I am looking for an apartment to rent in the fall. I am unsure about which area to rent in. This is the description of one apartment I found. "On a quiet street in "Le Marais " between the Musee Picasso and the Bastille Opera, near the wonderful Place des Vosges" the metro is Bastille / Chemin Vert. Would you know if this is a good area...fairly safe with restaurants/shops and also attractive and not seedy?? Another I found is "On the rue Saint Antoine, a stone's throw from the Bastille Opera and the wonderful Place des Vosges...metro Bastille" The third..Right in Le Marais, a stone’s throw away from the beautiful Place des Vosges, and the trendy shops of rue des Francs Bourgeois...metro st.paul. Another is in the 6th on Saint Germain des Prés : rue Jacob.The last is on on the rue Mazarine.
Any advice??

If the apartment suits your budget and style (for me, I'd only want maybe 2 sets of stairs, if there is no elevator), I love the area.
Haussman didn't get quite around to rebuilding the Marais like other parts of Paris...I think it holds its ancientness...
I think the area is safe. I would stay there. I would like someone to tell me where in Paris there ARE NOT lots and convenient bistros, bakeries, restaurants or is NOT near a metro!

YOu know, these apts. sound exactly like the ones someone else on here was considering recently (and eventually picked one on rue St Antoine, I think). I don't care for that area myself, but other folks do. I'm not positive, but I think her name was Julie or something like that. She did post a trip report, but I don't think talked about the location very much in it as to how she ended up liking it.

Anyway, yes, the area is fairly safe and there are lots of restaurants and shops near all of them. I would just be very skeptical of any stone-throwing arguments and descriptions of being near place des Vosges, and get specific addresses. However, between the Picasso museum and the opera is the area I would probably pick first from those -- I just don't like the area east of bd r Lenoir that well on rue du Fbg St Antoine (if that is what is meant by rue St Antoine).

The one right near place des Vosges could be fine, also, as well as both in St Germain. In short, I think they are all fine locations, so you can go by which apt. you like and price. I just wouldn't want the one on rue St Antoine myself.

Thanks, I will cross the saint Antoine off. I will have to try to get the adresses. How far is a stones throw away anyway??

well, I don't know, that's the problem. To me, it would be within the same block, but apartment ads can be very creative as to describing the area. That's why I would want an actual address to make sure.

Christina, I think the poster you are referring to is named julies. I happened to be in Paris when she was narrowing down her options and looked at the exterior of three of the places she was considering. Here's the thread:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34753053

cparis, when you get the specific addresses, do post. Some of us may know the streets.

Anselm

I wouldn't cross anything off your list just yet. Can you share the address of the apartments and maybe we can help you out a little? Also if you post the website where you found them that could be very helpful - sometimes people pick up on things that you might miss at first glance, another set of eyes can help avoid a mistake!

The apartments I found were from a link on slow travel. http://www.kudeta-home.com/ Thanks for the help.

I wouldn't cross St. Antoine off the list. Yes, it is a busy street, but it is very centrally located to some very nice areas of the marais, the bastille, Ile St. Louis, Notre Dame and Left Bank. It is near two metro stops and many restaurants and stores. I just stayed in an apartment on rue d'ormesson, right off St. Antoine.