tatdenning

Hi everyone,

We will be visiting Paris for the second time April 14-24. We are looking at renting an apartment in the 5th on rue Broca near rue Mouffetard. It is listed on vrbo #196919, which I'm afraid I couldn't get to link here.

If anyone knows this area and could tell me if they think this would be a good location, that would be really helpful. I've located it on a map, and I'm a little concerned that maybe it is too far away from the center, but since I don't know Paris well... And I'm also wondering if it would be a nice neighborhood to be in - so any information that anyone has on the area would be really helpful.

And if there are any other locations and/or flats that could be suggested, I would appreciate that as well.

Thanks!~

Cries_Van_Notebook

You are far away from most of the major sites of Paris if you decide to stay in that area. I know Rue Broca because I got lost walking down Rue Mouffetard two months ago and found Rue Broca.

You are close to the Gobelins Metro stop, however. There are lots of cafes and restaurants on Av. Gobelins near Av. Port Royale. I think there is also a flee market right there on Sundays?

I hate Rue Mouffetard. I think it is full of shops with cheap tourist junk. This is NOT where the Chanel set come to browse. The top of Rue Mouffetard is not bad with the cafes and fairy lights. Lots of YOUNG YOUTH HOSTEL TYPES at these cafes.

Thin

tatdenning

Hi,

Thanks for the information. The area doesn't really sound like what I'm looking for - especially Mouffetard.

I'm thinking of perhaps the Marais? If anyone has any specific flat suggestions or streets to suggest??

Guenmai

If it's near Gobelins, then it's boring. I ate, for decades, at a macrobiotic restaurant near Gobelins metro station. I know the area. Happy Travels!

tuscanlifeedit

tatdenning

Have you looked at the Paris Apartment Thread on this board? It is full of information.

I like staying in the Marais, but I've read a few posts here recently where people particularly dislike the street I enjoy!

So it really depends on what you are looking for. If you like an older, well dressed crowd, I guess neither the Marais (except perhaps for Place des Vosges, which isn't any more central that your first choice) or the rue Mouffetard area would be great for you.

I like the Marais. I like the younger crowds, and beautiful old buildings and the slightly edgier shops. The Pompidou is one of my favorite museums.

This area doesn't have a very high concentration of the greatest restaurants; in fact, dining is the one category that I find the Marais short on.

I also like the area where the 6th and 7th meet. Anything west of Invalides in the 7th seems too quiet and not central enough for me. But it might be great for you. That western part of the 7th is upscale, and there are probably more nice apartments to rent there than anywhere.

Oh, wait... I finally noticed that this isn't your first time to Paris. Then you ought to know what you would like... Sorry. But I'll leave my thoughts here, anyway. They might help you decide.

kerouac

I very much like the Gobelins area.

nukesafe

I beg to differ with the posters above. We rented an apartment on Rue Broca September before last for a couple of weeks. I thought the area was just fine.

There is both good Metro and bus transport options so you can be at the main attractions in a very short time. We took a cab when we got out of a club (Au Troi Mallets) late at night. From the club, right across from Notre Dame, to Rue Broca took less than four minutes, so the distance from the Seine is not really that great. (Got to admit the cabbie drove pretty fast, with no traffic.) Look at Mappy to see how close in it is. It is within easy walking distance to the Jardin Des Plantes.

We explored local restaurants, and found them plentiful, and good.

The apartment looks lovely, BTW.

janisj

Here is your link http://www.vrbo.com/196919

(just type or copy/paste the url and it automatically becomes a link)

Nikki

I like that area a lot. On the other hand, I haven't found many areas in Paris I don't like.

Mimar

We stayed near the Place Contrescarpe and the Rue Mouffetard and thought it a delightful area. It's a residential area adjacent to parts of the Sorbonne. The top of the Rue Mouffetard has a little open air market daily. There are lots of interesting restaurants.

Don't know much about the farther end of rue Mouffetard. Have you looked up the location at www.pagesjaunes.fr? At that site you can "walk" along the street with a succession of photographs, even turn around or turn corners. I see they have this at www.mappy.com now also.

almcd

My wife and I stayed in VRBO #79965 in the Marais in September. The apartment was excellent. It is on a quiet street and has excellent facilities. It is 40 metres from a patisserie, 200 m. from a reasonable supermarket and 60m. from the Metro. What more could you want. Look it up on Google and you will see reviews by some of the people that have stayed there, including mine. The Marais is an excellent area in which to stay and if I were you, I would book it.

Christina

I like the Gobelins area, also, and have stayed in an apt. in that area twice now. Prevert wrote a poem about it, which was one of the first things I had to memorize in French class (Dimanche), so I always found it a bit interesting to be in that area. I don't know rue Broca itself that well, however, but there is nothing wrong with the area.

Take with a grain of salt some opinions from people who may have different taste and want to do different things than you do. Guenmai adores staying in the chi-chi St Germain area, so it's not surprising she would dislike a more regular, working class area without designer shops. I am not being insulting, either, I am being serious, I can well understand that comment.

But the Marais is more high-brow, has chicer, more expensive shops, and is geared more to tourists so you might like it there. TGhe idea that there are more tourists in the Gobelins area than the Marais is laughable.

rosetravels

There is no area in Paris I wouldn't stay but I have come to like the north part of the 3rd and the 11th (the Bastille.) Lots of food shops, food market, restaurants.

I liked the area you're considering just fine but I'd be less likely to stay there as it reminded me of a university district. Lots of university student type shops.

tatdenning

Hey everyone,

Thanks for all of your help. It helps to hear what a variety of people think. I know we all different tastes and expectations!

I guess I am just not wanting to be too far from the center and would like to have an interesting little area where there are nice little shops and restaurants.

Any other thoughts are appreciated!

Guenmai

Christina....I have no problem with "working-class areas", I just finished staying in one in Buenos Aires and have stayed in many around the world. So, I don't know what you're talking about, and to state that you're not being, "insulting" LOL. Of course you are. That's what you do..."insulting".

You constantly tear into folks...like the poor poster who was on the thread asking about whether there should have been toilet paper available upon his/her arrival to his/her rented apartment, in Paris, and the recent thread on what folks will do if they get a tax refund. Your language was very insulting there. Happy Travels!

kerouac

Apparently, you like to be insulting as well, Guenmai.

I have often noted the disdain of certain posters to the concept of preferring a working class area to the chic "postcard" Paris. The shopping and restaurants around the Gobelins and lower Mouffetard area is fantastic and, in my opinion, a much greater value than the tourist traps of the Marais, for example.

As to being close to the tourist sites, I hope that people realize that in terms of metro time, we are talking about a difference of 5 or 10 minutes.

tuscanlifeedit

Oh oh... "the tourist traps of the Marais." I'm not sure which those are... but after two stays there, I'm looking forward to another in a week or so.

I would also stay in the 5th, but have found good apartments at very good prices for rent in the 4th. That is why we are staying there.

tatdenning

Thanks everyone!

I'm continuing to look but having trouble finding something with a lift, that sleeps 3 (bed and sofabed would be ok), trying to keep it under $200 a night, and in the 4th, 5th or 6th.

If anyone has any specific flats to suggest??

lennyba

tatdenning, have you had a look at www.vacationsinparis.com? We've rented an apartment in the 5th for March, but it's a studio. Some of their larger units look wonderful!

dandj2

lennyba,

i cant make the page load.