The 2nd arrondissement of Paris isn’t an especially famous or seductive neighborhood to live in. In fact, you can easily walk through this neighborhood to reach another destination, without realizing you’ve already entered and exited.
As we’ll see, the 2nd isn’t home to many major tourist attractions or famous Paris sites. It’s a pragmatic, convenient place to live and work. But there’s still plenty to love.
This article details what you can see and enjoy in this central Paris neighborhood, and the reasons why you may (or may not) choose to live here.
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About the 2nd arrondissement
Also known colloquially as Bourse, the 2nd Paris’ smallest arrondissement in terms of land area, taking up just under one square kilometre. It’s predominantly a work and business area, full of small businesses, restaurants, and some larger corporate offices.
It has a long history for textile manufacturing, most notably in the Sentier district. For French literature fans, Honoré de Balzac talks about Sentier in several novels, including Le Bal de Sceaux.
This area has more recently become a hub for startups, and is often referred to “Silicon Sentier.” Expect to see plenty of young tech professionals, mixing in with older executive types and working class wage-earners.
Where is the 2nd arrondissement of Paris?
The 2nd arrondissement sits just above the 1st on the right bank. The borders of the 2nd include:
- Rue Étienne Marcel, Rue la Feuillade, Rue des Petits Champs and Rue des Capucines to the south. Place des Victoires is a key landmark.
- Boulevard des Capucines and Métro Opéra to the northwest. (The Palais Garnier opera house is in the 9th, but in view).
- Boulevard Poissonnière and Boulevard de Bonne Nouvelle to the north.
- Boulevard de Sébastopol to the east.
Because all of these borders are streets, it’s relatively easy to draw on a map. But walking in the neighborhood, you’ll constantly find yourself in the 1st, 3rd, 9th and 10th arrondissements, parts of which feel no different at all.
What to do in the 2nd arrondissement
Compared with our guide to Paris’ 1st arrondissement, this section contains fewer famous landmarks. The 2nd arrondissement is more of a business sector, but does contain some well-known city features.
- Palais Brongniart—usually known as Bourse—the former stock exchange until 1987. Today, it’s an exhibition and events center, usually open for temporary exhibits.
- Grand Rex, the largest movie theater in Paris and a favorite of many cinephiles.
- Passage des Panoramas, Passage Jouffroy, and several other beautiful passageways, full of artisan stores and small restaurants.
- The Comique-Opéra theater, Salle Favart, built in 1714.
- Rue Montorgueil, a busy pedestrian street with classic, picturesque Parisian shops.
Grand Rex
Being so close to the center of town, the 2nd arrondissement can feel touristic—particularly with its holiday lights in the winter. But this is a far more functioning part of the city than its neighbor the 1st.
Here you’ll find bank headquarters, investment firms, and startup incubators. You’ll also find diverse cafés and restaurants, bars, boutique shopping, gorgeous fruit stores, and gourmet pastries. It may not have the glamor or photogenic landmarks as other arrondissements, but it’s alive with things to do and people to see.
Why live in the 2nd arrondissement?
The 2nd arrondissement is not known primarily as a residential neighborhood. It doesn’t feature the same wealth of parks, schools, and quiet public spaces as other parts of Paris.
But there are still great reasons to live here. Starting with its incredibly accessible, convenient location.
Advantages
The central location
The greatest advantage of the 2nd arrondissement is probably your proximity to everywhere else. For many expats, the best Paris neighborhoods include the 9th, the 10th, Le Marais (3rd and 4th), and the 11th. All of these are either within quick walking distance or an easy metro ride from the 2nd.
It’s also home to many Parisian startups, small businesses, and a few banks and larger corporations. So if you’re working in and around these industries, it’s a great place to base yourself.
If you map out all your favorite haunts, sites, and places to visit on the right bank, you’ll likely find that the 2nd sits neatly in the middle of them. And that’s pretty great.
Convenience
All forms of shopping are right at your fingertips—from groceries, to clothes, to furniture and toys. The 2nd has major retailers all along its main streets, with boutiques and niche suppliers down its quieter roads.
You’re also roughly equidistant from the Les Halles mall in the 1st and Galeries Lafayette in the 9th. So more extensive, indulgent shopping outings are well within reach.
Peace & quiet in the city center
The 2nd is certainly busy during office hours, and the bars and pubs will be packed during apéro (after-work drinks) each evening. There’s lots of foot and car traffic, tourists, selfie-takers, and a general hum during the week.
But unlike Le Marais, Pigalle, or the other popular nightlife districts, most of the 2nd is quiet once the working crowd leaves. You’re unlikely to be woken by partygoers and loud music at all hours, which isn’t necessarily true in some arrondissements.
Great food and drink
As a busy business district, the 2nd is full of very good, very interesting lunch spots. You’ll find excellent takeaway and dine-in options, with fast service, across a wide range of cuisines. Everything from noodles, to salads, to burgers, to classic French are readily available and generally very good.
But it’s not just lunch. There’s an evening array of dinner and drinks options to service the after-work crowd. Most are also open on weekends, and as a local you’ll have first first pick.
Popular areas include Rue Sainte-Anne, Paris’ home for ramen and Japanese food. Rue Montorgueil and its connecting streets are overflowing with French, Greek, Thai, North African, Italian, and specialty plant-based restaurants abound. You can easily head out with no plans and stumble into a wonderful dining experience.
Disadvantages
Busy week days
During the week at least, you can expect the 2nd to be busy. The streets are full of people getting to and from work, racing out to find lunch, and climbing in and out of the metro. If you’re looking for a primarily calm and cosy place to settle down, this isn’t it.
But as mentioned, it’s also far from the most hectic parts of the city. It’s best to think of the 2nd as the central city. If you’re happy and comfortable with the hubbub of a major metropolitan area, you’ll feel right at home.
A relative lack of charm
The heading is a little unfair—the 2nd arrondissement has the beautiful Hausmannian buildings, Parisian street signs, and a few classic sites as noted above. But compared with many other arrondissements, there are fewer obvious highlights to make this a special neighborhood.
It’s a high-functioning, convenient, and perfectly nice inner city district. But it’s unlikely to be first on anyone’s wish list when looking for a place to live.
You live here because it suits your day-to-day life, your work, and your budget. But probably not because you’ve always dreamed of life in the 2nd.
Don’t ignore the 2nd arrondissement
You may have reached this point and decided the 2nd just isn’t for you. We’ve emphasized its more operational benefits more than anything else, and that certainly lacks romance.
But in a city as hectic, noisy, and crowded as Paris, the location and connections are major assets. You’re just as close to after-work cocktails near the Moulin Rouge as afternoon strolls through the Louvre, a short walk from the BHV department store and Republique.
If you’re lucky enough to find an apartment amongst the offices, restaurants, and boutiques, you’ll be happy to be at the center of the Paris social scene.
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