General Information

The small 3rd arrondissement is situated on the right bank of the River Seine. It is a lovely, mostly residential neighbourhood that used to be inhabited by nobles. It is divided into quarters: Quartier des Arts-et-Métiers, Quartier des Enfants-Rouges, Quartier des Archives, Quartier Sainte-Avoye, and contains the old Chinese and Jewish enclaves.

Street Spirit

The 3rd arrondissement feel like what it is: a luxury, highly coveted and comfortable residential area. It has specialty food stores, surprisingly many men’s clothing stores, picturesque open air markets, a covered flea market and excellent museums.

History: Highlights

Settlements in this area go back to the 13th and 14th century as the 3rd arrondissement comprises the northern part of the historical Le Marais district. The current limits were demarcated in 1860. This arrondissement houses the oldest surviving private house in Paris: it was built in 1407 and can be found along the rue de Montmorency.

Quartier des Arts-et-Métiers

The ninth quarter of Paris owes its name to Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers, the respectable national institution dedicated to education, research and preservation of inventions (they have the original Foucault pendulum on display!).

Quartier des Enfants-Rouges

Quartier des Enfants-Rouges, or the tenth quarter, shares its suggestive name with the Marché des Enfants-Rouges, a food market which is located there. They both call up the 17th-century orphanage whose charges wore red uniforms.

Quartier des Archives

The eleventh quarter is called so because the Archives Nationales are located there. In the middle of the 19th century the guillotine was stored on its rue du Pont-aux-Choux.

Quartier Sainte-Avoye

Quartier Sainte-Avoye, the twelfth administrative quarter of Paris, was named after Avoye (Avia or maybe Aurea) of Sicily, a virgin martyr who, according to the legend, was killed by the Huns.