The Paris map with districts shows the 20 different neighborhoods which are called arrondissements. In Paris arrondissements are named according to their number, which corresponds to an administrative district. For example, you might live in the 5th arrondissement, which would be written as 5ème (or 5e) in French. Looking at the Paris Map you can see that the districts spiral out from the center in numerical order.

 

The Arrondissements of Paris are administrative divisions. Paris is divided into 20 Paris Arrondissements (or Paris districts) as its mentioned in the map of Paris districts. In each District of Paris, there is a town hall (Mairie) and a mayor (Maire), as well as elected officials, a council, a politician, and so on. Of course, the 20 Districts of Paris are still subject to the overall policy of the city and the mayor of Paris, the socialist Anne Hidalgo. So Paris Districts and Paris Arrondissements are the same thing, they are synonyms in Paris.

 

The Paris arrondissements are where you will find art, history, culture, and the quartiers where Parisians live. As Paris grew from a small town centered on the Islands, it required more administrative and new districts. The current division of twenty Paris arrondissements occurred in the 1860s, during the time of the reconstruction of Paris under Baron Haussmann. On a map of Paris districts you it is easy to see that the Paris arrondissements form a spiral, starting at the western tip of Île de la Cité with the 1st Arrondissement, running in a clockwise direction until the 20th Arrondissement hits the eastern boundary of the city. Together, the twenty Paris arrondissements define the city and are referred to as the "twenty little cities".