thusspakezara

I've got a bit of a whirlwind trip to France coming up end of Sept/early Oct. While I'd love to go for longer since it's my first time in the country, the trip built around a work conference with 3 nights in Cannes that I can't move. So I'll only have 3 nights for Paris, and I want to ensure I make a good decision on lodging location for easy access to sights and a range of eating and entertainment options.

My main focus in Paris is getting a feel for the atmosphere, walking, browsing, people watching, and eating well from street food to high end. I likely won't have too much time to spend in museums: my must museum is the Musee de l'Orangerie, and Musee d'Orsay, Muse Marmottan, and Musee Rodin are also on my list but are not musts. I'd love to do a bike tour, potentially in the evening to keep the days more free.

I'll arrive at Gare de Lyon on the TGV from Cannes. I narrowed to a few hotels within my price point range ($280 - $300 per night) in the recommended arrondissements for first timers (4th - 7th).

Hotel Henri IV Rive Gauche (http://www.henri-paris-hotel.com/en/...l-paris-henri4) - like the location near the river, but would it be better to be in heart of Saint Germain or Latin Quarter instead?

Hotel Saint Jacques (http://www.paris-hotel-stjacques.com...rd-double-room) similar location to Henri IV, but farther from river, slightly cheaper

Hotel Saint Paul Paris (http://www.hotelsaintpaulparis.com/s...aul_paris.html)

Hotel Signature St Germain (http://www.hotellindbergh.com/#/les-chambres) I think this is likely the best situated for cafes/strolling, so right now it's my first choice

Hotel Pas de Calais (http://www.hotelpasdecalais.com/#) best value option, but seems least interesting, though I don't anticipate spending too much time in the hotel

Right now, the full schedule looks like:

Friday: fly into Nice, arrive 11:25 AM
Saturday: Nice (potential trip to Eze, no interest in Monaco)
Sunday: Nice, train to Cannes (considering a stop in Antibes to visit the Picasso Museum and have lunch, can arrive in Cannes anytime Sunday)
Monday: Cannes - work
Tuesday: Cannes - work
Wednesday: Cannes - work
Thursday: Morning TGV to Paris, arrive Paris at Gare de Lyon 12:35
Friday: Paris
Saturday: Paris
Sunday: Paris half day, fly home departure 7:10 PM

I would love your thoughts, I've already learned a ton from previous posts on Paris on this site. Thank you!

Christina

ANy of those locations would be fine. I'm not crazy about staying right near the Seine myself, I just don't care for it around there, but the Henri IV would be fine. It's maybe a block or so south of it as I recall. I would rather than somewhere a little farther from the Seine and all that hubbub around there. I don't think being more in the heart of the Latin Qtr would describe it as that is kind of the heart of it around there, historically.

Personally, I think the location of the Pas de Calais is one of the best and am surprised you don't like it that well as it looks very attractive to me (the rooms). No way in the world would I pay 30-50 euro more a night to stay i the former Lindbergh, for example, unless I'm missing something that is important to you. I wouldn't stay the location of the Signature is the best, either, but it totally depends what you want to be near. I'm not into expensive designer shops and shopping very much. That is very near Bon Marche, which is a nice dept store (and the Musee Maillol which is wonderful), but I don't think it is better suited for cafes and strolling in any way, but I may not just be understanding why you are thinking that. Something must be near it you like. I think the Pas de Calais and St Paul are the best locations, overall. If you like the Signature the best, then go for it, but if the only reason is you think it's the best location, not sure I'd agree with that.

Of course all these locations are perfectly fine.

tuscanlifeedit

I didn't check on every hotel, but I did check Hotel Pas de Calais since you said it was the best value option. I think I would go for that, unless money is no object. It seems like a nice hotel and the reviews on TA are very good. It's a fine location, to me, anyway.

thusspakezara

Thank you both for your responses! Christina, I also do not care for shopping, and certainly not expensive or designer shopping at all.

I guess from the map, it looked like the Signature was more in the heart of St Germain, but of course now that I plug them both into Google, Pas de Calais is also smack dab in the middle.

I think I will go ahead and reserve Pas de Calais now since there's no prepayment needed, and then if prices drop suddenly overall or something else opens up, I can be flexible and take another look.

Thank you again!

Christina

If you've never been there, your idea of the heart of St Germain is probably different from mine. They are both in St Germain but not that close together (St Paul is also in St Germain). Most cafes and restaurants, etc. are more in-between the St Germain church and bd St Michel, such as rue de Buci area, Odeon, St Sulpice, etc. In fact, I don't really think of anything SW of bd Raspail as being St Germain. If I had to pick a marker, I'd probably call Mabillon metro stop about the center of St Germain. IN reality, historically, the faubourg St Germain did extend into the seventh all the way to Invalides and maybe the area east of St Germain church wasn't originally part of it. Nowadays, that is the lively part and people typically refer to the 6th arrondisement north of Luxembourg gardens as St Germain, the part west of bd Raspail is mainly residential or government buildings, many old mansions, and some public land.

kimharp

We have stayed in many (MANY!) districts in Paris and always come back to the 7th, in the area near the Ecole Milataire metro stop. Even though it's right by la Tour Eiffel, it doesn't feel super touristy. Rue Cler market is great for sitting and people watching. There are many great restaurants a short walk away on Ave. de la Motte-Picquet. The metro will get you anywhere else you need to go. From your description I think you'd like this area--The Latin Quarter and St. Germaine areas are much more touristy and loud, in my opinion.

Two good hotels in this area are Hotel Tourville and Hotel Duquesne Eiffel, where we are staying again at the end of Sept this year. A budget hotel in this area that is clean but not fancy is Hotel Prince.

HappyTrvlr

It's easy to see Rodin Museum. Buy an inexpensive ticket for the gardens as that is where the sculptures are situated. Rodin works well with d'Orsay as you can easily walk from one to the other.

thusspakezara

Thanks, Christina, that does help clear things up for me. It's definitely my first time, so while I can read the maps, I don't always know where a neighborhood truly starts/stops.

Kimharp, thanks for both of your recs in the 7th! Unfortunately Dusquene Eiffel is sold out for my dates, and Tourville is a little higher than what I'd ideally like to pay (about $350 per night).

Are you familiar with Hotel Eiffel Turenne or Hotel Motte Picquet? Both of those are near the Ecole Militaire metro and do have availability in my price point.

kimharp

thusspakezara: I'm not familiar with the hotels you mentioned--I guess check Trip Advisor. Check out Hotel du Cadran (smaller boutique hotel--chocolatier in lobby!) and Hotel du Champ de Mars, both on Rue du Champs de Mars--I can't personally vouch, but I've walked by both of them a bunch of times and thought they looked worth checking out. Not sure about the prices though.

Judy

Hotel Pas de Calais is a great location, and I prefer the 6th to the 7th.