2nd Arrondissement (2e)

The 2nd is Paris’ smallest arrondissement is primarily a business district and offers some interesting historical sites and is one of its most photogenic. Here you will find a number of glass-roof covered passages in the Grands Boulevards neighborhood dating back to the 1800s. You can see the former Paris Stock Exchange (Bourse de Paris), La Tour Jean-Sans-Peur, a tower from medieval period and the Bibliotheque Nationale de France, the original site of the French National Library. Head to Rue Montorgueil, which is pedestrian-only and lined with shops, cafes, and restaurants. Without major tourist attractions, this is a very authentic area to tour.