Cover story
Paris Arrondissements Explained: All 20, Metro Times and Who Each Suits
Paris has 20 arrondissements in a clockwise spiral from the Louvre. What each contains, its metro lines, minutes to the Louvre and Eiffel Tower, and who it suits.
Paris · Winter 2026–27
Paris, arrondissement by arrondissement
Detailed, regularly checked advice on visiting Paris: what to book ahead, which arrondissement suits you, and what is worth your time and money.
Photo: Benh LIEU SONG, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
In this issue
All topics →
Museums & Art
Best Paris Museums: Which to Book, Closing Days, Free Entry and Time Needed
The Louvre shuts on Tuesdays and charges non-EEA adults €32 in 2026, Orsay shuts on Mondays and needs a time slot. Fourteen museums compared, with Pass math.
Food & Drink
Paris Food Guide: Where to Eat and How to Avoid Tourist-Trap Menus
Lunch formules, dinner from 7:30 p.m., service compris, market days and the 2026 baguette winner: how eating in Paris works, by meal and by arrondissement.
Romantic Paris & Honeymoons
Romantic Things to Do in Paris: Views, Dinners and Walks for Couples
The Eiffel Tower sparkles five minutes on the hour until 11 p.m. Viewpoints, walks, Seine boats from 15 €, dinners and proposal spots, checked for 2026.
Itineraries
3 Days in Paris Itinerary: An Hour-by-Hour Plan Built Around Closing Days
The Louvre closes Tuesday, Orsay Monday. Three Paris days hour by hour, with metro lines, what to book, lunch stops and a reorder for every arrival weekday.
From the editors
Long-form guides to one city, its twenty arrondissements and the trips around it, checked against the people who set the prices and the hours.
Each guide shows the month it was last checked · How these guides are written
Before you land
Four decisions that shape a Paris trip
-
Pick your arrondissement
Twenty districts compared: who each one suits and how far it is from everything else.
-
Book the museums
Time slots, closing days, free first Sundays and whether the Museum Pass pays off.
-
Choose where to sleep
The six bases compared by metro line, price and the kind of trip they suit.
-
Choose your month
Crowds, rates, closures and weather, month by month, with the 2026 to 2027 calendar.
Seasons, Weather & Events
Best Time to Visit Paris: Month by Month, Crowds, Prices and Weather
Spring or fall is the usual answer. Twelve months of Paris-Montsouris weather, daylight, crowds, hotel-rate peaks, August closures and dated 2026-2027 events.
Read the guidePhoto: Jami430, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The index
Paris by topic
Landmarks, museums, food, shows, day trips and all twenty arrondissements, each with its own long-form guides.
- 1 guide
Landmarks & Monuments
The Eiffel Tower, Notre-Dame, the Arc de Triomphe, Sainte-Chapelle and Sacré-Cœur: what to book, when to go and which views are worth the queue.
- 1 guide
Museums & Art
The Louvre, Orsay, the Orangerie, Rodin and the smaller houses: time slots, free days, the Museum Pass math and how long each one really takes.
- 1 guide
Arrondissements & Neighborhoods
All twenty arrondissements, from the Marais to the 15th: what each one feels like, who it suits, and how far it really is from everything else.
- 1 guide
Food & Drink
Bistros, bakeries, cheese, markets, wine bars and starred tables: what to order, what to book, and where the tourist menus begin.
- 1 guide
Itineraries
Hour-by-hour plans for one to seven days, built around museum closing days, booking windows and the walking distances between them.
- 1 guide
Seasons, Weather & Events
Paris month by month: August closures, Christmas markets, the Fête de la Musique, Bastille Day, Nuit Blanche and what the weather actually does.
- 1 guide
Getting There & Around
CDG and Orly to the center, the metro and the 2025 ticket reform, Navigo passes, taxis, bikes and the Eurostar from London.
- 1 guide
Day Trips from Paris
Versailles, Giverny, Disneyland, Champagne, Fontainebleau and the Loire: the train, the timing, and which ones fit in a day.
- 1 guide
Paris with Kids
Strollers and metro stairs, the museums children enjoy, parks and carousels, Disneyland math and family rooms that are actually big enough.
- 1 guide
Romantic Paris & Honeymoons
Proposals, honeymoons and anniversaries: the views, dinners, cruises and walks that hold up once the crowds arrive.
- 1 guide
Shows, Cabaret & Nightlife
Moulin Rouge, Crazy Horse and the Lido compared, jazz clubs, the Opéra, Seine dinner cruises and the bars that stay open.
- 1 guide
Budget, Safety & Practical
What a day costs, tipping, the scams near the monuments, pickpockets on line 1, Sunday closures, toilets and what to pack.
Latest from Paris
RSS
Day Trips from Paris
Day Trips From Paris: Which Ones Fit in a Day and How to Get There
Versailles is 40 minutes away on a €2.55 ticket, Mont-Saint-Michel is about four hours. Fourteen day trips from Paris sorted by door-to-door time and real cost.
Getting There & Around
How to Get From CDG and Orly to Paris City Center: RER B, Line 14, Taxis
Roissybus ended on February 28, 2026, the airport ticket costs €14 and CDG taxis charge €56 or €65 flat. Every route from CDG, Orly and Beauvais, by arrondissement.
Shows, Cabaret & Nightlife
Moulin Rouge vs Crazy Horse vs Lido: Paris Cabaret Shows After the Lido
The Lido staged its last revue in July 2022. Moulin Rouge, Crazy Horse and Paradis Latin compared on 2026 prices, show times, age limits, nudity and seating.
Landmarks & Monuments
Paris Landmarks: Which Need Tickets Booked in Advance, Which Are Free
Eleven Paris landmarks sorted into timed slots that sell out, free entries resellers charge for and walk-up sites, with 2026 prices from €8 to €36.70.
Parks, Gardens & the Seine
Best Parks and Gardens in Paris: Hours, Lawn Rules and Which Park for What
Paris parks close between 4:30 p.m. and 11 p.m. depending on the month. Hours, lawn rules, fees and metro lines for 18 parks, gardens and Seine swimming sites.
Shopping & Markets
Best Shopping in Paris: Sunday Rules, Tax Refunds, Stores and Markets
Where to shop in Paris by type and arrondissement, with Sunday rules, 2027 sales dates, the €100 tax refund threshold and the BHV closure of November 2026.
Budget, Safety & Practical
Paris Travel Budget: What a Day Really Costs at Three Levels
A day in Paris costs about €120, €215 or €410 per person in 2026, built line by line from metro fares, non-EU museum prices, meals, hotel rates and tourist tax.
Paris with Kids
Paris With Kids: What Works by Age, Strollers, Metro Stairs and Rainy Days
Most Paris metro stations have no elevator, under-18s enter national museums free and the Ménagerie costs €10 a child. What works for kids in Paris, by age.
Hotels & Where to Stay
Where to Stay in Paris: The Best Areas by Traveler Type and Metro Line
Six Paris bases compared by metro line, minutes to the Louvre and price tier. A hotel 5 minutes from the Eiffel Tower is 25 to 30 minutes from the Louvre.