Moving to Paris is an exciting, daunting, and potentially transformative decision. Perhaps more than any other city in the world, most expats move to Paris with an idealistic image in mind.
Some come to study, learn French, or start a new career. Others dream of art, romance, and joie de vivre, all of which Paris offers emphatically.
You undoubtedly want this move to go smoothly. And while the neighborhood you settle in doesn’t determine your lifestyle, it can have an impact. So it pays to choose wisely.
This guide helps you navigate the different neighborhood options and find the perfect landing place. Let’s start by understanding how the neighborhoods are arranged.
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Paris neighborhood layout: the “arrondissements”
Paris is divided into 20 neighborhoods called “arrondissements” — each with its own mayor and town hall (“mairie”). The first arrondissement is easy to locate for newcomers, home to the Musée du Louvre, the Tuileries Gardens, Place Vendôme, and Rue de Rivoli. This is Paris’ tourist center.
From there, the neighborhoods continue in a snail shape — similar to a pain au raisin. The 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th arrondissements are on the right bank of the river, while the 5th, 6th, and 7th sit opposite on the left bank. This is the inner layer of the snail shell pattern.
Also on the left bank are the 13th, 14th, and 15th. The 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th form the middle layer on the right bank, and then the 16th, 17th, 18th, 19th, and 20th sit against the “peripherique” (ring road) which creates the city’s border.
The numbers themselves don’t necessarily tell you where’s best to live — that depends on your preferences. Some have more nightlife or more tourists, while others are greener, quieter, or more ageless in beauty.
But knowing their layout helps you navigate the city easily. It also helps you figure out where to settle.
Where’s the best place to live in Paris?
The answer to this question is clearly subjective, and depends almost entirely on why you want to live in Paris. Before trying to choose where to live, think about your biggest priorities.
Questions to ask yourself include:
- Is your chief aim to immerse yourself in French language and culture? Or do you want to live among familiar faces?
- Do you want to eat out somewhere new every night? And do you want the finest French bistros, or a wide range of expat food cultures?
- Do you want to live in and be surrounded by classic French (especially Hausmannian) apartment buildings?
- Will you be working or studying in the city center, or perhaps in the La Défense business district (outside Paris to the west)? How much of a commute will you accept?
- Would you rather be close to green spaces and the outdoors, or museums and cultural centers?
- Do you picture yourself walking home along the Seine every night, or through the cobbled streets in a quiet Paris suburb?
The one other consideration is price. Broadly speaking, the lower the arrondissement number, the lower the price — simply because it’s closer to the center of town.
The best neighborhoods for expats in Paris
It really can be hard to choose the ideal arrondissement to live in. Each has its own charm, and the more you get to know them the more there is to love.
Many arrondissements contain their own neighborhoods which can be very different depending on where you are. So rather than argue for one specific location over another, we’ve grouped together some options that might appeal if you have specific criteria in mind.
9th & 18th arrondissements — energetic and artistic
Every list of Paris neighborhoods must include the world-famous Montmartre (18th), site of the Sacré Coeur basilica and former home to Monet, Picasso, van Gogh, Renoir, and Dali. These narrow, cobbled streets are featured in films like Amelie and La Vie en Rose — the Paris ideal many expats dream of.
On the 9th/18th border you’ll find Paris’ red light district (Pigalle), including the Moulin Rouge. Aside from the famous cabaret, this part of town might not be for everyone. The main stretch houses sex shops and strip teases, and can feel a bit seedy after dark.
On the plus side, it’s undeniably lively. Major music venues like La Cigale and Le Trianon host concerts almost every night, and there's an endless array of great food and wine bars.
Below this is the trendy South Pigalle (SoPi) quarter, where young and stylish Parisians come to eat, shop, and enjoy the café scene. SoPi is an increasingly popular part of the city to live in, particularly for young professionals. It’s close enough to the city center to be convenient for those working there, but also more lively outside of working hours.
If you ask Millennial Parisians where they’d like to buy their next apartment, many will mention the 9th arrondissement.
Best for: those with busy social lives, fans of art and culture, and willing hikers (because of the hill).
You might also like: the 11th arrondissement, particularly near Bastille or Oberkampf. These are also bustling areas with plenty of bars, cafés, and cultural venues.
Not a good fit for: those unwilling to tolerate selfie sticks, sex shops, and noise.
5th & 6th arrondissements — picturesque and dreamy
The Latin Quarter and Saint Germain-des-Prés in particular are where most tourists choose to stay when visiting Paris. And with good reason. Similar to Montmartre, the winding cobbled streets and quaint café terraces are the ideal image of Paris for most people.
While a little clichéd, building a new Paris life here is unquestionably appealing. The titular “Emily” from Emily in Paris lives in the 5th, after all.
The 5th includes the Sorbonne, the Panthéon, the Jardin des Plantes, and the famous Shakespeare & Co bookstore. The 6th includes the Latin Quarter and Saint Germain-des-Prés, and the gorgeous Luxembourg Gardens.
These two arrondissements have more similarities than differences, so there’s little need to choose between them. Just find a place to settle and while away your days with fine literature and even finer wine and cheese.
Best for: the quintessential Parisian dream life.
You might also like: the 14th arrondissement. It offers a similar (but not quite as idyllic) storybook lifestyle, but at a lower cost and with fewer tourists.
Not a good fit for: those who want a more modern, multi-cultural Parisian lifestyle; people who can’t tolerate tourists.
7th & 16th arrondissements — peaceful and stately
These two arrondissements are neighbors, albeit on opposite sides of the river Seine. Both feature beautiful, grand buildings and are quiet on the weekends. The 7th is known as the most affluent and esteemed neighborhood in Paris, home to the Eiffel Tower and Champs de Mars to the west, and the Musée D’Orsay and Bon Marché department store to the east.
It’s also flush with foreign embassies, international organizations, and global businesspeople.
Just across the river, the 16th features the Trocadero, the Palais Galliera fashion museum, and the Fondation Louis Vuitton, and is the gateway to the huge Bois de Boulogne park. Plus more embassies and international organizations.
These neighborhoods are chic and luxurious. You’ll live among the elite, dining at archetypal bistros and enjoying Paris’ famous evening light on the gorgeous buildings. Both areas are also quiet and noticeably cleaner than some of the busier parts of town.
Best for: those who enjoy a calm but glamorous lifestyle — with the necessary resources.
You might also like: the 17th arrondissement, which has a similar charm but is slightly further from the tourist sites. Or the nearby Boulogne, which as the name suggests sits alongside the Bois de Boulogne, just outside Paris proper.
Not a good fit for: the budget-conscious, or those who want diverse activities, culture, and people.
3rd/4th & 11th arrondissements
The 3rd and 4th arrondissements are home to “Le Marais.” This hugely popular area includes Paris’ Jewish and gay quarters, Place des Vosges, Hotel de Ville (City Hall), and the BHV department store. It is at once historic and progressive, traditional and trailblazing. If you want to feel at the center of a modern city and never be bored, this is a great place to live.
Le Marais can also feel cramped, especially in tourist season. You’ll hear just as much English as French spoken, and you can expect activity at all hours, every day. Whether those are good or bad things is up to you.
The neighboring 11th arrondissement features a similarly expat-friendly vibe, but not quite as crowded with tourists. This is the place for hipster brunches and craft beer bars as well as the enormously popular Ateliers des Lumières, and sits just beneath Pere Lachaise cemetery.
It’s also a hotspot for contemporary cuisine, with new restaurants run by talented young chefs and sommeliers opening seemingly daily.
Best for: singles and socially active people who want to mix and mingle or meet friends. Le Marais if you love crowds and activity; the 11th if you want to (mostly) avoid them.
You might also like: Canal Saint Martin (10th) or Batignolles (18th). Both have the same hip café culture as the 11th, with fewer crowds than Le Marais. The Canal is still busy on the weekends and in summer, but with more open space.
Not a good fit for: young families or retirees who may struggle with the crowds and nightly noise.
13th & 20th arrondissements
In contrast with the classical grandeur of the previous section, these two arrondissements are true cultural melting pots. The 13th is home to Paris’ well-known “Chinatown” — in fact a mix of Chinese, Vietnamese, Thai, and other Asian restaurants and shops. Parisians come from all over for the best noodles, dumplings, and banh mi sandwiches.
The 13th also includes the huge Bibliothèque Nationale François Mitterrand (national library), and in Summer sees popular bars and nightclubs along the banks of the Seine.
For a similar cultural experience on the right bank, the 20th includes the Belleville neighborhood, a smaller but equally vibrant Asian nucleus. Just down the main Boulevard you’ll find Tunisian, Moroccan, and Algerian restaurants and bakeries, synagogues and mosques.
The 20th also hosts popular clubs and music venues like La Bellevilloise and La Maroquinerie. Both of these neighborhoods are considered affordable by Paris standards, sitting further away from the tourist heart of the city.
Best for: those who want a multicultural, lively lifestyle — particularly on a budget.
You might also like: parts of the 3rd, 11th and 18th arrondissements, all of which have distinct ethnic pockets nestled among one another.
Not a good fit for: people for whom Paris means the Eiffel Tower and Champs Ellysée, or those who don’t like the hustle and bustle of the big city.
Choose the best arrondissement for you
In the end, the perfect place to live in Paris depends entirely on you. Your first consideration is clearly price — some arrondissements will be out of budget to buy or even rent an apartment.
Then think about what you want most from your new Paris life:
- A peaceful, dreamlike state or a bustling metropolis?
- To meet people or settle with your family?
- Mostly French or expats from all over?
The good news: you really can’t go wrong. Every Paris neighborhood is full of hidden gems and nice surprises. Even those not on this list have plenty to offer.
If you’re ready to take the plunge, here are some further tips for expats to prepare for the big move.
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