paris theaters are located in the eastern end of the 1st. English language productions are not unheard of, but the opera is likely to be in Italian anyhow. Your best bet if you are interested in finding a show in either language is to pick up a copy of Pariscope which you can find at any newsstand for around €0.50. There are ticket outlets at Forum Les Halles (FNAC) among other locations.

St. Eustache from Les Halles
  • 1 Comédie Francaise (Théâtre-Français, La maison de Molière), 1 Place Colette (Palais Royal - Musée du Louvre), . The theatre is one of the rare state theatres in France. The company's primary venue is the Salle Richelieu. It was enlarged and modified in the 1800s, then rebuilt in 1900 after a severe fire. The played repertoires sum to around 3,000 works. 

Buy

  • 1 Antoine, 10, av de l’opéra (Métro Station Pyramides), ☏ +33 1 42 96 01 80, . M-Sa 10:30-13:00, 14:00-18:30. This shop sells stylish umbrellas and old-style canes, meant to last a lifetime. Also fancy hats, scarfs and gloves. 
  • 2 Colette, 213, rue Saint-Honoré (Métro: Tuileries), ☏ +33 1 55 35 33 90, fax: +33 1 55 35 33 99, . M-Sa, 11:00-19:00. One of the most interesting shopping experiences anywhere, an eclectic collection of design, fashion, gadgets and music. 
  • 3 Carrefour Express Paris Saint Honoré, 205, rue saint Honoré, ☏ +33 1 49 26 04 28. Daily, 08:00-22:00; Su till 13:00. A small version of the French Carrefour supermarket chain has the appearance of a neighbourhood shop, with stalls filled with fresh fruit and vegetables on its shopfront, and is about the only place to get reasonably-priced nourishment and beverages on the go when visiting the Vendome area. 
  • Le Carrousel du Louvre. A diverse underground shopping precinct adjoining the Louvre Museum. Open daily including Sundays. There is also a direct access into the Louvre. 
  • Forum les Halles (Métro: Les Halles). Daily, 09:00-19:00. In the late 1960s what was Paris's primary farmers' market moved out to the suburbs to be replaced by a park above ground, and a sprawling underground shopping centre below. The interior design is strikingly period (think Logan's Run). The place is showing its age now, but still draws nearly a half-million Parisians per day, mostly teenagers. There's a movie theatre and a media library too. Les Halles is undergoing extensive refurbishment until 2016. 
  • 4 Jean-Paul Hévin, 231, rue Saint-Honoré (Métro Tuileries), ☏ +33 1 55 35 35 96. The chocolatier is known for his excellent hand made chocolates especially the "praliné croquant". 
  • Place Vendome. High-end jewelry and watch boutiques on the place created by Napoleon I. 
  • 7 Lorenz Bäumer, 19, place Vendôme, . M-Sa, 10:30-19:00. On her wedding day Princess Charlène de Monaco wore a Lorenz Bäumer tiara. This new jewellery-maker fashions novel forms combined with classical influences. 
  • 8 Van Cleef & Arpels, 22-24, place Vendôme, ☏ +33 1 55 04 11 11. M-F, 10:00-19:00. Princess Caroline de Monaco got her wedding ornament at this traditional shop, open since 1906. 
  • 9 Patek Philippe Salons, 10, place Vendôme, ☏ +33 1 42 44 17 77. M-F 10:30-18:30, Sa 11:00-12:30,14:00-18:30. The Swiss luxury watch manufacturer, founded in 1851, is known for precise mechanics. 
  • 10 W.H. Smith, 248, rue de Rivoli (Métro: Concorde), ☏ +33 1 44 77 88 99. M-Sa, 09:00-19:30; Su, 13:00-19:30. The largest English language bookshop in Paris carries many of the newest releases. 

Eat

The 1st provides rather a wide range of eating possibilities, considering its central location and overall poshness. A large variety of inexpensive food is sold out of windows and stalls, especially on the car-free east end of the arrondissement near Les Halles. You'll always pay a bit more to sit down, of course.

On the other hand if you are looking for a nice posh place to take your mom or a date there are plenty, and some of them actually have food that is good enough to be worth the considerable prices.

Budget

  • 1 La Crypte Polska, place Maurice Barrés (Métro: Concorde), ☏ +33 1 42 60 43 33. Noon-15:00 & 19:00-22:00; Closed M. Believe it or not this little Polish restaurant is in the crypt under the church of Our Lady of the Assumption, and the Catholic-mystic decor alone makes a visit worthwhile. Plus the pierogi are about as good as you are going to find in Paris. €12-20 per person. 
  • 2 Lemoni Café (Lémoni Hérold), 5, rue Hérold (Métro: Palais Royal), ☏ +33 1 45 08 49 84. M-F 12:00-15:00. Small plates, also for take-away. 
  • Universal Resto, 99, rue de Rivoli, mezzanine level, Le Carrousel du Louvre (Métro: Palais Royal), ☏ +33 1 40 20 04 04, fax: +33 1 40 20 93 93, . Daily, 08:00-23:00. A food court where some 13 stalls offer a variety of French and international cuisine including Lebanese, Mexican, Moroccan, Chinese, and Japanese. €10+. 

Mid-range

  • 3 Aux Bons Crus, 7, rue des Petits Champs, ☏ +33 1 42 60 06 45. Small bistro with typical French "terroir" (charcuteries de Bobosse, les rognons de veau et les andouillettes) and good wines is nice for dining. 
  • 4 Café Marly, 93, rue de Rivoli / cour Napoléon du Louvre (Métro: Palais Royal), ☏ +33 1 49 26 06 60, . Daily, 08:00-14:00. Part of the Grand Louvre redevelopment. Café Marly was opened in 1994 and is on the balcony on the northern terrace of the Cour Napoléon. Patrons can enjoy direct views of the Louvre Pyramid while sitting back in comfortable chairs, watching tourists stroll by. 
  • 5 Chez Denise (La Tour de Montlhéry), 5, rue Prouvaires (Métro: Les Halles), ☏ +33 1 42 36 21 82. Tu-Su, noon-14:15 & 19:00-23:00; M, 19:00-23:00. Small, owner-operated bistro with traditional French country food in a nearly rustic setting. As such it's not exactly veggie-friendly. Starters from €10-12, main courses €18-25, plus wine. 
  • 6 Claus, 14, rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau (Louvre-Rivoli, Les Halles), ☏ +33 1 42 33 55 10, . M-F, 08:00-17:0; Sa-Su, 09:30-17:00. The place in Paris to have an perfect breakfast or drink tea in the afternoon. The tartes are delicious. 
  • 7 La Cloche des Halles (A la cloche des Halles), 28 Rue Coquillière (Métro Halles), ☏ +33 1 42 36 93 89. M-F 06:30-12:00, Sa 09:00-16:00. The bell no longer rings, but the brasserie-restaurant still has the flair from the old little bars from the good old times named "troquets". 
  • 8 La Robe et le Palais, 13, rue des Lavandieres Sainte Opportune, ☏ +33 1 45 08 07 41. M-Sa noon-14:40 & 19:30-23:00. Small restaurant serving mostly tasty Basque food. Fantastic choice of wines. 

Splurge

  • 9 Maceo, 15, rue des Petits Champs (Métro: Pyramides), ☏ +33 1 42 96 98 89, . M-F, 09:00-24:00; Sa, 17:00-24:00. What was once just a great wine bar with decent food has become a must-visit restaurant with the addition of star chef Thierry Bourbonnais. Second-empire atmosphere with fantastic food. Starters €13-18 and main courses are €25-28. Vegetarian menu around €30.. 
  • 10 Mystery Cuisine, 37, rue de Montpensier, ☏ +33 1 40 20 03 02. Tu-Sa, 18:00-23:00. The restaurant serves fusion cuisine inspired by French Vietnamese meals in an atmosphere perfect for couples. 

Drink

Jardin des Tuileries
  • 1 Bar Hemingway, 15 Place Vendôme (In the Hotel Ritz; Métro: Pyramides), ☏ +33 1 43 16 33 65, fax: +33 1 43 16 33 75. Hemingway tried to drink here once per week even before he made it big. In August 1944 Hemingway made a booze-powered drive into Paris ahead of the advancing Free French 2nd Tank Division to "liberate the Ritz", and specifically the bar which was shortly thereafter renamed in his honour. Today the bar is considered by many to be one of the best bars in the world, in no small part due to the bar-tending skills of Colin Field, who creates elaborate cocktails as a fine art, and with the rest of the staff is skilled at bringing his guests together in conversation. Expect to pay €30 or more per drink. 
  • 2 Café Oz (Café Oz Châtelet), 18, rue Saint Denis (Metro: Chatelet), ☏ +33 1 40 39 00 18, . You probably didn't think you were coming to Paris to sample Australian culture, but if after a long day of strolling from one end of the city to another you would just like to let go a bit and meet up with some fellow anglophones then you could do a lot worse than this almost legendarily hard-partying Aussie joint (ask the neighbours). Warning: as with other Aussie places in Paris for some reason, weekend nights here tend to bring out hoards of young single Frenchmen looking to chat up some (any) visiting sheilas. This has been known to lead to, um, confrontations. ~€7 pints. 
  • 3 Le Comptoir Paris-Marrakech, 37, rue Berger (Métro: Les Halles), ☏ +33 1 40 26 26 66. A swank drinking and people watching spot on a corner across from the park above Les Halles. There are nice stuffed couches all over the room, and mezzes are served. The place picks up speed a bit in the evening, attracting quite a mixed crowd. 
  • 4 Juvénile's, 47, rue Richelieu, ☏ +33 1 42 97 46 49. The bistro serves many different wines from around the world and tapas. You can buy a bottle to take home if you like it. 
  • 5 Willi's Wine Bar, 13, rue des Petits Champs, ☏ +33 1 42 61 05 09. It's actually a restaurant and is more upscale than 'Juvéniles', serving good food and good-to-great bottles of wine with a focus on the Rhône valley, but including many from Burgundy, the Loire, as well as Italians, and "Atlantic crossing" Californians. The dinner menu by chef François Yon Great won the "Bib Gourmet 2009" award, and there are cheeses & deserts (yummy crumble)) for after. Reservation recommended. €20.50-35. 

Sleep

Some of the most opulent hotels in the world are either in or very close to the 1st arrondissement, and there's some choice in the mid-range. Budget travellers, on the other hand, are probably better off in other, less central parts of town.

During fashion weeks, hotels, especially the 1st, are occupied by trade professionals and visitors, as well as brand showrooms. Finding a room can be a challenge and the rates go sky-high. Consult Mode à Paris for fashion week dates and avoid them if you do not want to clash with it.

Budget

  • 1 Centre International BVJ Paris-Louvre, 20, rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau (Métro: Louvre), ☏ +33 1 53 00 90 90, fax: +33 1 53 00 90 91. This is just about as cheap as it's going to get in the 1st. If you are here to study at the Louvre, and want to stay focused it has a location which can't be beat, just across rue Rivoli. €26+. 
  • 2 Hotel Henri IV, 25 Place Dauphine 75001 (Métro: Cite), ☏ +33 1 43 54 44 53. A few steps from Notre Dame and the Louvre, nearby Boulevards Saint-Germain-des-Prés and Saint-Michel, 3 min from Subway Pont-Neuf and only 30 min from Paris Orly airport. 
  • 6 Hôtel Saint-Honoré, 85, rue Saint-Honoré (Métro: Louvre), ☏ +33 1 42 36 20 38. Close to the Louvre. The place was renovated in the last few years, so the comfort level is pretty good considering it hasn't received a star rating yet. 

Mid-range

  • 7 Hôtel Brighton, 218, rue de Rivoli. The executive and deluxe rooms offer a breathtaking views of the Louvre, the Jardin des Tuileries, and the Eiffel Tower. Classic Parisian-style hotel next to shopping and cultural hot spots. Double from €229. 
  • 8 Hôtel Britannique, 20, av Victoria (Métro: Chatêlet), ☏ +33 1 42 33 74 59, fax: +33 1 42 33 82 65. Anglophiles in Paris could do worse than to stay at this most Anglophile of French hotels. The location is good, at the very east end of the 1st, within an easy walk of Notre Dame, Les Halles, and above the central hub Métro station. Double from €157. 
  • 9 Hôtel Louvre Bon Enfants (Hôtel le Loiret), 5, rue des Bons-Enfants (Métro: Palais-Royal), ☏ +33 1 42 61 47 31. Most reviewers give the hotel very high marks for cleanliness and comfort, but the real draw is the location: only steps from the Palais Royal/Louvre stop on Métro Line 1. Single rooms start at €90, doubles around €110. 
  • 10 Hôtel Mansart, 5, rue des Capucines. This charming 3 star hotel is next to the Place Vendome and 2 minutes walk from the Opera Garnier and famous Parisian department stores. Antique furniture and paintings create an atmosphere of typical Parisian house. 
  • 11 Hôtel de la Place du Louvre, 21, rue des Prêtres Saint Germain l'Auxerrois. As its name suggests, this hotel is really close to the Louvre. Rooms on the street offer an impressive view on the Louvre and its central location is ideal. 
  • 12 Hôtel Victoria Châtelet, 17 Avenue Victoria (Métro: Chatêlet), ☏ +33 1 40 26 90 17, fax: +33 1 40 26 35 61. A cozy, competitively priced 24 room hotel with a friendly Art Deco atmosphere. It is located next to the Chatelet Theatre in the very centre of Paris across from Notre Dame. It is close to bus, taxi, Metro and RER stations: Chatelet les Halles, as well as three nearby monitored parking garages. Basic rooms start at €89 and doubles at €90. 
  • 13 Novotel Paris Les Halles, 8 Place Marguerite de Navarre. 

Splurge

  • 14 Castille Paris, 33-37 rue Cambon, ☏ +33 144 584 458. In the fashion district of Paris, the Castille Paris offers chic rooms that all look out onto the Rue Cambon. Some rooms are designed in a "Coco Chanel" style with beige and black tones. €350-820. 
  • 15 Hôtel Costes, 239, rue Saint-Honoré (Métro: Concorde), ☏ +33 1 42 44 50 00, fax: +33 1 42 55 50 01. When the Costes brothers, who made their fortune in the Paris café trade, opened this designer hotel a couple of years ago it became an instant hit with the rich and famous, especially those of Hollywood. Whether it's worth the price for the exquisite interior decoration and the chance to rub elbows with a few movie stars is up to you to decide. They don't pay travel agent commissions, so either book it yourself, or pony up the extra €50 the agent would normally get. A basic room starts at €500 off-season. 
  • 16 Hôtel Ritz, 15 Place Vendôme (Métro: Pyramides), ☏ +33 1 43 16 30 70, fax: +33 1 43 16 36 68, . If there is any one hotel in the world which is not merely "putting on" the Ritz it would be this one, whose very name has entered the English language as a generic word for luxury (or the appearance thereof). The Ritz may not in fact be the fanciest hotel in Paris anymore, but it's always in the running. It's 350x the price of a budget room in the neighborhood, but heck, maybe it's your honeymoon. €650-8,500. 
  • 17 Hôtel Vendôme, 1, Place Vendôme (Métro: Pyramides), ☏ +33 1 55 04 55 00. Occupying a building which was once the site of the Embassy of the Republic of Texas the Hotel Vendôme is one of the most exclusive addresses anywhere, much like the neighbouring Ritz. The 29 rooms each have been decorated in the style of a different period, such as Classic, Baroque, or Deco. Singles start at €350; suites can be as much as €4,000.. 
  • 18 Hotel Du Louvre, a Hyatt Hotel, Place André Malraux. 
  • 19 Le Meurice, 228, Rue De Rivoli. 
  • 20 Renaissance Paris Vendome Hotel, 4 Rue Du Mont Thabor. 
  • 21 Hôtel Lotti, 7 rue de Castiglione. 
  • 22 The Westin Paris Vendôme, 3 rue de Castiglione. 
  • 23 Hotel Stendhal Place Vendôme Paris - MGallery Collection, 22 Rue Danielle Casanova. 

Connect

Internet Cafés

7 La Baguenaude, 30, rue Grande-Truanderie (Métro: Les Halles), ☏ +33 1 40 26 27 74, . M-Sa, 10:00-20:45. This all SUSE Linux shop offers courses in the use of KDE and GIMP (in French). 1/2 hr, €2.30; hr, €3.80; 2 hr, €6.10. 

Wireless hotspots

There are a number of cafés in each arrondissement which offer free wireless for customers (for 20 min at a time). In the 1st:

  • Chez Flottes, 2, rue Cambon (Métro: Concorde). 
  • Café du Pont Neuf, 14, quai du Louvre (Métro: Pont Neuf). 
  • Le Commerce, 12, rue Coquillère (Métro: Etienne Marcel). 
  • Tabac du Châtelet, 8, rue St Denis (Métro: Châtelet). 

A complete listing is available from the company which provides the service:

Of course many hotels also offer wireless connectivity, but usually for a fee.

Go next

Routes through 1st arrondissement
La Défense ← 8th arrondissement ←  W  E  → 4th arrondissement → 12th arrondissement
18th arrondissement ← 2nd arrondissement ←  N  S  → 4th arrondissement → 14th arrondissement


This district travel guide to 1st arrondissement is a star article. It is a high-quality article complete with maps, photos, and great information. If you know of something that has changed, please plunge forward and help it grow!


Retrieved from "https://en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?title=Paris/1st_arrondissement&oldid=2933191"