Paris: for a family with children, Saint Germain or Le Marais?
Aug 25th, 2014, 08:39 AM
#1
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Paris: for a family with children, Saint Germain or Le Marais?
Trying to narrow down our options in Paris. For our family of seven adults and 4 young children, is it better to stay in Saint Germain-de-pres or Le Marais? Looking to split up the family and rent two apartments. Where is it best to stay?
Thanks so much!
Thanks so much!
Aug 25th, 2014, 08:47 AM
#3
Agree with janisj - here's an interesting site that permits you to search for apartments in the same building - can't vouch for their reputation
http://lovingapartments.com/France/Paris/Groups
http://lovingapartments.com/France/Paris/Groups
Aug 27th, 2014, 07:32 PM
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Both are great areas and I would stay in either.. closer to river the better.. but still great areas both..
Keep in mind,, within each area are better streets( in terms of noise and traffic) and less desirable ones.. so I would post back with exact apartments you are considering.
VIP ( Vacations in Paris ) is a well reviewed company.. be careful of some.
Keep in mind,, within each area are better streets( in terms of noise and traffic) and less desirable ones.. so I would post back with exact apartments you are considering.
VIP ( Vacations in Paris ) is a well reviewed company.. be careful of some.
Aug 27th, 2014, 08:04 PM
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We rented an apt. in the St. Germain in April 2012 and in the Marais/Bastille neighborhood in June 2013. Both are fantastic areas and you can't go wrong with either. But, I have a definite answer for you. I would recommend the St. Germain-de-pres. We stayed on rue Mazarine just off rue du Buci about 2 blocks from the Pont Neuf. That is our favorite neighborhood to stay in. The vibe around there is simply magical. It is lively at all hours of the day and night and the restaurant and café scene is great. It is an easy walk to the majority of places you would want to go and an easy metro ride to the others. If you find a nice apt. in the Marais I would not try to talk you out of it because we enjoy that area also.
Aug 27th, 2014, 08:39 PM
#9
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I was checking vrbo and airbnb, amongst others, so I'll definitely try VIP.
Letsgeaux ( you sound like my peeps over here in Louisiana
, do you recall what services you used for rental? The area you stayed in sounds perfect!
Thanks again everyone!
Letsgeaux ( you sound like my peeps over here in Louisiana
, do you recall what services you used for rental? The area you stayed in sounds perfect!Thanks again everyone!
Aug 28th, 2014, 01:34 AM
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Having easy access to a big park is important with kids that age.
I would look closer to the Luxembourg Gardens than to the river if I had young children. There are playgrounds, carousels, pony rides, Punch and Judy, etc. A well as plenty of room to run.
There are plenty of small playgrounds in churchyards (right behind St Germain, for example) but the Luxembourg is special.
I would look closer to the Luxembourg Gardens than to the river if I had young children. There are playgrounds, carousels, pony rides, Punch and Judy, etc. A well as plenty of room to run.
There are plenty of small playgrounds in churchyards (right behind St Germain, for example) but the Luxembourg is special.
Aug 29th, 2014, 11:34 AM
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My two cents... In your shoes I'd choose Saint Germain de pres over le Marais simply because of easy access to the Luxembourg Gardens. (I'm basing this on the assumption you have younger children. If your kids are older, the park may not be as necessary..) That said, a lot of it is preference for neighborhood vibe. for me it's more of the side of the river I prefer... Just personal preference. I've been to Paris about 7 times over the last 20 years. The last 2 times with our children---first at was 18 months old, and last summer when they were 11 and 8. I'm hoping to go again next summer with them. Its a wonderful place to go with children.
Other things to consider would be proximity to the Metro (take into account any transfers to other lines needed) and whether the windows face a noisy street vs a loud thoroughfare. And since you are such a big group, is make sure the kitchen of wherever you are staying was equipped for a group of that size. One apt we stayed in years ago was a home with professional cookware and porcelain plates for up to 10 (and a dining table to go with it.) My brother once got an apt in the Marais that was purported to be for 4 but barely had 2 coffee cups---the rental agent said "well nobody ever uses the kitchen." I think that happens a lot with vacation rentals.
The other thing to keep in mind is that The Marais and St Germain de Pres are easily 2 of the most crowded and most expensive districts in Paris for tourists to stay in. 20 years ago, I thought the area around St Germain was noisy but charming. Last summer, it felt grittier and edgier to me, and the throngs of tourists (yes, I realize I'm a tourist too) made it feel like I was on a b ride at disneyland during spring break. We stayed in the 7th last summer, and found it to be a lot quieter at night.
Good luck with your choice.
Other things to consider would be proximity to the Metro (take into account any transfers to other lines needed) and whether the windows face a noisy street vs a loud thoroughfare. And since you are such a big group, is make sure the kitchen of wherever you are staying was equipped for a group of that size. One apt we stayed in years ago was a home with professional cookware and porcelain plates for up to 10 (and a dining table to go with it.) My brother once got an apt in the Marais that was purported to be for 4 but barely had 2 coffee cups---the rental agent said "well nobody ever uses the kitchen." I think that happens a lot with vacation rentals.
The other thing to keep in mind is that The Marais and St Germain de Pres are easily 2 of the most crowded and most expensive districts in Paris for tourists to stay in. 20 years ago, I thought the area around St Germain was noisy but charming. Last summer, it felt grittier and edgier to me, and the throngs of tourists (yes, I realize I'm a tourist too) made it feel like I was on a b ride at disneyland during spring break. We stayed in the 7th last summer, and found it to be a lot quieter at night.
Good luck with your choice.
Aug 30th, 2014, 06:02 AM
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I would suggest that you not stay wed to these two particular areas of Paris. You can be anywhere in minutes, using the transport system - and staying one or two arrondissements away would save you a good bit of money as well as improve the possibility that you would have more space.
The two areas you're interested in have properties that have been "sliced and diced" to the point that it's just not comfortable for families to stay in them. The properties that have not been significantly altered usually rent a year or more in advance, and can be expensive.
If you can manage the Metro and/or Bus, I would suggest you look in the 15th, 12th, 16th and 7th arrondissements. Parts of the 12th might also be interesting.
The two areas you're interested in have properties that have been "sliced and diced" to the point that it's just not comfortable for families to stay in them. The properties that have not been significantly altered usually rent a year or more in advance, and can be expensive.
If you can manage the Metro and/or Bus, I would suggest you look in the 15th, 12th, 16th and 7th arrondissements. Parts of the 12th might also be interesting.
Aug 30th, 2014, 09:14 AM
#16
Manouche has wise advice. I am not a big fan of central areas either due to excessive tourist pollution and the high prices that come with it. If the children are really a prime consideration, I would recommend an area like the Batignolles which has 3 major parks (Monceau, Batignolles and Martin Luther King), or the Buttes Chaumont area which has not only that spectacular park but which is also very close to the magnificent Parc de la Villette and the Canal de l'Ourcq area. The Villette park is by far the most interesting for children in Paris since it is relatively recent and was designed with children in mind, unlike those staid formal parks in the center which are designed for strolling with a parasol while wearing a starched lace dress.
I actually feel sorry for tourists who have only been to parks like the Luxembourg or the Tuileries.
I actually feel sorry for tourists who have only been to parks like the Luxembourg or the Tuileries.
Sep 2nd, 2014, 06:29 AM
#17
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Thanks guys! I'm taking that into consideration, believe me. I lived in the French quarter in New Orleans for a while, and although very touristy, there were pockets of very nice and quiet feel, authentic in itself. However, when folks came to visit, I would discourage them from staying in the quarter, as hotels were bad and overpriced. So I totally get where you guys are coming from. However, we have options in New Orleans, where one can stay close to everything without being in it with all the tourist stuff overload and be able to walk everywhere. I guess I'm looking for that kind of option in Paris. I would love not to have to hop on a train every time. I'm still weighing all options...
Sep 2nd, 2014, 08:02 AM
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I lived in the French Quarter for about 35 years, then moved to Paris. No area in Paris will be as compact as the FQ and the Marigny, say. And really, no one area in the city proper is really that much better than the next - this is largely a marketing myth fed by the tourist office and retailers.
However, the parts of the city that most people want to see are contained in an area of only about 2.5 square miles. It's like taking the streetcar from Canal St to City Park, for the longest rides - usually about half that time, to get anywhere else.
The Metro is not at all complicated, and neither are the buses (though they are much slower). If you have no mobility issues, you can walk from Champs-Elysees to Bastille in about 90 minutes, or from the Marais to Eiffel Tower in about 1 hour, for example. Many times, it's just easier to avoid the Metro stairs and just enjoy the walk. Coming from New Orleans, this might seem like a strange idea, but it's actually quite safe and pleasant to walk in Paris, day or night.
If you want to stay under a certain budget and house this many people with any degree of comfort, you will really need to start looking in the areas I mentioned. Unfortunately, apartments in the Marais and St Germain aren't always "all that", especially when it comes to space and amenities. The good, big apartments book up a year or more in advance. Many people would prefer to just visit these neighborhoods, rather than pay extra to stay in them and have to put up with the noise and tourist activity that is concentrated here.
Hope this helps shed some more light on the subject.
However, the parts of the city that most people want to see are contained in an area of only about 2.5 square miles. It's like taking the streetcar from Canal St to City Park, for the longest rides - usually about half that time, to get anywhere else.
The Metro is not at all complicated, and neither are the buses (though they are much slower). If you have no mobility issues, you can walk from Champs-Elysees to Bastille in about 90 minutes, or from the Marais to Eiffel Tower in about 1 hour, for example. Many times, it's just easier to avoid the Metro stairs and just enjoy the walk. Coming from New Orleans, this might seem like a strange idea, but it's actually quite safe and pleasant to walk in Paris, day or night.
If you want to stay under a certain budget and house this many people with any degree of comfort, you will really need to start looking in the areas I mentioned. Unfortunately, apartments in the Marais and St Germain aren't always "all that", especially when it comes to space and amenities. The good, big apartments book up a year or more in advance. Many people would prefer to just visit these neighborhoods, rather than pay extra to stay in them and have to put up with the noise and tourist activity that is concentrated here.
Hope this helps shed some more light on the subject.
