Right Bank

Andrew Harper's Paris: A Personal Guide to the Best of the City, a free app for the iPad and iPhone. 

Although the Left Bank is generally associated with charming smaller hotels, the Right Bank has its own complement of such properties, each reflecting the neighborhood in which it is located. The lovely Pavillon de la Reine overlooking the Place des Vosges captures the rich history of Le Marais, while the urbanity of the San Régis and the Lancaster embodies the worldly elegance of the “Golden Triangle,” the local nickname for the 8th arrondissement, which is famous for the Champs-Elysées and boutique shopping along Avenue Montaigne. 

The famous attractions of the Right Bank — the Arc de Triomphe, Opéra Garnier, Palais Royal, Tuileries Gardens, the Louvre, the Père-Lachaise Cemetery, The Centre Pompidou — mostly live up to their illustrious reputations, but save time to enjoy the cafés, bookshops, small public gardens and museums of the quieter enclaves. 

In the Marais district, which started as a Jewish quarter in the 12th century and more recently has become home to hip boutiques and bistros, the Picasso Museum houses the largest collection of the artist's work, yet still feels like an organic part of this charming neighborhood. 

In the 20th arrondissement, the Parc de Belleville offers spectacular Paris panoramas, and the Marché Belleville, a massive outdoor market, is an epicurean's delight. The formerly working-class 10th arrondissement, which is bisected by the Canal Saint-Martin, now blooms with galleries and boutiques.