Kristin

I booked the HOTEL DE LA BRETONNERIE-PARIS for our honeymoon in May. It has gotten good views and met most of our traveling criteria. The problem is that I read that it may be in a gay part of Paris. Do you think that will be a potential problem for us? I would appreciate honest opinions. <BR>

Ross

Hello Kristin. <BR> <BR>Why do you feel it would or should pose a problem? <BR> <BR>Ross.

Kimerley

Kristin, I can't see how staying in a "gay" area will affect your honeymoon. <BR>

bob

I can't speak to just the gay issue. I can talk about the area that you are staying in. Last year when we were in Paris we agreed that the area your staying in is where we wanted to stay when we return. It is the Marais area and we loved it. It contains the old Jewish Quarter (great baked goods) with <BR>small winding steets, its old Paris and lovely.

Kristin

It is a comfortability level. I don't want to be in an area that we woulnd not feel comfortable in....this is my fiance's first trip out of the country and I want it to go smoothly.

noproblem

it's a lovely area and i know many 'straight' people who recommend it.

Ess

Kristin, wouldn't you be the best judge of your comfortability level on this issue? How can anyone else determine whether being in a "gay part" of Paris will be a problem for you?

Bob

One more item. My wife and I have been married for 38 years and are very much in love. We liked this area because we felt it was a very romantic area of Paris. This is because of the old buildings and narrow streets. We think it is a good area for a honeymoon. Where you go does not make your honeymoon perfect, the two of you do.

Danna

Kristin, <BR>I'm so sorry that you feel this way. I really try to be respectful of people's questions but this is entirely too ... too. I booked our family into a lovely hotel in Toronto that once we arrived it was clearly "gay" (whatever that means) hotel. The attached bar sign saying "open Gaily" was a clue. My husband, child and I had a grand time. Please rethink your assumptions of others and yourselves.

forum-addict

- <BR>Kristin: <BR> <BR>As one of those Fodor junkies, who is on this site WAY too much & has read MANY, many comments/discussion about Paris I can safely assure you this issue has never been raised. And goodness knows, if it had been a problem, there would have been somebody posting & squacking about it on the website !!! <BR>Therefore, I think you will feel perfectly comfortable staying in that arrondissement.

Kristin

Thanks for the comments. I feel more confortable staying in the area. I appreciate all the useful information!!

Danna

nota... i believe that these responses are responding to her legitimate question. Bleeding hearts.... maybe,... hearts certainly. Count me in! Havaheart!

joern

A couple perks in being in a gay area: great restaurants, the music in the dance bars are fantastic, the neighborhood looks great because of all the remodeling we do, a diverse and interesting mix of people. My straight male friends are not bothered by being around gay men. If your hubby is bothered about the gay issue talk with him about how comfortable he is with his sexuality. If he thinks Jerry Falwell or Jesse Helms exemplify what it means to be an American - then do every one a favor and stay inside your gated community somewhere within the Christian sunbelt.

Bruce

Kristin, I hope you aren't worried that some gay guy is going to try to snatch your new husband away from you. Is that the problem you're worried about? Contrary to popular opinion we do not all go after straight men in some sort of crusade. If your new husband has some gay curiosity, then perhaps you'd be best to choose an area further out of reach of temptation. It's a great area however, and I suppose the vast majority of tourists spend time there and never realize that it is any gayer than any other area of Gay Paree.

Harvey

Kristin- <BR>While the Marais is commonly cited as the gay ghetto of Paris, that's certainly not its only distinction. It is well served with Metro and bus stops and a wide variety of dining options. You will find the occasional gay business, but nothing that would be offensive to any but the most severly homophobic. It is not exactly like the Castro in SF - i.e., predominantly gay people everywhere you look - but much more a mix of folks. Because it is such a romantic, historic part of the city it attracts many tourists. All in all, it should be a terrific place to honeymoon - enjoy, and do post something here on your return!

Howard

This was a dumb question, and anybody defending it is a (perhaps unconscience) homophobe.

Christina

Kristin, have you ever been in a really gay area of a city? I mean majority gay like maybe parts of West Hollywood, Castro district of San Fran, etc. If so, the Marais is not like that for the most part (although I've only passed through, not stayed there) and it shouldn't matter that much to you with the exception I don't think you will want to hang out in gay bars, etc -- and do not go to Euro Men's Bar or the saunas. I don't think it's that dumb a question, especially if you haven't been in those type of city areas at all--I think it was the wording of "problem" that is the only odd thing and perhaps could be better worded, but we all don't sit and edit our posts for hours on here, I sure don't. Anyway, I have been in gay areas quite a bit due to my occupation, friends and parts of town I tend to live in, and I've lived in large cities (SF, LA and DC), but I personally would not want to stay right in the thick of the heaviest gay area next to a noisy bar or drag show myself nor next to a leather S&M bar or condom/sex shop, or even cruising bars. There is a S&M bar over on rue Keller in the Bastille area, I think. Anyway, if you want to learn a little more about that area and the bars/cafes etc around there (there are a couple right near that hotel), why don't you read the gay Paris section in Timeout guides, it should give you an idea (www.timeout.com/paris/gay).

Danna

Howard,I answered the best I could. <BR> I am not a conscious or unconscious homophobe!

Capo

Hi Kristin. If the hotel you're booked into is in the Marais, it's a great atmospheric area, one of the few areas left untouched by Baron Haussman when he gave Paris his little "makeover." You certainly don't have to answer this, but I'm curious as to what you mean by it being a "comfortability" issue? Are you, and/or your husband uncomfortable with gay men, per se, or is it something else (as Christina sort of alluded to in her post)? Thanks! <BR> <BR>

xxx

I guess you have to determine how your new husband reacts to being around openly gay people. If he's uncomfortable with the lifestyle, then I would rebook to a new area. Otherwise, I'd go and enjoy. A straight male friend of mine just stayed in this area last year (they're Jewish). They loved the area and raved about the wonderful bakeries. Sit down and discuss this issue with your fiance and get his opinion. It will be the only one that matters once you get there.