When you’re picking a place to stay in Paris, it can be tempting to choose a hotel near some of the city’s top tourist attractions: the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, the Musée d’Orsay. But while we love these neighborhoods, we prefer others for lodging. Why? Because it gives you a taste of the real Paris!

For as much as Paris loves its tourists (and believe us, we do!) there are people actually living, working, shopping, cooking, and eating in the city. And unlike many historic cities in Europe, people do all of these things from within the city limits. Choosing a residential neighborhood to make your home away from home during your stay in Paris allows you to see how real Parisians live (and gives you the chance to see some beautiful bits of Paris you might otherwise never get the chance to discover).

1. The Marais

The Marais, French for marshland, is an historic neighborhood on the Right Bank that encompasses most of the third and part of the fourth arrondissements. With the more historic portion of the neighborhood boasting former private mansions and tons of cobbled streets to the south and the more residential side, home to some of our favorite restaurants, to the north, the Marais is the perfect, centrally-located neighborhood for foodies and history buffs.

2. Saint Germain

The former favorite of famed Lost Generation residents like Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald, Saint Germain has become a bit bougier over time, but it still retains a certain bohemian charm. With tons of shopping streets, classic brasseries, and more than its fair share of bookshops, Saint Germain is also one of our favorite spots for sweets.

3. Montmartre

Locals from Montmartre see themselves as Montmartrois first and Parisian second. This part of the 18th arrondissement is truly like its own village, and you’ll get that small-town vibe as you wander its picturesque, winding streets.