What Arondissement to Stay In - Visit Major Tourist Sites?

Hi - First visit to Paris. Traveling with mom and 10 yr old son. I have no idea at all how to begin looking for a hotel. Will be there for 2 nights and want to see the major sites, eiffel tower, etc. Thanks!

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More central is the 1st arrondissement.

Any arrondissement between 1 and 9 and close to the Seine (especially between Concorde and Notre Dame) - look at map - is a good central address for tourists.

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Thank you. This might seem like a dumb follow up question, but how do I know which arondissement is which neighborhood when looking for hotels on this site? I have a map of Paris, but I%26#39;m confused already. God help us when we get over there! :)

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Another probably stupid question (do people just %26#39;know%26#39; this?) - when you look at a Paris address is the last digit the district? For instance if it says 75007 Paris is this the 7th district? Thanks!

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Not a stupid question - but yes, the last digit in the Paris postal code indicates the arrondissement.

The arrondissements are numbered 1-20 in a spiral from 1 (the centre where the Louvre, Bourse du Commerce, Palais Royal are) to 20 (which is at the eastern border of the city)

www.parisnet.net/parismap.html

(The remark on this page that the banlieue is %26quot;generally more peaceful than the city%26quot; should probably be taken with a grain of salt)

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%26gt;%26gt;%26gt;Another probably stupid question (do people just %26#39;know%26#39; this?) - when you look at a Paris address is the last digit the district? For instance if it says 75007 Paris is this the 7th district? %26lt;%26lt;%26lt;

You%26#39;ve answered your own not-so-stupid question with a pretty quick and correct answer. That%26#39;s exactly how you tell which arrondissement a particular address is in...by the last the last two digits of a %26#39;..750xx..%26#39; postal code. If the postal code does not begin with 750, then the address isn%26#39;t in the City of Paris.

BUT....in addition to arrondissement, some addresses may fall into the %26#39;cracks%26#39;...being right on the border of one arrondissement and in cloce proximity to others. To better refine your %26#39;sense%26#39; of where a particular address may be located within an arrondissement AND where it is LOCATED relative to the sights, attractions and things about Paris that interest you most, it%26#39;s good to have a good Paris street map readily at hand to help find relative location. The STREETWISE PARIS compact folding map serves the purposes of general planning and touring well. And, you may use online mapping sites, such as PAGES JAUNES (a GREAT planning %26amp; research %26#39;tool%26#39;) to find more exact locations (and see facde photos of the address or street)-- http://www.pagesjaunes.fr/pj.cgi?lang=en

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Look at the 5th and 7th Arr. These are nice with kids. Marais is nice, St. Germain is nice. The Rue Cler area is closer to the Eiffel Tower and nice. With the metro subway system, you can get around quickly.

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quartier latin, for first time visit.

you wont regreat.

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Check out www.venere.com where you can check out hotels by neighborhood. You can book directly through them also. Used them all through Italy with no problems.