Ok, first off, a disclaimer. Before you think I have finally overcome my less than adventurous eating habits, I’ll say it up front. No, I have yet to try the delicacy.
What I am referring to is much larger than a tiny mollusk. I am talking about Paris itself. For those of you who are completely lost and think I’ve gone off the deep end (believe me, a week ago, I would be just as alarmed), allow me to explain.
As I mentioned before, Paris is divided into different districts. There are 20 arrondissements in total, organized in a spiral layout, comme un escargot. Hence, the title.
As I mentioned (perhaps a little excessively) in my other post, Paris est très petit. Just walking around, the first day, I traversed through 3 arrondissements (1, 2, 9). By the second day, it grew to 7 arrondissements walked through (4,5,6,7). Now, less than two weeks later, I have been to 11 (8, 15, 16, 18). I live in the 1er arrondissement and take class in the 2e. The Eiffel Tower is in the 7me, Notre Dame in the 4e, Arc de Triomphe in the 8e and Sacre Coeur in the 18e.
As I continue to explore Paris and get a better understanding of the different neighborhoods, I thought I would go over some basics first, compiling from a mixture of online research and my own experiences. Perhaps later on in the trip I’ll be able to give a more comprehensive guide by arrondissement for students.
1er arrondissement:
Let me start off with the one that I am most familiar with. I live in the 1er arrondissement, the most central district in the city. It is home to Musée du Louvre, Jardin des Tuileries, Palais Royal, Place Vendôme, Place de la Concorde, Les Halles, Saint-Eustache, a lot of government things (such as the Bourse du Commerce and Banque de France) and of course (this actually counts because it is in guide books) the place I live in, Place des Victoires.
2e arrondissement:
Place des Victoires is actually on the border of the 1st and 2nd district, and as the CIEE center is located in the 2nd, I’m pretty familiar with this one as well. The Grands Boulevards are located here as well as many old covered galleries tucked into the streets. It is the smallest arrondissement and I’m honestly not sure if Opera Garnier counts as this district or the 9th, but either way, it is nearby.
laksjdhfalskdjhf summary of different ones, favorite spots, go to places, being touristy, how to arrange your day, etc etc. Basically get the gist of each one, and like how nice the neighborhood is, what it is known for, popular monuments, anything special I found there, anything that stood out to me.