elcon

Hi all, I am going to Paris in May and will be staying at the Hotel de la Sorbonne on Rue Victor Cousin. It is across the street from the Sorbonne and has gotten good reviews on Trip Advisor. I am wondering if anyone here has stayed at this hotel or near it and can tell me about the neighborhood. Is it a quiet street? Are there bars/cafe's nearby? Safe to walk alone at night(not too late). If you are familiar and can suggest any restaurants or cute shops I would appreciate it, it is my first time in Paris. Thank you!!

avalon

Completely safe and more cafes/bars/bistros than you'll ever get enough time to visit.

JulieVikmanis

It's a fine neighborhood, one block from the Blvd. St. Michel and near the Rue Soufflot that leads to the Pantheon and near a side entrance to the Luxembourg gardens. We usually stay in the Parc St. Severin 3-4 blocks away and have no problem finding plenty of nice restaurants in the vicinity. Among them:
Balzar, Chez Maitre Paul, Itineraires, Petit Pontoise, Christophe, Ribouldingue, Mediterranee, Bar a Huitres, Christophe, Coupe-Chou, Bastide Odeon, Cosi, and there are lots of places surrounding the Pantheon and by the Ettienne du Mont including some raclette places with very reasonable prices. I think you're quite close to Bouillon Racine. Food hit and miss, but decor beautiful, prices reasonable and a lovely bar to stop for drinks before retiring.

kerouac

No problem with that neighborhood. Yes, there will be noise if you are right on the street.

jetsetj

We (2 women) spent an afternoon walking all the streets around the Sorbonne. All was quite orderly yet very busy.
We felt very safe. There are alot of cute little shops on the side streets.

elcon

Thanks for the replies so far. I always worry about neighborhoods as I am a woman travelling solo. I had originally booked a different hotel near the eiffel tower, but after further research decided on the Latin Quarter.

suze

I've only been to Paris once, but that's right where we happened to be staying, on St Mich near Sorbonne. It's a great neighborhood, more busy than quiet though, tons of cafes, shops, etc. I would feel safe staying there solo. And I think a better option (personally) than Eiffle Tower because the area's a bit busier, in a good way.

spaarne

Good neighborhood for everything. It is safe. There are so many people on the streets.

More restaurants:
Roger La Grenouille (good and reasonable), rue des Grands Augustines
Leon de Bruxelles (for mussels), Bd du Montparnasse
Le Montparnasse 1900 (beautiful place), Bd du Montparnasse
Chez Bebert (more couscous than you can eat), Bd du Montparnasse

There is good market at Place Maubert and a good cafe/restaurant across the street at the metro stop.

socialworker

Way better choice than Eiffel Tower area!!! It is also really fun to see the Parisian college aged kids.

julia1

I usually stay in this area, it's my favorite part of Paris, with good walking and good public transport options, easy to get anywhere from here. And you will feel quite safe and comfortable walking alone to restaurants in the evening.

You will be very close to the Cluny Museum and the Pantheon, both worth a visit. If you walk a short distance toward the east, following rue Soufflot, then rue Clovis, you will find the Arenes de Lutece, a well-preserved Roman amphitheater, also Jardin des Plantes which is a lovely botanic garden. Here are some photos of Jardin des Plantes: http://gardentouring.fotopic.net/c790134_1.html

A short walk across the river from Jardin des Plantes is Gare de Lyon and inside the station is Le Train Bleu, an amazing Belle Epoque-style restaurant that looks down onto the bustling platforms, and the ambience makes it well worth a visit. It's expensive so I would recommend afternoon tea and cakes, or there is a less-expensive cafe attached to the restaurant.

Between the Pantheon and Jardin des Plantes are many interesting small old streets, including rue Mouffetard where there is an open market every day as well as many small cafes and shops, including a wonderful small dress shop - sorry I can't remember it's name, it's on the east side of rue Mouffetard, and my daughter and I have several favorite skirts and sweaters we've bought there over the years. Nearby, on rue Daubenton, is a wonderful quirky little shop called La Tuile a Loup, where I always stop to purchase a small piece of pottery or other treasure. Here's a photo of the shop: http://gardentouring.fotopic.net/p51647914.html Hemingway lived in this area.

If you walk down Blvd Saint-Michel, towards the Seine, you will find the Cluny Museum on the corner at Blvd Saint-Germain. Cross Blvd Saint-Germain, then turn right and walk a short distance, then turn left into the first small street you come to. I can't remember its name, however it leads you into a couple of streets with many small cafes and restaurants of all sorts, including a couple where you can get a lovely green salad and cheese fondue and small carafe of wine for not very much money.

If you cross Blvd Saint-Michel you will enter into the 6e arrondissement, which is more chi-chi, with lots of shops and restaurants, most of them more expensive than you will find on 'your' side.

One last suggestion: make sure you have a good street map. I usually pick up one of the small spiral-bound map booklets, called 'Paris commode', at any newsagent, then give it to a friend going to Paris when I get home.

StuDudley

>>Way better choice than Eiffel Tower area!!! It is also really fun to see the Parisian college aged kids.<<

For who??? Someone under 30 who wants "action" - perhaps. Someone over 50 who wants more quiet/smaller crowds on the streets - maybe not. We've spent many, many, many months in Paris & we prefer the 7th/Eifel Tower over the Latin Quarter - even when we were in our 40s. In Sept/Oct we were on the corner of R St Dominique & Ave de la Bordonnais & absolutly loved the location.

Stu Dudley

suze

StuDudley, It's not about age, it's about traveling solo.

When alone I MUCH prefer a neighborhood with lots of people on the street, busy shops, activity. And the 5th is busier than the 7th, I think anyone would agree.

Plan2GoSoon

We stayed at the hotel back in 2003 and loved it. It has since been renovated - we checked it out yesterday since we are here, so it has only gotten better. The area is fine. You are so close to tons of cafe's, Luxembourg Gardens, St. Sulpice, the Seine, Notre Dame, Pantheon, etc. I highly recommend finding rue Mouffetard while you are there. It is so close. At the end of it is a market but the entire street is fun to walk down. There are tons of cafes, stores, etc. - very colorful. To find it from the hotel, go to the Pantheon, walk around the Pantheon on the left hand side as you face it until you find rue Descartes, take a right on that street and it runs into rue Mouffetard. There is also a very good Tibetan restaurant by the Pantheon. As you face the Pantheon it is on the right hand side down the first street you see closest to the Pantheon. I think it is called Nepalaya. It is fun to try since it is so culturally different than what we normally experience. Have a great time, we are.

socialworker

Gee, Stu, I am significantly over 50 and I found the college kids to be very refreshing in their youthful enthusiasm.

gracejoan3

I have been going to Paris for a great many years. I have stayed in the 1st, 2nd, Ile St. Louis, 6th and 7th. I have stayed in apartment and hotels.

I now only stay in apartments for stays of one month, generally. I now always stay in the 7th..more specifically, I prefer the Bourdonnais/Rapp/St. Domnique part of the 7th. I stay in apartments that are lovely in every way and have all the amenities that I like.

For a solo woman there could not be a better or safer area to stay in than an area that is recognized as the more expensive part of town, for its obvious reasons.

Most visitors wonder if their location is central enough, but the beauty of Paris is that each arrondissement is its own special neighborhood. I prefer the ones that have kept their village-like feel but are close to everything I enjoy: walking distance to world-class shopping, museums, landmarks, affordable café’s and restaurants, to the Seine. But everyone has their own preferences.

Joan

soogies

You really don't need another "it's safe" response, but here ya go. Our three daughters stayed alone in that area, when they were all teenagers. Very safe and a very fun and interesting area. It still says Paris to me, in a big way and I'm way older than a teenager.

francophiletasmania

We have stayed here, though some years ago now. Some rooms give onto the internal courtyard which you can see as you enter the hotel entryway. These rooms would be quieter than those giving onto the street. That said, the caretaker for that part of the Sorbonne lives on the top floor opposite and w used to hear him singing to his children. We also used to hear students coming home at night. Also singing, and in parts! We loved it. The bathrooms are small - you can rest your chin on the basin when sitting on the loo (if you like) in some rooms ....

Christina

I've stayed there some years ago and like the hotel. The nice thing it is NOT on bd St Michel, it's on a very small narrow street behind the place Sorbonne, and it is not nearly as busy or noisy as main boulevards. However, as in a lot of Paris, it can be noisy just because those are small, narrow streets and a lot of stone buildings and noise echoes on them, and in that area, people are out late at night. And you know people talk loudly in the streets. So it's that kind of noise rather than traffic. In May, you may be able to close your windows at night, so it could work out fine in that regard. A higher room would be better, also. But in terms of Paris, it's not a particularly noisy hotel compared to many of them as it's not on a main street.

mtjames

Gracejoan3:

I am new to the Forum – have been reading France topics regularly since October. Thank you for your helpful postings. I eagerly read your comments on restaurants.

Barbara and I will be making our first trip to Paris April 28 to May 3 and we are staying in the 7th. This is at the front end of the 14 day RS tour of Paris and the south of France. Thanks to the postings of you and your friends we have reservations for dinner at several good restaurants.
My Colorado friends say I am over planning our six day stay in Paris. I think not. Our plans are centered around choices we have made for lunch and dinner. Question – do you make reservations for lunch or do you just walk in? I realize it depends on the place. I am interested in your thoughts.

Thanks again for your many thoughtful postings.

James

StuDudley

If you have reservations, you'll always have a table. If you walk in at noon - you probably will get a table. If you walk in at 2pm - maybe not. A lot depends on the size of the restaurant, popularity of the restaurant, what day, and time of year. I popped in at Cafe Marly at the Louvre last Sept at 12:00 & had no problem (large restaurant). If you're in a buisness district on a week day, it will be harder to find one around 2 that can take you. There is usually a waiting line at Jacquemart Andre after 1:30 the times we've been there.

Stu Dudley