My husband and I will be visiting Paris for the first time October 13, 2001. I have done quite a bit of research and thought a 3 star hotel in the Ste. Germain area would be good for us. My sister-in-law said that the left bank was seedy and dirty. She said to stay only on the right bank near the Champs-Elysees. Can you seasoned travelers give me the real insight? Thanks - Cheryl

WE have been to Paris five times and stayed on the right and left bank. You can find dirty and seedy places anywhere and in any section of a city in the world. We loved the Montparnasse section on the left bank and enjoyed the Rue De Lillie near the Dorsey also on the left bank. Neither was seedy or dirty on the streets where we stayed. We stayed on the right bank near the Gare De Lyon and the Republic and you can find dirty streets near the station and a main square but we did not find either seedy or more dirty than anywhere else. Choose a hotel that you like,right or left bank, near transportation, and you will love Paris.

Your sister in law is totally mistaken! <BR> <BR>The Champs Elysee area is completely dead at night and during weekends. It's boring, there's nothing interesting to do or see there besides L' Arc de Triomphe, or the avenue itself (and the Crazy Horse), or Faubourg St Honore where the designer shops are. <BR> <BR>The 7th and 6th are both very interesting, safe and clean, unless in the vicinity of the markets, like the Buci street, but is far from being dirty. It has wonderful scents, scents of very fresh fruit and fish, but they will be gone at night. If you want a more familiar, quiet environment, stay in the 7eme, if you want a more lively area, stay in the 6eme. I find it to be more central for sight seeing than the 7eme, though. <BR> <BR>Surlok

The left bank is not dirty and seedy; the right bank is not better in any way. They're both fine. Personally, I wouldn't stay by the Champs Elysees (which is now an outdoor mall) although we like staying in the 1st on the right bank. It's not critical at all where you stay as long as you're in the central area. The various areas are right next to each other, across the street from each other. There's no great demarcation line. Everyone has their own favorite area they will argue for. You'll be out and about the whole city anyway, and the city is so easy to get around you can go to most areas quickly and easily for sites, restaurants, etc. The 1st, 4th, parts of the 5th, the 6th, parts of the 7th, 8th - they would all be fine for a first timer. For more Paris information e-mail me – [email protected]

Split the difference... Stay on Ile St. Louis. Easy walk to Metro lines on both sides of Seine. Charming neighborhood/island. Very quiet at night. We stayed at the Jeu de Paume in October 1997. Smallish room but otherwise perfect.

I prefer the Left Bank to the right, but I agree that the Ile St. Louis would be a nice compromise - but you have to cross a bridge to get to a metro station. The 6th is a great area for a first (and subsequent) visit - very lively, quinessential Paris. If you want somewhere more quiet, try the 7th - but it's inconvenient if using the metro - you almost always have to change lines to get anywhere. Bon Voyage!

RE: SEEDY AND DIRTY <BR> <BR>Cheryl, <BR> <BR>What your sister-in-law probably means is that the left bank is too exciting for her blue blood; high heels go to the Champs-Elysees. <BR> <BR>The Quartier Latin is the soul of The City. Montparnasse and St-Germain-des-Pres are excellent, and Luxembourg is not far from the target. Paris 5e or 6e is the place to be; that's between Blvd. Montpasnasse and Notre Dame. <BR> <BR>John <BR>

Have a look at these small, but charming two hotels (2** and 3***) in the 7th arrondissement of Paris : <BR> <BR>www.latour-maubourg.fr (***) <BR>www.hotelvaladon.com (**) <BR> <BR>Both run by the same family, Mr & Mrs Orsenne. <BR> <BR>greetings <BR> <BR>Samuel

Sounds like your sister-in-law hasn't been to the Left Bank in decades. The St. Germain has many very attractive hotels, including a number that have been mentioned by the above posters. You should be aware that left bank hotels generally have signficantly smaller rooms than do hotels on the right bank. You should also be aware that you have less than two months to go and space may already be booked in the most desirable hotels. These places typically have only 20-30 rooms and reservations are often made far in advance. Some ideas: Hotel d'Aubusson, Hotel de Fleurie, La Villa, Hotel Buci Latin. The St. Germain area is great, but time is running short. Get started pronto.

As mentioned, your sister in law's information is completely outdated <BR>(if it was EVER accurate) or else she got it from movies. <BR>Take the above advice and book now! It's already too late for many of the popular small left-bank hotels. <BR>I have stayed on both banks. The right bank is more wide-open spaces, more <BR>business-oriented, fewer choices for moderately-priced restaurants and hotels. Avoid too many tourist trap restaurants on the Champs and on rue de Rivoli. Nevertheless I like it, specifically the 1st arrondissment for its convenient location to shopping, the Louvre, etc. The Marais area, and Ile St Louis, are quite different, and quite neighborhoody and charmimg. <BR>The left bank is quainter overall, streets smaller in scale, the hotels are too. More "old Paris" charm per square foot. <BR>Staying near the Champs Elysees is a Parisian version of staying near <BR>Times Square in New York, taking into account the vast differences between the two cities. There may be some charming exceptions, but the area is touristy,dirtier, <BR>expensive, and really not all that convenient compared to other areas.

Cheryl: <BR> <BR>Your sister-in-law is gravely misinformed. Although there are parts of the Left Bank I'm not overfond of (the Latin Quarter), the area is neither seedy nor dirty. It's lively, full of interesting and eclectic neighborhoods. By contrast, the area around the Champs Elysées is terribly dull. The only reason to stay there is to boast to people who don't know Paris that you "stayed on/near the Champs Elysées." Stick with the results of your original research - a 3-star hotel in St-Germain will, I'm sure, be delightful.

People have widely differing perceptions of cities (just read the "Underwhelmed by Venice?" thread), and of neighborhoods within cities. <BR> <BR>Your sister-in-law's comment that the left bank of Paris is "seedy and dirty" is her perception. I do not share that perception at all, nor do, I suspect, many other visitors to Paris.

Three times on the Right; fourth on the Left. And that's where you'll find me from now on. The Left is far more fun. And the only doggy-do we saw was on the Right

I'm spending one night on the Left, one on the Right as I use Paris as my base for the Loire Valley next month. All of the above postings are right on the money - there is no one good or bad area of any city. I don't care for the Champs Elysee because it's dead at night, crowded and noisy during the day and too much like Michigan Avenue in Chicago, or Times Square in New York etc. <BR>But you'd better get hopping! I booked our hotels for the second week of October months ago and didn't get into our first 8, 9, maybe 10 choices! Almost any hotel will be better than none at all. <BR>

If you want lively nightlife, nice boutiques, good restaurants ... the Left Bank (esp. St. Germain area). <BR>Based on the responses above, I wouldn't want to be your sister-in-law right now.

I stayed in the 6th, St.Germain. This neighborhood has small boutique hotels, rather than the large convention types. Seedy? I'd say definately No. My hotel(36 rooms) was two doors away from Armani, across from Cartier. The neighborhood was very clean, transportation was great, and I loved the small boutique hotel experience(my first). We walked down avenue des Champs-Elysees on our way to the arch. It was crowded, commercialized, and not the taste of Paris I had been enjoying in the 6th. I'm not a seasoned Paris traveler, but I would consider myself a bit on the picky side. So if the words quaint, cozy, comfortable, small, intimate, and friendly don't upset you than, I think you will enjoy St. Germain.