Cheap hotels in Chatelet, Paris

Neighborhood Description

Smack in the center of town, Châtelet's Right Bank locale is within walking distance of the Centre Pompidou, the Louvre, Notre Dame, the Marais, and the docks of the Seine. Known mostly for the mammoth Métro-RER station Châtelet-Les Halles, the Forum des Halles shopping mall, and sex shops, Châtelet has a grittier feel than its haughty neighbors the Marais and Latin Quarter. Often overlooked by tourists, Châtelet boasts world-class jazz clubs, bustling shopping and Cheapo-friendly hotels. A highlight of this area is the stunning Eglise Saint-Eustache and adjacent gardens.

Shopping remains Châtelet’s biggest attraction, however. Parisians crowd the American-style Forum des Halles shopping mall and also flock to the designer boutiques found in and around the quarter. At night Châtelet does become a bit seedy in some patches, especially in the north, and this despite heavy police presence. That said, Châtelet offers tourists authentic Parisian shopping and music, both of which can get lost in the tourist kitsch of the Latin Quarter.