Paris 1st district real estate guide

The first arrondissement: a cradle of spectacular luxury

The 1st arrondissement: a wealthy, artistic neighbourhood.

The most famous areas of the first district

Investing in real estate in the Paris 1st arrondissement

Overflowing with historical significance, Paris’ first arrondissement projects the ideal image of our beautiful capital to people around the world. With its many bridges, the Ile de la Cité, the Louvre Museum and its luxurious Parisian hotels, Paris’ first district  is the stuff of most people’s dream of and it’s easy to understand why.

The first arrondissement: a cradle of spectacular luxury

The first arrondissement in Paris is one of the most important places to visit in the capital, whether you’re from France or elsewhere, simply because it is comprised of the essential, emblematic elements of Parisian life. From wrap-around balconies, golden, detailed facades to luxury boutiques… the views are endless. Another notable feature are the city’s first sundials, for example the standard measure at the Place Vendôme, a unit measure that served as the basis of France’s metric system at the time of the French Revolution.

The district is characteristic of the Haussmann era, as it is made up of large avenues with open fronts, lined with trees. A central point of Paris’s history as much as France’s, it is easy to understand why so many investors decide to buy an apartment in the first arrondissement, whether it’s a rental apartment or a home for families looking for some space and calm.

The first arrondissement: a wealthy, artistic neighbourhood.

It comes as no surprise that the first arrondissement features some of the most expensive real estate in Paris. It thus welcomes affluent investors and owners: whether it’s a tourist rental or a large private haussmann apartment, buying remains expensive. Consequently, many wealthy foreigners live in the first arrondissement, as well as artists and many celebrities, most notably Stendhal, Chateaubriand and more recently Karl Lagerfeld. With around 17,000 inhabitants, the area is unsurprisingly home to many heads of businesses and their families in large apartments.

The most famous areas of the first district

It is impossible to think about the first arrondissement without thinking about the Louvre. This museum of international standing is home to masterpieces including the Mona Lisa and the Venus de Milo. The Louvre is one of the most beautiful buildings in the world and it would take 96 hours, or four days, to visit the museum in its entirety. 

Nextdoor to the Louvre Museum are the Tuileries gardens, with wide walkways and filled with famous statues by Maillol, Rodin and Giacometti. A favourite spot for a stroll with the locals and tourists alike, the Tuileries gardens are renowned worldwide.

To the south of the Tuileries, leading onto the Pont Neuf that was once covered with locks symbolising the love of all the couples who visited, is the Ile de la Cité, which spans the first and fourth arrondissements. Mythical and almost mystical, it is most notable as the home of Notre-Dame Cathedral and its gargoyles and charm avid walkers with its paved streets. The most traditional and old-fashioned of Paris’s neighbourhoods, the Ile de la Cité offers a one way ticket to the Paris of the past before the work of Baron Haussmann.

The neighbourhood of Chatelet-Les Halles distinguishes itself with its mix of modern and traditional architecture, exemplified by the Forum des Halles right next to the Saint-Eustache Church. This popular neighbourhood attracts tourists and Parisians with its shops, bars and restaurants. It is also the hub of the Parisian transport system, connecting 3 regional train lines and 5 metro lines.

Investing in real estate in the Paris 1st arrondissement

 The most expensive areas of the first, the Ile de la Cité and the Dauphine Square, are also incontestably the most attractive. Their prices are as high as €13,800 per square metre. The next is the Vendome area, approved by wealthy tourists, as it seems almost too calm to be true for such a central location. If you’re thinking of buying a Haussmannien apartment on the Place Vendome, it will cost you around €11,700 per square metre. Louvre-Rivoli has a very desirable geographical position thanks to its popular public transport options, with access to a number of metro lines in only a few minutes. Buying a Haussmannian or rental apartment in the area will cost approximately €11,500 per square metre.

At almost the same price, the Palais Royal area is one of the most beautiful in the city and is the dream of pretty much every Parisian. To buy an apartment in the Palais Royal area, you would pay around €11,400 per square metre. Comparably, buying a studio or apartment in Saint-Germain l’Auxerrois would set you back around €10,400.

Finally, the area of Chatelet-Les Halles, the most popular and lively by far, is also the least expensive area in the first arrondissement to invest in or buy an apartment. Apartments for sale in this area cost around €9,900 per metre square. 

Read more about the parisian arrondissements.