The Second Arrondissement of Paris

You are nearly there – Paris, the fabulous city of lights! You can hardly wait to land. You’ve gotten your
href=”http://www.paris-web.com/france-flights-paris-countryside.php”> bargain flights to Paris, France , now you are looking at some seemingly fantastic offers on Paris hotels . Where you are staying in the city is always an important consideration for hotels in France, especially Paris even if you are looking at hotels in Paris city centre.  Here’s a guide to Paris’s 2nd arrondissement so you can learn more about whether this area of Paris is where you want to be!

It’s unlikely that you will spend alot of time here in the 2nd as a tourist, but if you choose a hotel in this here, you’ll be in the heart of Paris’s financial and working center. Home to Paris’s Bourse (stock exchange) and the CAC 40 index of France’s top listed companies , the second arrondissement is also widely known for its prospering  fashion and journalism industries, as well as its general atmosphere of business.

What You Need To Know About The Second:

Positive :

You will hardly find any tourists here, so that the people-watching will be strictly French : Parisian business people going to lunch, stressed out traders rushing to work, journalists meeting sources over coffee for the next big breaking news. You’ll also be close to the sublime 19th “galleries,” a tradition when the Duke of Orleans decided to rent out his garden to shops in the late 18th . These “galleries,” along the lines of early shopping malls, have glass windows and tiled floors, are still working today. Visit for a nostalgic and enchanting look at Paris’s nineteenth-century past.

What’s Not Great :

This is not an especially happening part of town by any means, and while there are several places for lunch in the area , suitable for an expense account, nightlife is lacking. However, with the Marais in the fourth arrondissement only a few minutes away, there isn’t much to be concerned about. Also, 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 similar areas like Rue St. Denis or the Pigalle area.

What To Visit:

If you’re a business type , visit 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 beautiful nineteenth-century decor, a magnificent mosaic floor, and elegantly high end stores . In contrast, the Passage Choiseul is more “authentic,” catering to businesspeople on their way to work, and selling newspapers and offering services like shoe-shining to frantically busy traders at the nearby Bourse.

Places To Eat:

Cafe Etienne Marcel, on Rue Etienne Marcel, is a trendy Costes brothers place – 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, allegedly the birthplace of the Bloody Mary, and a hangout of Hemmingway. While Harry’s not 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.

Where To Shop In Paris’s Second Arrondissement :

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

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