After Hotel Le Citizen on the canal, we extended our stay across town at Maison Pigalle, Le Citizen’s sister property in the 9th. It is a different feel entirely, more classic Parisian pied-à-terre, with Haussmannian moldings, herringbone parquet, and a quiet white facade tucked along rue Jean-Baptiste Pigalle. But the real reason to come here is what is happening just outside the door.
The 9th is one of those neighborhoods that rewards walking with no plan. Yes, you are close to the clubs and the late-night energy of Pigalle proper, but that is not what drew us here. A short walk gets you to some of our favorite tables in Paris, Pétrelle and Dessance, the kind of small, low-key dining rooms that feel like a secret even when they are not. You can walk to the carousels at the foot of Sacré-Cœur, wander past Dents de Loup (the butcher you can also eat at, one of our favorites in the city), and pass dozens of wine bars, bakeries, and bistros along the way. One afternoon we stopped at a tiny window selling gourmet madeleines, warm from the oven. Another afternoon we walked straight into a street party where a natural wine bar had set up on the sidewalk and was shucking oysters for anyone passing by. That is the 9th in a nutshell.
A small but meaningful detail: the breakfast pastries are made in house. Laminated croissants tinted in soft colors, pain au chocolat, swirled pastries dusted in sugar. A lovely step above the usual hotel pastry spread, and a nice way to start the day before heading out.
The room itself is quintessentially Parisian, with elegant moldings, parquet floors, and a generous footprint by Paris standards. The hotel is also an easy walk to Saint-Lazare, which makes it a practical base if you are training in from elsewhere in France or out to the coast. The neighborhood does the rest.
Pair it with a few nights at Le Citizen on the canal, and you have two very different Parises in one trip. Canal-side and slow in the 10th, Haussmannian and lively in the 9th. Both feel like the city where people actually live.
Notes: Maison Pigalle provided support for the reporting of this story.