Hello-
Iam planning a month long trip to Europe in June of 2009. Iam going with my boyfriend, we are both in our mid 20's and I was thinking of renting an apartment as our "home base" while we travel throughout Europe. Does anyone have any suggestions on what neighborhood to stay in? We want something that is safe, good location in terms of reaching transportation, bustling sidewalks and cafes and supermarkets. I have heard the Latin Quarter, but I was wondering if there were any other options.
Also, we plan on doing excursions to Prague, Spain etc while we are over there. If anyone could offer any advice it would be greatly appreciated. From travel tips, to credit card info or sights to see or skip, it will all be greatly appreciated!! Thanks =)

Whats your budget. I just rented an apt in the Latin Quarter on St Andre des Arts and was delighted with the transportation options. The Marais is also good for livliness.

avalon-
I really dont know what my budget should be?? What would you think for a month long apartment? I have been directed to the website www.parisstay.com but they come with heavy deposits and not everything is included. I guess I dont want to spend more than 3,000-3,500 on the apartment total american dollars, since I will be going to other places.

Will you be flying to Prague and Spain? If going by train i can elaborate a lot on that. (overnight train Paris to Barcelona or Madrid for ex)

I have heard both to fly and take a train. My brother lived in Spain this past summer and told me about Ryan Air, he said it was cheap flights so I was going to look into that....

We have a whole apartment thread addressing this, "Paris Apartment Thread". It's among the first 50 threads. Happy Travels!

If you want to visit Prague and Spain, why are you looking at a month-long home base in Paris? If, as you say, you want to "travel throughout Europe," why would you pay for a rental for a month in only one place?

Why not rent several places for a week or so each?

katiem - www.whichbudget.com will link you to any budget airline web sites serving any two cities (like Ryanair, Easyjet, etc.)

I was sort of wondering the same thing as St Cirq. Why spend all that money for an apt. in Paris (which isn't cheap) if you want to travel thoughout Europe? Maybe that money isn't an issue for you, but just wondered if you are clear on how far away these places are from Paris and how much time and money it will cost you to travel to/from these places and Paris.

sorry, I saw you had a budget of around US $3000 for the month for that apartment when you won't be there at least half the time? You can get something, probalby a studio, but don't expect much at that rate, which is US$100 a day.

Most apartments will have substantial deposits and won't include everything at that rate. Although I'm not sure what you might want included that isn't. lot may include utilities and should include sheets/towels, but other than that, I can't think of anything. Maybe cleaning, I think that particular agency charges for that, it's all relative to the price. A lot do not itemize that separately, but just look for a place in your price range. I mean, that agency has the agency fee itemized separately, but others do that, also. How they itemize things doesn't really matter, just look at the bottom line. Lots of places won't itemize it separately, but if it's an agency, they are getting something. Some private owners seem to charge about the same as an agency, so just look at the bottom line.

Im planning on traveling lightly through Europe like a 2-3 day excursions. I have friends who live all throughout Europe so I will be visting/staying with them. I want Paris to be my main stay cause the majority of my vacation I want to spend in Paris.

Let me third that sentiment. If you're going to spend a month in Europe, do something like four different one-week rentals. It makes no sense to pay for an apartment (for any extended period of time--if you're only planning one weekend away, that would be differnt) if you're going to be paying to sleep elsewhere.

It really doesn;t pay to rent an apartment for w hole month if y ou're going to a ot of other places and will have to pay for hotels there too - as well as train or flights to and fro.

Unless you're talking about just 1 or 2 weekends you would be wasting a whole lot of money.

Why not just fly into Paris, stay for as long as you want, then head out to your other destinatins and fly back fro the last one? It will save you a lot of time, money and energy.

I agree with the others. Besides the cost, continually taking "mini-trips" when you only have a month in total will get exhausting and you'll end spending a lot of your time in airports and train stations and shlepping yourself to and from the airport.

Spending one week in each of four different places would make for a great trip and be way more cost effective.

Please read all the responses before posting; Katie has already commented on the 11th post in this thread that she is "planning on traveling lightly through Europe like a 2-3 day excursions. I have friends who live all throughout Europe so I will be visting/staying with them. " yet people still have to jump on her for renting the apartment in Paris while they assume she is staying in hotels for a week at a time - which she has cleary stated said she is NOT doing!

I would stay away from the Latin Quarter, and look instead to the 10th or around the Bastille, rue de Lappe, rue de Charonne, et rue de la Roquette. Oberkampf to Republique is another area that I've heard has a lot of clubs. If you really want, in the Latin Quarter, between metro Saint-Michel and metro Cluny-La Sorbonne is also supposed to be good. It is really easy to get around Paris, the metro is everywhere, so I would stay in an area near where you will go out at night, so you can go out, then easily get home without having to worry about when the metro closes - it does, but I don't remember when.

rentparis.com has apartments that rent from as little as 57 euro per night when staying more than 27 nights. That price would put you in a studio. A studio would be acceptable for a couple. More than likely you wouldn't be staying in the apartment all that much.

I like the 3rd or 4th arr. Rentparis has many apartments to choose from in those areas. I have always stayed in the marais and rented apartments. I have rented from rentparis twice and always been satisfied. The marais is safe and has lots of restaurants, stores, cafes, monoprix, metro stations, museums, etc.

I wouldn't take too many excursions from Paris. You will find that there is plenty to do in and around Paris.

check this one out. We've stayed there twice and it is an absolute steal for the size and character. It is just one flight up in one of the liveliest parts of the Latin Quarter. That last part is the thing that some might not like about it, but we did, and it sounds like you might as well.

http://www.parisattitude.com/apartme...numProduit=114

We stayed a week in Paris and used Haven In Paris. We stayed in the Abbesses one bedroom apt that had a lovely view of the Eiffel Tower. It was clean and good sized, and located in Montmarte in a good area right across from the Abbess Metro train station. It was an excellent price for a very charming place. We had a nice kitchen, free internet, and picked up fresh croissants every morning right across the street.

http://www.haveninparis.com/special.php#abbesses

Wow Neo..that is a deal and a nice apt.!

Latin Quarter is a great place for any age.

Also, try Craigslist.com Paris.

Have a wonderful time!