Paris: The Second Arrondissement

You’re nearly there – Paris, the fabled City of Lights! You can hardly wait to start your journey. You’ve gotten your
href=”http://www.paris-web.com/cheap-airfare-to-france-paris-club.php”> flights to Paris, France , now you are assessing some wonderful sounding bargains on Paris hotels . Where you are staying in the city is always an important consideration for accommodation in Paris, France even if you are looking at hotels in Paris city centre.  Here’s a guide to Paris’s Second arrondissement so you can learn more about whether this part of Paris is where you want to be!

 

It is not likely that you will spend alot of time in the 2nd arrondissement as a tourist, but if you choose a hotel in this district, you will be in the pulsing heart of Paris’s financial and working center. Home to the Bourse (stock exchange) and the CAC 40 index of France’s top listed companies , the second arrondissement is also widely noted for its thriving   fashion and journalism industries, as well as its general atmosphere of business.

What You Need To Know About The Second:

What’s Good About The Second :

You will hardly spot any tourists here, meaning that the people-watching will be authentic: Parisian business people going to lunch, stressed traders hurrying to work, journalists meeting sources over tea for the next big news break. You will also be close to the beautiful 19th “galleries,” a tradition when the Duke of Orleans decided to rent out his garden to shops in the late eighteenth century. These “galleries,” similiar to early shopping malls, have glass windows and tiled floors, are still operative now . Visit for a nostalgic and enchanting glance at Paris’s 19th century past.

The Negatives :

This isn’t an especially happening area by any means, and while there are many places for lunch in the neighborhood, geared toward those with an expense account, nightlife just isn’t here . However, with the Marais in the fourth arrondissement only a few minutes away, there isn’t much to be concerned about. In addition, near the eastern end of the district, you may run into a few prostitutes looking to ply their trade, but don’t be too alarmed – it’s safe, if seedy, and nevertheless you’re likely to encounter far fewer than in comparable sections like Rue St. Denis or the Pigalle area.

What To Visit:

If you’re a business type , pay a visit to the Bourse, or Stock Exchange, for a look at Paris’s economic heart. Or check out the Galleries – the Gallerie Vivienne is considered the best-preserved, with geniune and stunning nineteenth-century decor, a stunning mosaic floor, and elegantly upscale stores . In contrast, the Passage Choiseul is more “authentic,” catering to business folks on their way to work, and selling magazines and newspapers and offering services like shoe-shining to busy traders at the nearby Bourse.

Eating Places :

Cafe Etienne Marcel, on Rue Etienne Marcel, is a hip Costes brothers joint – less expensive than most of their others – with a menu to match. Or have a drink at Harry’s New York Bar on Rue Danou, reputed to be the birthplace of the Bloody Mary, and a hangout of Hemmingway. While Harry’s isn’t cheap by any means, it’s nevertheless a great hangout for those who want the elegance and decadence of Art Deco bohemian expatriate life. And, of course, a bloody Mary mixed to perfection.

Places To Shop:

Brentano’s, on Avenue de L’Opera offers an excellent selection of English-language and art books. And, of course, the Galleries are filled with fascinating shops . Stroll in and out of a few of the delightful galleries, looking at the many wonderful shops on offer, and consider buying boutique clothes and far more at all of them.

 

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