The Best Neighborhoods for Getting Lost in Paris

Montmartre: If you get away from the crowds at Sacré-Coeur, this mythic neighborhood is a great place to wander up and down winding lanes, tilt at windmills, admire the view, and cafe-hop. You could also take our Montmartre walking tour.

The Latin Quarter: Once again, the trick here is to ditch the crowds on rue de la Huchette and take off for the less-trampled corners of this historic student quarter, such as near the universities on rue Erasme or down by the delightful Jardin des Plantes.

The Marais: Get lost in style in this trendy neighborhood, known as much for its delightful boutiques and hip restaurants as for its magnificent 17th- and 18th-century hôtels particuliers, or aristocratic mansions, many of which have been turned into terrific museums. See our Marais walking tour.

Belleville: You’ll see another side of Paris in this diverse working-class district, where a mix of artists and immigrants have made it into one of the city’s most vibrant neighborhoods. Parc de Belleville offers wonderful views of Paris; around rue de Ménilmontant, you’ll find cool bars and vintage shops. Farther east is the romantic Père-Lachaise cemetery.