I found a short term apartment I'm happy with and would like to know if anyone's stayed in this area and likes or dislikes.
Thanks!

ttt

It's always helpful to post the actual street address...

then you can also put that address into the 'yellow pages' website and see photos of your street.
www.pagesjaunes.fr

travelnut -- I will try that. I have been able to find some descriptions and photos on-line. Also, the owner sent pictures of the street...I was just wondering if anyone has first hand experience. It sounds like there are many local shops/markets/restaurants in the area. Thanks!

I haven't stayed in the area, but have been there. It sounds like you aren't aware that rue Montorgueil itself IS a market street. It's a cobblestone, pedestrian market street with mainly food shops, and some cafes and places to eat, and maybe one hotel is on it. It's a very popular place to shop.

It's an okay area, otherwise, although I haven't been around there at night so can't ay for sure about reataurans and streetlife. I suppose it will be fine -- I know there are cafes right on rue Montorgueil as I've been in them. It's very near Etienne Marcel metro stop and that area is up and coming for trendy clothing shops, some cheap and some designer, and it's also popular area for younger-age shopping. There are lots of small, narrow streets around there, some pedestrian only -- it's a very old part of Paris, of course. Once you get above rue Reaumur or so a little east of there, it's a more questionable area for sex businesses and prostitutes. That's rue St Denis in the north.

Again, it really helps to be specific as the street and address for people to describe the area well. some streets are very long and one part can be very different than others. Also, some apts. advertise as being "near" or in an area they know will sound attractive, and they aren't really that near it at all.

I am in Paris right now for a month. Just a couple hours ago my Parisien friend took me to this area. It is very nice. It is a pedestrian area with several streets in the area pedestrian with lots of shops, cafes and we had a nice time there this evening. It is close to Chatelet and the Halls area. I stay in the 15th at a friend's apartment but if I needed a hotel I would place this area very high on my list. It is very centrally located and an easy walk to the Latin Quarter, Marais, Hotel d'Ville area, the Louvre, D'Orsay, George P. Centre etc.

Larry J

The rue Montorgueil has been around for centuries, always a market street, as it is today. It extends north from the Forum des Halles. During the day it is very lively with stores of all sorts running for blocks. At night it is much quieter and the area is a bit seedy (the rue Saint Denis, known best for its prostitutes, runs parallel to this street a few blocks to the east). The street stops at the rue Réaumur; north of that, it becomes a small and lonely street, the rue Poissonnière.

The Métro stations at the south end of the street (Châtelet-les-Halles, one of the largest underground subway stations in the world) are very centrally located. The Halles area around that south end is very lively even late at night, but again, it can be seedy at times. There is a large park over the Forum at the south end of the street, and if you continue up through the tiny rue Poissonnière, you end up on the boulevard Poissonnière, which leads west towards the Opera Garnier district, east towards the wicked rue Saint Denis and the ethnic stores north of it. The rue Poissionnière and its brethren eventually lead to Pigalle. Crossing through the Forum area at the south end leads you to the west end of the Marais, Châtelet, and the Seine river. Moving west leads you towards the Opéra Garnier at the north end, and towards the Palais Royal and Louvre at the south end. Moving east takes you past the red-light district of the rue Saint Denis and directly into the Marais.

I believe that Sarah Turnbull's recent book, "Almost French" is set in that neighborhood. It was a good read and likely would be of particular interest to you. It's available at amazon.com and in many bookstores.

I thank you again for the insightful descriptions. The location sounds interesting, adventuresome, historical, picturesque, quaint and risque all at the same time! Just the place for us! I will check out that book to, thanks for the recommendation.
Kristin

"Almost French" is definitely a must read if you are going to stay near rue Montorgueil.

I ventured over there a couple trips ago. It looks like a lively, interesting area and maybe I'll stay there on a future visit if I ever tire of St Germain de Pres. (Is that possibe?)

liz