Precise localization of cervical node metastasis of papillary thyroid carcinoma is rarely described. The aim of this retrospective study was to map their cervical involvement. Between 1974 and 1996 a series of 119 patients had total thyroidectomy with bilateral cervical lymph node dissection. Patients who had secondary node dissection for a cervical recurrence were excluded. Eight node sites were distinguished (ipsilateral and contralateral): paratracheal, mid-jugular, supraclavicular, subdigastric. All pathologic specimens were reviewed by a single pathologist. Twenty-five patients had lymph node involvement clinically before surgery. Seventy-two (60.5%) had cervical metastasis (N+: node positive patients), with bilateral involvement in 28 cases. In cases of bilateral thyroid tumor localization, ipsilateral dissection designated the side with the largest nodule. The main ipsilateral involved sites were paratracheal (60 patients), mid-jugular (44 patients), and supraclavicular (26 patients). Contralateral paratracheal nodes were involved in 25 patients and mid-jugular nodes in 12. Among the N+ patients, node involvement was absent in 11 cases at paratracheal, 28 jugular, and 46 subclavicular sites. Cervical node metastases concerned 60.5% of the patients, with bilateral involvement in 40.8% of the N+ patients. Ipsilateral paratracheal and jugular sites were most frequently involved. The lateral compartment was sometimes involved independent of the central compartment.