TDudette

Hi to All,
Am new to posting but have been reading posts for some time. Hub and I will be staying in Montparnasse. Should we stay close to the Gare for easy side trips or close to Bon Marche for shopping and strolling! This is not our first trip to Paris but we haven't explored this area. Many thanks, TDudette

tod

T - I always try to stay within as few walking steps as possible to a metro entrance/exit! This comes in handy when you return after a darn good dinner!har har!
No seriously, I really hate walking a long distance to my hotel doorstep when it's been a heavy day seeing the sights of Paris.
As for shopping - Bon Marche is worth a look but not important enough to want to live next door!

TDudette

Thanks tod,
Is there much to explore around the Gare Montparnasse?

I'm leaning toward the more commercial Raspail. We will use our "footmobiles" more than metro because of health (steps can be a problem).

hopingtotravel

We recently stayed at Hotel Sainte-Beuve. We didn't walk because of the luggage but I think it's about a 10 minute walk from the Gare. There were lots of nice (and famous) restaurants nearby. I think you could walk to Jardin Luxembourg from there too.

However, specify a quiet room.

Robespierre

Staying near Gare Montparnasse is fine if all your side trips are in the southwest of France. But all the other areas (<i>e.g.</i>, Normandy, Burgundy, Provence) are covered by other stations. You can get to any of them from Montparnasse in twenty minutes or so.

Hotel rates in Montparnasse are usually good, so just pick one and build a personal bus schedule as outlined here: http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p?tid=34987572

tod

I think it's definitely worth a walk around.
You've got the Tour Montparnasse, the cemetery, the largest number of Creperies in one street, a short stroll to the catacombs and lovely rue Daguerre.
We strolled past the Louis Pasteur Institute but alas was told that admittance to his tomb is no longer allowed.

tod

BTW - It's nice to see your name appear Robespierre!

Christina

I would say it really depends on the street and location. In general, I think the Montparnasse gare area is a little more convenient and where I often stay (in general -- I do not stay within a couple blocks of the gare, don't like it right next to it).

Bon Marche area is fine, though, just not an area I know quite as well, and I like some of the entertainment options and I have some favorite places in the area. Bon Marche isn't in Montparnasse.

kerouac

I spend time in Montparnasse regularly, but I don't think I have set foot in the Bon March&eacute; for at least 15 years. That would seem to imply that I do not consider it to be a shopping destination.

scrb

Bon Marche has a gourmet shop. Years and years ago, you could get a box of the most perfect cherry tomatoes, without a blemish on any of them, for about $2 at the time.

They had no stems in them either and even just eating them by themselves was great.

But those are long gone, the ones they had a couple of years ago was like 3 euros and not nearly as good.

Oh they have other stuff too, like cheeses, wines, pastries, etc.

Might tempt you to try cooking if you were staying at an apartment.

Otherwise, it's closer to the Seine so if you had to go to the Right Bank, it's more convenient.

Area around Gare Montparnasse, depending on which side, could be nice too. As mentioned, it's not too far from the Luxembourg Gardens.

Inno has a decent grocery too. They have some very expensive wine behind a glass case (though I've seen Americans more than once load up a shopping cart full of wines).

Travelnut

Staying by le Bon Marche would be a bit more 'central' for walking to places, I would think.

Montparnasse has the tower, the cemetery, some smaller museums, the 'literary' cafes. A lot of traffic congestion right around the Gare...

crefloors

A friend and I stayed at the Hotel Royale at 212 Blvd. Raspail a couple of years ago. Wow, doesn't seem that long ago. Great little hotel and neighborhood. A short walk to Gare Montparnasse, and there were five metro stops within easy walking distance.

We were around the corner from Blvd. Edgar Quinet and I thought it was a great area to stay in. There were a couple of street markets close by also. One was artists on the weekend and then a food market on Thursday I think.

I don't know Paris that well, it was only my third trip and was concerned to find we were staying in the 14th...sounded so far out. It was great and I would stay in the area again. It's quieter where we were than the area right around Bon Marche or directly adjacent to Gare Montparnasse. Those areas for me were just too busy and commercial to actually stay there.

TDudette

Thanks to all!
Robespierre, the bus site was invaluable. Had fun already &quot;cruising&quot; with it! And our day trips will be to southwest.
Lots to think about. Later, TD

AnthonyGA

The area around Bon March&eacute; is quieter and more residential. Montparnasse has more restaurants, cinemas, caf&eacute;s, etc., but the area around the station is not particularly scenic (lots of hotels, though, including the excellent Meridien behind the station).

TDudette

OK All, We are back and we ended up staying near Gare Montparnasse and never took a train any place and didn't go to Bon Marche! We had too much fun &quot;hanging&quot;. This was our 4th time to Paris so we didn't have any &quot;musts&quot; this time.
Our hotel was the Mercure Montparnasse. It was definitely for business people (no tour brochures visible!) and the street Rue du Gaite was a mix of sex shops, restaurants and theatre. There was a security guy in the lobby and one needed room key to use the elevator. We had no problems whatsover. The hotel's beds were very comfortable, rooms clean and we heard no street noise.
We found a 6-euro book that showed all bus routes and that became our bible. Also took some nice long bus rides. Ate at Closerie des Lilas and toasted Hemmingway (or was it Steinbeck?). Enjoyed the Quinet market very much. Trip report to follow under title &quot;Provence Without a Car-A Cautionary Tale&quot;. Thanks again all. TD

kerouac

Rue de la Ga&icirc;t&eacute; is indeed a bizarre mix of things. And yet it is also the principal &quot;theatre street&quot; of Paris.

TDudette

Oh kerouac, you did all the correct accents! I'm impressed. Am now thinking (from other posts) that you live in Paris? So maybe you have keyboard with accents easily available?
=D&gt;

toupary6

If you haven't already made your choice, I would base it on the hotel or apartment. The two are not that distant. (I live about a 5-minute walk from the Bon March&eacute;, but also within about five minutes of 4 M&eacute;tro stations, including Montparnasse).

I would consideer near the Bon March&eacute; a little more central if you're into walking, but with the M&eacute;tro it doesn't really matter.

As far as being residential, tell that to my budget! There are way too many stores along rue de S&egrave;vres, rue du Bac, rue du Dragon, rue du Cherche-Midi, boulevard Raspail -- it goes on and on.

TDudette

Thanks anyway toupary6.
If I were going to make a recommendation now, I'd go for closer to Bon Marche as a slightly more convenient location.