A Guide to the 20 Arrondissements of Paris

The arrondissements of Paris are administrative districts organised in a spiral pattern. From the 1st arrondissement – the historical heart of Paris – the following arrondissements work their way out in numerical order like a snail shell shape. To help you understand what sites you should visit in each arrondissement, I came up with this practical guide. The 20 arrondissements of Paris won’t be a mystery for you anymore! 

A few facts about the arrondissements of Paris

The City of Paris comprises twenty administrative districts. Parisians call them “arrondissements“.

This territorial division dates back to the French Revolution.

In 1795, the authorities decided to organise Paris into 12 arrondissements.

Then, in 1860, Paris incorporated part of its suburbs and created 8 new arrondissements.

The Paris’ snail!

The arrondissements of Paris are set in the form of an outward clockwise spiral starting from the centre of Paris (1st arrondissement).

The 20 arrondissements of Paris © French Moments

The smallest arrondissement is the 2nd (0.992 km2) and the largest is the 12th (16.324 km2 including Bois de Vincennes).

The most populous arrondissement is the 15th with approximately 232,400 inhabitants.

Six arrondissements are found on the Left Bank (5th, 6th, 7th, 13th, 14th and 15th) and the remaining 14 on the Right Bank. The two central islands (Île de la Cité and Île Saint-Louis) are part of the 1st and 4th arrondissements.

The Western and central arrondissements (1st, 4th, 6h, 7th, 8th, 9th, 15th, 16th and 17th) are the wealthiest and generally vote right. The Eastern arrondissements, which traditionally included a working-class population, vote left.

What to do in Paris?

Here’s a list of activities (tours, monuments, museums, cruises) that you can find on our partner’s GetYourGuide site:

Discover the 20 arrondissements of Paris

Click on the links below to reach the dedicate page for each arrondissement:

1st arrondissement (Louvre)

• Postal Code: 75001
• Altitude: min. 29 m, max. 37 m
• Area: 1.830 km²
• Population: 17,400
• Density of Population: 9,500/km²
• Median household income: €38,830
• Landmarks and Monuments: Louvre Palace, Palais Royal, Forum des Halles, Conciergerie, Sainte-Chapelle, Place Dauphine, Place Vendôme, Saint-Germain-l’Auxerrois Church, Saint-Roch church
• Museums and Art Galleries: Louvre Museum, Galerie Nationale du Jeu de Paume, Orangerie Museum
• Parks and Gardens: Tuileries, Jardin des Halles, Palais-Royal gardens
• Find out more on our page on the 1st arrondissement
• Places to stay in the 1st arrondissement

The Louvre today © French Moments

2nd arrondissement (Bourse)

• Postal Code: 75002
• Altitude: min. 33 m, max. 46 m
• Area: 0.990 km²
• Population: 23,000
• Density of Population: 23,150/km²
• Median household income: €34,130
• Landmarks and Monuments: Bourse, Notre-Dame des Victoires basilica, covered passageways
• Find out more on our page on the 2nd arrondissement
• Places to stay in the 2nd arrondissement

Rue d’Aboukir, 2nd arrondissement © French Moments

3rd arrondissement (Marais – north)

• Postal Code: 75003
• Altitude: min. 32 m, max. 41 m
• Area: 1.170 km²
• Population: 36,100
• Density of Population: 30,900/km²
• Median household income: €36,370
• Landmarks and Monuments: Square du Temple, Marais district (north), St Nicolas des Champs church
• Museums and Art Galleries: Archives Nationales, Carnavalet Museum,  Picasso Museum, Musées des Arts et Métiers
• Parks and Gardens: Jardin Anne Frank, Square du Temple
• Find out more on our page on the 3rd arrondissement
• Places to stay in the 3rd arrondissement

The Carreau du Temple, 3rd arrondissement of Paris © French Moments

4th arrondissement (Marais – south, Notre-Dame)

• Postal Code: 75004
• Altitude: min. 27 m, max. 38 m
• Area: 1.600 km²
• Population: 27,900
• Density of Population: 17,430/km²
• Median household income: €37,560
• Landmarks and Monuments: Marais (South), Place des Vosges, Notre-Dame cathedral, Paris City-Hall, Place de la Bastille, Hôtel de Sully, St Gervais-St Protais church, St Paul-St Louis church, St Jacques Tower, Square de l’Ile de France
• Museums and Art Galleries: Pompidou Centre
• Parks and Gardens: Jardin de l’Archevêché, Square de la Tour Saint-Jacques
• Find out more on our page on the 4th arrondissement
• Places to stay in the 4th arrondissement

Rue des Barres in the Marais (4th arrondissement) © French Moments

5th arrondissement (Latin Quarter)

• Postal Code: 75005
• Altitude: min. 27 m, max. 61 m
• Area: 2.541 km²
• Population: 60,000
• Density of Population: 24,000/km²
• Median household income: €38,780
• Landmarks and Monuments: Quartier Latin, Place Saint-Michel, Lutetia arena, Panthéon, Val de Grâce, Saint-Séverin church
• Museums and Art Galleries: Musée National d’Histoire Naturelle, Middle-Ages museum at Hôtel de Cluny
• Parks and Gardens: Jardin des Plantes, Square René-Viviani
• Find out more on our page on the 5th arrondissement
• Places to stay in the 5th arrondissement

Restaurant in the 5th arrondissement of Paris © French Moments

6th arrondissement (St. Germain-des-Prés, Luxembourg Garden)

• Postal Code: 75006
• Altitude: min. 29 m, max. 57 m
• Area: 2.150 km²
• Population: 43,900
• Density of Population: 20,410/km²
• Median household income: €46,770
• Landmarks and Monuments: Saint-Germain-des-Prés, Institut de France, Luxembourg Palace, Hôtel des Monnaies, St Sulpice church
• Parks and Gardens: Jardin du Luxembourg
• Find out more on our page on the 6th arrondissement
• Places to stay in the 6th arrondissement

In the 6th arrondissement © French Moments

7th arrondissement (Eiffel Tower, Invalides)

• Postal Code: 75007
• Altitude: min. 27 m, max. 40 m
• Area: 4.090 km²
• Population: 57,800
• Density of Population: 14,130/km²
• Median household income: €50,080
• Landmarks and Monuments: Eiffel Tower, Invalides, Palais Bourbon, Faubourg Saint-Germain, St Clotilde basilica
• Museums and Art Galleries: Orsay Museum, Rodin Museum, Musée du Quai Branly
• Parks and Gardens: Champ de Mars, Esplanade des Invalides
• Find out more on our page on the 7th arrondissement
• Places to stay in the 7th arrondissement

The Esplanade des Invalides, Paris © French Moments

8th arrondissement (Arc de Triomphe, Champs-Élysées)

• Postal Code: 75008
• Altitude: min. 29 m, max. 59 m
• Area: 3.880 km²
• Population: 40,600
• Density of Population: 10,460/km²
• Median household income: €51,970
• Landmarks and Monuments: Champs-Elysées, Arc de Triomphe, Place de la Concorde, Pont Alexandre III, La Madeleine church, St Augustin church, Gare Saint-Lazare
• Museums and Art Galleries: Fine Arts Museum at Petit-Palais, Musée Jacquemart-André 
• Parks and Gardens: Jardin des Champs-Elysées, Parc Monceau
• Find out more on our page on the 8th arrondissement
• Places to stay in the 8th arrondissement

Avenue des Champs-Elysées © French Moments

9th arrondissement (Opéra Garnier, Grands Boulevards)

• Postal Code: 75009
• Altitude: min. 33 m, max. 69 m
• Area: 1.180 km²
• Population: 59,400
• Density of Population: 27,250/km²
• Median household income: €38,000
• Landmarks and Monuments: Opera Garnier, Galeries Lafayette, Printemps Department Store, Ste Trinité church, Pigalle, Covered passageways
• Museums and Art Galleries: Musée Grévin, Musée de la Vie Romantique 
• Find out more on our page on the 9th arrondissement
• Places to stay in the 9th arrondissement

Avenue de l’Opéra from the Loggia, Palais Garnier © French Moments

10th arrondissement (Canal Saint-Martin)

• Postal Code: 75010
• Altitude: min. 33 m, max. 60 m
• Area: 2.890 km²
• Population: 94,000
• Density of Population: 32,530/km²
• Median household income: €31,810
• Landmarks and Monuments: Canal Saint-Martin, Gare du Nord, Gare de l’Est, Saint-Vincent de Paul church, St Laurent church
• Parks and Gardens: Square Villemin
• Find out more on our page on the 10th arrondissement
• Places to stay in the 10th arrondissement

One of the locks of Canal Saint-Martin in Paris © French Moments

11th arrondissement (Faubourg St. Antoine – Oberkampf)

• Postal Code: 75011
• Altitude: min. 33 m, max. 59 m
• Area: 3.670 km²
• Population: 154,650
• Density of Population: 42,140/km²
• Median household income: €31,620
• Landmarks and Monuments: Place de la République, Cirque d’Hiver, St Ambroise church, St Marguerite church, Place de la Nation
• Parks and Gardens: Square de la Roquette, Square Maurice Gardette
• Find out more on our page on the 11th arrondissement
• Places to stay in the 11th arrondissement

General view of the 11th arrondissement of Paris © French Moments

12th arrondissement (Bercy, Bois de Vincennes)

• Postal Code: 75012
• Altitude: min. 27 m, max. 72 m
• Area: 6.380 km²
• Population: 144,720
• Density of Population: 22,700/km²
• Median household income: €35,120
• Landmarks and Monuments: Opera Bastille, Gare de Lyon, Bercy, Place de la Nation, Place Daumesnil, St Esprit church, Notre-Dame de la Nativité church
• Museums and Art Galleries: Musée de l’Histoire de l’Immigration
• Parks and Gardens: Coulée Verte René Dumont, Bercy Park, Bois de Vincennes, Parc Floral
• Find out more on our page on the 12th arrondissement
• Places to stay in the 12th arrondissement

Place Félix Eboué, Paris 12th arrt © French Moments

13th arrondissement (Tolbiac, Gobelins, Paris Rive Gauche)

• Postal Code: 75013
• Altitude: min. 27 m, max. 64 m
• Area: 7.150 km²
• Population: 183,260
• Density of Population: 25,630/km²
• Median household income: €31,560
• Landmarks and Monuments: Bibliothèque Nationale de France, Gobelins Manufacture, Butte aux Cailles, Place d’Italie, Chinese district, Gare d’Austerlitz
• Parks and Gardens: Square René Le Gall, Parc de Choisy, Jardins des Grands Moulins
• Find out more on our page on the 13th arrondissement
• Places to stay in the 13th arrondissement

Benches in the new district of Tolbiac (13th arrt) © French Moments

14th arrondissement (Montparnasse)

• Postal Code: 75014
• Altitude: min. 45 m, max. 81 m
• Area: 5.640 km²
• Population: 140,300
• Density of Population: 24,880/km²
• Median household income: €34,550
• Landmarks and Monuments: Montparnasse, Place Denfert-Rochereau, Paris catacombs, Place de Catalogne, Paris Observatory, St Pierre de Montrouge church, Notre-Dame du Travail church, Cité Universitaire
• Parks and Gardens: Parc Montsouris, Montparnasse cemetery, 
• Find out more on our page on the 14th arrondissement
• Places to stay in the 14th arrondissement

Montparnasse Tower from the eponymous Cemetery © French Moments

15th arrondissement (Vaugirard, Grenelle)

• Postal Code: 75015
• Altitude: min. 28 m, max. 67 m
• Area: 8.480 km²
• Population: 237,100
• Density of Population: 27,960/km²
• Median household income: €37,840
• Landmarks and Monuments: Montparnasse Tower, Ile aux cygnes, Rue du Commerce, St Jean Baptiste de Grenelle church, Front de Seine (Beaugrenelle)
• Museums and Art Galleries: Bourdelle museum
• Parks and Gardens: Parc André Citroën, Square Saint-Lambert, Parc Georges Brassens, Jardin Atlantique
• Find out more on our page on the 15th arrondissement
• Places to stay in the 15th arrondissement

General view of the 15th arrondissement of Paris © French Moments

16th arrondissement (Passy, Auteuil)

• Postal Code: 75016
• Altitude: min. 27 m, max. 67 m
• Area: 7.910 km²
• Population: 170,000
• Density of Population: 21,500/km²
• Median household income: €48,750
• Landmarks and Monuments: Trocadéro, St Pierre de Chaillot, Place Victor Hugo, Passy, Auteuil, Maison de Radio-France, 
• Museums and Art Galleries: Contemporary Art Museum (Palais de Tokyo), Galliera museum, Baccarat museum, Marmottan museum, Guimet museum, Wine museum
• Parks and Gardens: Trocadéro Gardens, Jardin du Ranelagh, Bois de Boulogne, Passy cemetery, 
• Find out more on our page on the 16th arrondissement
• Places to stay in the 16th arrondissement

General view of the 16th arrondissement of Paris © French Moments

17th arrondissement (Batignolles, Monceau)

• Postal Code: 75017
• Altitude: min. 29 m, max. 63 m
• Area: 5.670 km²
• Population: 168,700
• Density of Population: 30,000/km²
• Median household income: €37,000
• Landmarks and Monuments: Cité des Fleurs, church of Sainte-Marie des Batignolles, church of Saint-Michel des Batignolles
• Museums and Art Galleries: Musée National Jean-Jacques Henner
• Parks and Gardens: Square des Batignolles, Parc Clichy-Batignolles – Martin Luther King
• Find out more on our page on the 17th arrondissement
• Places to stay in the 17th arrondissement

Church of Sainte-Odile and the 17th arrondissement © French Moments

18th arrondissement (Montmartre)

• Postal Code: 75018
• Altitude: min. 39 m, max. 129 m
• Area: 6.010 km²
• Population: 203,100
• Density of Population: 33,800/km²
• Median household income: €27,600
• Landmarks and Monuments: Montmartre, Sacré-Cœur basilica, Place des Abbesses
• Museums and Art Galleries: Montmartre Museum
• Parks and Gardens: Montmartre cemetery, Square Louise Michel, Parc de la Turlure, Square Léon Serpollet, St Vincent cemetery, Jardin d’Eole
• Find out more on our page on the 18th arrondissement
• Places to stay in the 18th arrondissement

Rue de Norvins, Eighteenth arrondissement of Paris © French Moments

19th arrondissement (La Villette, Buttes-Chaumont)

• Postal Code: 75019
• Altitude: min. 41 m, max. 122 m
• Area: 6.790 km²
• Population: 160,100
• Density of Population: 27,400/km²
• Median household income: €28,400
• Landmarks and Monuments: La Villette, Bassin de la Villette and Canal de l’Ourcq
• Museums and Art Galleries: Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie
• Parks and Gardens: Parc de la Villette, Buttes-Chaumont, Parc de la Butte du Chapeau Rouge
• Find out more on our page on the 19th arrondissement
• Places to stay in the 19th arrondissement

Parc des Buttes Chaumont © French Moments

20th arrondissement (Belleville, Ménilmontant)

• Postal Code: 75020
• Altitude: min. 50 m, max. 127 m
• Area: 5.980 km²
• Population: 198,000
• Density of Population: 33,100/km²
• Median household income: €28,970
• Landmarks and Monuments: Belleville, Ménilmontant, Charonne, Notre-Dame de la Croix de Ménilmontant church, St Germain de Charonne church
• Parks and Gardens: Père Lachaise cemetery, Parc de Belleville
• Find out more on our page on the 20th arrondissement
• Places to stay in the 20th arrondissement

The village atmosphere in Rue des Cascades, Paris © French Moments

What is/are your favourite arrondissement(s) in Paris? Let us know below in the comment box!

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