Paris apt rental - 2 choices in 6th- your thoughts
 

Would appreciate any comments on family of 4 (parents and 2 daughters 9 and 11) considering either of 2 rentals.

One is at 37 Rue Madame, near Luxembourg Gardens in the 6th.
http://www.parisianflat.com/madame.htm
This apt has favorable reviews posted.

The other is on Rue Cherche Midi in the 6th
http://www.vrbo.com/81914
This apt has no reviews posted.

Important factors are ease of metro access and proximity to outdoor markets (our daughters love strolling and want me to cook in Paris). We will be there just prior to Easter, 1st week in April 2007.

Merci!

Any comments woud be most welcomed. Thanks

Edye, Have you been to Paris before? I just returned and we stayed in a lovely hotel in the area you are looking at. Either apt would be in a great location in my opinion. We like the metro stops there and you are within walking of great restaurants, markets, etc. I think it would just depend on which apt holds the most appeal for you and your family.
Have a great time.
1jan1

I agree w/ 1jan1. Haven't stayed in either but usually stay nearby in the 5th. Either location would be great. Would the extra $67/€52 a night put a crimp in your budget? I'm usually looking for a bargain so me personally would probably opt for the Rue Cherche Midi - but either location is fine.

The dining area of the rue Madame apt is much better... sofabeds are very often not comfortable for two, but maybe that's truer for 'old bones'...

There's an organic market on blvd Raspail (Tues,Fri - also Sun?) and a Monoprix at the top of rue de Rennes...

http://www.linternaute.com/paris/mag...aspail/1.shtml

we stayed in the rue madame flat last year at this time. while we loved the space, my husband slept on the sofa bed and found it pretty uncomfortable. however, maybe young kids won't mind!

good luck-

Edye, a couple of observations on the apartments:

- the place on rue du Cherche-Midi does not mention an elevator. Most people wouldn't mind walking up one flight of stairs, but it might be worthwhile to confirm whether they have a lift.

- you mentioned that your daughters would like you to cook while you're there. (You won't regret it; we always cook some of our meals when we rent in France.) The kitchen in the vrbo place looks very small. I know, some people can create miracles in a tiny galley kitchen, but I prefer to have enough room to swing a cat.

- As Travelnut pointed out, the dining area in rue Madame is much more spacious. As far as I can tell from the photographs of the vrbo place, there is a very small table (I can't tell how many it seats) or the four stools at the bar.

- If you travel with a laptop, the rue Madame apartment has wireless internet.

- Overall, I find the rue Madame apartment more appealing, but I realize that's a pretty subjective thing.

Anselm

Thank you everyone for your thoughts. Yes we have traveled to Paris before but not with our kids. We were spolied by a very strong dollar on our last trip. We rented a small house on a recent trip to Santa Fe and loved being in our own space, and it is dificult to find a hotel room in Paris for 4, so we are opting for an apt. Our kids would not yet want to be in their own room.

I agree that Rue Madame is prettier and the dining area is larger, however the other unit has 2 sofa beds, which may be more comfortable and allow the girls to sleep indivdiually.

I have heard from others that the lift on Rue Madame is very small, and it would be awful if it did not work as the apt is on the 5th floor. We can all handle walking up one flight on Rue du Cherche Midi.

I have not located any 2 bedroom apts in the 6th/7th that look as nice and are in this price range and are still available!

So I am still undecided! Help!

I think they are both good locations, of course, as everyone says. That one on rue Madame is on several websites, I'm surprised it's available. Actually, it is on VRBO also (no. 19351, I think), but I think the price is the same on either site. I remember someone asking about that on here, you can probably search and find that post. I just read it and someone who saw it said it looked better in the photos than in reality, so maybe they aren't really that different in appeal. The guy who said that said he didn't remember any closets at all, but maybe there were. I'd probably go with the one on rue de Cherche Midi if you can't choose because it is cheaper, and for the reasons you think it has some advantages. The dining table wouldn't matter to me that much, but I'm pretty casual about that kind of thing and don't often even eat at a dining room table. But if you really like a family sit-down dinner with everyone at the same table, it doesn't look like you could do that at the other one.

ttt

Edye, have you pretty much settled on the 6th or 7th? You mentioned wanting to be near a metro and outdoor markets. There are metro stops all over the city; there is a wonderful outdoor market on boulevard Richard-Lenoir in the 11th (twice a week, if I recollect properly, certainly Sunday mornings), and there are numerous apartments for rent in the nearby 3rd and 4th. I stayed in a one-bedroom in the 4th last February that also had a sofa-bed in the living room. It was about two minutes from the Sully-Morland metro station and 10 minutes from Bastille and the market on Richard-Lenoir.

Anselm

My wife and I stayed in an appartment in Rue Cherche Midi in the 6th Addronisment. What a lovely area, the best in Paris. We walked around all Paris for 7 days and nights and did not find a better area. You are close to the magnificent Luxembourg Gardens, Bonn Marche supermarket and Notre Dame (15 minute nice walk). Your apartment looked bigger than ours and a lot newer. Ours had a lift so, yes, you should find out about yours, but seeing the five/six levels it should surely have one. No, you will not be disappointed with the area in appearance and central location to the sights of Paris.

I forgot to mention that where you are is very, very close to the Babylone Metro so no worries about transport around Paris.

I believe the one that was 5-6 stores was the other one on rue Madame, not on Cherche Midi where the apt. is on the first floor, so an elevator really doesn't matter. At last it wouldn't to me. I don't care about an elevator until an apt. gets over the fourth floor. YOu aren't going to be able to predict if that elevator will break while you are there, unfortunately. Odds are it won't, but I did have an apt. in Paris once that was on the fifth floor and the elevator was out of order for a couple days. If the apt. is below that, I often just take the stairs anyway, even if there is an elevator, if I'm not carrying much. It's often quicker than waiting for it.

OK so I made a decision to stay in another apt in the 6th managed by the Parisian Flats group. Here is the unit:
http://www.parisianflat.com/Regis.htm

It is one block away from the Rue Cherche Midi I originally considered, it is larger, and Philippe at Parisian Flats has been quite responsive and has received positive reviews on Fodors and elsewhere.

Melissa, when are you traveling this spring? Are you still taking the Delta/Air France flight out of Philly? I was about to book it and it suddenly disappeared over the weekend. Delta said there was a schedule change and it was cancelled. I then booked us on US Airways, which has had their daily flight from PHL for years.

edye, thanks for the heads up! i checked our reservation (via AF) and it's still there. we're going in march.

the delta website still shows the same flights in april, but for $1900! i hope you got a better deal on usair.

we were very happy with sophie and phillipe at parisian flats (despite the uncomfortable sofa). your girls will love the playground at the jardin du luxembourg!

Excellent choice! Actually, I do like that one best of the three you posted. I suppose the only minus is that there is only one sofabed for the girls, rather than two? In any case, I like it and it solves several of the other issues.

Hi Edye I know I am a bit late jumping into the mix here but I actually just returned yesterday from Paris and stayed at the apartment you are renting on Rue Regis - its quite lovely and while the street itself is small and very quiet, the location is terrific - some very cute shops in the area as well as Bonne Marche of course. I cannot vouch for the sofa bed's comfort since I didn't use it - well i sat on it obviously :) - but the bed in the bedroom was very comfortable!. Hope you and your family enjoy it.

Cheers

Whiskey

Edye, this looks like a lovely apartment. I live on Cherche-Midi, and I love this neighborhood.

This is a very convenient location. You will find lots of cafés, restaurants and shops within walking distance, and you are within 5 minutes from 3 metro stops (Saint-Placide, Vaneau, Sèvres-Babylone) and 10 minutes from Montparnasse-Bienvenue and Duroc.

You mentioned that you will be cooking. There are two grocery stores close to you on rue de Sèvres, and you're only a few blocks from the Monoprix on rue de Rennes. One day I counted 7 bakeries within 2 blocks of my building. There is a great cheese store (Quatr'Homme) on rue de Sèvres.

Great choice. Have a lovely time in Paris.

I had not checked my thread in a long time and have just seen the comments from Whiskey and Toupary.
Wish Whskey had known of us sooner so you could have checked out the sofabed. I would love to ask you a few questions about the apt - can u contact me at [email protected]?
Same goes for you Toupary if I can ask you about the neighborhood!
Thanks!!!

I've been staying in the 6th almost annually since 1981 and if I had to pick between the two locations, I'd definitely pick the one on Cherche Midi. Plus, Poilane bakery is on the same street...heaven...and if it's at the beginning of the 6th(north end)...then you have Au Bon Marche department store around the corner...best department store in Paris..and the Au Bon Marche's gourmet supermarket next door to the department store...and the boutiques on rue Cherche Midi and the side streets are great. Go to Karine Dupont handbag boutiue a few steps south of Poilane Bakery...same side of the street. You'll be walking and looking a lot. Plus, the metro is right next to Au Bon Marche...metro Sevres Babylone. There are lots of buses,too. Have fun. Happy travels!