Arrondissement 9

District 9 is a gem.  60,275 people are blessed to reside in this district’s boundaries.  78.3% of them are metropolitan born Parisians and 10.7% are non-European immigrants.  I might be saying that district 9 is a gem because my favorite place in the world is there but don’t take my word for it.  It could be fun for you to stay at the two star, Hotel Mansart on Rue Mansart in a double room for €90 a night.  You can head to the local supermarche if you’re in need of any groceries. 

A Dozen Eggs: € 2,49

1 Liter of Milk: € 1,49

Steak p/kg: € 24,95

 

Tourist Attractions:

You may or may not have heard of the Galleries Lafayette but it is an enormous tourist attraction.  The Galleries Lafayette is a giant shopping mall of all the designer brands you desire.  If you are visiting the 9^th arrondissement and you walk past the Galleries then you will see many tour busses lined up outside letting people out in giant groups.  If you watch the sales floor from the second or third floor you will see enormous lines of people wrapping around the bottom floor, waiting in line to buy their favorite luxury products.  It is a gorgeous building with so much to offer in terms of shopping. 

Amazing Architectural Attractions:

If you were wondering what my favorite place in Paris is I would tell you the Palais Garnier.  The Palais Garnier is the famous Opera house that the Phantom of the Opera was written about.  There is a natural lake beneath the Opera house just like in the musical and the author swore that the Phantom was real.  Whether you believe it or not, it is the most beautiful place I have seen in Paris and would be at the top of my list of things to do while visiting the most beautiful city in the world. 

Today’s Business Shout Out!

Today I would like to give a special thought to the Hard Rock Café.  Personally I am a fan of the Hard Rock’s all over the world.  It’s a fun place where you can be loud and eat a good burger in Paris, two things that are a little bit hard to do if you don’t want to stand out.

 

The Most Interesting Thing I Found:

At the top of the Galleries Lafayette you will find an amazing view of Paris.  It’s nice to have a view that includes the Eiffel Tower. 

I hope you fall in love with this district like I did!  Au revoir!

Arrondissement 8

There are 40,278 people living in dear old district 8.  75.4% of them are metropolitan born Parisians and 10.6% are non-European immigrants.  This is one of the districts that has to cut down on residents to fit in the spectacle of beauty.  If you want to spend a night or more in this district you could stay in the Hotel d’Argenson at 15, Rue d’Argenson.  A night in a double room will cost you €76-136, which is a pretty good deal in my opinion.  And the grocery prices aren’t too bad either.

A dozen eggs: €1,42

1 liter of milk: €1,66

Steak p/kg: €24,00

Tourist Attractions:

Le Petit Palais is Paris’s museum of fine arts.  It is just another reason to fall in love with how beautiful Paris really is and how much art has been inspired here.  It is across the street from the Grand Palais which is used as both a museum and an exhibition center. 

Amazing Architectural Attractions:

Place de la Concorde is a central square in Paris.  It marks the end of the Tuileries Gardens and the Champs Elysees and in the center lays the Obelisk of Luxor.  The Obelisk was placed there as a symbol of peace because Concorde once was a site for beheadings by guillotine.  According to Wikipedia, “the Obelisk was a gift from the Viceroy of Egypt as also referred to as Cleopatra's needle.”  It’s a gorgeous site to see and a lines up perfectly with the Arc de Triomphe and Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel. 

Today’s Business Shout Out!

It would be wrong not to include the Louis Vuitton store on the Champs Elysees.  Not only is this store massive but they usually have a huge line of shoppers waiting outside for their chance to buy one or two of Louis’s precious bags.  There is a rule that you can’t buy more than two bags there and only a certain amount of people are allowed in at a time.  If Louis is your love then you should check it out. 

The Most Interesting Thing I Found:

I must must must write about the famous macaron shop Laduree!  If you like macarons at all or are trying one for the first time then you should go to Laduree.  There are two locations in district 8; on the Champs Elysees and one just north of Place de la Concorde.  The one North of Concorde is my favorite and slightly less crowded.  They simply make the best macarons you can find and they aren’t the most expensive I’ve found, plus it’s an adorable shop with packaging you’ll want to keep as a souvenir. 

District 8 is a hot spot that I know you’ll love!  Au revoir!

Arrondissement 10

95,911 people live in district 10.  70.4% of them were born in metropolitan France and 19.8% are non-European immigrants.  If you would like to stay in district 10 in a two star hotel you could stay at Republique Hotel for €107 for a double room per night.  There is a nice fanprix in the middle of the district if you are looking for a place to buy groceries.

 

A Dozen Eggs: € 2,30

1 liter of Milk: € 1,82

Steak p/kg: € 19,90

Tourist Attractions:

District 10 is one of those special districts where you can find a canal running through it.  It may not be as touristy as the sine but there are some cute shops along the way and interesting bridges. 

Amazing Architectural Attractions:

The Monument a la Republique is a gorgeous statue that you can’t miss.  Just take the metro to Republique and step outside and it will hit you in the face, figuratively.  It marks the meeting point of the 3^rd, 10^th and 11^th districts.  If it wasn’t already obvious, the images of the statue represent the republic of France and district 10’s government building stands directly behind it.

Today’s Business Shout Out!

If you’ve been missing America, like American clothing and want to buy something made in the good old USA then you can at American Apparel! This store is like a piece of sunshine on a cloudy day and everything is made in the United States, it even says so on the front window. 

The Most Interesting Thing I Found:

I’m not going to lie, I didn’t find district 10 all that interesting.  It had some beautiful places and the gorgeous Monument a la Republique but other than that I wasn’t in love.  So, the most interesting thing that I probably found was a school playground next to the canal.  The playground was not only interesting because it was merely a cement area with a graffiti wall and a strange looking tree in the middle but it was also interesting because of how many 10-13 year old kids were smoking.  But that’s just Paris I suppose. 

I hope you get a chance to see some of the beautiful things that lie in district 10!  Au revoir!

Arrondissement 13

182,032 people live in district 13.  78.4% of this district’s residents are metropolitan born Parisians and 11.5% non-European immigrants.  If you want to stay in this district in a nice two star hotel then you could choose Hotel les Gobelins at 9, Rue des Gobelins.  You can stay in a double room for €139 per night.  And as per usual there is a market not too far if you are wanting to buy some groceries.

A dozen Eggs: € 2,52

1 liter of Milk: € 1,32

Steak p/kg: € 15,95

Tourist Attractions:

I know I post a lot about museums but the Manufacture Nationale des Gobelins is yet another awesome option for your tour of Paris.  It is the royal museum of tapestries.  Tapestries used to be a significant decoration in castles and for royals and you can see some amazing works of tapestry art here.  And it is more than just a museum; there are skilled artists that still work there creating tapestries. 

Amazing Architectural Attractions:

There is a law in Paris that buildings cannot be built above nine stories without a special permit and it is really difficult to get one which is why there are so few skyscrapers.  However in this district I found four buildings above the nine story limit all in a row which is unusual. 

Today’s Business Shout Out!

This goes out to the UGC Gobelins Movie Theatre!  The movie theatres in Paris are really fun because you can go to one in English with French subtitles.  You can’t do that for every movie but you can find a decent amount of movies to see if you are up for that.  Hey it’s kind of fun to say you saw a movie in Paris. 

The Most Interesting Thing I Found:

There was an artist event going on when I was down in dear old district 13 where artists were painting pianos!  I don’t know about you but I have always wanted to paint a piano!

I hope you find some joy in district 13!  Au revior!

Arrondissement 7

57,442 people live in the seventh district.  78.3% are metropolitan born and 8.9% are non-European immigrants.  This district is really fun and full of life, possibly one of the most famous districts as well.  If you want to stay in this district then you could stay at the two star hotel, Hotel Eiffel Turenne on Avenue de Tourville for €230 a night for a double room.  And you can find a local market not far from your hotel where you can find groceries. 

A dozen Eggs: € 2,55

1 Liter of Milk: € 1,46

Steak p/kg: € 19,29

Tourist Attraction:

Perhaps the biggest tourist attraction in France would be the Eiffel Tower and it is found in district 7.  People come from all over the world.  It was built for the world fair and was only supposed to stay up for a year because Parisians thought it was an eyesore but it brought so much attention to Paris that they kept it.  Now it is a hotspot for lots of events and is such a place of interest that they have armed gunman at the bottom.  It lights up every night and every hour on the hour it twinkles for five minutes.  You will probably find more couples around the Eiffel Tower than anywhere else in Paris, and could you blame them?

Amazing Architectural Attractions:

If you have seen Adele’s music video, Someone Like You, then you have seen the Pont Alexander III bridge.  This gorgeous piece of Architecture is one you must see and if you’re walking down the Sine then you have no reason not to see it. 

Today’s Business Shout Out!

This one goes out to Air France the airline.  I don’t know about you but it’s a pretty great way to get to Paris in my opinion. 

The Most Interesting Thing I Found:

Napoleon’s grave is a fantastic thing to see.  Napoleon is one of the largest shapers of Paris’s architecture and history and you can go and see his tomb.  It is right behind the military museum which is enormous and worth checking out as well. 

Napoleon's Tomb

Military Museum

I know you’ll love district 7 as much as I did!  Au revoir! 

Arrondissement 15

The Paris 2009 census says that 236,491 people live in district 15 making it the most populated district in Paris.  80% of the population are metropolitan born Parisians and 10.2% are non-European immigrants.  If you are interested in staying at a two star hotel in Paris then you could stay at the Hotel Korner on 54, Rue Falguiere.  A double room ranges from €95-200 per night.  As always, near a hotel there is a market where you can find your basic needs and lots of chocolate. 

A dozen Eggs: € 2,47

1 liter of Milk: € 1,06

Steak p/kg: € 24,00

 

Tourist Attraction:

Musee de la Poste or the Post Office Museum is an interesting attraction to see in the 15^th district.  I sent a few postcards home from Paris so the post office is pretty exciting to me.  It took less than a week to get from Paris to America and it was really fun but it is sad that the post office is a dying business so you should go check it out while post offices still exist. 

Amazing Architectural Attractions:

The Montparnasse Tower located at 33 Avenue du Main, is the tallest building in Paris and has the best overall view of the city.  People like to go to the top of the Eiffel Tower to see Paris but from this tower you can see the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe and all your favorite places.  It’s gorgeous at night and you can see all of the lines of symmetry through the heart of Paris, it’s definitely worth checking out. 

 

Today’s Business Shout Out!

SNCF is the railway company of France.  If you are traveling all over France by train then this is the place you will go to buy your tickets.  Of course you purchase your tickets online but you will go through this business. 

The Most Interesting Thing I Found:

The Novancia Business School on Rue Armand Moisant is kind of a strange building.  It consists of an old, French style building but has an extension building attached to it made up of colored glass panels.  The contrast is a little bit strange but mostly it brings more color to Paris. 

I hope you enjoyed district 15! Au revoir!

Arrondissement 16

169,372 people live in the 16^th district.  74.5% of these residents were born in metropolitan France and 12.5% are non-European immigrants.  This district is really fun and full of things to do.  From museums to parks to the aquarium, you will not run out of cool places to go.  It also has the best view of the Eiffel Tower in Paris.  If you are staying in this district then you could go spend a few nights at Hotel le Singulier for €210 a night for a double room.  And there is no need to worry because you will be able to find a market with everything you need nearby.

A dozen eggs: € 1,78

1 liter of Milk: € 1,98

Steak p/kg: € 22,88

 

Tourist Attraction:

The Musee Galliera or former Musee de la Mode is an attraction you should check out.  This is the Museum of Fashion.  Paris has been a hub for fashion for a very long time so the amount of fashion history that those walls contain is incredible.  The French are very proud of their fashion so it would be something you should check out if you have time while you are visiting.  You can find this gem at 10, Avenue Pierre 1er de Serbie, Rue de Galliera. 

Amazing Architectural Attractions:

The Palais du Trocadero or Palais de Chaillot is one of the best places in Paris to take a picture of the Eiffel Tower.  Because of that it is sometimes not recognized as an amazing building by itself.  It has two completely separate wings with a courtyard between.  According to AViewOnCities.com it was built for the world fair in 1878 and then redesigned for the world fair in1937.  It also houses two museum; the naval museum and the museum of man. 

Today’s Business Shout Out!

Today this shout out goes to Haagen- Dazs!  This company from Brooklyn, New York has captured the hearts of people all over the world and if it has your heart then have no fear because you can find it in Paris as well.  However, prices are insane, especially because you’re paying for things in euros instead of dollars.  But if it’s your cup of tea then please enjoy!

The Most Interesting Thing I Found:

If you are staring at the Palais de Chaillot then on your right you will see an aquarium.  If you walk towards the aquarium and cross the street you will find a little park on Avenue Albert De Mun.  It has an awesome view of the Eiffel Tower as well but without all the tourist craziness that you encounter at other more popular spots for pictures.  You could go there at night with your sweetheart to watch it light up or visit during the day and get some really nice pictures and enjoy the cute little park area. 

The Aquarium 

The Park

District 16 has a lot of other museums and hidden gems that you could visit if you have time.  If not, Au revoir!

Arrondissement 19

The 19^th district is largely populated district with 184,787 people living in its boundaries.  I was unable to find the percentage of people born in this district vs. the non-European immigrant percentage but this district was my least favorite so I would assume it isn’t a popular one in anyone’s mind.  However, if you end up wanting to stay here then you could stay at the Hotel Paris Villette on 56, Rue Curial.  This two star hotel would cost you € 65 per night for a double room.  But I probably wouldn’t stay in this district if I were you; not just because there was graffiti on the hospital but also because there just wasn’t a whole lot to see.  Also you can find your grocery needs at the Dio nearby. 

 

A dozen eggs: € 1,42

1 liter of milk: € 1,38

Steak p/kg: € 14,72

Tourist Attraction:

Parc des Buttes-Chaumont is a large park in the heart of this district, and I would advise you stay more inward in this district, that you can visit.  On a nice day there will be a lot of inhabitants because Parisians love their parks and nice weather.  It is a fairly large park that you could take your sweet time in if you like. 

Amazing Architectural Attractions:

Interestingly, the 19^th district is home to two canals and in the districts with canals rather than river they have a lot of bridges.  These bridges are not like the gorgeous, old, famous bridges made out of stone and gold.  These bridges happen to be made out of metal and look like they don’t quite fit in with the rest of the scenery.  This bridge that I found in 19 is one of the fancier bridges.

Today’s Business Shout Out!

This shout out goes to Yamaha.  I’m spotlighting this store found in district 19 as a representative of the number of motorcycles and mopeds on the streets.  You can’t even step out of the street without one of them trying to run you over or park where you’re standing, at least in my experience.  But if you’re looking to buy a Yamaha and that’s your cup of tea you can do that here. 

The Most Interesting Thing I Found:

There was a cute church near the bridge I came across.  I found this church interesting because it had two clock towers and most churches only have one and it also had much less of a gothic feel compared to the other churches in Paris. 

Au revoir district 19!

Arrondissement 14

The fourteenth district is near and dear to my heart because it is where I have been living.  With a lovely 137,189 residents living here with me 78.4% of them are metropolitan born residents and 11.5% are non-European immigrants.  If you are going to stay in this fun-filled district I would recommend the Hotel du Lion on General Leclerc.  This two star splendor is going to cost you €115-130 for a double room per night.  And don’t you worry, very near your hotel is my favorite Monoprix where you can purchase the finest of France’s groceries.

Eggs: € 2,89

Milk: € 1,36

Steak p/kg: € 23,95

Tourist Attraction:

While you are in district 14, because I’m assuming you will make this district a priority, you must visit the catacombs.  The catacombs are an underground tunnel system of graves.  It contains about six million people buried there and you can walk through them.  They also have miniature diagrams of what the tunnels looks like just outside the gates if you want to check out what you’re walking into.  

Amazing Architectural Attractions:

The Belfort Lion at Denfert-Rochereau is right next to the catacombs and is a gem worth seeing.  If you like lions as much as me and the rest of Europe then you are going to just love him.  According to Wikipedia it is a smaller, metal version of the original Lion of Belfort that was carved to protect the city of Belfort. 

Today’s Business Shout Out!

McDonald’s is today’s highlight!  You may be wondering why McDonald’s has a spot on my blog but it does for very good reason.  At the McDonald’s here you can purchase beer, macarons, and the McBaguette.  It’s a perfect example of showing how companies change to meet cultural differences.  It is also usually a place where you can get free wifi if you are out and about in Paris. 

The Most Interesting Thing I Found:

There is a nice park called Square Claude Nicolas Ledoux near Denfert-Rochereau.  It has a nice statue in the center of it and could be a cute place to have a picnic if that is your cup of tea.  It is one of a few little parks in this area and is just up the street from the local cemetery. 

I hope you enjoyed the place I call home!  Au revoir!

Arrondissement 17

District 17 has 168,454 residents living within its boundaries.  77.7% of these residents were born in metropolitan France and 11.5% are non-European immigrants.  District 17 was somewhat of a disappointment to me.  There wasn’t much to see but if you wanted to stay in this district then I would stay at Hotel Champerret Heliopolis at 13, Rue d’Heliopolis for € 120.  Then you could head to the local market to find your groceries.

Eggs: € 2,08

Milk: € 1,35

Steak p/kg: € 12.56

Tourist Attractions:

Today’s tourist attraction would be the amazing Arch de Triomphe de I’Etoile.  The arch is aligned with the smaller arch, the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel at the end of the Champs Elysees in the Louvre courtyard.  It is one of the lines of symmetry that you can find in Paris. 

Amazing Architectural Attractions:

On 27, Rue d’Armaille there is a church that sparked my particular interest.  It is called the Saint Ferdinand
des Ternes.  As far as I can tell it is a fully functioning church and it isn’t located in a dense tourist area so it would seem to be the prime location if you are looking to join a parish while you are visiting Paris.  It has beautiful stone carvings on the outside of the building and the inside lives up to the other gorgeous cathedrals that you can visit in France. 

Today’s Business Shout Out!

I’d like to show off Kia and Opel today.  If you look around the streets you will find that these companies do pretty well on the streets of Paris.  

The Most Interesting Thing I Found:

Perhaps one of the most interesting things I’ve found in Paris so far would have to be this clothing recycling receptacle.  It was amazing to watch how many people walked up to put their clothes in this big grey box and how many people seemed to think it was worth waiting in line to recycle their clothes.  I also thought it was interesting because it was in such an open area and anyone could donate their old clothes and I found it to be a really exciting part of this district. 

I hope you found some value in this lovely district.  Au revoir!