Considering Hotel Accommodation In Paris France? Your Guide To Paris’s Second Arrondissement

Posted: November 24th, 2009 | Author: | Filed under: Other Travel | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , | No Comments »

Paris’ Second Arrondissement

You are nearly there – Paris, France’s crown jewel and capital city! You can’t wait to arrive . You’ve gotten your cheap flight to Paris, France , now you are trying to decide on some great looking deals on Paris hotels in the Second arrondissement. What arrondissement you are staying in is always an important consideration for evaluating Paris hotel deals even if you are looking at hotels in Paris city centre.  Here’s a guide to Paris’s 2nd arrondissement so you can learn more about whether the Second is where you want to be!

It’s not likely that you will spend alot of time in the Second arroondissement as a tourist, but if you choose a hotel in this here, you will be in the pulsing heart of Paris’s financial and working center. Home to the Bourse (stock exchange) and the CAC 40 – France’s top listed companies, the 2nd arrondissement is also widely noted for its prospering  fashion and journalism industries, as well as its general atmosphere of business.

What You Need To Know About The Second:

What’s Good About The Second :

You will hardly spot any tourists here, meaning that the people-watching will be strictly French : Paris’s business men going to lunch, harried traders dashing to work, journalists meeting sources over drinks for the next big breaking news. Those who stay here will also be close to the sublime nineteenth century “galleries,” a tradition when the Duke of Orleans decided to rent out his garden to shops in the late 18th . These “galleries,” similiar to early shopping malls, have glass windows and tiled floors, are still operative today. Visit for a nostalgic and enchanting glance at Paris’s nineteenth-century past.


Here’s The Cons:

This is not an especially happening section by any means, and while there are lots of places for lunch in the area , suitable for an expense account, nightlife is lacking. However, with the Marais in the 4th arrondissement only a short distance away, there’s not much to be concerned about. In addition, near the eastern end of the arrondissement , you may run into a few prostitutes looking to ply their trade, but don’t be too alarmed – it’s safe, if seedy, and nevertheless you’re likely to encounter far fewer than in similar sections like Rue St. Denis or the Pigalle area.

What To Visit:

If you are a business type , visit the Bourse, or Stock Exchange, for a look at France’s economic heart. Or check out the Galleries – the Gallerie Vivienne is regarded the best-preserved, with geniune and beautiful 19th decor, a stunning mosaic floor, and elegantly high end stores . In contrast, the Passage Choiseul is more “authentic,” catering to businesspeople on their way to work, and selling newspapers and magazines and offering services like shoe-shining to busy traders at the nearby Bourse.

Where To Go To Eat :

Cafe Etienne Marcel, on Rue Etienne Marcel, is a trendy Costes brothers place – less costly than most of their others – with a menu to match. Or have a drink at Harry’s New York Bar on Rue Danou, allegedly the birthplace of the Bloody Mary, and a hangout of Hemmingway. While Harry’s not cheap by any means, it’s nevertheless a wonderful hangout for those wanting the elegance and decadence of Art Deco bohemian expatriate life. And, of course, a bloody Mary mixed to perfection.

Where To Shop In Paris’s Second Arrondissement :

Brentano’s, on Avenue de L’Opera offers an outstanding selection of English-language and art books. And, of course, the Galleries are filled with fascinating shops . Stroll in and out of some of the delightful galleries, looking at the many wonderful shops on offer, and consider buying boutique clothes and far more at all of them.

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