Montmartre Paris?
 

Does anyone have any comments on the Montmartre area. I have learned so much from all the great Fodor folks about the different Arrondissements. How each is unique. I'm traveling with my 20 year old daughter and have been advised to stay in the Latin quarter which looks like a lot of fun, but for some reason this one hotel called Hotel des Arts Paris Montmartre keeps popping up. Any info on the Montmarte area (I think Arr 8). It sounds hip and artsy but possibly seedy and a little dangerous to walk around in at night. Could this be a cool area to stay or should I stick to the Latin quarter? My daughter and I are from Florida. She just graduated from FSU with a Finance degree which probably fits her personality, fairly conservative . So a little funky would be fun but not to extreme. Not a big partier either but we like quaint little bars and cafes. Thanks!

My biggest issue with staying in Montmartre is that you're not walking distance to anywhere else. I'm gathering that you haven't been to Paris before - if you stay closer to the river (in the Latin Quarter, St Germain, the Marais or a number of other areas) you'll be walking distance to many of the sights you'll want to see. In Montmartre, you'll be taking the Metro to get anywhere (and the Abbesses station, at least, is deep underground, so either lots of stairs or waiting for the elevator).

In terms of safety, I've only been during the day and would have no qualms about it then - I went a couple of times and it felt like a fun neighborhood. I can't speak to how it is at night. My impression from threads here is that some parts of Montmartre are a little seedier than others.

I don't like it for the same reasons as above and the transportation options are limited

It's a big area, it depends what part you would be in. Some of it is seedy, other parts typically residential but I'm sure there are no hotels in that part to speak of.

This hotel is an an okay area, I checked, it's on rue Lepic which is a market street and that area is fine. However, this is not going to be as convenient a locaiton for you as it will take you longer to go to the places in Paris you will be doing sightseeing, I imagine. I still don't think it is quite as easy as being in the Latin Quarter in terms of walking out your door and in the immediate few blocks, you have all kinds of restaurants and things. It isn't really the kind of area I would be walking around at night at all, and not just being of danger, but there just isn't any reason for it. YOu are about 4-5 blocks from a metro stop, also, I usually pick a hotel closer than that to metro, but it's do-able.

Hard to say, it could be fine, at least that hotel is in an okay area. That hotel doesn't really look that great to me, anyway, though, I think it's a little overpriced given its location, but it's hard to keep up with hotel rates in Paris.

Anyway, if you like the hotel fine, it would be an okay area, sure. For a first visit, I think you might find it more convenient to be in the Latin Quarter, but this would be different. But the reviews on Tripadvisor are pretty good for it, so reading some of them might give you an idea how people feel about the area.

Agree with everyone else. On a first trip to Paris staying in Montmartre just isn't the best option. Stay closer to the center of town, near the river.

Thanks that sounds reasonable. No need to stay so far away from everything if its not the coolest place ever!! Thanks for your suggestions

Way too far out imo. Stick with the 4th/5th/6th like we've been talking about.

Montmartre is considered by many visitors to be the most magical and authentic area in Paris, and such people do not mind taking the metro to other parts of the city.

Naturally, if this is your first trip to Paris, there is no way for you to know if you might turn out to be one of those visitors.

Here is an old photo report that I made about Montmartre which might help you to determine if you would like it or not: http://anyportinastorm.proboards.com...ay&thread=5444

(I am not an expert like Kerouac by any stretch but) Even if you're head over heels for the neighborhood, I don't think it makes sense for a 1st-timer with a short stay who wants to tour major tourist attractions to stay so far outside the central area.

Another, "don't stay there. Go see it if you want". There are so many other areas that you can walk to LOTS of other things.

I can recommend Acacia Hotel De Ville, is modest and well located, good room size but no elevator. We stayed there and have no complaints, we travel light and are in pretty good shape for stairs. Our best stay was in an apartment close to the Louvre, it gives you the "savoir vivre". We got our own snacks and sometimes breakfast and we felt like real Parisian ;)
We may search for apartments thru many different web sites, we used vacationrental.com

Generally, agree it's not a good idea for you and your daughter to stay in the Montmartre area. We're renting an apartment there right now "sur la butte" (on the top). We've been here for 2 weeks and will stay another 3 while we go to school below, in the 9th, We've previously stayed in the 6th and 7th (3 different times). Montmartre as most know it is teeming with tourists from about 10 am to 10 pm Monday thru Sunday (unless there's bad weather). It's not easy to get to (as discussed above) and is therefore inconvenient to use as a base. That said, it is a place to experience, even if for only a few hours, although almost everyone who lives up here recommends that you not eat at any of the restaurants on the "Mont" if you care about quality. For that -- and to get away from the tourists -- you go to the Lamark/Caulaincourt area, which kerouac has beautifully photographed (again, see above). This area is just 100m to the rear (i.e. north) of Montmartre (or, by my count,184 steps down!. By the way, if you're visiting Montmartre, I would suggest early, early in the morning when all is quint and the narrow streets are devoid of tourists from around the world. After taking the obligatory photos, you could get a mid-morning coffee and watch the waves roll in and then depart. If you want to do anything cultural, I highly recommend the rather small Montmartre museum on rue Corot. It tells the story of Montmartre, focusing on the 19th and early 20th centuries. Enjoy Paris!!

To look at the "problem" realistically, we are talking about 15-20 minutes on the metro to reach the center of the city.

Parts of Montmartre aren't that magical, really, although I suppose the tourists doing the Amelie-tour are over for now. Lots of not so magical things happening around Sacre Coeur and down towards the boulevards (Clichy and Rochechourt). I do like the area around Lamarck Caulaincourt metro stop, but that isn't where this hotel is (and I wouldn't recommend it for a first-timer).

I think the above post by billandcindy is very useful but a little confusing by the reference to restaurants on the Mont and something being to the rear of Montmartre. Montmartre is often used as a catch-all term for the entire 18th arrondisement or the district, not the actual geographical hill (or mont) that the area was named after. Sacre Coeur is at its summit which more people probably could pinpoint.

I do like the Montmartre museum, and some nice elegant homes on ave Junot.

I'm with the rest and recommend that you stay nearer to the city centre where you will be closer to and in easy reach of many of Paris' other interesting sights and sites. By all means however, go and visit Montmartre for a morning or afternoon - you'll find stuff to interest you and there's plenty to see, but I don't think it's wise to stay there for your first visit to Paris.

I spent almost a month in Paris in 2011 and a week again last year and went into the 18th and the Montmartre area several times on both trips; I found spending a few hours there sufficient for my purposes (I enjoy exploring off-beat sites and availing of interesting photographic opportunities) but wouldn't really want to stay there for convenience.

I love the pics from Kerouac, it looks like what I have imagined Paris to be. Thank you!! But I have taken everyone's advice and changed my plans to the 4th district. I could not find anything decent in the Latin quarter so close to my arrival. But we are looking forward to visiting the Montmartre area. Thank you for all your great ideas.

Was in Paris last week. Stayed in the Marais and walked everywhere. Montmartre is a tad out of the way and go along with others, stay somewhere else this time.

Well the 4th (Marais) IS what you originally wanted, so I think that's great you booked it.