musiclover

Is this area good to live? And how convenient for living? If comparing to Rue Paul Bert on 11° Arrdt, which one may be better? Thanks!

PatrickLondon

I've stayed several times in an apartment round the corner from rue Paul Bert, though I've never actualyl walked down the street. I must have been near rue Montgallet when walking along the Promenade Plantée, though again I don't think I've walked along it.

You do know you can see photos of Paris streets at www.pagesjaunes.fr?

The area around Paul Bert (Metro Faidherbe Chaligny) is a mixed workaday sort of area (plenty of neighbourhood shops, not particularly elegant or picturesque and certainly not grand like the boulevards in the west of Paris - which is why I like it). It is very close to a metro station (Faidherbe Chaligny) and within about 15 minutes walk of the food market at rue d'Aligre. The photos of Paul Bert on pagesjaunes were obviously taken when they were doing roadworks there, but presumably those are long finished.

Rue Montgallet looks very similar, but perhaps more of a through route for traffic. Equally close to a metro, two stops further out from the centre on the same line as Faidherbe Chaligny.

Not a lot in it between those two. Both of them have fairly ordinary businesses on the street frontages; bars and restaurants will be fairly average, and clustered around the main crossroads. This is the sort of place where ordinary Parisians live, and not particularly geared to tourists.

A lot may depend on whether the apartment is "côté rue" or "côté cour", the courtyard side obviously being quieter.

AnthonyGA

For what it's worth, the rue Montgallet is known as a street with a lot of discount computer shops, selling all sorts of hardware.

As Patrick points out, it's in a resolutely normal area of Paris, away from the tourist areas. It's not particularly well placed from a transportation standpoint, although you're never very far from a Métro station anywhere in Paris.

PatrickLondon

Just a thought: to get to the main tourist attractions, you are likely to be changing at metro Bastille from either of these places on line 8 to line 1. There can be some long walks between lines at Bastille (line 8 has more convenient changes to other lines but a bit further away from the centre).

On the other hand, metro Bastille is well located for the weekend markets on Boulevard Richard Lenoir, for cinemas, a FNAC and walks around the Bassin de l'Arsénal, up the Canal St Martin and along the Viaduc des Arts and the Promenade Plantée.

musiclover

Thanks for the very valuable advice! I in fact need take line 1 to the very center of Paris for work everyday. As I don't know Paris well, my concern is the safety and convenience of living (ex.grocers nearby).Do you know about rue d’Aboukir by any chance? How is living in this area? Thanks again!

Christina

I don't know what living there would be like, but rue Aboukir is full of really cheap clothing and fabric shops. I mean cheap like dime store cheap, not just good value cheap. It's narrow and unattractive and dirty. I think I've only been on the part north of Sentier metro, though, so maybe the other part is different. That is a very long street, it goes across the entire arrondisement, I think you should be more specific as to location for the best advice.

musiclover

Thanks! Christina. My friend told me the apt. is 1 min walk to Sentier Metro. So, is it also bad as you have seen? Please let me know, I'll appreciate.

shellio

I just spent a month in an apartment right at Sentier metro station and found it very convenient. The station has entrances at the northern end of rue Montorgueil and rue Montmartre, both nice streets with cafés, restaurants, markets and shops. The part of rue d'Aboukir south of rue Réaumur essentially runs on a diagonal between these streets. North of rue Réaumur it becomes a bit more commercial, with many of the workshops and wholesale outlets for the garment trade that is centered there.

I often walked on rue d'Aboukir south of rue Réaumur to get to the Place des Victoires and, a bit further on, the Palais Royal. While it's not a particularly interesting stretch of street, it's perfectly fine, safe, and centrally located.

MorganB

Rue Montgallet is within walking distance to Metro Line one at Reuilly Diderot. You could walk it in about 5 mins. As Anthony mentioned it is a street filled with shops selling computer components at discount prices. It might be a bit noisy during the week day because of the shoppers but the evening should be calm. Its a nice standard neighborhood and there are two grocery stores within walking distance.

So for transport you have metro Line 1, and 8. Line 6 at Daumesnil is about a 5 to 10 min walk depending on where you are on rue Montgallet.

In addition the area is served by bus 29, 46 and 57. Don't forget the Promenade Plantee which goes right by the street. Its an old rail line as well as rail viaduct that has been converted into a green footpath that takes you to Bastille, a vibrant neighborhood with many restaurants and clubs as well as lots of shopping.

Its a safe neighborhood.