Paris - stay in which section?
 

We haven't been in Paris in ten years. We're going to the Dordogne for 10 days, and then will spend 4 days in Paris in June. LAST time, we were in the Latin Quarter, and I'd like to do something different. What about the Marais?

We want to be close to a Metro stop, and relatively central. Suggestions welcome!

Thanks very much,
Alice

I personally don't love the Marais...I think it is more commercial than it was 10 years ago. I know others do love it.

We really love the area in the 6th near St Sulpice and the Odeon Metro stop. There are several great small hotels and cafes right there. PLUS gerard Mulot is near by for pastries (also an Eric Keyser) and Un Dimanche a Paris...which has wonderful macarons, chocolates and desserts/pastries. It's a quick walk to Notre Dame, Ste Chapelle, D'Orsay, Luxembourg Gardens and more. Also the bus stop is right there at the Metro station.

You will get lots of opinions on this and I don't really think you can go wrong in Paris.

Ditto the above,
5th, 6th are good. 7th another possibility, bit quieter. If you include Ile St Louis in Marais (4th), another good choice. Hotel Lutece, Deux Iles.


I've stayed in the Marais (Hotel de la Bretonnerie, old wooden beams in ceiling)), but not in a while.

Many here have also liked the 15th, Montparnasse area and you will find some good recs.

My last stay was in the 16th, Hotel Auteuil Tour Eiffel. If you want a neighbourhood area, near Metro.. I went to my local cafe in morning. At night, went to see movie nearby, another night went to area with some nice restaurants. Monoprix not too far, a favorite chocolate shop from previous visit. There is also a farmer's market, but did not go this time.

People rarely complain about staying farther from the center if they know how to use the metro. And they tend to rave about all of the money they saved by not paying all of the tourist prices in tourist hell (arrondissements 4-5-6-7).

We also loved the Oberkampf area and the area around Parmentier metro.

Too much dog poop in the Marais for me has gone dodgily downhill sadly. www.ihg.com Crowne Plaza Republique in a Haussmann building from 150 euro close to Galleries Lafayette
Hilday Inn Notre Dame cheaper both well rated and located for me recently.Also pickedup Novotel Les Halles 110 Euro secret hotwire.com Louvre/Vendome hotel($150 USDforApril booking for me.)

Good luck!

This 19th-century building with its striking façade is the home of the Crowne Plaza Paris République, a 4-star hotel situated on Place de la République.

http://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/holi...blique.en.html

In a couple of years, it will be even better because the entire northern side of Place de la République as well as rue du Faubourg du Temple as far as the canal is being pedestrianized. It will look fabulous when it's finished.

Recently stayed here:

http://saintpierre-hotel.com/en/index.php

2 blocks from the RER, 2 blocks from Odeon Metro, bus at
corner to the Right Bank, 2 Monprix,2 Starbucks, Cluny Museum at corner, walk to Notre Dame/Ile de la Cite, Luxembourg Gardens, etc. Very well situated & inexpensive small hotel.

We stayed near Republique our last trip and it was interesting and fun. LOTS of transportation possibilities to all parts of Paris.
I think the Marais is difficult to "get to"--longer walks from Metro, it just seems to me.

Well, LOTS of good ideas to explore. Sounds like the Marais is a little different than when I was last there. Near Odeon Metro sounds possible. I hadn't really thought of staying on Ile St Louis, did not realize (either) that it was part of the Marais. And I hadn't even thought about the 15th or 16th arrondissemets.

So much homework to do. Thanks as always for the advice.

Alice

The Ile Saint-Louis is part of the 4th arrondissement, as is part of the Marais (other part is in the 3rd). I have never heard anyone refer to the Marais when speaking of the Ile.

No, both of the islands are just the islands. Nobody considers them to be part of any other neighborhood -- they are just themselves. I consider the Ile Saint Louis to be anti-Parisian poison. I do not have the same opinion of the Ile de la Cité, which is more authentic even if it is still part of tourist hell.

Poison -- except for Berthillon, I would argue. ;-)

Oh, I remember Berthillon! Even after all these years...

Alice

The ile does have a lot of history to it..revolution madame curie, rothschilds, wwII, mitterand..and a lot of other celebrity residents. Plus, has a swingers club ;)
I just like its scenic location, old mansions, decent restos, and access to some shops.

i have to assume their are some locals living there (meat shop for example) and it is one of the most expensive locations for real estate (only foreigners? )

I don't like the Marais, either, but I never liked it. So I suspect that it really isn't much different than you remember and if you liked it before, you would now. A lot of Fodorites like it there, I just don't get it myself. I don't like it because the streets are very narrow and there are a bunch of trendy, expensive shops there, and it's kind of dark. Others like those shops, I'm just not a shopper. It has a bunch of expensive cafes in it, also.

I think even iof people know how to the use the metro, people don't want to stay far away from things they want to do, whatever that might be. Just eats up a lot of time, especially with connections. And the metro isn't always very pleasant, especially in summer.

Well, I have to disagree in part. I do like the Marais during the day -- narrow streets, trendy shops, cafés, Jewish bakeries, galleries, museums.

When I started visiting Paris, I dreamed I would live there. Then, when I did live there (Paris, not the Marais), I was there one night and was very happy I lived elsewhere. I don't like it so much at night. Of course, a few blocks away would be just fine.

I'm probably not the best person to ask, as I can't think of anywhere in Paris I couldn't live.

So true, toupary6. Places where you want to live in Paris are very rarely the places that you liked the most as a tourist. In the same vein, as much as I like the Times Square area in NYC as a tourist, I very much doubt that I would want to live there if I move to New York some day.

You do get it, kerouac.

I never noticed that the cafés in the Marais are more expensive than anywhere else in Paris -- unless you count the Beaubourg. I was underwhelmed by food and service, but it's worth it once in a while just for the ringside seat.