opaldog

Has anyone rented from rentparis, the Rue Charlot apartment? It looks quite nice. I have experience with the agency and am satisfied. I just wanted to know about the street, the apartment itself and proximity to metro stops. I see them on a map, but wonder about personal experience and convenience of location.

PatrickLondon

www.pagesjaunes.fr will give you location maps and photographs of the street. Rue Charlot is a long, narrow street (so proximity to the metro will depend on which end of the street you are), running from the heart of the Marais north to near placede la République. It's about 10 minutes from the metro stops along Bvd Richard Lenoir - don't know if there's anything closer in the other direction. I think I stayed in a hotel at the top end which didn't seem too long a walk from République metro. It's fairly quiet, with most of the street level seemingly residential or small businesses - some bars, some specialist shops and services. It's not particularly elegant, but it is pretty typical of workaday 'real' Paris.

Christina

how coincidental, I was just on rue Charlot a couple times my last trip to Paris in August -- at the bottom end near rue des 4 Fils. I think Patrick gave a good description -- I was on it because there is a wellknown piano store and a music conservatory on that street. The street is very average looking, as are the buildings, and narrow. There's nothing wrong with it, it's very quiet.

I personally would not rent an apt. near the bottom because it is too inconvenient for public transporation. There is no close metro stop, and the bus that runs along Rue des 4 Fils (which is limited in destination, of course) does not run very late at night nor on Sundays, as I recall. YOu'll have to give the address of the apt. for me to know where it is in proximity to a metro stop.

opaldog

The address of the apartment is 34 rue charlot. There are metro stops but they look to be at least 4 blocks away. We will be there in the winter and will be using the metro. I have read that it is across the street from marche enfant rouges and above a club. Any more info about the neighborhood?

Christina

That is across from that market, which I haven't frequented. It is more convenient to the metro up there than at the bottom. I guess Filles du Calvaire is about 4-5 blocks away and there is a bus that goes down rue de Turenne and then onto rue St Antoine or rue de Rivoli that is convenient. That's right near rue de Bretagne which is convenient for food shops, and a nice park nearby (Square du Temple). I like that park.

Apparently its above a gay bar which has S&M in the basement, The Glove, called a "hard" crusing bar on some web sites. I think the area is fine. I would never knowingly rent an apartment above a club, myself.

opaldog

Thanks for the info. I knew it was above a gay club. The thing that I thought about was music and late night noise. I hadn't really thought about S&M in the basement. I'm not really a prude, but I'm not sure I want to be wondering what's going on all night, 2 floors below.

carcassone

Hi opaldog,

We were in Paris last month and rented apt #7 from RentParis on Rue Montmorency, which is a few blocks away from your apt. Our apt was very convenient for metro/bus and the neighborhood is not touristy at all; more like a working class neighborhood for the Paris local. Most of our neighbors looks like shop owners/workers from the area. We found the area save and our street quiet.

E-mail to [email protected] if you need more info.

Christina

I'd be concerned about noise, also, but also just about general traffic (people) in the area as I don't think I'd like an apt like that. I have had hotel rooms a couple floors above just cafes and they can be noisy with people coming and going, etc.

It is known for that from what I've read (also leather fetish). It is open all night from 10 pm to 6 am. It's up to you, I wouldn't want to have an apt in the same bldg as an S&M establishment, gay or straight, especially if the club was advertised all over the internet as a good place to pick up people, espec those into certain hobbies (the name, The Glove, was not random). The couple sites I read (some French, some English) said it only has a small bar, the main attraction is other events. Here's a description if you want to read it (3rd or 4th down, gives club's URL):

http://www.selectgay.fr/159243.html

opaldog

Christina:
I did look at the website and although I am not fluent in French, I did get the jist of it. I will probably look at other apartments in the Marais and will more than likely use rentparis. I agree that hetero or gay, I wouldn't want to be right above all that "activity". Thanks for the info.

SuzieC

Jeeez, louise... I thought the gyro shop downstairs was bad! And that was only becaue of the smell!

Um...there are so many apartments around ... let this apartment be for ... other special folks that would appreciate the ambiance.

And there's nothing wrong with that!