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Honeymoon Paris 5e vs 6e
I am planning to stay in paris for my honeymoon this June. Thanks to the help of you guys out there I have been able to find rentals in our price range located in both 5e and 6e. From what I understand 6e is more like soho-esque and 5e is more like west village. Is this a good assessment? I was wondering if you guys had a choice between the two for a honeymoon, where would you stay. I understand that they are super close to each other so I guess it doesn't make that much of a difference, but for a honeymoon I just want to make sure it's perfect. Happy wife=happy life =)
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5th includes the university area, and to me, is a bit less busy than the 6th, except for where the 6/5th meet. Where are you looking to stay? Both areas offer good choice of restaurants.
My one hotel I stayed at in the 6th had views of Notre Dame, so we watched sunrises over the cathedral. My hotel in the 5th was one block from the Seine. To me, the Seine is an important part of a trip to Paris, and I would like to stay on or very near to it. Have you looked at the Islands? |
Paris is nothing like either Soho or the West Village. As you mention, these arrondissements are small and adjacent to each other. It won't make a whole lot of difference either way. I'd be happy in either neighborhood.
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I think we are looking for something where we can stroll and explore the city on foot. Cafe/bistro/parks are high up on the list. What we are not looking for is over commercialized areas.
BTW thanks so much for the responses |
oh, and look at the islands. They look fantastic but I think they might be a little too quiet and low key at night.
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just read my posts, and forgive my punctuation and spelling errors...that's what happens when your mind is racing
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The Islands would be quieter, but with easy access to either Left or Right Bank, as well as some good restaurants on Island and being 1 block from Seine, a good place to be. You can combine the excitement of Paris, with a bit of a neighborhood feel at night.
On my trips I like just standing on the bridges over the Seine, with the boats going by, the buildings along the Seine lit up, the Eiffel tower twinkling in the distance... It (Ile St Louis) is one of my favs. |
Ile St. Louis is quiet, but it's also just a stone's throw across the river to more lively areas. Sort of a "best of both worlds" scenario. And for a honeymoon atmosphere, it'd be hard to beat.
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Here's a great looking studio apartment on the Ile Saint-Louis: http://www.guestapartment.com/proper...io/acacia.html
Saved this from another Fodors' thread about Paris apartments (of which there are many). |
I think the 5th or 6th (provided you are close to the river) or Ile St Louis are all great areas for a honeymoon stay.
Can you post links to the rentals you found for more detailed comments? |
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YOu can't characterize entire arrondisements that way, they aren't small neighborhoods so you can say the entire 5th arrondisement is like Soho or whatever. Most people when you say the 5th envision you mean very near the Seine in the very touristy section because that's the only place most people have ever seen in the 5th.
Now I don't know NY well enough to say exactly what the West Village is like, but I doubt if it is like St Germain, which is a very expensive, trendy area with Armani shops, rich people, expensive antique stores, and things like that. I think the West Village is supposed to be more Bohemian with artists lofts, etc. The 5th arr isn't like Soho at all IMO. I think maybe the Marais would be more like one of those descriptions. IN any case, I checked and that apt is actually in the bottom part of the 5th near Censier metro, which is an area I like and where I've stayed a couple times. That particular location I'm not that familiar with, I think that's a street with a university building on it and maybe some student housing, I'm not sure. I would prefer the 5th but that's because I know Paris well and like things a big off the beaten track and don't like hanging out in St Germain much. I prefer the 13th-14th and that area. That apt in St Germain would probably be what most people would prefer who don't know Paris and want more of a grand experience, I'll bet. St Germain is VERY commercialized, however, and the part of the 5th near Censier metro isn't that much. There is a market/shopping street but that's just one street and doesn't have deluxe shops on it (Mouffetard). I would bet you would prefer the one in St Germain, just guessing. YOu can stroll around and see what first-time tourists want to see more. These two apts are not at all what I would close very close together BTW. |
JiMCious - the St. Germain apt. (BTW it's in the 7th,just over the 6th/7th border) is by FAR the better located of the two - in terms of everything: convenience, atmosphere, cafes, restaurants, tourists sights, etc.
The Latin one is not in the best area of the 5th and lags the the St. Germain one in all the things listed above. |
Definitely it would be the St Germain apartment for me. So much better located and I think that part of Paris is really nice. Not only that, but it looks so much nicer in the photos.
I have enjoyed staying on Rue Monge in the 5th a couple of times, the area is not over-commercialised, but the apt in the 5th is fairly quiet. And it's a longish trek up to the river. When I was in the 5th we always ended up walking over towards the Pantheon and the river because it was just more lively with a better choice of restaurants etc, and just more fun. If it were me, I'd choose the one in the 6th/7th. Alternatively if you want to be well situated, then consider the Marais in the 3rd, which is where I will always stay for choice from now on. PS - Don't forget to buy a padlock before you go to fix to the Pont des Arts to seal your love! |
thanks to all
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Marais is the 4th :)
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Ooops, I was looking at page 4 of my Paris Pratique and there's a big red 3e tag by the Place des Vosges, and the Ile St Louis is tagged the 4e on the next page.
Now I look again I see that the Marais IS in the 4th. Rest assured Michel, I shall not make that silly mistake again! |
Il n'y a pas de quoi, mademoiselle.
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As always, if you are looking for cafes/bistros, I love the 6th. I don't love Blvd St Germain, but the areas off the Blvd are great. We love the area around rue de Conde and rue St Sulpice (off Blvd St Germain and so close to the Odeon Metro station)
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In the times DH and I travelled to Paris, we've never gotten the arrondissements in our heads. We usually say we are staying in Montparnasse or near the Arc de Triomphe. Am I alone in this?
FWIW, I thought the first apt. looked the most spacious and well done. It is so easy to get around in Paris, don't worry which you take. On the other hand, see how close you are to Metro or bus stop or bakery! Michel_Paris, you are French? Do you automatically say, "Oh we live in the 5th" or whatever, or do you say, we are 3 blocks from Notre Dame? We have stayed in Montparnasse area 4 out of the 5 times we've visited Paris. |
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