Districts of Paris: Louvre and les Halles, 1er arrondissement

The fascinating and complex 1er arrondissement contains some of the most important sights for visitors to Paris. And while there are some who frown on the area's wild side, it remains a place where history and culture embrace on the banks of the Seine.

Sculptures merge with trees, grassy lawns, flowers, pools and fountains, while casual strollers lose themselves in the lovely promenade stretching from the garden of the Tuileries to the square courtyard of the Louvre. A few meters away, under the arcades of the rue de Rivoli, the pace quickens with bustlings shops and chaotic traffic. Parallel to rue de Rivoli, rue St-Honoré runs from place Vendome to the Halles, leaving in its wake the Comédie Francaise and the manicured gardens of the Palais Royal. Opolent, affected, but anxious to please, this street combines classic style with new trends, and tasteful colors and pure lines with a quiet athmosphere.

The Forum des Halles and rue St-Denis seem miles away but are already visible, soliciting unwary passers-by with bright lights and jostling crowds. The mostly pedestrian zone between the Centre Pompidou and the Forum des Halles, with rue Etienne Marcel to the North and rue de Rivoli to the South, is filled with people day and night, just as it was for the 850-odd years when part of it served Paris' main marketplace (halles).

The Bourse (Stock Exchange) is the financial heart of the 2e arrondissement to the North, the Sentier district the centre of its rag trade and the Opera its ode to music and dance. From rue de la Paix, where glittering jewellery shops display their wares, to boulevard Poissonnière and boulevard de Bonne Nouvelle, where stalls and fast-food outlets advertise with garish neon signs, this arrondissement is a real hotchpotch.

Banks and  insurance agencies have head offices in solid, elegant 19-th-century bulidings here, and business and finance types in smart suits abound. The surrounds and atmosphere change as soon as you hit rue d'Aboukir or rue du Sentier. Retail and wholesale outlets and clothing workshops buzz with the sound of haggling.

This arrondissement is a busy place during the week, its neighborhoods divided by a thin line; you only need cross the street to find yourself in an area characterised by a completely different look, feel and rhythm. On weekends, most of the hustle and bustle is in the areas around rue Etienne Marcel.