CRAMER

We have been doing our homework. What is the difference between the St. Germain neighborhood or the Rue Cler area? We keep hearing great recommendations for both. Is there a reason Rue Cler suits the Americans? Are they different? I am going with my son (18) and want to be where he would find it interesting. He is an avid reader,loves art, beautiful girls, shopping and some great rock music. We want to be where it is lively, great location, charming hotel, willing to tolerate our limited language skills. We want to be with the French! Any experienced suggestions. We have read the guide books. Still not sure on location........Have you been there?? Help?

Louis Dameson

The reason that the 7th and the rue Cler area is popular with many is that is more typical of real life in Paris as the middle class French live it. Also, it is quiet, less expensive than other areas for the same value, and it is near interesting places such as the markets on rue Cler. There is not a lot of night life or go go action around there. St. Germain is a little more expensive, more loaded with people activity and tourists, particularly the young and college crowd around the university. He will like the tight short skirts on the young girls. You would most likely like the rue Cler area and he would like the St. Germain area, so flip a coin.

Donna

Would wonder what you've surmised from your "homework"? To be sure, there are convincing recommendations for both, as evidenced by the response above. Be advised that no matter where you stay, you will want to go all over, and this is easily accomplished by bus, metro or taxi. Yup, flip a coin!

Donna

Would wonder what you've surmised from your "homework"? To be sure, there are convincing recommendations for both, as evidenced by the response above. Be advised that no matter where you stay, you will want to go all over, and this is easily accomplished by bus, metro or taxi. Yup, flip a coin!

Monica

I'm intersted in knowing where Rue Cler is in Paris? Thanks!

Louis Dameson

Rue Cler is a pedestrian market street in the 7th arr.. The nearest metro stop is Ecole Militaire. Rue Cler runs between rue Saint Dominique and Avenue de la Motte Picquet. If you cross the river at Pont de l'Alma, go along Avenue Bosquet and turn left on rue du Champs de Mars it will dead end at rue Cler.
There are two hotels on rue du Champs de Mars and one on rue Cler. From this area you are in easy walking distance to Hotel des Invalides, Ecole Militaire, Musee D'Orsay, Grand Palais & Petit Palais, Tour Eiffel, Jardins Trocadero, and Palais de Tokyo. In this area hotel rooms run from 350 to 650F and good fixed price dinners are available at
around 90F. There is all kinds of food that can be purchased on rue Cler for eating on the spot or take out. In a warm evening, a picnic on the grass overlooking the fountain at the Trocadero with the Eiffel tower in the background is a charming way to have dinner. Many of the river boats also leave from this area. This should answer the last person's question and should further answer the first person's question on why many people like the rue Cler area.

Louis Dameson

In looking this over I want to clear up a point about why Americans like the area. The rue Cler area is very much French and there are no Americanized characteristics about it and you are very much aware that you are in Paris. Rue Cler is where the people that live in the area go to buy their groceries. You will not find much English spoken except in hotels and restaurants. There are no chain stores, fast food joints, American style super markets, or tourist junk shops. I understand a number of Americans and others that are working in Paris for a year or so tend to live in this area primarily because it is a good value for the money and it offers a pleasant surroundings. Also, for this same reason it is popular with people from Great Britain for short visits to Paris. Your major awareness of tourists is around your hotel and in restaurants during week day nights.

joe

I'll be in Paris in July and would like to check out the hotel on the Rue Cler and the two on the Champs de Mar. Can you tell me their names? Thanks, Joe

joe

I'll be in Paris in July and would like to check out the hotel on the Rue Cler and the two on the Champs de Mar. Can you tell me their names? Thanks, Joe

Christina

I was just wondering about something from the last
post (Louis, I think)--I have spent a lot of time in
Paris but not around Rue Cler. However, I know that
this area and several hotels in it have been extremely
popularized with Americans due to Rick Steves, I
think--I hear and read everybody talking about staying
on Rue Cler in Rick Steves' hotels. Therefore, I
assumed the entire area is just full of American
tourists who've read Rick Steves' guidebooks--I know
someone who's stayed at one of his hotels told me
that--that the entire hotel was just full of Americans
who'd read his book. So, I was just curious, maybe
no one can answer this, about how can this area
possibly remain "real", unspoiled, nontouristic, etc.
given its excessive popularity and publicity? Is
there anyone else who's stayed here who can also
comment on that fact.
Anyway, my advice to the original questioner--
it doesn't really matter as Paris is small and you'll
be going everywhere, anyway. I think what someone
else said is true--your son would probably like 5th/
6th arr. and you'd like Rue Cler. If you want more
action, liveliness, etc., go to the 6th arr. I'd say
the 6th is more likely to be within walking distance
of certain tourist attractions, the Seine, etc., and
that may be nice. I'd choose the 6th, myself, espec.
with your son along.

Wendy

We stayed at the Grand Hotel Leveque on Rue Cler last month and found the area to be very charming. We mainly heard French being spoken in the shops, cafes, ect. The area seems very safe, we walked all around at night and had no problems, also saw many women walking alone at night. The location can't be beat with the metro just a few min. away and the Eiffel Tower about 6 blocks.

Louis Dameson

Cristina raises an insteresting and valid question and I will try to answer it. First there are not enough hotel rooms in the area to make any major impact on what is primarily a residential apartment section of Paris. There are areas in the 16th arr. and other sections of Paris that are similar in character. Near rue Cler you don't see the hordes of tourists until you get to the base area around the Eiffel Tower. If you stay, for example, in the hotel Rond Point de Longchamp in the 16th, which our Paris Representative put us in often, you will find a very similar but slightly up scale residential apartment neighborhood. None of the hotels in both areas have enough rooms to deal with tour groups. Also, they fill with business people when there are major trade shows in Paris. Since residential areas lack many of the activities that many tourists want in Paris, particularly at night, they do not have broad appeal. As mentioned earlier, you will find tourists mostly in your hotel if you stay in the rue Cler area. All the publicity by Rick Steves and comments at this site will not do much to change the character of the area. All that happens is that it makes it hard to get a room there at times. The real plus is rue Cler and the reasonable prices in the area. The streets are filled with typical local people and families going about their normal life. You will not find much English spoken by anybody until you get down to the Eiffel Tower area. To find out what it is like you really have to stay there and you will understand why it will not be easily changed by tourism. Some would say it lacks glamour and other would say that this is the real Paris. Who knows for certain what it is because Paris and the world is rapidly changing.