The 2nd arrondissement sits in the heart of the city, on the cusp of the 1st and 9th districts, so it’s a quick stroll to the Louvre, Place Vendôme, and the Opéra. On the eastern side of the arrondissement, Sentier is located near the Grands Boulevards, between rue du Sentier, boulevard de Sébastopol, and rue Réaumur. Historically known as the garment district, Sentier is considered one of the city’s more exciting up-and-coming neighborhoods. The startup culture has earned it the nickname “Silicon Sentier” and coworking spaces keep popping up on every corner (Morning, Sentier, HUBSY Arts & Métiers, and Spaces Réaumur are just a few to check out). 

The neighborhood is also experiencing a culinary renaissance as one restaurant after the next opens its doors. One of the popular new editions: Japanese-influenced rooftop La Plume in the new Madame Rêve hotel. California-inspired deli Echo is a great pick for lunch, and Liza is a local favorite for modernized, elevated Lebanese. Stroll up the pedestrian-only rue Montorgueil, which is lined with fromageries, wine shops, boulangeries, and restaurants, and continue to the tucked-away rue du Nil, a tiny street that’s one of the most gastronomic in Paris thanks to artisanal chocolate shops like Plaq and restaurants like Michelin-starred Frenchie. The area extends to Strasbourg-Saint-Denis (which skirts the 10th arrondissement), where you’ll find an explosion of hot restaurants and cocktail bars like Vivant, Eels, and Le Syndicat.