Please help me decide between two Paris apartments
 

Hello! My husband and I (both 40) are planning our first trip to Paris. I’m trying to decide between two apartments, both listed by Cecile Apartments and both look amazing and have wonderful reviews. Not being familiar with Paris, I’m trying to decide which would offer the best location for us.

Here’s what we’re looking for:

We’ll be traveling to all of the major sites and are comfortable walking and using public transportation.

We like good food, but it doesn’t have to be too fancy – a good roasted chicken, a savory crepe, perfectly cooked steak, and great sandwiches/salads are all fine with us. Maybe a fun wine bar where we can stop for a nightcap.

We want to be able to get supplies for breakfast and for picnics – so wine and cheese shops, bakery, patisserie, perhaps a carryout sandwich store or deli. I’m a chocolate fanatic so a chocolatier would be a bonus!

Here are the apartments:

Marais on Rue du Bourg Tibourg
http://www.cecile-apartments.com/par...-apartment.php

At the corner of Rue Tournon and Rue St Suplice in St Germain des Près
http://www.cecile-apartments.com/par...-apartment.php

Both apartments look lovely. I wouldn't be concerned about being near food shops--seems to me there are good shops on almost every block in Paris! For me the choice would be a toss-up. All depends on the area where you'd like to be.

You might want to use Google maps to "walk" around the neighborhood and see which one is more appealing to you. http://www.fodors.com/community/images/PostMessage.png

You've chosen very well.

Both of these locations are convenient to wine and cheese shops, bakeries, patisseries, carryout sandwich stores, delis, and chocolatiers.

Both are in areas with lots of good food options, fancy and not (don't overlook bars for a great inexpensive sandwich, soup, quiche, and the like - <b>walk in to bars you pass by</b> if only to see what's on their blackboards).

Hope that helps - either apartment would suit all your needs and are in great neighborhoods (and convenient to walkable sites as well as transit). My personal preference would be the 2nd one, but my instinct tells me that experienced Paris travelers would be split 50-50 on this question. They are both good.

Looks like the second one is a 4th floor walk up, which will seem longer after a day out and about. Just saying.... Both look nice!

Both are great apartments in very good areas. Just remember both are walkups. Also when it says 3rd floor it really is 4th floor and ditto for 4th floor it is 5th floor.
Do you want to walk up that amount of stairs particularly when checking in with luggage.
If that is no problem either is a good choice.

I don't really have anything to add, but that they both look lovely! I was partial to the first because the street scene looks more quiet. Have a blast!

Thank you all for your responses. The stairs might be an added bonus after all of the eating and drinking. And I pack light - after my first trip to Italy when I packed too much, I now travel with a carry on. I'll take a look at Google maps - good suggestion!

I don't think I can go wrong with either.

Thanks again!

Jrchapma- My husband and I will be traveling to Paris next year and I was wondering if you had suggestions on some romantic things to do and restaurants to check out? It's a trip to celebrate our anniversary :) thanks in advance

They both look great but I liked the St-Germain one better. I wouldn't worry about the stairs since the risers are likely to be low. I once rented a Paris apartment and there were 31 steps to the 2nd floor but the shallow risers made it seem like I wasn't climbing at all.

There are tons of shops near the apartment and lots of good pastry shops.

UNreal, instead of inserting a thread here and asking someone who's making her first trip to Paris for suggestions, you should start your own thread and start reading the myriad posts already here about Paris.

BTW, I like the St-Germain apartment, but they're both winners.

Both looked fine, but the photos of the Marais apartment and the nearby area looked more inviting. Do check for nearest metro stops.

Yes, Unreal, start a new post and also think about doing a search above. There is so much info on this forum about Paris. Never fear!

Great suggestion, I will start a new thread. This is my first time on this site. And I made an assumption that the trip had already occurred! Never assume. thank you!

Now that this old thread has been revived, I'm curious whatever happened to jrchapma -- did you go? Did you rent one? Which one? How was it?

Unreal topped this and I didn't notice the date. I usually look but this one escaped me.!

Oh geeze, 2011! I try to notice the date but usually forget. Good catch, Patrick.

Same here. Ooops.

I know this is an old thread - but for any one looking - I rented that second apartment for 10 nights in 2010 and it was very nice. (I had to look at the thread since I love Paris Apartment threads.)

It is a walkup as noted - so not for everyone.