Someone told me not to stay near the Eiffel Tower area, because access to transportaion is not so good. What do you think about this???????

The Eiffel Tower itself is not TERRIBLY close to a m&eacute;tro, compared to most Paris sites - you have to walk about 5 blocks or so to catch the m&eacute;tro. But hotels in the area tend to be closer to the m&eacute;tro (the tower takes up, as you can imagine, a fair bit of space - hotels near it are going to be closer to the m&eacute;tro and other commercial spots). I usually stay at one of two hotels in the 7me that are within walking distance of the Tour Eiffel but that are 2 blocks from a m&eacute;tro. I suspect most hotels you are looking at that claim to be in the Tour Eiffel area are actually pretty close to a m&eacute;tro stop.<BR><BR>The advice you have received does not really comport with reality, as it is the Tour Eiffel itself that is removed from the m&eacute;tro, not the hotels that are billed as being &quot;near&quot; it.

We stayed very close to the Eiffel Tower on Hotel de la Rond Point de Longchamp on rue de Longchamp and there was a metro station a couple of blocks away (Trocadero) opposite the Tower.

Do you really think the most visited sight in Paris has &quot;not so good access&quot; to transportation? The Bir Hakeim metro station is about three blocks away, along with the Champs de Mars RER station and any number of bus routes. And, L'Opentour has a stop on one side and the other.

All of the above is true, but the real problem is that there isn't that much around the Eiffel Tower. If you stay in the 5th or 6th you are surrounded with cafes and restaurants, and have to worry less about transportation all the time.

I think that the explanation given by St Cirq is right on target.<BR>

If you log onto the Parisian Travel Authority website at www.ratp.fr (English language option available), you have the option in two clicks of finding the best route from point A to point B. Paris has EXCELLENT public transporation. If your hotel is a walk to the metro (never more than 250-300 meters at the most), there will be bus service with schedules clearly listed at every stop. Do not be fooled. Parisian public transportation is fantastic and affordable.

We just returned from Paris and we stayed at the Grand Hotel Leveque on rue cler in the 7th. It is two blocks from the Ecole Militaire metro stop and an easy walk to the Eiffel Tower. There are many small hotels in this area that are close to the metro and the Eiffel Tower plus there are a large number of great little restaurants. We always stay here and love the area. It has some cute little shops and rue cler is a wonderful market street. This is an upscale residential area as well so you can interact with the locals at the shops and restaurants. About the only negative is that it is not a big area for nightlife so if you are looking for an active nightlife, you will need to take the metro to where the action is. After a day of sightseeing and a wonderful dinner, a nice walk and bed are all the nightlife I need.

What St.Cirq said is very true and in addition to the Metro stops in the area there are numerous bus lines that intersect at Ecole Militaire and on the Champs de Mars near the Eiffel Tower. We have become very fond of the buses in Paris--see Paris topside and no long walks for the correspondance. You just have to keep your direction in mind.