fishee

I'm considering flying to Paris mainly for the miles and of course would like to wander the city for 4-5 days. This is one of the cheapest studios I could find --

http://www.vrbo.com/68928

I've never stayed in the Marais but thought I'd try something different from the St Germain Des Pres area (which I loved). Comments on the specific location -- shops, energy, charm, is this truly in the center of the Marais district? I don't care about the bed, I can sleep anywhere. It's all about location, if anyone is familiar, please share. I'm exhausted...

PatrickLondon

www.pagesjaunes.fr will give you a map and photos for any commercial address - just put in the street name and Paris 4.

It's slightly stretching a point to call it what I'd call the Marais - it's the other side of the rue St Antoine, but it is within reasonably easy walking distance: the higher the street number, the closer it is to the place des Vosges. The area itself is OK: it's a mixture of residential and professional/business offices (doctors, architect, publishers). Not a lot of restaurants and cafés on your doorstep, but within walking distance you have the market on the Blvd Richard Lenoir, ordinary shops and restaurants on the rue St Antoine, and excellent public transport links.

They say it opens on to the street, and although they say it's quiet, I'm wondering if traffic uses it as a cut through at busy times.

gracieb

Don't worry. In the Marais you don't have to think straight.

AnselmAdorne

I've walked along rue de Petit Musc, fishee. It's extremely quiet and a tiny bit drab, but as PatrickLondon points out, it's also a very easy walk to the true centre of the Marais, the Pont Sully to Ile St-Louis, etc.

If the price is right and you don't mind a short walk, it will be fine. There are also a couple of metro stops (Sully-Morland and Bastille) nearby.

Anselm

Travelnut

gracie

fishee

thanks very much for the replies everyone. I wish it were more in the middle of things, a drab street can be a lonely thing to come home to.

It's only 60 Euro/night. Does anyone know how many blocks until i hit a cafe, boulangerie, or market? I love stepping out onto the street and being amid bustling activity.

I'll check out the pagesjaune.fr link too -- thanks PL.

Seamus

For what you are describing it sounds fine. It is not in the center of a tourist hot spot but that reduces the noise, and you are within easy walking distance to plenty of things. We have stayed nearby and enjoyed it. There are several shops within easy walking - there's a mom and pop grocery on Boulevard Morland just across Blvd Henri IV and a bit further down a good bakery. In the other direction you would be close to the shops on rue San Antoine, and if memory serves there is a bakery even closer on the corner of rue de la Cerisaei, and a Franprix a few doors down from that. The VRBO listing does not state the exact size so it may be rather compact ("large" is a relative term) but overall it looks like aplace I would be comfortable for a few days. If you do go for it please post about it on your return.

AnselmAdorne

Seamus, I seem to recollect that you rented a place on rue Morland? I remember posting about rue Petit Musc for someone who was looking at an apartment on that street. I was renting on rue Morland at the time and recollect someone else posting that they had stayed just down the street from where I was. Was that you?

fishee, there are a couple of cafes on blvd Henri IV, which runs parallel to rue Petit Musc. I had a couple of good meals at Baz'Art Cafe, for example, which is probably no more than a block or so from the apartment you are considering. There are also lots of cafes and restaurants around Place Bastille and along rue St-Antoine.

Anselm

Seamus

Anselm - yep, that may well have been me. The place we rented was on Rue Mornay. It was our first time staying in that area and we liked the location. More recently we had a place across the canal and likd that quite well, too.

fishee

Great, you guys are making me feel better about this place as a reasonable pit-stop for a cheap Paris vacation. Seamus - hey, after reading your report I hunted down that studio you stayed in too -- it's not available for my dates, unfortunately.

I got another response about a studio today. I think fodorites have stayed here before...

http://www.paristudios.com/severin.html

This second studio isn't as cheap as 60 E/night -- but just a little over $100 USD, which is very good. Comments?

Danna

Watching a TV on the ceiling gives you a neck ache. We were just at a cabin with this set up. Works well for a hospital bed, but horribe for seated folks. Even whilst in Europe we always spend some time watching TV. Saw the French version of "Weakest Link" with show girls in full regalia, fascinating. LOL

Seamus

Actually the Severin studio is almost twice the price. I wouldn't go fo it, would stick with the oen on Petit Musc

fishee

Actually, this Severin studio is offering a low season (and "clean it yourself on your way out&quot rate of 79 E/ night or they'll take $98 USD/night since the owners live in NY. Also, a 40 Euro tax per week that you pay to the manager when you arrive, so more like $110 USD/night -- still a good rate.

I love how brightly lit it looks -- anything about the immediate location?

fishee

Looks like I'm going to go for the vrbo apt on Rue du Petit Musc -- she sent me additional pictures and the studio looks fine, sofabed has a real mattress. At this price, it's hard to say no. Thanks for the info everyone, if there's anything else, please comment before I send her my deposit on Monday afternoon.

I'm looking at mappy right now, would you say I'm within a 5 minute walk to the closest metro or a little further? She says it's a ten minute walk to cross over the river towards L'Ile Saint Louie. thanks again for the great help, everyone.

PatrickLondon

Depending which end of the street you are, I'd say (depending on how fast you walk) 5-10 minutes to Sully Morland or Bastille, 10 minutes to St Paul - but to get to Bastille metro, you have to negotatiate a major traffic junction, which takes up a bit of time. Lower street numbers are nearer Sully Morland, higher ones (37 is on the junction with rue St Antoine) are nearer Bastille.

Seamus

Which metro sation you use will be determined by which line you need to take. Bastille offers the most. Sully Morland serves line 7, Bastille lines 1,5, and 8. Both are within easy walking distance. St Paul is line 1 and may be about the same or only slightly further than Bastille.

cageym

We stayed at Hotel Saint Louis Marais last week. It's on the corner of Rue Charles V and Rue du Petit Musc so we walked the street a lot. We were 1/2 block from a patisserie and about 2 blocks south of a major shopping street, 2 blocks north of the Sully metro. We usually used the St. Paul metro, which is nearby, or Bastille. Loved the area which was quiet, but within easy striking distance of whatever we wanted to do.

fishee

thanks for the replies everyone, very helpful.

cagey-- did you think the Rue de Petit Musc was a little drab too?

I still haven't sent her a deposit, I'm so bad about making a decision.

cageym

In the three block stretch of it there is a restaurant, a patisserie, and the hotel we stayed in. The rest seems to be quiet and residential. I thought that worked well as it made for good sleeping and we were really close to whatever else we needed and wanted. I'd stay there again in a heartbeat.

luvtravels

I am looking at renting the St Severin apt in February. Did you rent in October with www.paristudio.com?