And Why I Wouldn’t Choose Pigalle Again
If you have never been to Paris, one of the most stressful decisions you’ll make when visiting is where to stay. Heck, I recently visited for the second time, and even after much research, I still regret my decision.
Here’s where we stayed, why I wouldn’t stay there again, and where I would stay the next time I travel to Paris.
Let’s First Talk About Paris’s Arrondissements
Paris has twenty arrondissements, arranged in a circular pattern that can best be described as a snail shell. The inner circle is the lower-numbered arrondissements, and in a clockwise movement, the outer circle has the higher-numbered districts. The pattern is in numerical order, so it starts with the first arrondissement in the middle and ends with the twentieth arrondissement on the outside.
I actually find the arrangement of arrondissements to be in a very logical order that seems easy to navigate. But I’ve spoken with people who find it confusing. I’m not sure what that says about how my mind works, positively or negatively.
Getting from the Louvre to Sacré-Cœur, you travel from the 1st Arrondissement, through the 2nd and 9th, ultimately arriving in the 18th.
Ok, I can see how that may be confusing.
Originally, I mistakenly thought the arrondissements represented neighborhoods. That’s not always the case. In fact, there are some neighborhoods that are in more than one arrondissement, such as Le Marais and the Latin Quarter. This is an important distinction as you will see.
We Recently Stayed in the Pigalle Neighborhood
Pigalle is actually one of those neighborhoods that are in two arrondissements, the 9th and the 18th.
On our first visit to Paris, we stayed in the 9th Arrondissement. That hotel was closer to the 2nd Arrondissement than the 18th, meaning it was closer to the center of Paris. We really liked that area, though I will admit, the hotel was in an alleyway that made me feel lost while I was trying to find it.
But we really liked the Montmartre neighborhood that is in the 18th Arrondissement.
When I couldn’t find affordable lodging in Montmartre for this trip, I found a hotel in the Pigalle neighborhood situated in the 18th Arrondissement that was a relatively short walk to Montmartre. It was also a two-minute walk to our favorite restaurant in Paris, Bouillon Pigalle.
What I didn’t remember about that part of the city was the red-light district vibes.
Repeatedly walking by the “adult toy shops” and adult entertainment venues with my teenage stepchildren provided some good laughs and occasionally awkward moments (thank goodness I didn’t have to explain what they saw in the shop windows).
If you are traveling with young children or anyone who may be offended by these places, you may want to find alternatives outside this area.
We stayed at the Hotel Saint-Louis Pigalle. The hotel itself was great and spacious. But for us, the location was tainted by the vibe.
Interestingly enough, the hotel has recently changed names (I am not sure if it was an ownership change or just a name change). The new name is Hotel Avama Montmartre.
I wonder why they used Montmartre rather than Pigalle in the new name. Things that make you go hmmm.
Where I’d Stay the Next Time
Depends…
My primary consideration for where I would stay the next time I visit Paris would be based on the length of my stay.
If I were staying in Paris for three or four days, I would likely try to stay somewhere central. The 1st, 6th, and 7th Arrondissements are centrally located and navigation to the Seine, the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, and the Louvre is easy.
However, if I had more time in Paris and could leisurely stay in the city, my first choice would be Montmartre in the 18th Arrondissement. I truly love that area, partly because of the cobblestone and winding streets, and partly because of the quaintness of the restaurants and shops.
And if I want a little more hustle and bustle for a day, I can visit the Latin Quarter in the 5th Arrondissement. Though I don’t necessarily want to be surrounded by that day in and day out, that area can be a lot of fun for an afternoon!
And if I want to be more central but still enjoy being outdoors, the 6th Arrondissement has the Luxembourg Gardens. If you read my blog post about our trip to Paris, you know how much I loved that park.
The 15th and 17th Arrondissements also appeal to me because of the local feel. I want to eat and drink where the locals gather. I’d spend some time in the parks, taking in some fresh air as I let my mind wander for a while. And after my daydream is interrupted by a squirrel scurrying up a nearby tree, I could find a small café for a couple of hours.
The first time my wife and I visited Paris, we stopped at a small café off the beaten path. We wanted lunch and a bottle of wine. Unfortunately, the kitchen had just stopped lunch service, and it would be a while before they served dinner.
We ordered a bottle of wine and rested our feet.
The manager brought us a charcuterie board with our wine at no cost.
I couldn’t believe the gesture. In a city that caters to tourists every day, the hospitality he showed made us feel more like neighborhood regulars than foreign visitors.
That is the Paris I’d like to experience more of the next time we visit.
Where Should You Stay?
I can’t pretend to speak about every arrondissement. Rather than regurgitate a collection of snippets about what is unique to each district, I wanted to share with you the blog post I used in my research.
My favorite guide is from Andi Fisher’s blog, Misadventures with Andi.
But there are a number of great blog posts from people who either live in Paris or have extensively visited the city. Andi’s analysis spoke to what mattered most to me.
Find a blogger on the subject that you can relate to. Read their views on the subject and make a decision that feels best for you. I read a few that were slanted more towards young families or solo travelers. Great information, but not what I was looking for.
That said, even after all of the research I did in preparation for the trip and reading the blogs, I still have regrets about the choice I made.
Do your research and understand the objective of your visit.
If you are primarily interested in the museums and/or have limited time, maybe the center of the city would work best for you.
Whether your budget is tight or generous, there is an arrondissement or neighborhood for you in Paris.
Or if you are like me, maybe you just want to find that area that allows you to slow down and feel what it is like to be a Parisian for a while.
I am trying to resist saying this, but can’t. The world is your oyster—or snail in this case—when it comes to where you can stay in Paris.
