"Rive Droite" literally means "right bank" and refers to the northern arrondissements of Paris, whose natural border is the Seine River. The Seine bifurcates the city of Paris into north and south areas. The Ile de la Cité, located between the left and right banks of the Seine, harbored the original settlement by the tribe known as the Parisii in the 3rd century BC. Paris only sprawled south and north of the Seine beginning in the Middle Ages. See more on Paris history to learn more about the development of the city.
Well-known Rive Droite monuments and places: These include the Arc de Triomphe and the Avenue des Champs-Elysees, the Musee du Louvre, the Sacre Coeur Basilica and Montmartre, the Centre Georges Pompidou and the Marais neighborhood.
The vast majority of Paris' 20 arrondissements are located on the right bank. The Rive Droite encompasses the 1st arrondissement, 2nd arrondissement, 3rd arrondissement, 4th arrondissement, 8th arrondissement, as well as the 9th-12th and 16th-20th arrondissements of Paris.
Reputation of the Rive Droite: The Rive Droite is a traditional center of commerce and trade in Paris, as opposed to the Rive Gauche (Left Bank) which has historically been the locus of intellectual and religious life in Paris. The right bank continues to house the city's more metropolitan, multicultural areas and is still the center of most business within the city walls. But thanks to cheaper rents in the northeastern districts and a more contemporary focus, it's also become the heartbeat of the Parisian arts, culture and fashion scene.
