Alma

Main attractions: Many of the surrounding streets offer up storybook views of the Eiffel Tower, still the tallest building in Paris. Another striking monument is the 18-carat-gold dome of the Invalides, that glimmers along the Seine's left bank, just east of the Eiffel Tower. Commissioned by Louis XIV as a hospital for wounded soldiers, the massive, structure was transformed after the revolution by Napoleon into a monument to himself. It currently houses an impressive military museum and Napoleon's famous tomb.

Notable museums include the Musée d'Orsay, the Musée Rodin and the Musée du Quai Branly. And the 7th has a well-established American presence, home to the American University, the American Library and the American Church.

Neighborhood atmosphere: The 7th also is home to many imposing palaces turned government buildings and embassies, lending it a stately feeling with an old-world, slightly bourgeois Parisian vibe.

Affordability: Like neighboring St. Germain des Prés, the 7th is an upscale residential neighborhood with expensive shopping and dining including Le Bon Marché department store and food hall on the rue de Sèvres. The rue Saint Dominique is one of the city’s most concentrated dining hubs with reasonably priced classic bistros (Obama famously dined at La Fontaine de Mars at #29) and more upscale establishments like Brasserie Thoumieux. The nearby market street rue Cler has food shopping and unremarkable but reasonably priced cafés.

Stay Here If: You’re traveling with older relatives who will enjoy being in a calm central neighborhood with close proximity to the Eiffel Tower.

Stay Elsewhere If: You are looking for wild nightlife or a trendy atmosphere.