Paris/1st arrondissement

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, 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 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).

The Axe historique is a line of landmarks, which passes through the 1st, extending out to La Défense in the west, and the 4th arrondissement in the east.

Understand
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 out-of-towners 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 dominated by the Palais Royal, and contains the larger part of the busy cosmopolitan Avenue de l'Opera.
 * 4) Quartier Place Vendôme in the west is centred around the Place Vendôme and characterized by a 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
The transportation hub of the 1st arrondissement is the station in its eastern extremity, the largest and busiest of the metro stations. 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.

Other métro stations that are major hubs allowing easy access to the 1st arrondissement are the and, both with exits at the western border of the 1st. Lines, and  traverse the arrondissement roughly from east to west, stopping close to important points such as the entrance to the Louvre museum. Lines and  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 and cross the Seine in style over the Passerelle Solferino footbridge right into the Tuileries.

The 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.

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 or
 * From Gare de Lyon and Orly Airport (starting on June 2024), take, which stops at Châtelet/Les-Halles and Pyramides
 * From La Défense, take and alight at any station within the 1st, e.g., Palais-Royale/Musée-de-Louvre or Tuileries

Get around
Having arrived in the 1st arrondissement walking will most likely suffice for transport. Paris cabs are quite cheap, but 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 are fast and frequent, the crowded labyrinth at Châtelet can make getting to the trains an adventure.

Landmarks






Do
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.



Buy








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.

Mid-range




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 Paris Fashion Week for fashion week dates and avoid them if you do not want to clash with it.

Mid-range




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:



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