ediemay

We are going to rent an apartment for a week in Paris and I have located two that look great. One is right at the St. Germain Church, the other is in the heart of the Marais.
We have been to Paris a few times but always stayed in Hotels in the Champs area. As "older" travelers we like to be in areas where we can walk to cafes and boulangeries and cheese stores, etc. in the neighborhood and be in a fun," happening" place. Which of these districts would you think would be better suited to our lifestyle?
I guess I'd like to know which you would choose and why. Thanks for any help you can give.

richardab

Both are good areas, St Germain tends to be very upscale and the Marais is warm and cozy.

Where exactly is the apartment in the Marais? Some locations can be out of the way. If it is near the St Paul, Hotel de Ville or Rambateau metro stations you should be OK.

tuscanlifeedit

ediemay

We pick the Marais because it is cheaper. If I could afford the same digs in St Germain, I think I would take them. We just find that we can get less expensive but still pleasant apartments in the Marais.

I'm not complaining. There are a lot of things about the Marais I like. I like the beautiful old buildings. I like the Pompidou. I like the cool shops.

But I like St Germain, too, and there are more places that I would rather eat in the St Germain area. More upscale shops to look at, too.

I guess pick the apartment that suits you best, and has the best transportation connections.

StCirq

Both would be a heck of a lot better than "the Champs area." Especially if it's cafés and boulangeries and such that interest you.

Hard to say what your "lifestyle" is, just knowing that you like cafés and cheese, which most everyone who goes to Paris does, but if you provide addresses I'm sure folks here can give you a detailed comparison.

travelerjan

I am of course Forever Young, but I'm in your vintage -- my first trip to paris was in '62. I think you should require responses from your age cohort. Remember "don't trust anyone over 30"?? Your mantra should be "ONly listen to travelers over 60" on this one.

I love the St. GErmain area. It is walkable to the Sorbonne area, to Ile de la Cite etc, and numerous Metro stops for other destinations. There is a good street market on ? Rue de Berri? Lots of great cafes, patisseries etc, again pricey, but hey, you aren't backpackers these days. If the apartments are at all comparable in price, I say St. G, absolutely. If I could afford it, I'd go there every year or so.

However, I can't afford anywhere in France these days. Luckily I have fallen in love with Greece, which is much easier on my (frugal) budget.

Kalo Taxidi! (greek for Have a Good Trip!)

ediemay

Thanks to all of you for helping me to decide. St. Germain it is. We will be going the first week in December, so the prices are considerably lower right now. Weather not looking very good, practically no sun predicted but hey,this is Paris, so who cares?
St. Cirq, I guess I did not describe our lifestyle other than to say we like to travel, drink good wine, and shop at farmers' markets and prepare and eat good food.That said I guess we are kind of the typical visitors to Paris as you stated.
Travelerjan, I think my first trip to Paris was in'66. In those days we could stay at the nicest hotels for not a lot of money. Went to Greece (Athens and Rhodes) in '67 and loved it.

gracejoan3

I would also think of the two areas that you would prefer St. Germain-des-Pres.

For me, it is the St. Dominique/Bourdonnais part of the 7th. I will be heading back on Dec. 3rd for a couple weeks.

Enjoy your planning.

a bientot...

Joan

PatrickLondon

You can always check out the alternative while you're there. But the Marais is likely to feel just that - a bit (maybe not a lot) more "alternative", or workaday, depending on exactly where.

Guenmai

Either area is fine. I've stayed all over Paris in the last 30-plus years and personally prefer the 6th (St.Germain) even though I'm in my early 50s now, I still like the area as much as I did in my early 20s. I always either get a hotel room there or rent an apartment. I find plenty to do to keep me busy as the strolling and window shopping is great and I have a regular reataurant that I've eaten at there for 20-plus years.It's definitely become home away from home. Happy Travels!

ediemay

Guenmai:
Which restaurant would that be?

grumlin

We just returned from a week in Paris after a week in the UK and rented an apartment on Rue De Abesses through Haven in Paris, it was a lovely apartment well priced with a great view of the Eiffel Tower and close to Patisseries that I visited every morning for our croissants and quiche. Check out Haven in Paris this apartment was in Montmarte, but they have other locations too, they greet you in the apartment and show how everything works. We had a washer and dryer and free internet and phone calls to US. Wish we were still there....

Guenmai

The restaurant is called, "Guenmai" and no I have no part in it. I've had this nickname since the 80s. It's a vegetarian/macrobiotic and
health oriented restaurant and supposedly the oldest organic restaurant in Paris. The same family has run it forever. Excellent food and always packed. Only open for lunch. It's about a 3-minute walk from the corner of rue Buci/rue de Seine. There's a website. Happy Travels!