Left Bank:
Eiffel Tower, Invalides

Hotels in the 7th arrondissement

The triangle formed by the Eiffel Tower, the École Militaire at the opposite end of the Champ de Mars, and the Invalides is one of the most popular hotel areas in Paris.

The area draws vast number of Americans, which stands to reason since the neighborhood is a favorite of U.S. expats and is home to such institutions as the the American Library, the American University of Paris, and the Franco-American Center in the American Church.

If you're looking for a place where "the red, white, and blue" is as likely to mean the Stars and Stripes as the French Tricolor, this neighborhood in the 7th arrondissement will make you feel at home.

See our related article:

• Hotels near the Eiffel Tower (7th arr.)

The neighborhood's pluses include being close to the Eiffel Tower, the D'Orsay Museum, the Sewers Museum (one of our favorites), and the Invalides. The Champs-Élysées is just across the Seine, and the Gare Montparnasse (which is served from CDG by Le Bus Direct) is within walking distance if you don't have too much luggage. Hotel prices also tend to be fairly reasonable in the 7th.

On the downside, the area around the Eiffel Tower can seem a little boring, since it's heavy on residential quartiers and government ministries. The most central sightseeing attractions of Paris (such as the Louvre, Nôtre Dame, and the Centre Pompidou) are a fair distance away, though the RER "C" line and the Batobus offer direct service along the Seine from the Eiffel Tower, and the D'Orsay Museum. The RER also stops at Invalides.

• Tip: If you do stay near the Eiffel Tower, try to get a hotel on the east side of the tower and the Champ de Mars (the park behind the tower). To the west of the tower is an area of modern apartments and hotels in the 15th arrondissement, which is less interesting and less convenient for sightseeing than the 7th arrondissement.