ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD . . .

This district in the west of Paris is one of the largest and wealthiest areas of the city. It is mostly residential, although many offices are discreetly tucked into the classic Hausmannian buildings that define Paris today. Because of its residential nature, this is one district where you can escape the rush of tourists and get a feeling for the “real” Paris by wandering the quiet tree-lined streets of Passy and Auteuil. If you like crowds, then Trocadéro, with its great views of the Eiffel Tower and classic cafés, is a must. Another is the Musée Guimet, featuring an encyclopedic collection of Asian art in an archetypal French setting. This arrondissement is host to a number of luxury hotels and embassies and convenient if you have to go to La Defense for business. One of the Sixteenth’s great assets is the Bois de Boulogne on the western edge of the city. More than two-and-a-half times the size of New York’s Central Park, this public park’s English landscape gardens, waterfalls and lakes are definitely worth a daytime stroll, morning jog and a visit to Frank Ghery’s architectural wonder, the Fondation Louis Vuitton. You can rent a bike or a boat for an hour or two, depending on the season. There is also the Hippodrome, a racetrack where the best horses in Europe run and The Roland Garros tennis complex, home to the French Open. The Parc des Princes soccer stadium just next door is home to Paris-St. Germain, the city’s first-division soccer team and its panoply of high-paid international stars. However, at night the Bois becomes a busy red-light district.