This is the third article in TresFrench.com’s look at Paris. To read the past two articles, see the good side of Paris and brace yourself for the bad.
As I talked about at some length in my article yesterday, housing in Paris is expensive due to a long-running housing shortage and high demand. Today I’ll give you a rundown on housing in Paris’s neighbourhood, and try to give you an idea of where you might be able to get the most for your money.
Central Paris
The first four arrondissements are smack in the center of Paris on the right bank of the Seine. It covers areas around the Louvre, the Paris Stock Exchange, Les Halles, and the Marais. You probably won’t find too many apartments in the first two arrondissements as buildings are mostly for commercial use and tourism. Rents can be slightly cheaper here than in the 3rd and 4th arrondissements, which collectively are known as the Marais. The Marais was considered to be a rather run down area until about ten or fifteen years ago, when the neighbourhood gentrified considerably thanks to places such as the Centre Pompidou and the arrival of artists and a great nightlife. If you’re looking for a decent value here, try looking towards the northern part of the districts, around the Porte Saint-Denis and towards République.
The Left Bank
The Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh arrondissements are amongst the most expensive (particularly the Fifth, which is the most expensive Paris district and where rents increased by 10% in 2008). This part of Paris includes the famous Latin Quarter, where the Sorbonne university is location, and the Eiffel Tower, along with several government ministries.
If you’re looking to live here, I’d suggest you try around the Boulevard Saint Germain, in the sixth. But even there, prepare to pay for the privilege.
West Paris
The eighth and sixteenth arrondissements are quite similar in a way, but also very different from one another. The Eighth includes the Champs Elysées and the Parc Monceau. It’s known for expensive hotels and chic chain boutiques. Again, it’s another district where there’s a lot of business, but there are also some apartment s to be had. Try looking along the border with the seventeenth arrondissement.
The sixteenth arrondissement is known as being residential and staid, although there are some people who swear by it. It tends to go for wealthy families, but studios are easier to come by in this area. Nightlife and transport are somewhat lacking, however.
Batignolles and Montmartre
The 17th and 18th districts lie on the northern outskirts of Paris. The 17th is quite divided – there’s a relatively wealthy area towards the south and west, and a gentrifying area to the north and east. The 18th includes the famous Montmartre, but also cheaper areas around Pigalle (think of the Moulin Rouge), Barbès and La Chapelle. In either of these areas you can expect to pay on average 21,7€ per month per square meter, and it’s quite popular with both students and young professionals.
The East
The large swath of land from the 19th down to the 12th via the 20th is probably amongst the cheaper areas of Paris. It’s also quite residential, but an entirely different type of population than the 16th. It’s mostly working-class type of people. In these areas you can find La Villette where the Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie is found, and Belleville.
The South
You can also find some great deals on apartments in the 13th, 14th, and 15th districts along the southern fringe of Paris, although for slightly more expensive than in the eastern parts. It’s primarily residential, and commute times can en up being quite long. The 15th is known as being more family oriented, while the 13th is more young professional, artistic, and with a strong Chinese quarter.
Do you have any questions? Are you looking for somewhere to live in Paris, and need some advice? Ask me in the questions!
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