The 1st arrondissement of Paris is one of the 20 arrondissements (administrative districts) of the capital city of France.

Situated principally on the right bank of the River Seine, it also includes the west end of the Île de la Cité. The arrondissement is one of the oldest in Paris, the Île de la Cité having been the heart of the city of Lutetia, conquered by the Romans in 52 BC, while some parts on the right bank (including Les Halles) date back to the early Middle Ages.

The 1st district is bordered to the south by the 7th district and 6th arrondissement, on the west by the 8th arrondissement, on the north by the 2nd district and east by the 3rd and 4th arrondissement district. Located on the right bank, it also includes the western part of the island of the City.

Places of interest : Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel, Bourse de commerce de Paris, Colonne Vendôme, Conciergerie, Crédit foncier de France, Forum des Halles, Palais Cambon (Cour des comptes), Palais de justice, Palais du Louvre, Palais-Royal et La Samaritaine

Gardens : Jardin du Carrousel, Jardin des Halles, Jardin de l'Infante, Jardin de l'Oratoire, Jardin du Palais-Royal, Jardin des Tuileries, Square du Vert-Galant et le Square de la Place-Dauphine

Museums : Comédie-Française, Galerie nationale du Jeu de Paume, Musée des arts décoratifs de Paris, Musée du Louvre, Musée de l'Orangerie, Théâtre du Châtelet et le Musée en Herbe

The Palais du Louvre, the Louvre Museum, Les Arts Décoratifs. The Louvre was the palace of the greatest kings of France who wanted grandeur to reflect their personal and political ambitions. It is a prestigious showcase for French savoir-faire that was decked out in gold and sumptuous decors by the most skilled artisans.

The Tuileries and the Palais-Royal

The Tuileries and Palais-Royal quartiers are very contrasting. While Rue de Rivoli, the area around La Comédie-Française and the Marché Saint-Honoré are full of life, the city becomes more serene and poetic in the gardens of the Palais-Royal and the old streets around it. As you go down Rue Saint-Honoré in the footsteps of the fashionistas in search of the latest must-have accessory, you will discover a world of fashion and luxury, a world that culminates in Place Vendôme, home to the great jewellers. Close by is the Jardin des Tuileries where tourists and locals mix with fans of modern sculpture and of 'jardins à la française', sunbathers and those in search of shade under the trees, on a café terrace. Everyone meets on the terrace of the well-named 'Bord-de-l’Eau' (water's edge) high above the Seine and the urban landscape of Paris.