Where to live in Paris?

Hi,

I've been living here in Paris for the past 20 years - first in the 11th arrondisement and now in the 19th. If you're talking about your general safety, I would say that there is not really any "dangerous" area in Paris. The worst would probably be Chateau Rouge in the 18th but it's not really that bad and you don't have to worry at all about your safety in the day time. The scariest thing for me are areas which are deserted once it gets dark i.e., no cafés, no little stores open, and therefore no people around. (the 16th may be chic and expensive but I hate visiting anyone there late at night - scary).

Your choice should probably be based on convenience to metro and just the sort of general feeling of the neighborhood. If you want very chic and expensive then the 16th and parts of the 17th and 8th, anything near parc Monceau will be absolutely stunning, also the 7th is very expensive. If you want trendy and/or gay then the Marais, also lots of art galleries here. If you want sort of bobo or artsy the 11th around Oberkampf has tons of trendy not too expensive cafés and parts of the 10th especially near the canal Saint Martin are up and coming. Asian neighborhoods exist in the 13th and near Belleville in the 19th and 20th. There is a really big Jewish community in parts of the 19th near Buttes Chaumont and so on and so on.

Good luck with your choice. Reply to this