Architecturally, the 9th arrondissement demands appraisal: the Palais Garnier is a 19th-century neo-classical beauty that sits amid a particularly industrious business hub, while the Galeries Lafayette and the Printemps department stores on the Boulevard Haussmann are impressive works in their own right, as well as being elegant shopping destinations. The district surges with life after hours, as the area’s many office spaces unload themselves onto the shops, bars, brasseries, and bistrots of the area, with a real Parisian atmosphere throughout. One of the more up-and-coming areas of the 9th arrondissement is South Pigalle—or SoPi to the locals—which is characterized by a diverse food scene of neo-bistrots and an upbeat, low-fi bar on every corner.