Considering Hotel Accommodation In Paris France? Where To Stay In Paris – Is The Second Arrondissement Right For You?
Posted by Tousala | Posted in Travel and Leisure: General | Posted on 01-12-2009
Tags: accommodation france, accommodation paris france, flights to paris, france hotels, hotel in paris, hotels in france, hotels in paris, paris flights, paris holiday, paris hotel deals, paris hotels, paris hotels france
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Paris’ Second Arrondissement
You’re nearly there – Paris, wonderful Paris! You can hardly wait to get there. You’ve gotten your flights to Paris, France , now you’re looking at some great looking deals on hotels in Paris, France . What arrondissement you are staying in is always an important consideration for accommodation in Paris, France 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 this section of Paris is where you want to be!
It is not likely that you’ll be spending alot of time in the 2nd as a tourist, but if you choose accommodation in this here, you will be in the heart of Paris’s financial center. Home to Paris’s 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 To Expect If You Are Staying In The Second Arrondissement :
What’s Good :
You will hardly find tourists here, meaning that the people-watching will be strictly French : Paris’s business people going to lunch, stressed traders rushing to work, journalists meeting sources over tea for the next big scoop . Travelers who stay here will also be close to the exquisite 19th “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 working now . Visit for a nostalgic and enchanting look at Paris’s nineteenth-century past.
What’s Bad About The Second :
This isn’t an especially trendy area by any means, and while there are a considerable number of places for lunch in the neighborhood, suitable for an expense account, nightlife just isn’t here . However, with the Marais in the fourth arrondissement only a few minutes away, there isn’t 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 worry – it’s safe, if seedy, and nevertheless you’re likely to encounter far fewer than in similar areas like Rue St. Denis or the Pigalle area.
What To Visit:
If you are a financial type, pay a visit to the Bourse, or Stock Exchange, for a look at Paris’s economic heart. Or check out the Galleries – the Gallerie Vivienne is regarded the best-preserved, with geniune and gorgeous nineteenth-century decor, a splendid mosaic floor, and elegantly high end stores . In contrast, the Passage Choiseul is more “authentic,” catering to business men and women on their way to work, and selling newspapers and magazines and offering services like shoe-shining to harried traders at the nearby Bourse.
Eating Spots :
Cafe Etienne Marcel, on Rue Etienne Marcel, is a hip Costes brothers place – less costly than most of their others – with a menu to match. Or have a drink or two at Harry’s New York Bar on Rue Danou, reputed to be the birthplace of the Bloody Mary, and a hangout of Hemmingway. While Harry’s not cheap by any means, it’s nevertheless a great 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 The Second :
Brentano’s, on Avenue de L’Opera has an outstanding assortment of English-language and art books. And, of course, the Galleries are filled with great stores. Wander 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.

