Central Paris is officially split into 20 districts called arrondissements, numbered from one to 20 in a clockwise spiral from the centre of the town. Arrondissements are named according to their number. You might, for example, stay in the'5th', which would be written as 5e ( SANK-ee-emm ) in French. The 12th and 16th arrondissements include huge suburban parks, the Bois de Vincennes, and the Bois de Boulogne respectively. Ferienwohnung Paris

the absolutebest map you can get for Paris is called'Paris Pratique par Arrondissement' which you can buy for approximately 2-4 at any reports stand. It makes crossing the town easy- so much that one can imagine that the introduction of such map-books might join what made the arrondissement concept so preferred in the first place. Alternately you can print your own using our maps.

Each arrondissement has its own unique character and selection of attractions for the traveller.

* initial ( 1er ). The geographical centre of Paris and a great place to begin for travellers. The Muse du Louvre, the Jardin des Tuileries, Place Vendome, Les Halles, Palais Royal, Comdie-Franaise, and Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel are all to be found here.

* 2nd ( 2e ). The central business district of the city - the Bourse ( the Paris Stock Exchange ), Opra-Comique, Thtre des Varits, Passage des Panoramas, Thtre des Bouffes Parisiens and the Bibliothque Nationale are located here.

* third ( 3e ). Archives Nationales, Muse Carnavalet, Conservatoire des humanities et Mtiers, Htel de Soubise, the former church fortress, and the northwards, quieter part of the Marais can be found here.