Does anyone have a good resource to understand the various areas of Paris. I've stayed twice, both on the Champs but this time looking to go much more bargin (~100Euro per night). Just not sure where to locate to be central to the really touristy stuff (going with a first timer), train, RER from CDG and also some quaint, affordable restaurants. Thanks!!

I think most recommendations here will be for the 6th (St. Germain-des-Pres) or the 4th (Marais.) You should be able to get a hotel in these centrally located areas for around your target price. The 5th arr., also; (Latin Quarter). There are long lists on here of good hotels in those areas. Try running a search and see what sounds good to you.

Try the following links: http://www.hotelsearch-in-paris.com/ (search by map) or http://www.about-paris-hotels.net/

You should not have any problems finding rooms at that rate. Also, the map on the first link will show where all the metro/rer stops are.

Recently stayed in Latin Quarter at Hotel Monge for 95 euro per night. We really enjoy that area, find it's easy to get to all the sites from, and loved our room with balcony overlooking the street (by request).

Good luck in your search.

EM11 there were several excellent threads quite a while back describing each of the arrondissments. Try a search, and if I find it first I'll top it for you.

Seems to me the "touristy stuff" is spread all over Paris.

EM, I couldn't find it, but I saved it in Word so here's my file, if it's not too long for a single post.

1ère This is the geographical center of Paris and a haven for tourists. The Louvre, Les Halles and the Palais Royal are all here.

2ème A primarily business district. The Paris Stock Market (the Bourse) and the Bibliothèque Nationale are here.

3ème Along with the 4ème arrondissement, this neighborhood makes up the Marais, one of the oldest neighborhoods in Paris. Many 17th century mansions that once housed the noblest families in Paris are still to be seen in this quiet and ungentrified neighborhood.

4ème The center of the Marais, this is a lively neighborhood with a strong alternative lifestyle scene as well as lots of trendy bars, shops, and restaurants. The rue des Rosiers is a centerpiece of Jewish lifestyle in Paris and the Ile St. Louis and the Ile de la Cité are the oldest parts of Paris.

5ème The fabled Latin Quarter. This neighborhood takes its name from the Sorbonne, where Latin was the common tongue for all students during the Middle Ages. The neighborhood has the feel of a small village and students mix freely with professionals in its winding streets. The rue Mouffetard is a primary artery where shops, international restaurants and student bars and cafés are found.

6ème St. Germain. Once the hangout for bohemians and intellectuals, this neighborhood has undergone gentrification and is now newly chic. Upscale boutiques, art galleries, and restaurants can be found throughout this district.

7ème The Eiffel Tower, the Musée d'Orsay and lots of international residents can be found in this very wealthy neighborhood.

8ème This upscale neighborhood is in fact quite diverse. The area around Champs Elysèe, has lots of shopping and lots of tourists, while in the area to the East, between the Champs Elysee and Place de la Madeleine you will find a mixture of 19th century buildings intermingled with businesses. This area is in someways similar to parts of the 16th, but is generally less pretentious.

9ème A diverse residential area popular among an artistic crowd. Ths Southern portion is similar to the 2nd arrondissement, with a mix of residential and business buildings. The Paris Opera is located here. Farther North is Pigalle, the fading Red Light district as well as the famous Moulin Rouge.

10ème The two great train stations in Paris are here, the Gare de l'Est and the Gare du Nord. This multi-cultural neighborhood also contains a bohemian element.

11ème Place de la Bastille and the New Opera are found here. This is a primarily residential district.

12ème Residential neighborhood bordered on the east by the Bois de Vincennes ( a nice park ).

13ème Residential neighborhood, as well as Paris' Chinatown.

14ème Montparnasse and the Cité Universitaire are found in this residential district traditionally known for its lively cafés and restaurants around the Blvd. Montparnasse.

15ème This large primarily residential neighborhood ranges from very upscale in the area bordering the 7th arrondissement and the Seine, to relatively safe and affordable in the more outlying areas.

16ème Bois de Boulogne, Trocadero. Although it is not as exclusive as the 7th arrondissement, the 16th is widely regarded as the neighborhood for the wealthy.

17ème This diverse district really contains more than one neighborhood, with the portion, in the west, near the Arc de Triomph and Parc Monceau, being very upscale.

18ème Montmartre. This artsy residential neighborhood has a small village feel and lots of tourists.

19ème The Parc des Buttes Chaumont. A residential neighborhood with many ethnic restaurants and shops.

20ème Belleville and the Père-Lachaise cemetery. An outlying residential area that is becoming yuppified.

I realize I should have said thanks to whoever wrote this post (maybe Elaine?). Unfortunately I don't seem to have the original posting info.

Yes, Marilyn. That's a very nice profile for each area. Thanks for sharing it....along with whomever posted it originally.

Marilyn, thank you for this listing. It's great. Also check out www.paris-zoom.com/plan/asp.

Statia, can you say more about Hotel Monge? I'm considering it. What are the rooms like, bathrooms, etc? Atmosphere? Thanks.

The transportation system of Paris is so good that it doesn't really much matter where you stay in arrondisements 1-8. Paris is really quite a compact large city. In your price range look for a 2* hotel.

Rebecca,

We really enjoyed Hotel Monge and would stay there again. It's newly renovated, very clean and quite modern. Julie, the host, is also very helpful, if a bit shy.

We only stayed one night, so we didn't partake in the breakfast with having an early flight. However, the breakfast dining area was very nice from what we saw. Overall the lobby and rooms were nicely decorated and very inviting.

Our room was larger than our last in the Latin Quarter and we felt it ample space. The bathroom had ample space, as well (although no bidet, which is why I knew it was newly renovated).

We also had two sets of French doors that opened onto a small balcony overlooking Rue Monge (by request), which made for a nice evening with the doors open, enjoying the activity on the street below. It wasn't noisy with the windows shut on the fifth floor, however. We slept very comfortably that night.

We paid 95 euro per night in July and felt the price was very affordable for the room we had. The room also had A/C.

Let me know if you have more questions.

Thanks you all so much! I'm sure to find something with all this great information!!

We used a book called France for Dummies. Stayed in the Latin Quarter on Rue Des Ecoles and were about 1.5 blocks from a metro stop (Maubert). We used the metro extensively and even went back to the airport on the RER. Overall, I think tourism is down - especially US tourists so I'd try to negotiate a deal directly with the hotel as they seem open to discounting.

Statia, thank you so much. That's very helpful.

How do you negotiate a deal for a hotel in Paris? By e-mail?

To give credit where credit is due, I think Florence wrote that nice description of the arrondisements. She used to post quite a bit on Paris for a while, not sure if she's still around -- I think she lived there but was an expat from somewhere else, not sure.

I think those rates Statia posted for Hotel Monge are just their standard rates which you can get by applying normally. There are some seasonal variations, of course, in some hotels (high season is Sept-Oct and April-June).

Rebecca,

As Christina said, that was their regular rate at Hotel Monge. I just went to their website (don't have it handy, but you can do a search for it) and filled out their booking form. Julie, the host, emailed my confirmation shortly thereafter, and I faxed our credit card info to guarantee the room.

It was very easy and the website had all pertinent info.

Good luck.

We stayed in a wonderfully comfortable hotel in the Marais...Hotel Bretonnerie. 3 blocks to the Pompidou Centre...nice walk to the Louvre.

Actually, it was Alice who posted that & she referenced this website for the arrondissement info:
www.parisnet.net/parismap.html

Francesca also had some good arrondissement info that I had saved to my hard drive at home but unfortunately it isn't working right now. I tried finding the thread but I couldn't locate it. I believe it was a list she herself compiled.

I'm glad somebody knows to whom to give credit! I never expected to have to post it back here so I didn't keep all the info, just the "message" part.

DrG, the Bretonnerie looks great! It's on my list for next time -- we want to stay in the Marais. Thanks!

Thanks, Marilyn! I hope I didn't sound pedantic (yikes ).

I've always wanted to stay at the Bretonnerie. Another place in the Marais that looks nice is the Hotel Caron de Beaumarchais, also in EM11's price range.

However, there is my other little fave that's less expensive than that, just 5 minutes from the Place des Vosges. It's nice, cute & charming but not as upscale as the other two.