The Twenty Arrondissements of Paris, Part I

There are so many tourist attractions in Paris that you can't see them all on one trip. So relax and focus on a handful that interest you the most. Here we list the main attractions by arrondissement to help you choose where to go.  
On 1^st January, 1860 Paris was divided into its present day twenty arrondisse -ments by Baron Haussmann. They are arranged in the form of a clockwise spiral, starting in the middle of the city:

1^st(Right bank) Louvre, 2^nd(Right) Bourse, 3^rd (Right) Temple, 4^th(Right) Hôtel-de-Ville, 5^th(left bank) Panthéon, 6^th (Left) Luxembourg, 7^th (Left) Palais-Bourbon, 8^th(right) Élysée, 9^th (Right) Opéra, 10^th (Right) Enclos-St-Laurent, 11^th (Right) Popincourt, 12^th (Right) Reuilly, 13^th (Left) Gobelins, 14^th (Left) Observatoire, 15^th (Left) Vaugirard, 16^th (Right )Passy, 17^th (Right)  Batignolles-Monceau, 18^th (Right) Butte-Montmartre, 19^th (Right) Buttes-Chaumont, 20^th (Right) Ménilmontant.

The 1^st Arrondissement – The Louvre.

The heart of what was once the seat of royal power in Paris, it retains a regal atmosphere of elegance. The Main Attractions in the 1st Arrondissement  are:


1. Musée du Louvre, 2. Tuilearies Gardens, 3. Jeu de Paume National Galleries, 4. Musee de l'Orangerie, 5. Palais Royal (former seat of royal power), 6. La Comédie Française (classic Paris theatre where French playwright Molière once performed), 7. Place Vendome, 8. Forum des Halles (monstrous shopping centre and district), 9. Eglise Saint-Eustache,10 .Chatelet and the Saint-Jacques Tower, 11. Ile de la Cite (natural island on the Seine), 12.Sainte-Chapelle chapel, 13.Pont Neuf Bridge (oldest bridge in Paris).

The 2^nd Arrondissement – The   Bourse

Paris' 2nd arrondissement has attractions most tourists never see, including a medieval tower and one of the best open market streets in the city. The Main Attractions in the 2nd Arrondissement are:


1. The Rue Montorgueil Area, 2. Grands Boulevards Area, 3. Le Tour Jean-Sans-Peur, 4. Opera Comique, 5. Passage des  Panoramas, 6.  Le Grand Rex (historic movie theatre, club and concert Hall), 7. Bourse de Paris (Paris Stock Exchange), 8. Bibliotheque Nationale de France (French National Library - historic site)

The 3^rd Arrondissement - Temple  

              

Referred to as "Temple" after the medieval fortress that once stood in the area and was built by the infamous military order known as the Knights Templar, Paris' third arrondissement is near the heart of the city and combines bustling commercial areas with quiet residential streets. The Main Sights  in the 3rd Arrondissement:


1.The Marais Area (also part of the 4th Arrondissement), 2. Musee Carnavalet (Paris history  Museum and Renaissance-era residence), 3. Picasso Museum, 4. Musee des Arts et Metiers, 5. Musee Cognacq-Jay, 6. Hotel de Soubise (Renaissance-era mansion) and the French National Archives, 7. Musee de la Poupee (Paris Doll Museum) 
                                                                                                                                                          
The 4^th Arrondissement  -  Hôtel-de-Ville

Paris' 4th arrondissement houses some of the city's major historical sites-- including Notre Dame Cathedral-- but it's also a strong symbol of contemporary Paris, holding bustling neighborhoods like the Marais and Beaubourg which attract artists, designers, trendy shopkeepers & students. The Main Attractions in the 4th Arrondissement:


1. Centre Georges Pompidou and the National Museum of Modern Art, 2.The Beaubourg Neighborhood, 3. The Marais Area, 4. St-Gervais St-Protais Church, 5. St-Paul and St-Louis Church, 6.Hotel de Sens (Medieval mansion), 7. Place des Vosges, 8. Hotel de Ville  (Paris City Hall), 9. Rue des Rosiers and Le Pletzl, Old Jewish District, 10. Place de la Bastille, shared with 11th and 12th Arrondissements, 11 The Ile de la Cite (natural island on the Seine), 12. Ile Saint-Louis Neighborhood, 13. Notre Dame Cathedral, 14. Seine River Booksellers, 15.  
Shoah Memorial and Museum    
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  
The 5^th Arrondissement – Pantheon or Latin Quarter

The historic heart of the Latin Quarter has been a center of scholarship and intellectual achievement for centuries. The 5th arrondissement is important thanks to sights such as the Pantheon, the Sorbonne and the botanical gardens known as the Jardin des Plantes. The most interesting sights are:


1.The Saint-Michel Neighborhood, 2. The Sorbonne, 3. The Pantheon, 4. Place Saint-Michel, 5. Musee and Hotel de Cluny (Paris Medieval Museum and Gardens), 6. Jardin des Plantes, 7. La Grande Mosquee de Paris(Paris Mosque, tearoom and hammam), 8. Institut du Monde Arabe, 9.  Rue Mouffetard District, 10. Arenes de Lutece (Roman Coliseum), 11. Historic Paris Movie Theatres                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         -