xyxy100

Need some help on deciding which apartment we are going to take. Some background info: six of us (including 2 kids under 6 and one of them is a picky eater) will stay for 10 days in Paris. Husband has a meeting for 3 days near Line C - Henri Martin StationLine or line 9 - La Muette
station (16th arr.) so we will need to find some place relatively convenient for him as well (either by metro or taxi). Given we have young kids, shorter walks to major attractions are a big plus. Our other top priorities are safety and cheaper food (maybe want to cook some, so is 6th arr. really that much more expensive than 2nd or 9th arr?). We don't speak French if that matters.

6 rue St Lazare (in 9th arr. It is a really nice apartment but seems to be further out)

20 rue Saint Sauveur (in 2nd arr. Is it too close to Les Helles? seems it's not particularly safe there)

13 Rue de Buci (in 6th arr. Food probably is going to cost more here)

Thank you so much for your input!

rosetravels

Hi xyxy100 - if you can put the links to the apartments you're thinking of, that would be helpful. People can then offer opinions on those and suggest others for you to consider.

You'll want to be near a metro station and near bakeries and the market but most places will meet those requirements. You don't need to be near your husband's meeting - getting around is so easy.

Guenmai

What apartment company are you looking at to find an apartment on the rue Buci? I've stayed, in the 6th, almost annually since the early 80s and most of that time was on rue de Seine at rue Buci.

I've only found one apartment listed on that street. I'd love to rent an apartment on rue Buci. I had friends, who lived in Paris for nearly 20 years and their last 5 or so years, moved to an apartment on that street since they owned a restaurant a few steps away.
As for that neighborhood, rue Buci is about 3 short blocks long and right at the corner of rue Buci and rue de Seine is the grocery store. Then a half a block , north of rue Buci, on rue de Seine is the laundromat...dryers!
And on the rue Buci right east of rue de Seine are food shops for a block...a great bakery and a deli. And Paul's cafe, for breakfast, and light food, is at the corner of rue Buci and rue de Seine attached to the grocery store building. And on the rue de Seine, for one block between Blvd. St. Germain and rue Buci are all of the fruit, vegetable, meat,fish. flower, etc...street vendors. The area is packed with services. Plus metro Lines 10 and 4 are nearby along with plenty of buses.
As for your husband commuting, it's easy on the metro no matter where one is in the inner city. Happy Travels!

xyxy100

Thank you both so much for your suggestions. I found all three apartments on either vrbo (with good reviews) or vacationinparis (the convenience of paying dollars is an advantage) per suggestions here on this forum.

Here are their links:
1. 6 rue St Lazare
http://www.vrbo.com/99602

2. 2o rue Saint Sauveur
http://vacationinparis.com/apts/id_195.htm

3. 13 Rue de Buci
http://www.vrbo.com/33506

We are considering #2 because it is less expensive and close to market Montorgueil. I am just not so sure about safety there.

Thanks again,

avalon

I noticed all the apts. you are looking at are from VRBO. You might also want to check the Vacation In Paris website. I just rented from them and they are a delight to work with. Prices are in US dollars and can be paid by CC or paypal. They send you the keys so you don't have to wait for someone to let you in. They also send a PDF information file with contact numbers, local info and apt info. My key deposit was returned the next day after they got the keys back. They also have a small priced , I think, around 25 dollar, rental insurance so if anything is damaged you're covered.

This one of theirs might suit you and it's near rue Montgueril

http://www.vacationinparis.com/apts/id_113.htm

avalon

I'm losing it! I see now you had checked VIP!

beaupeep

I am a woman who goes to Paris to visit friends or on my way to or from my annual thalasso stay in Bretagne and have walked through Les Halles area, although not the park itself, alone at night and early in the morning to catch the RER out to CDG. If you stay out of the actual park, you should be fine. There are lots of places for young kids to eat in the area. And plus a great Niki de Saint Phalle fountain they can splash around in if it is hot.

Cathinjoetown

Hi xyxy,

Like Guenmai, I am partial to the 6th arr and the Buci neighborhood in particular.

The apartment has some pluses with under six young ones in tow--no stairs for lugging strollers, cases or groceries and very close (just out the door) to the street market and grocery.

At street level you may be concerned about safety although the flat doesn't open on to the street. You will most likely hear some noise but again as the flat opens on to a courtyard the noise shouldn't be too loud.

I can't imagine (but have no data) that the Champion grocery on Buci marks up its goods more than in other areas of central Paris but it might. Food in general is a bit more expensive than in the US, depending on where you live.

Further out groceries and restaurants will be cheaper but you need to weigh that against cost of transport and time to get to things you want to see. It's really a trade-off because many of the outlying neighborhoods are lovely.

You are close to the Luxembourg Gardens which is great for kids--a carrousel, puppet shows, toys boats in the many fountains, etc.

In the opposite direction from the flat is the St. Germain des Pres stop for the batobus which is a hop-on, hop-off boat which stops at eight major sights along the Seine.

As Guenmai pointed out, metro stops are close as well as bus lines (friendlier for strollers). A taxi stand is just down on the Blvd St. Germain.

seafox

The Lesx Halles is very different that it used to be...urban reform has hit. The park in the late hours of the AM is as risky as any park in a city. But otherwise you should not have a problem. Besides a family with kids is not a common target.

Cries_Van_Notebook

I would stay near the Rue de Buci because my favourite area in all of Paris is the area near St. Sulpice, the Jardin du Luxembourg, and Deyrolle.

Thin