Paris 4 arr - what's the area like?
 

Hello fellow Fodorites! I've been absent for a couple of months due to my job situation (laid off, then found another job), but things have now gotten back into a routine.

My question is this: what's the 4th arr in Paris like? I mean in terms of food shopping, unique stores, etc. My 2 sisters and I have an apartment booked in this area (http://www.VacationInParis.com/apts/id_18.htm) for the last week of December and while I have found that there will be a Monoprix just a few doors down from us, I was wondering if there were any open air markets to buy food as well (and would they be around during the last week of December?). I've never stayed in this area, so any input and advice about that area would be much appreciated! Thanks in advance!

You're in a great area.

Open air market: along boulevard Richard Lenoir, starting at Place de la Bastille and running north a couple of blocks, Thursday and Sunday mornings. This is one of the great markets in Paris and will very busy around the holiday season. I was there on the 23rd of December last year and it was packed with shoppers!

There is a Franprix near your apartment, in addition to that Monoprox you mentioned. There are bakeries, including Miss Manon on rue St-Antoine, between your apartment and Place de la Bastille. There are also butchers, fruit and vegetable shops, and take-out places along rue St-Antoine.

If you do a search here of "rue St-Antoine" or "rue Saint-Antoine" or "Village St-Paul" you might find other threads with additional information.

Anselm

The arrondissement rarely matters. The 4th arrondissement is so small that you will wander out of it within 10 minutes.

I think you'll be positively thrilled with the location of this apartment. And, it looks very nice.

Hello Anselm and everyone else! Thanks for the input. I've usually stayed in and or around the 15th/7th, so I'm breaking away from the norm for me. At first I was going to get an apartment outside of all the arrondissements (it was like 1 stop before it crossed the Seine going towards Defense), but I missed out on getting it by a week, so my secondary choice was this one. This will be my first time to stay (re: rent) an apartment, so I'm looking forward to it!

I love this area, great, great area. You're close to all kinds of shopping and great restaurants. There's a Monoprix grocery store near by which can really come in handy. This is a chi chi area, some guide books compare it to NY's SoHo. We had an apartment one year on Rue Beautrellis south of Rue St. Antoine and I just adored this area. There's a great restaurant right on Rue Beautrellis just south of Rue St. Antoine ( 25 rue beautrellis 75004 ) called Vin Des Pyrenees, I loved it, ate there several times. I thought it was nice French home cooking, the real deal none of this French "fusion" stuff, a decent price and the atmosphere is darling, just a wonderful place! Have fun, the apartment looks great.

I stayed in the 4th in March. I loved, loved, loved it, to the point where I didn't go other places I should have because I couldn't tear myself away. The people, the shops, the restaurants, the bakeries, the streets, the gardens, the whole vibe is fantastic. Did I mention that I loved it there?

I did almost all of my souvenier shopping in the Monoprix...French cosmetics, soap and galettes (is that the right word? bath mitts), cookies, flavored mustards, etc, etc. Much better, and cheaper, than Eiffel tower key chains. Seriously, the made in France, thick cotton bath mitts in pretty colors were 3 for 5 euros, for example.

Here's a link to my trip report, so far.
http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...me=samsmom1127
Perhaps you will find some helpful information there. Enjoy!

bookmarking- thanks!