hip area to stay in paris?
 

i am taking my 22 year old daughter to paris. is there an area to stay in paris that is like soho in nyc or melrose st in LA that is full of hip fahsion boutiques and shops that would appeal to a 22 year old girl?
thanks
michael

I would take a look at the Marais (4th arrondisment) Great boutiques & cafes.

The Marais.

I do love the Marais but I think the Latin Quarter is actually a bit more hip. The area around Au Bon Marché Rive Gauche has an abundance of really cool shops and the neighborhood is, oh, so charming. This is one of my favorite neighborhoods to shop and explore in Paris.

NYCFoodSnob, the area around Au Bon Marché is NOT the Latin Quarter. It's in the 7th, nearly at the border between the 6th (Saint Germain) and the 7th.

Besides, it's not the best area for a 22 years old. The area around St. Sulpice has plenty of boutiques/designers shops. However, I think Marais in more like the Soho than Saint Germain.

<i>&quot;the area around Au Bon March&eacute; is NOT the Latin Quarter&quot;</i>

I never said it was. Regardless of technical, black and white arrondissement boundaries, I often think of the Latin Quarter and Saint-Germain as one neighborhood, I think it's called the Left Bank. For newbies, it's good to differentiate. A leisurely stroll east of Bon Marche reminds me of the simple, 5 minute walk from 6th Avenue and Bleeker (ie: the Greenwich Village) into Soho. No big deal but a great find, nonetheless.

<i>&quot;it's not the best area for a 22 years old&quot;</i>

I completely disagree. One can find wonderful boutique areas all over Paris, in every neighborhood. However, the &quot;chic&quot; re-gentrification that continues in the area just east of Bon Marche is quite significant and worth exploring, even for a 22 year old. Last time there, the streets were filled with young &quot;hip&quot; shoppers and we were having loads of fun.

I pondered the same question (although my traveling partner is my 14 yr old son) and couldn't make up my mind so we are dividing our stay in two places. We have reservations at a hotel in the Marias near the Place des Vosges for several nights then we are moving to an apartment in the Latin Quarter.

I think the Marais sounds like a good fit--the shops are very Melrosian.

This is totally unscientific, but I had the impression that the western edge of the Marais (along with the Bastille and Oberkampf areas) seemed to attract more people in their 20s to early 30s.

The central to western Marais seemed to have more people in the late 30s-early 40s demographic.

The Latin Quarter attracts all ages, but there's very little about it that I would consider hip. There's a youthful crowd that hangs out around the Place Contrescarpe and some scattered chic shops, but I don't see them as appealing to a 22-year-old (my stepdaughters are 20 and 18, so I &quot;think&quot; I have a grasp of the generational mindset. Then again. . . )

St. Germain (6eme)has an affluent Baby Boomer air to it. Not that there's anything wrong with that. There are some fashionable shops, but I'd say they're skewed a bit older.

Other than Bon Marche, there's not much shopping of interest in the 7eme, although the cafes around Ecole Militaire draw a young crowd (the rest of the 7eme seems to draw a pretty mature--50s, 60s--bunch).

Another option is Montmartre. You won't have a density of fun boutiques, but there are some on the rue des Abbesses. There are always a lot of young people hanging out on the terrasse of Sancerre (also on rue des Abbesses). If your daughter saw and enjoyed the film &quot;Amelie&quot; she might like to explore this area, although you certainly wouldn't have to stay in the neighborhood to do so. It makes for a pleasant day excursion.

No matter where you stay, your daughter may like Colette, a store on rue St. Honore in the 2eme that is kind of a cross between Barneys and Urban Outfitters.

Have a terrific time in Paree!

Agree with the Marais. The area around the opera house is referred to(by americans) as the soho of Paris&quot;. it's upscale like soho has become. Take her to the Cafe d'industrie for a young, hip crowd. The area around Oberkampf is probably even more hip. Menilmotant has lots of places that may well appeal.
You might want to check out Cafe Charbon. Two things stuck out for us when were there ..we were the oldest(we're in our 50s) and the only ones not smoking!

Pam, I can't believe you mentioned Cafe Charbon! One of the owners is a well-known Japanese actor who has lived in Paris for 30 years. I met him in Italy through my cousin, who was running a summer acting workshop. I've had the cafe on my Paris list for several years but have never made it there. Apparently they also have live music several nights a week in the area behind the cafe, and it definitely draws a young, hip crowd.

This is a great posting! I AM 22 yrs old, am going with my boyfriend to Europe in Sept. and at the moment, am trying to find a CHEAP hotel in the Marais - I have read that it's the &quot;very trendy, very gay&quot; part of town. I live in the Boston &quot;very trendy, very gay&quot; part of town so this sounds perfect. Any of you veterans have any suggestions on cheap places to stay? I'm not concerned with having room service, we would rather spend the big bucks on a fabulous restaurant. So far I have come up with these places, but I would love input if any of you have heard of them: Hotel Sevigne, Hotel Pratic, Hotel Picard, Hotel de Roubaix, Grand Hotel du Loiret - all of which are in the Marais. Any suggestions?

I can't believe I even know this, but If I were 22 I'd want to go to Le Man Ray. Menu doesn't look too bad nor TOO TOO expensive... and well, Johnny Depp is one of the owners.

Oh Suzie, I hope my girlfriend doesn't see THAT post!

Hi,
Styed at Hotel Bretonnerie a few years back and thought it was nice and good location.

http://www.france.com/hotels/hotel.cfm?hotel_id=454

Mike

NO NO...take your girlfriend there... she'll be sooooooooo pleased...and you'll look &quot;stud confident&quot;!

Can't go wrong with Latin Quarter or the Marais. Multicultural Belleville also seems to have a lot of cachet these days.

My son and I are staying at the Hotel Jeanne d'Arc in the Marais. It is very close to the Place de Vosges- probably not the hippest area of the Marais but certainly walking distance for us and inexpensive. I think the website is www.jeannedarc.com If that isn't right just do a google search- that is how I found it.

OK, I posted another thread asking for help for a hotel for my son and new daughter-in-law. We are giving them a trip for their honeymoon. They are 24. I am really thinking about booking them at the Hotel de Notre Dame..the location looks great. Anyone know this hotel in the 5th right near the Seine or does anyone have a better suggestion? I love the idea of J.Depp's restaurant...how's the food I wonder? Who cares! Does he ever show up? It would be worth the risk for me! hehehe

I would agree, the Marais district would be nice. However, the Latin Quarter and area around the Sorbonne is teaming with students and young people, bars, clubs, etc. I think she would enjoy that area much more (5th Arr).

Would appreciate suggestions for charming, comfortable hotels in the marais or quartier latin! Looking for something for a teenaged girl and her mom (i.e., trendy shops and restaurants, not too far from metro).

aduren--if 75 euros is in your price range, you might check out the Hotel du Septieme Art in the Marais. Rooms are pretty basic, but the location is great (just off rue St. Antoine), staff is friendly. There's no elevator, but won't need that--you're an energetic 22!

The address is 20 rue St. Paul.

Agree with NYC and Oysters- when I studied some years back in Paris, all my Parisien teachers said that the Marais is tres &quot;a la mode&quot; meaning it was the hip fashionable area to live in. However I much prefer the Latin Quarter/St. Germain/Sorbonne/Cluny area as a place to stay and hang out in (and I too, think of these areas as more or less one) and this is the area that I believe a 22 year old will enjoy the most-lots of students, cafes, little boutique shops and the like all along the Luxembourg Gardens area-a stone's throw from the Seine, really just a lovely dynamic section of Paris-it's the area that I think really captures the Parisian essence and has little to do with an age- it's for all ages really.

Elle was correct to write that the area east of the Marais is another trendy part of Paris. From Republique, down through Oberkampf to the Bastille, this area has many of Paris' branch&eacute; clubs and bars. If you caught any of MTV's &quot;Real World: Paris&quot;, the kids seemed to go clubbing there. Check out AvantGuide Paris for a travel guide with a more trendy/hip, youthful viewpoint.

I second the recommendation for the store, Colette. It is very much like Barney's.

Also, I recommend that you have a drink or dinner at Alcazar, on rue Mazarine (in the Latin quarter, or technically probably St. Germaine.) They have a separate lounge with a glass roof overlooking the restaurant, great music, and it is very hip.

Glad you like the idea of the Marais and I assume you have consulted with your daughter about the areas she might enjoy staying in??????????

Somehow I doubt a 22-year-old young woman going to Paris would look forward to hanging out with a bunch of students but I could be wrong. Enjoy your trip.

I am not normally a &quot;get a guidebook&quot; kind of poster, but seems might be appropriate here. You could buy one for your daughter and let her read descriptions of the various arrondisements and see which appeals to her. I think this is good advice generally for traveling partners, because then for the bad or the good, no one has to take the blame or the credit for that matter on how things turn out. Having said all that... I stayed in the Latin Quarter near the Sorbonne and seems like that area would suit you both.

aduren: out of the hotels you listed i actually stayed at the hotel practic on my very first ever trip to europe. while it is not plush it is inexpensive and does the trick. if you are good with budget hotels then you will be fine there. the people that run the place are nice and the location is great.

I had forgotten about the Bastille/Republique area- that actually is pretty much THE place to go in Paris for the hip club scene.

I stayed at the Grand Hotel Jeanne d'Arc last year. VERY reasonable &amp; very quaint, very clean! And it's just around the corner from the loveliest little square full of little restaurants and the square is lively 'til 1pm (but the hotel itself is quiet). And they serve breakfast in room. If you do a search at the top you'll see some of my glowing comments about the place along with the website (www.hoteljeannedarc.com). Stefan is extremely nice but initially very droll. Doubles run 80-95 euros. Singles are 57 euros. The only problem is that it's always booked to the hilt so get your reservation now.

I also went to the Man Ray last year. Very, very hip and loads of 20-somethings. Other owners are Mick Hucknall of Simply Red, Sean Penn (recent Oscar winner, husband to Robin Wright Penn &quot;Jenny&quot;, ex-hub to Mad Donna ;)), and John Malkovich.

Aduren, only certain parts of the Marais are really gay, that's the area around rue Vieille du Temple. A great area, to be sure. Rather arty little shops. The Marais has been compared to Greenwich Village of the 1960s. Having never BEEN to Greenwich Village in the 1960s (a smidgen before my time) I can't really compare, but it sounds nice!! :)

Amwosu, I think you &amp; you're son will love the place!

Wren, I didn't try the food at Man Ray; it's basically tapas &amp; sushi, I've read it's overpriced and not very good, but the drinks are good &amp; the ambience is superb!!

Also, the Oberkampf/Menilmontant area is pretty hip, too! That's where Cafe Charbon is, isn't it?

Hi. Why all the sturm and drang over the Marais vs The Latin Quarter?

I had the best of both banks. I stayed across from Notre Dame on the Left Bank, and had a five minute walk across the 2 islands in the Seine to the Marais.

I was on the same block as the Hotel Colbert, in an apartment over the AL DAR Lebanese restaurant.

Check out www.studiohelene.com for some great pictures of Paris too.

Stay on Isle St. Louis and you are right in the middle...equidistant to the Marais and Left Bank.

I vote for the Marais/Bastille area for young adults. The shopping scene on Sunday afternoons is a trip, but the area should appeal to mom, too!

aduren-

We stayed at Hotel du Marais a couple of years ago. It is very CHEAP. No frills, no charm, extremely small room and bathroom, but it was clean and the price was right. Hotel Bretonnerie is very charming, and in a great location, but much more expensive.

Cafe Charbon was filled with an extrememly cool brunch crowd. Watch out for the real absinthe; it will knock you out.

I always keep an eye out for Johnny Depp in Paris, but so far- no luck.