Michelle

Wich of these two locations is best to see attractions, 1th or 5 th? <BR> <BR>Any comments about : Hotel Les Cygnes on the 1 th. ? <BR>Thanks <BR>

Maira

The 1st is, obviously, the center of Paris with the Louvre and other very interesting museums. The 5th is the Latin Quarter and the center of university life in Paris for the last seven hundred years. You may find the 5th livelier; the 1st more sophisticated. As far as attractions, both are excellent home bases and the Metro in Paris makes it a mute issue regarding easy access to just about anywhere. So, in a synopsis, I would pick whenever there is a good hotel at a good price.

Donna

Perhaps you are not aware that Hotel Les Cygnes is just around the corner from rue St-Denis, which is a red light district lined with "ladies" (of all ages, all hours of the day and night). It's not a dangerous area, but may not be the atmosphere of Paris you'd prefer. If staying in the 1st, you may want to select a hotel where Chatelet/Les Halles is not the nearest metro station - it's huge and full of pickpockets. For seeing the attractions, it's so easy to get around on the metro, best bet is to pick a hotel as close to the metro as possible. The buses are fabulous for getting around also. We prefer the 7th for sleeping because it's charming and very quiet.

elaine

Hi <BR>I often stay in the 1st, but around the Tuileries metro stop which I find to be a very convenient area, and two moderately-priced hotels I can recommend are the Louvre-Montana and the St Romain. There are also some Best Westerns that have been recommended on this forum. I too would avoid the Chatelet area as a place to stay, mostly because I truly hate that metro station, it is huge, crowded, and a killer because of long long corridors and stairs. <BR>However, the 5th and 6th on the left bank are very popular and have even more choices of moderately-priced and inexpensive hotels and restaurants. <BR>For comments on hotels from past guests, look in www.paris.org under hotels, and <BR>www.hotelboulevard.com <BR>If you'd like to see my notes on Paris feel free to email me. <BR>good luck

Margo

Michelle: <BR>CYGNE: 3, rue Cygne. Tel: 0142601416. Fax: 0142213702. (20 rms., 18 w/toilet & bath or shower.) 330-420F/50-61EUR single; 485-535F/74-82EUR double; 600F/92EUR triple. Breakfast (7:30-10am) at 45F pp can be served in the room. Visa, MC, DC, AX. English spoken (Ms. Remont), cable TV w/CNN, wonderful charming 17th-century hotel w/nicely & eclectically furnished not-so-bright rms., lots of atmosphere & character, no views, #22 & 26 (both w/double beds, wood-beamed ceilings, showers & face the street) at 485F for a double; #41 is an attic rm. w/1 double bed, small bathroom & window in ceiling; #17, 27 & 37 all have 2 twin beds & bathtubs; #35 (queen size bed, convertible sofa/bed, large bathroom w/bathtub, wood-beamed ceiling & faces the street) at 600F for a triple; the rms. with no showers/toilets are cheaper, hair driers, wonderful sitting room, hotel looks & feels more like a private home, very steep staircase, no elevator, 4 flrs. 5% rm. discount when you show owner/manager Eliane Gouge or staff this book. Métro: Etienne Marcel. <BR>http://www.HelloEurope.com <BR>

ttt

to the top for Cygnes.

mike

margo or anyone who has a quick answer.... I notice that you used both french francs and the Euro amounts in the prices that you gave Michele on the cost of rooms at your recommended hotel. I thought we did away with the franc as of 1 January and all prices will be in Euro's. Am I wrong? Thanks

elaine

mike<BR>the previous postings were dated in the year 2000<BR>all prices now will be in euro

elvira

There are still some vendors who post prices in ff alongside euros. The French franc isn't a forbidden concept/word; the actual currency is gone (with some notable exceptions - I saw ff pay for an RER ticket not a week ago). Hotels that had lovely placards printed with ff and euros won't rip them up and waste money.<BR><BR>The 1ere arrondissement is physically closer to the Louvre, Sacre Coeur, Arc de Triomphe, etc. than the 5eme, but with the Metro and buses, the amount of time it takes to get to the tourist highlights is equal from both sides of the river.