Paris is a city with a thousand faces and a thousand atmospheres.
Before answering where to live in Paris, everyone will be keen to choose, according to their transport and budget constraints as well as their expectations and tastes, « their » best neighborhoods.
Families are moving towards neighborhoods or suburban cities offering good schools and green spaces such as the 16th arrondissement, Vincennes, Saint Germain en Laye, or even Versailles.
Couples without children will prefer the central districts (or french « arrondissements ») if their budget allows them. The 1st, 2nd, 5th, and 6th arrondissements are thus noted as the most pleasant districts with good transport connections and village atmospheres thanks to their mouth-watering shops and their multiple restaurants.
Of course, as with all European capitals, it will be necessary to make an arbitration.
Table des matières
Live in Paris : the 7th district, so french, so chic !
It is the most populated, expensive district, with the fewest merchants in Paris!
All this makes the 7th district a Parisian nugget that offers high quality of life, even unequaled. You’ll find there, right at the foot of the Eiffel Tower, mansions entrenched behind high walls, jewel gardens, and secret courtyards!
Whether it is the Champ de Mars, Breteuil, Invalides, or Saint Thomas Aquinas sectors, there’s no equivalent to this green, quiet, spacious but very lively and therefore popular in Paris!
The 16th arrondissement: bourgeois and green
A few minutes from the Bois de Boulogne, this district (the most spacious and greenest in Paris) is disjointed between the 16th South and the 16th North.
Covering the west of Paris, starting from Neuilly to l’Etoile and running along the banks of the Seine to the Porte de Saint-Cloud, this « right bank » Paris is ideally located a stone’s throw from the great green lung of Paris.
On the edge of the ring road, it is easy to escape from Paris to get fresh air on weekends. Large families are never mistaken for choosing that district, and many have taken up residence between Chaillot, Passy-Muette, Auteuil, and Dauphine for decades.
12th arrondissement: family and popular
Located in the East of Paris, the 12th district is rich in its differences. It is one of the most expanded Parisian arrondissements, not to forget the Bois de Vincennes linked to it.
It is a family and popular neighborhood that appeals to the youngest as much as the oldest folks.
It can be subdivided into four districts that cover a wide range of activities: The Quinze-Vingts district, Picpus-Nation, Bel-Air and Bercy. You can take long walks there, in the city or in the forest.
9th arrondissement: Parisian charm and village spirit
Located by the heart of Paris, the 9th arrondissement of Paris is a district that has been heavily rehabilitated since the 2000s.
A boom due to a central geographical location, an affordable housing stock, an extensive transport network thanks to the train, and a young and growing population make this district very popular nowadays. Not to forget old architecture, the so-Parisian-atmosphere, and that forever « village » spirit touch still preserved by tourists handing around the shopping streets…
The best student neighborhoods to stay in Paris
If you are looking for a student residence in Paris in a shared flat or alone, you are probably wondering which the best student district in the city is.
Some districts have had many university campuses and graduate schools for decades and are therefore very frequented by Parisian students, while others multiply the assets to ensure a most pleasant student life.
Here is a list of the most relevant student districts in Paris :
The Latin Quarter – St Germain
Located on the Left Bank, in the center of the city (5th and 6th arrondissements), the Latin Quarter is the historic student district of Paris. Obviously, the largest and oldest universities, and schools are located here, such as the Sorbonne, Sciences Po, the Fine Arts, Pierre and Marie Curie, Henri IV, Louis the Great, Assas…
Very lively, this district is full of French bistros, bars, cafes, bookstores, cinemas, which all line the charming and picturesque streets of the neighbourhood, such as Rue Mouffetard (one of the oldest streets in Paris).
Another asset of the Latin Quarter is its two green spaces, the Luxembourg Garden and the Jardin des Plantes. Both invite you very pleasantely to relax between two classes or to revise outdoors during exam periods on sunny days.
The Latin Quarter’s main disadvantage? It is a very pricey neighborhood in terms of housing, for both furnished and empty rentals.
Republic and Bastille district: the students’ alternative in Paris
The Bastille and Republic districts are ideally located on the Right Bank, between the trendy Marais, and the dynamic Canal Saint Martin.
Very well served by public transport, living on the side of the Republic and Bastille proves to be a wise choice: the center of Paris and its multiple schools and universities are only a few metro stations away.
The district hosts an ample range of schools, such as ESCP Business School, ESG Finance, Panthéon Assas University, etc.
Another advantage of the neighborhood is its animation, with its many bars and restaurants, as well as its nightlife places, always very popular among students.
Finally, this neighborhood, close to the hyper center of Paris, offers more reasonable options for a student seeking a furnished, empty or shared apartment!
Looking for your place in the French Capital?
This article has been originally published in French here.
If you plan to relocated in France, please come and have a look at our survival guide.