Paris 1st arrondissement
The first arrondissement is at the very centre of Paris. The name of this arrondissement is Louvre and you can probably guess why. This is one of the areas that most tourists will visit because you guessed it, the Louvre is here. It’s well connected to most of Paris through it’s various metro and RER lines so it’s easy to get around the city from here.
Depending on what you like to do while on a city holiday, you could spend a few hours here, or you could a full day here.
Museums
I have an entire article dedicated to the museums of the first arrondissement, so here are a few highlights:
- at number one, it’s obviously the Louvre since that’s the name of the arrondissement and it’s one of the locations that most tourists want to visit. You can easily spend hours here, so allow yourself to have the time to really experience it
- Musée de l’Orangerie to experience 8 of the water lilies murals by Monet.
- 59 Rivoli is an art gallery close to the Louvre. It’s a great place to buy small souvenirs and gifts from independent artists. Each artist has their own style, so there’s something for everyone
Landmarks
While it’s a small area, there’s a lot to see. Here are some of the other notable places.
At the centre of Place Vendôme there is the Colonne Vendôme, a bronze column topped by a statue of Napoleon. While this is the first thing you’re likely to see, it’s not the only thing worth looking at.
The French revolution had a massive impact on France (stick with me), but also globally. It was during this period that France standardised certain measurements, including the metre, litre and kilo. Throughout Paris, they had placed 16 meters standards in busy areas to help with the transition into the new system. Only two of them remain today, and one of them is here at 13 Place Vendôme.
Another thing that is not obvious is at that the former Texas Embassy in Paris was here. It’s marked by a small plaque that’s easy to miss if you’re not looking for it.
Domaine National du Palais-Royal is well worth a stop. It’s a great place to take photos from and to admire the beautiful buildings. There’s also Jardin du Palais Royal which is nice to walk through. If you’ve seen the series Emily in Paris, you might recognise this place.
Best restaurants in the first arrondissement
There are so many restaurants in this part of Paris, here are some of my favourite.
Bistrot Victoires is a restaurant where you’ll find the classic French dishes at a reasonable price. If you’ve been to Paris before, you’ll know that a lot of restaurants are only open for a lunch service and a dinner service. However this is one of the bistros that serves food all day and that I would recommend.
If you’re looking for Italian food, I’d recommend Presto Fresco. It’s possible to reserve a table online which I would suggest to do. I’ve been here a few times and tried something different each time and I’ve never been disappointed. This was the restaurant that I went to with my family after I got married and it was a massive success with everyone!
I’ve heard from a friend that Maslow is a good vegetarian restaurant. I haven’t been (yet), but I trust the judgement of friends so it’s going on the list. I know that finding good vegetarian food in Paris isn’t always easy. They’re also serve food all day.
Hakata Choten is one of my favourite ramen places in Paris. There are two in the 1st arrondissement of Paris, the one on 53 Rue des Petits Champs is my favourite but they’re both good. I really like their gyoza with spicy miso sauce. Delicious.
Kodawari tsujuki is ramen with a fish based broth. The decor mimics that of the old Tokyo fish market. This is a restaurant that I haven’t personally tried because I’m not big fish fan, but I’ve heard from friends that it’s worth it. There is often a queue to get in, and they don’t accept reservations.
Bistro Ramen Ryukishin is technically not the first arrondissement, but it’s just across the road so I’m adding it here. It’s more expensive than some of the other ramen restaurants in Paris but wow is it good. The vegetarian ramen is WOW (and the meat ones are also great, but finding good vegetarian ramen is hard).
Bars
Depending on what you’re wanting to drink, you can go into most French bistros and get a beer or glass of wine. You’ll often see a lot of French people sitting on the terrace regardless of the weather.
Le Dernier Bar avant la Fin du Monde (The Last Bar Before the End of the World) is something a bit different. I love coming here, they have creative cocktails and selection of board games to play. The staff are all really friendly. They have multiple floors, which have different themes.
Le Garde Robe is a small wine bar, that has a lot of natural wines. It’s small, so it’s worth reserving if this is something you want to do.
Transport
This area is very well connected to the rest of Paris. There are multiple metro lines (1, 4, 7, 11 and 14), and multiple RER lines (A, B and D) that run through the station Châtelet - Les Halles (it’s really two stations that merged into one). Because of this, it can be a nightmare to get out of the station. You can be walking for 15 minutes to get from one line to the other line. Google Maps will often tell you there’s a walk, but it often underestimates it especially if you’re not familiar with the station. A lot of locals joke about the Châtelet - Les Halles escape game. There’s more than 20 exits, and you’ll probably lose the exit number you’re following.
Account for extra time when passing through here, and if possible avoid (seriously, a lot of locals avoid this station).
Shopping
There’s a lot of options for shopping in the area, the first thing I’m going to suggest is somewhat niche.
A lot of people want to stock up on French skincare products while here. Pharmacie du Forum Des Halles is a giant pharmacy located in the Westfield Forum des Halles shopping centre. It has everything you could think about, and more. A lot of the staff here speak English and are happy to help out. The prices here are good - not all pharmacies are equal. I will say, that it can get busy, so it’s not for everyone.
If you’re wanting to buy an English book while here, I’d recommend Smith & Son. They have a large selection of books to choose from and a tea room upstairs. They also have a small selection of British snacks like Terry’s chocolate orange. It’s located just opposite the Tuileries gardens.
Along Rue Saint-Honoré you’ll find the luxury and designer stores.
Samaritaine is a department store, located between the Louvre and 59 Rivoli. There’s a large selection of stores here, but I think the most notable thing is the building. It was recently renovated and it’s beautiful.
Your experience
What do you think of the first arrondissement of Paris? Got anything you’d like to share? You can reach me on instagram at @abiguides.
If you’d like a guided tour of the first arrondissement, you can book a tour using the button below!