Arrondissements of Paris

     I was asked to explain the Arrondissements of Paris. Here is the basic break down. The city of Paris is divided into twenty administrative districts or more simply referred to as arrondissements (aron-deec-mont). The twenty arrondissements are arranged like a clockwise spiral starting in the middle of the city. To me it looks like a giant swirly seashell. The circle around Paris is the highway and outside the ring are the suburbs of Paris. 

Plan by ThePromenader (own work) http://www.paris-promenades.com

    The arrondissements are very similar to sections of a area, or little villages, that make up the city. It really is just an easier way to find your way around the city. All you need to know is the zip code of where you are. All the postal codes in Paris start with 75 and the last two numbers are the arrondissement you are in. So 75005 means you are in the 5th district or arrondissement of Paris. 

    

      I don't know why they are in the order they are in. I know that the fist arrondissement is the center of Paris. My guess would be that when they were first mapped out they were arranged in order of wealth. With the more wealthy areas being closer to the center.This makes since to me because the oldest parts of France are in the first 4 districts. 

     

     Now you can usually tell how wealthy a person is based on which district they live in, but these wealthy areas have changed locations since they were first made. The city is very good about putting the arrondissement on every street sign. So even if you get lost you still know what area of France you are in. 

      

     Each arrondissement is named for famous things that are in that area. For example: The first is named after the Louvre, the 5th after the Panthéon, 6th after Luxembourg, 9th is the Opéra (after the Opéra Garnier, the inspiration for the Phantom of the Opera), and the 18th has Montmartre. The 9th is the artists corner and has been the home of many famous artists, ant the 5th is where most of the Universities of Paris are so they are very student friendly.  

     I hope this explained everything a little more, and if I find out that I have made any mistakes I will update this post.