Has anyone stayed in that area? Any comments please?

Hi P,

Do you have a particular hotel or apt in mind?

An address would help.

Nice to get a response from you ira, your advice is always helpful. I don't have the exact address but it is an apartment and looks very nice.It is in the quartier de Belleville & Menilmontant . It is opposite the Botzaris metro and near the Parc des Buttes chaumont. Is that any clearer? Many thanks.

The Buttes Chaumont area is the "chic" part of the 19th, but that is just to snooker you in, because Belleville and Menilmontant are not near that park -- it is just in the same arrondissement. Belleville has its own park, which should be mentioned instead. Menilmontant and Belleville are both very interesting working class neighborhoods with a high percentage of immigrants, particularly in Belleville, which is the 2nd largest Chinatown of Paris. I would give the area a very warm recommendation for anybody who wants to discover the real Paris. The area should be avoided like poison, however, by people only interested in the Paris seen on postcards.

Ooops, I had missed the mention of metro Botzaris. That is indeed closer to the Buttes Chaumont. Unfortunately, that particular area is pretty boring, and the Botzaris station is on a short detached metro line that increases the complications of getting around.

Hi P,

To give you some idea of travel times,
ratp.fr says that it's about 0:30 hr from the Botzaris stop to the Hotel de Ville stop.

Thanks again ira and kerouac. Am starting to have doubts.

If you got a good deal on the accommodation, the price you pay can far outweigh the possible inconvenience of the location. It all depends on where your priorities lie.

Hi P,

If you want to live like a Parisian for a week or so, you have picked a good place.

Up in the morning, commute into the city, return commute in the evening, pick up something at the local shops, have dinner, watch some telly, off to bed.

Repeat next day.