Paris 1st time- Where to stay, neighborhoods

I have tickets booked for a July trip to Paris. The trip is split into two parts (with some travel to other regions in the middle) so I am thinking about staying in two different areas of Paris- 3 nights and again 3 nights. Which neighborhood should we stay in (traveling with my husband). I have done some research and I think I have narrowed it down: Champs-Elysees, Louvre area, Le Marais, or St. Germain? St. Germain and Le Marais sound very beautiful and picturesque while the Louvre area seems convenient for seeing museums. We will be staying in a budget hotel or boutique hotel (<175-200 euro/night if possible). BTW our plan is to focus on 1 big attraction per day and spend the rest of our time exploring (on foot if possible), eating, and enjoying life in Paris. Any suggestions?

Avoid the Champs Elysées. You may want to wander up the street towards the Arch of Triumph, but otherwise it is not a place to stay. Nothing but big shops, cafés for tourists and crowds wandering up and down.

If you are planning on visiting one attraction per day, then you don't need to stay near it. Take the metro or a bus. If you want picturesque neighbourhoods, then the Marais is one (although it is full of tourists), the 5th arrondissement once you get away from Boulevard St Michel, St Germain des Prés if you like to look in expensive shop windows and sit in overpriced cafés.

BJd is right
Stay around St Germain and Sorbonne
Do the small better museums like
Cluny and Sainte Chapelle, Louvre a big time waste and crowded,
Sit in gardens and parks w baguettes
take day trip to Chartres, fab medieval town and cathedral
With cheap train from gare Montparnasse

I have stayed at the Hotel Residence Monge, now called Act V, in the Latin Quarter a couple times and found it a great location and good price. There are two metro's within a block. http://www.travelpod.com/hotel/Hotel_Residence_Monge-Paris.html

175 to 200 euro is not what I would consider budget. You can get hotels in Paris for considerably less.

I don't consider 175-200E budget, either. But anyway, I'd steer clear of the Champs Elysées area, too. The other choices you've made are standard expensive tourist meccas, so if that's what you want go for it. On a first visit to Paris, that makes some sense.

Thanks everyone for the advice! I agree, typically 175-200 is not budget but it seems budget in comparison to most of the hotels I found which were upwards of 250/night. I've found a few cute spots that I think would work for us in the 120-150/night range!

I agree with the comments of staying away from the Champs-Elysees and Arc de Triomphe area, also the area just around the Eiffel Tower. But most of the rest of the Left Bank is great, not only St. Germain and the Latin Quarter, but also south of this area, Montparnasse and Gobelins area.

I don't know about the Marais district, although I've heard it's good. The 9th, or Opera District, is great, and really everything around it. So if you are looking at a district map, I would gladly stay in 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, plus the northern halves of 13 and 14, plus Montmatre. I was going to stay in the south part of the 16th one time but didn't; it's supposed to be a very affluent area. Paris has lots of great places to stay.

Whenever I travel in Europe I always check out the Accor hotels web page. They have tons of hotels, and the Ibis and other cheap hotels are very nice and often reasonably priced. Some of the Ibis hotels actually have triple and quad rooms at reasonable rates, which is a rarity. I got a triple at the Ibis Grand Boulevards a few weeks ago for 80 euros a night, which I found to be quite reasonable for Paris. The hotel is near Chartier, one of my favorite places to eat.

I agree with #6 that the Ibis chain is great if you're looking for inexpensive accommodations - no charm but clean and always reliable. We belong to their fidélité program and often get rooms from between 39 and 59 euros a night at their Ibis Budget properties. Absolutely no frills, but clean and comfortable beds, great showers, and good breakfasts if you want them for a few euros more. Plus you get points for every stay usable toward a future stay - useful for those of us who live in Europe and travel.

Can't say as I'm a big fan of Chartier. Cheap, for sure, and the ambience is unique, but it's barely decent food and you have to share tables with whoever else is there. No big deal but there's lots better food in Paris.

Hello Cvaden,
I'm Parisian so I could help you ;)
If you are looking for nice acomodation not so expensive I can recommand you 2 good places Iti s youth hostel but really don't like youth hostel
Les Piaules it is in Belleville area. Really Parisian area and with the metro you can go everywhere very fast
Generator it is in Colonel Fabien area
The Zazie hotel is a 2 stars located in Gare de Lyon area close to bercy village

If you choose St Germain or le Marais it's great because very central.

Chartier is an institution of former restaurants in Paris but could be wired and rude when don't use to it. if you wanna try take it like a special experience but there is so many nice, not expensive and really good restaurants in Paris

And If you need good tips from Parisians and even if you wanna meet Parisians to make you discover our city there is a new association called CIWY (for Can I Welcome You) that put in relation Parisians and visitors we have a facebook page called ciwy (and it is in english also ;) I am a member and we just want to show that Paris is a welcoming town ;) so don't hesitate to ask us. We organize parties in bar (free), picinic when it is sunny, walks etc. usually it is free you just have to pay your drinks or sandwich...

Hope you will enjoy your first trip in Paris !!! So many things to do and to see ! buy your tickets on Internet for big monuments or museums usually you don't have to queue.

**Hi peggy
My name is Bernie , I am an older traveller a youthful, young at heart 62 year old! would you be able to recommend budget accomodation in Paris for a stay of about one month?

I'm also a football fanatic ! and want to use Paris as my base for euro 2016 as I know Paris has two stadiums and there are also games in nearby cities, even if I cannot get tickets for the games I love to be in the country where they are being played to soak up the atmosphere!

Plus , its about 18 years since my last visit to Paris and I also want to do the cultural tours of the museums and grand buildings etc and learn some French , live as a parisian ! that way I learn the language, culture & get a real feel for La Belle Francais! (Think thats right isn't it!)

Back in 1997 I tried to learn some french at the local institute francais but now I've forgotten!

anyway if you could give me any advice please I'd really appreciate it and look forward to your next post,
regards
bernie**

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Hi all , I'm heading to Paris for a month in June for the euro's (have connected with Peggy on facebook!) am looking at trying to use couchsurfers , youth hostel or rent something off airbnb or craigslist , the latter two appear to be cheaper long term than a hostel

For those of you with long term experience of Paris what would you recommend? also can I pick up an LP guidebook for Paris cheap in Paris and where ?

Also can anyone recomend whats the best mobile telco to use and can I get weekly metro tickets?

scouser1953 I would suggest that you open a new post. Your request will only be seen by a few here. Please re post with your own topic for the best information.

Here is an apartment I was looking at for Paris, but works for three people. I am sure you will find more in your price range.
https://www.vrbo.com/455893ha#

Here is some general information on Paris and France: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kfPteY9SW8

Here is some information on the Paris Metro weekly pass. http://parisbytrain.com/paris-train-metro-week-pass-navigo-decouverte/

hey ;) I answered you on FB ...
You can have a paris visit for metro depends on the days you'll stay in Paris. It is a special pass for travellers.
I think the tourism info will have a special page for Euro because here we have lot of ad for the Euro ;)

I answered you for the accomodations. And I know there is some pocket wifi if you need to be connected like Hippocket for example. Depends how long you stay in Paris..
Hope to meet you during our parties with CIWY!!

A budget hotel in Paris costs less than 100 euros. In fact, in my own neighborhood, hotels cost no more than 50 euros. But that of course is not what you are looking for.

It sounds like the OP would be happiest in the Marais or the Latin Quarter. I do not recommend the Saint Germain-des-Prés area, which is an overpriced tourist ghetto. I also do not recommend the area between the Champs Elysées and the Seine, but on the other side of the Champs Elysées, there are some areas that are just fine, notably along avenue de Wagram and around Place des Ternes.

Hi Kerouac
I have found a what looks to be a nice place in Issy-les-Moulineaux, at a great price I have spoken via Skype to the lady renting the room,

Do you know anything about this place ? it looks ok on the google & also looks like maybe an hour or so from downtown Paris, I have plenty of time so thats not a problem,

Do you know if there are any travel discounts for people aged over 60 in Paris? e.g. pensioner discounts on travel etc museum entrance fees and such like ,

you can reply in a private message if you like/have time,
many thanks

Well, Issy is in the suburbs, but it is connected to the metro system, so it's not too different from being in Paris, only cheaper (at least it sure as hell should be!).

Most but not all senior discounts start at age 65. It generally pays to ask. Proof is almost never required unless you look 20 years younger than your age.

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