What area to stay in Paris?

Hi there,

I would like to know what area is best to stay in for 6 days in PARIS?

In my LP Europe book, they divide it like that:

Louvre & Les Halles
Marais & Bastille
Latin Quarter & Jardin des Plantes
Gare du Nord/Gare de l'Est & République
Gare de Lyon/Nation & Bercy
Clichy & Gare St-Lazarre
Montmartre & Pigalle

All I can tell you guys is that I would appreciate the better location to go around Paris for 6 days. I am 23 years old and I am not necessary a party animal so I am not ALL about nightlife.

Thanks for your help. Vous pouvez également me répondre en français car je suis Québécois. Merci!!

SV

Stay in the 7th arrondissment in the Rue Cler neighborhood, near the Invallides, Effiel Tower, Rodin Museum. Easy to get to via the Metro. NOTHING like walking over to the Effiel Tower just before dusk to watch the Parisians with their children and dogs enjoying their park. Sit on a bench and as the sun sets watch the Tower start to light up...Kismet. Tres bon! That said the apartments on this website seem to be of good value. http://www.feelslikehomeinparis.com/</a> Have a wonderful trip.

Oh forgot to mention www.journeywoman.com</a> An infomrative website to peruse . Designed for women by women. Enjoy.

seb is a guy (Sébastien).

No, for a younger person (or an old reprobrate like me), I'd suggest going farther east, perhaps to the Bastille area.

Stay in the Latin Quarter, Bastille, Marais. They're centrally located and are in great areas for sightseeing and nightlife (if you're interested).

Thanks all!

I have now abandonned the "Montmarthe" area...I have found on hostelworld a hotel named Hotel du Commerce, which claims to be in the Latin Quarter and near St-Germain. Can anyone please confirm me that the location is fine? Please see the hostelworld site by searching for "Hotel du Commerce"...

THANKS so much!!

Hotel website with map of hotel location. The location is 'fine' (not sure what your criteria are). I wouldn't consider it to be the 'heart' of the Latin Quarter, more on the east fringe. And St Germain is further than the web description implies (perhaps 20 minutes walking). Traffic noise might be a problem -- depends on quality of window insulation.

You can find some other hotels close to the same price range, and closer to the Sorbonne, blvd. St Michel, etc., at this site

No reason to want to go to Saint Germain des Prés anyway unless you're working on a photo project concerning middle aged stereotypical American tourists.

Hi, I'm glad you abandonned Montmartre - don't go! Clichy & St Lazare are equally awful, as is les Halles (seriously, if you are not into tattoo/piercing shops and cheap streetwear, skip it! St Germain used to be a good student-y area, but I have to agree with Kerouac2 that it has been colonized by middle aged Americans. Marais & Bastille, or Latin Quarter & Jardin des Plantes is the way to go! Good luck!

Hey all,

I am replying to let you know... I am now considering nice hostels that seem to be situated in those areas who recommend:

- Centre International de Séjour BVJ Paris-Quartier Latin

- Young & Happy Hostel (supposdly in the heart of the Latin Quarter)

- Maison Internationale de la Jeunesse et des Étudiants (Maubuisson is apparently the nicest to be at, on rue des Barres, near metro Hôtel de Ville/Pont Marie)

IF any thoughts of these, feel free!

Thanks!!

Si tu es quebecois, je vais le faire en français.
Franchement, je choisirais le Centre International de Séjour BVJ Paris-Quartier Latin, rue des Bernardins.
Bien situé, un peu à l'écart du Quartier Latin trop touristique et de ses ruelles abandonnées aux vendeurs de kebab et pseudo resto-grecs.
En 5 minutes à pied tu es à NotreDame, et il y'a des métros. Des bars sympas, dont certains avec plein de jeunes de tous les pays. (LongHope, place Maubert) Des bars boites comme le Violon Dingue (rue de la montagne sainte genevieve). Pour le soir, toujours la possibilité de voir un film dans les cinémas d'art et d'essais qui font de Paris la ville la plus cinéphile du monde. (par exemple cette semaine, à 50 mètres de l'hostel, reprise de THX 1138, le premier film de George Lucas, en director's cut au ciné Grand Action)
Sur la Place Maubert, marché le matin certains jours de la semaine.
Sinon, pour le Centre International de Séjour BVJ Paris-Quartier Latin lui-même, ma cousine de 19 ans qui y était le mois dernier l'a trouvé correct, avec plein de jeunes de tous les pays dedans (c'était son premier séjour en France car elle vit en Nouvelle-Calédonie, près de l'Australie)

En tout cas, évite le 7e. Je sais bien que les touristes, notamment américains, aiment la rue Cler, mais franchement, jamais un parisien n'y mettrai les pieds. Le 7e c'est assez mortel : c'est les ministères, les restos et les bars ouverts dans la journée pour les gens qui travaillent dans le quartier et les touristes (ainsi que les vielles familles parisiennes pleines d'oseille)
Le Marias, c'est sympa, mais si tu es un mec, faut savoir que c'est le quartier gay et que ça drague sévère. C'est même parfos envahissant.
Si tu as d'autres question n'hésite pas

"Clichy & St Lazare are equally awful"

sob

Seriously, I've heard very good things about the MIJE on rue des Barres and the location can't be beat. And Parimax above gives good advice.

Agree with Parimax. Stay in the Quartier Latin.

As for the 7th arrondissement and rue Cler, I lived for 5 years in this neighbourhood and it's really great. There are not as many tourists as people here tend to think. On the contrary, rue Cler is a typical Parisian market street. It's very lively with lots of restaurants and little bars around. It's not very well located though in terms of transportation.

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<hr>Le Marias, c'est sympa, mais si tu es un mec, faut savoir que c'est le quartier gay et que ça drague sévère. C'est même parfos envahissant.<hr></blockquote>

Not at all ! It's so cliche. Nobody would hit on you only because you're a guy. Cruising is limited to bars and clubs. However if you're not comfortable with guys walking down the streets hands in hands, just forget it. In addition, the Gay area is limited to three streets at most.

What about the hostel on rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau? Everybody I know has always liked the place, especially the medieval exposed beams, etc. Not to mention being in the dead center of Paris.

I always wonder how much time people want to spend looking at the Eiffel Tower.

I agree with the French-writing one that the 7th is not the best place in Paris. I'm French and frankly, indeed it's the neighborhood intended for Ministries, offices and e few extra rich and extra bored old people. And sorry but the Eiffel Tower is far from being a place where real Parisians stroll by, it's a touristic area which is quite empty as compared to the rest of Paris. People will rather stroll around Notre Dame if you really want to watch a touristy place, as it is muc more central.
If you want to see real Paris, you had better go around la Bastille, Marais, Latin quarter... Bear in mind that most poeple living in the western side of the city and rich and old, while people living in the east and north and young and less rich, which means more lively neighborhoods.
Montmartre is a very nice place where to spend one day, it used to be an independant village and you can still feel it, however I'd not recommend sleeping there as it's quite far from the centre.
Marais and Latin neighborhood are very nice but pricey.
Les Halles is not the more classy neighborhood.
Just make sure your hotel is nextto a metro station from where it's easy to access all interesting parts of Paris, most of which are in the same part : Marais, Bastille, Louvre, Notre Dame...
And... take a book with you to read in the subway as the metro rides can take some time. Reading in the subway : this is typically parisian !