The 8th arrondissement provides jobs for more people in Paris than any other arrondissement. This is the business part of Paris, for visitors as much as for Parisians. Most travellers will make their way here within their first day in the city and if not, certainly by close of business on the second day. And when they visit, they mean business. The sights of 8eme include the beautiful Arc de Triomphe (well worth a climb if the queues aren’t crazy), the Presidential Palace – Élysée Palace, the dizzying Place de la Concorde (famous as the site of manys a beheading) with its lovely obelisk and who could forget the shopping mecca of Champs Élysées?

Look but don't lunch

The main drag on the Champs-Élysées is inhabited by Tiffany’s, Ferarri, Louis Vuitton and more household-name designers than you could shake a fist at. Unsurprisingly commercial rent here is higher than almost anywhere else in the world, on par with 5th Avenue in New York, Causeway Bay in Hong Kong and Bond Street in London. But even if you aren’t shopping on an oligarch’s budget the Champs Élysées is worth a look. Grab a coffee (but certainly not lunch) in a pavement-side café and watch the well-heeled go by; pretend to be one of them by stopping by the famous parfumerie of Guerlain which dates all the way back to the early 1900s; or do some shopping of your own in the fabulous tea shop up near the Arc. Getting away from the main street and down the alleys that radiate from it, you’ll find some great boutiques and a handful of nice, quiet restaurants. As a rule of thumb the further you go away from the Champs Élysées the better value you will get, although there are a good few exceptions to that rule.

Art within art at the Grand Palais

Of course it’s not all business up in the 8th arrondissement of Paris. Culture vultures are rewarded with some great exhibitions at the Grand Palais (like Paris Photo which runs from November 10 to November 13th – yes that’s this weekend) which you find information on here. You may not believe it but the flagship store of Louis Vuitton has cultural merit too – not for its pretty handbags but as a real life exhibition space. The fashion giant gives a little back and draws in the masses by offering a constantly changing rotation of modern art exhibitions on its top floor. But musems aren’t just for Mum and Dad, at least they needn’t be. The eighth arrondissement also houses the Palais de la Découverte, a children's science museum with interactive displays that will entertain the little ones and original interiors that should keep you busy while they play.

Outside of shopping and art the 8th arrondissement is a lovely, very safe feeling place to stroll. Since it’s hemmed in by the river it goes without saying that it has some pretty nice bridges worth your time, such as the elaborate Pont Alexandre III. Pont d’Alma is a modern bridge that’s also the launching point for the Bateaux Mouches boat rides along the Seine.

Palais de la Découverte, great for all the family

While the 8th arrondissement is a must-do for first-time visitors, its overpriced hotel and restaurant offerings and its limited nightlife mean that it is not the best area in which to pitch your tent. Much better to follow the crowds in move further down the Seine or a little bit out of the centre once it hits 5pm and home time.