The 4th arrondissement contains the Renaissance-era Paris City Hall, the square of Place des Vosges, the ultra-modern Pompidou Centre and the chic southern part of the hip Marais. The eastern parts of the Île Saint-Louis and the Île de la Cité (including Notre-Dame de Paris) are also here.
The 4th is a very centrally located arrondissement, right between the Châtelet and Bastille areas, two of Paris' main transportation (metro, RER and bus) hubs.
The district (“4e arrondissement” in French) is located on the Right Bank of the River Seine. With a land area of 1.601 km², it’s the third smallest arrondissement in the city, bordered to the north by the 3rd, to the east by the 11th and 12th, to the west by the 1st arrondissement, and to the south by the Seine and the 5th.
It also includes part of the Île de la Cité, which has been inhabited since the 1st century BC, when it was occupied by the Parisii tribe of the Gauls. The Right Bank was first settled in the early Middle Ages. Since the end of the 19th century, le Marais has been populated by a large Jewish population centered on the Rue des Rosiers, with a handful of kosher restaurants. Since the 1990s, gay culture has made an impact on the arrondissement, opening a number of bars and cafés in the area by the town hall.
A fun mix of trendy bars, apartments in Paris, boutiques, restaurants, galleries, beautiful squares and an open minded population can be found in the narrow medieval streets of the Marais. It was also once an area for royal residences, as one can see from the beautiful renaissance arcades of Place des Vosges.
To the west is the cobblestoned Beaubourg, famous for the Pompidou art center, beloved by tourists and street artists. Going south, one finds Paris’ central city hall the Hotel de Ville, and the rue de Rivoli with its boutiques, cafés and restaurants. The bank of the Seine overlooks the two islands of St Louis and La Cité, which may also be found here.
At night the 4th has several of the most active bar scenes imaginable, including the lower Marais district (sometimes known as gay Paris, although there are no shortage of bars catering to straight singles or a mixed crowd; in the early part of the evening families are welcome in many).
The fourth is small enough to explore on foot from one of various apartment rentals paris, which is a fine way to do it. The RATP network has bicycles (vélos) for rent next to the Bastille station.
Besides the many bistros, cafes and bars, attractions include some of Paris’ most famous sights, such as Notre Dame Cathedral, Ile de la Cité. You will find a charming Paris apartment rental 4th arrondissement in this exciting area. The early Gothic cathedral has a 12th century design but wasn't completed until the 14th. Nonetheless it is a very impressive example of the development of the style. Remember that as this is an active church, there may even be a mass going on.
The Hôtel de Ville, Paris' city hall, is quite possibly one of the loveliest buildings in town. The top floor of the Bazar de l'Hôtel de Ville department store across the way features a beautiful view of the building and the Seine from the roof terrace. The present Hôtel de Ville replaced the 16th century original which was burned down during the Commune in 1871.
Be sure to tour St. Jacques from one of many available short term rentals Paris, a gothic church tower in a square 150 meters to the west of the Hôtel de Ville, all that remains of Eglise Saint-Jacques-de-la-Boucherie, the meeting place in Paris for Pilgrims heading to Santiago de Compestela.
Of course every trip to the fourth with an eye to history should include a visit to the Bastille, accessed from the Bastille metro station. All that's left of the fortress whose front steps used to lead up from place de la Bastille are some foundation stones which you can see while waiting for a north bound train on this metro platform.
Art enthusiasts should visit the Centre George Pompidou. For those unfamiliar with modern art, the curators at the Pompidou Centre have assembled a terrific introduction consisting of approachable works which delight, amuse, and entertain. The building also contains a vast public library and a fine restaurant (run by the Costes brothers) on the roof. As an added attraction, the center is literally surrounded by some of the nicest sidewalk cafés in the city. If you need Internet access, the Bibliothèque Publique d'Information library in the Pomidou offers internet for free. It's very popular so expect a queue for getting in and at least one hour waiting time to use the computers.
Literature lovers may wish to visit Hotel de Sully , the house where famous French novelist Victor Hugo once lived, which has now become a type of museum. Built in 1625, the house features sculptures in a beautiful courtyard and special exhibitions.
The rue des Francs-Bourgeois has become a shopping destination for clothes and accessories, particularly during the last 10 years. There are great sales in January and July.
To the north of the Ile de la Cité is a popular daily flower market, where you can buy just about any type of flower, as well as exotic tropical birds.
When you’re ready for a quick lunch or a meal with many courses, you have more than a thousand restaurants to choose from in the 4th, with something to please all tastes. Most of the fancier bistros are clustered around the Northwest corner of Place de Bastille. Remember reservations may be required for some of the more formal establishments.
