Hills in Paris?
 

Are the hills in Paris a consideration in picking a hotel or area to stay or are they inconsequential? Thanks

Well the only hill that I know well is the hill that leads up to Sacre Cour and Montmatre. This is one of my favorite communities in Paris, and although there is a Funicular that will take you up the hill, and sweeping panoramic views from this neighborhood. If someone has difficulty walking or getting up stairs, I would consider a more central location when considering a hotel. Montmatre is definately a hill! There are steps that you can take that follow the same course as the funicular, the stairs are pretty steep though, and you need to be in reasonably decent shape to get all the way to the top. But again, this is one of my favorite neighborhoods in Paris, and should be visited, regardless.

There are hilly areas in the Latin Quarter, such as heading south on rue St Jacques or east from rue St Jacques. They are inconsequential, unless you have a lot of luggage to haul.

I would certainly consider it in choosing a hotel. Aside from Montmartre (the highest), there are hilly parts in the Latin Quarter, basically you are going uphill if you walk from bd St-Germain south (rues Monge, Fosses St-Jacques, and Ecoles are somewhat hilly, plus others around there). They even named a mountain there (Montagne Ste-Genevieve), so I guess early Parisians thought it was hilly; that is a street also (rue de la Mont Ste-G), leading from place Maubert to the Pantheon, which is at the top of Montagne Ste-Genevieve, so that part of Paris is higher than others. The streets are inclined and you notice it if you walk around there a lot. It wouldn't matter if you just plan to leave your hotel in the morning and not come back, but I myself would not choose a hotel on the eastern end of rue des Ecoles, for example. There are at least seven official "hills" in Paris (or am I confusing that with Rome): Montmartre, Montparnasse, Montsouris, Menilmontant, Chaillot and Butte aux Cailles. I stayed in the Montparnasse area some and read some history of that area which is interesting, but I don't have my history book here (I'm at work) so forget the details. Basically, Montparnasse was named in jest by those fun-loving French students after Mount Parnassus (home of the muses), maybe 17th century. It is really not that hilly except for Montsouris down in the SE corner, but I think there used to be a higher hill there which has been flattened (maybe due to urban renewal, I forget). Now Montsouris means "mouse mountain" so you can't expect a lot, but I think it is the highest point on the left bank; there's a nice park there. In fact, I can recall several streets in the Latin Qtr around that area and going from place Maubert south where you actually have steep steps between streets as they are of such different altitude; for example, there are some at least 1-2 bldg stories, done in the 14th arr. on rue des Artistes down to rue Rene Coty (this is near the water reservoir). Also on the Left Bank, 13th arr., is Butte aux Cailles, which is a hill; interesting neighborhood, the Paris Commune set up cannons there as a strategic point in 1871, but I think that was their last stand and they got squashed. On the Right Bank, Pere Lachaise cemetery is on a hill called Champ l'Eveque. There are terraces from the restaurants of Belleville where you can see a city vista, so that is definitely higher up; Parc de Belleville is hilly. Anyway, there are hills in Paris, but normally it's not a problem for tourism as they spend most of their time in the flatter parts around the Seine, and most tourists would not be likely to pick a hotel in these other areas, and there aren't that many, anyway. However, I myself would not stay on the eastern end of rue des Ecoles, for example.

Larry, I'm assuming that you are thinking about a view. Why else would a hill be of significance? Only the Montmartre hill amounts to anything and the choice real estate there is pretty well taken up by the cathedral. More important, the Metro ride back and forth, plus the walk up the hill will make you wish you'd stayed near the Seine where every other person stays. I have taken that Metro ride from the tourist area at least 6 times since 1988 and it is nothing to look forward to. It's a commute! But the Metro does not climb hills so once at the base of Montmartre you either walk or catch the little trolley that hauls tourists up to the cathedral. DON'T DO IT! STAY IN 1st-7th arrondissements. You'll feel silly otherwise, I guarantee. I lived there.