Susan

We are planning a trip to Paris in February with our two kids (11, 14) We need to make a choice between Citadines Les Halles, near the Chatelet and Les Halles metro stops and the Citadines Republique Aparments which is near the Parmentier metro. I have been reading on these areas and I am not sure which is the better choice. I am very concerned about safety, we will want to be out in the evening and I don't want to be fearful coming home. Also, I would like it if there were cafes, restaurants, and shops near our hotel. Any information is appreciated. Thank you.

Fred

Personally I would stay at Citadine Les Halles. The other is really far out from the centraL area. The street that it's on is fine, at the end of rue St Honore. You'll be able to walk to a lot of places. At the other you couldn't walk to anyplace except the Canal St Martin. For more Paris information e-mail me: [email protected]

Christina

Personally, I would stay in the 11th, for several reasons. First, it is a nicer area, more residential, less of hustlers and tourists. Les Halles area has a bad reputation, there is crime around there, hustling, some nearby prostitution although you might not run into that (rue St Denis), but it's much more hectic etc than the other area. There are families, markets, parks, etc near the other one; sq Republique is great, lots of families there, shops, cafes, a terrific large carousel which may not be open in Feb, I suppose -- there is an open air market Sundays on bd Richard Lenoir; rue Oberkampf nearby is very lively and has lots of cafes and shops, also--walking from there into Menilmontant is very interesting and you'll find lots of shops, locals, markets. Second, it isn't that far out at all -- it's only about a mile from the Seine, about the same distance as the Duroc metro stop and the Montparnasse Tower are on the Left Bank; it is closer to the islands in the Seine where Notre Dame, Conciergerie etc are than the Arc de Triomphe is, and lots of people stay around there. Third, the metro stops around Parmentier (that location is only 1-2 blocks from sev. other metro stops, like Oberkampf and Republique) are smaller and easier to use than Chatelet/Les Halles and Chatelet near the others; those stops are huge due to connections in them and C/Les Halles also has a bad reputation for crime. Fourth, the Parmentier location appears to be $40 a night cheaper for the same size apt from what I have viewed (on www.apartmenthotel.com), that is a lot of money. Part of that is due to the air conditioning which you won't need in Feb, but the rest is probably due to many tourists thinking they want to be near Les Halles, also (there is a shopping center at Les Halles which your teens might enjoy, I will admit). Les Halles is closer to the Seine and Louvre and you could walk to a couple things from there, but that would not be a reason for me to stay there instead of taking a short metro ride and given the other factors I have named, espec. in February. If it were me with a family, I'd choose the Voltaire location, but I think both would be okay.

Susan

Christina,<BR><BR>Thank you for the detailed response. I had read that Les Halles was not the best area, but friends were pushing me to stay there because of the location. My only concern with the Citadines Republique is that it be in a nice neighborhood and not in a run down area. We want to be able to eat near our hotel and to wander the shops in the area also and we want to feel comfortable doing so. The guide books are not all that helpful when it comes to the 11th arr. So, again, thank you for the information.

bill

We stayed at Citadines Republique several years ago and will be staying there again this year. It is in a great neighborhood near Pl. Republique and within easy walking distance of the Bastille. We like it because of the neighborhood with charming small cafes and a nearby market to stock up on wine, cheese and sausage - what else do you need? The hotel itself has balconies looking out onto a street that could only be Paris. We have stayed in a number of hotels in a number of neighborhoods during the last several years and enjoyed the Citadines Republique the most. It is only a block from the Parmentier metro station and from there you can get anywhere you want to go in Paris.

Christina

Susan, that neighborhood is not glamorous in parts, but not too many parts of Paris are that ritzy -- it's not terribly rundown as I think you are envisioning (ie, a real low-income inner city area); anyway, the area around Les Halles isn't ritzy, either, that's for sure. YOu shouldn't have any problem finding places to eat and shop. It is too bad it's not nicer weather as I really do like pl Republique, and lots of people are out and about on some of the main blvds around there (Voltaire, for example). Actually, it is within walking distance of one major tourist "attraction" which is Pere Lachaise cemetery. IN fact, I walked from Per Lachaise thru Menilmontant on rue Oberkampf all the way to the Oberkampf metro last July, that's one reason I'm familiar with that area. There is a really neat church on that route, I might add, somewhat east of the border of the 20th arr -- Notre Dame de la Croix. If you do stay at that location, you are lucky that you are near the Cirque d'Hiver (Winter Circus) which is at 110 rue Amelot, only a few blocks from there. Definitely walk over that way and check out the building, it is very interesting. With your kids, I think that would be a great outing. I've checked the schedules I can find, and it's a little fuzzy as they have one show running until Jan 27th, but then something called the World Festival of the Circus of Tomorrow until Feb 4th, and something called African Circus from Feb 8th until Feb 17th (although there is a note on their web site that it is postponed). Here is their URL, www.cirquedhiver.com, but I would drop by to see what's going on there. Right nearby is a very famous Parisian landmark, the Clown Bar which is a good wine bar with decor related to clowns (not like Ronald McDonald, older interesting stuff). If you can get rid of the kids for a while, you should stop in there for a glass of wine and simple meal perhaps. There are plenty of people and cafes around place Republique, so take a stroll up there and you'll probably find some places to eat, as well as down bd Voltaire and along rue Oberkampf. There were tons of good markets and food shops on the eastern part of rue Oberkampf with lots of good takeout and other food.