my stay in Paris will last many days.A cheap stay which i will include in my vacation will be Formule 1 in St Ouen .<BR>I am wondering how the area looks like...<BR>Should i avoid returning in the hotel late at night using for example noctambus ?Do you think that it is unsafe like the Forum les Halles in the night?<BR>Thank you very much.<BR>Akis ,Greece<BR><BR>

Formule 1 is a reasonable hotel but not in a nice area. St Ouen by night! I would not advice any new arrival in Paris to stay there. I have friends who work in the area and believe me their companies insist they leave at 6pm at the latest and not to miss early evening trains. Why can't you find a hotel in Paris, accessible by metro. If you still insist on staying there, then I shall suggest you take a taxi every night. Good luck.

good information !thank you so much ,i will aviod it!<BR>I am planning to stay in the centre for some days ,the half days Im planning to saty in Formule 1 or Etap.there is an Etap hotel 100 m from Malakoff Plateau de Vanves .The man who books the room topl me in the phone that is a safe area.Do you think that is a better choice than St Ouen?<BR>There is also an Etap near St tourelle metro.What is your opinion?<BR>Thank you so much for helping me!

By all means, DO AVOID the Formule 1 Saint Ouen. A friend of mine just spent a night there, and when I came to pick him up, even I, a seasoned Parisian, felt not really at ease. Same thing for the Etap in Vanves. Saint Mande Tourelles might be a more middle-class area, but frankly these hotels are quite depressing. Remember that hotel accommodation in Paris is the cheapest of all European capitals. You can find very decent cheap accommodation in the heart of Paris. Grand Hotel du Loiret for instance, is in the Marais, and rooms start at 35 euros. IF you are looking for cheap accommodation, a good source of info is the Routard's Hotels et Restos de France, published in English pby Rough GUides.

You are right! i should start thinking of not staying in the suburbs...<BR>What a surprise!Grand Hotel du loiret has already been my choice for Paris!doubles without bath cost 40 euro , whereas with bath cost 54 euro!<BR>I just thought that Formule 1 is the cheapest clean accomodation ,moreover Etap is still cheap and provides shower as well.Anyway ,i would be grateful i anyone would recommend me an Formule 1 or Etap in a safe suburb of Paris .<BR>Thank you all for answering me!<BR>AKIS

Ackis,<BR><BR>Malakoff/Porte de Vanves is safe, though not exactly picturesque... You'll be right on the Peripherique, a congested 8-lane highway which circles the city.<BR><BR>I would try for something more central with a little more charm though. Do a search on this forum!<BR><BR>Andre

Thanks Andre !<BR>I was thinking that in this price (33,5-42 euro) it is very nice to have a clean room with tv and shower(Etap)<BR>I am not particurarly interested in the surroundings of the hotel i choose in the suburb of Paris .I am just worried about the safety of the place when I arrive late at night ,especially for my 18 years old sister .<BR>Your opinions are always helpful so....send me your thoughts

Ackis,<BR><BR>I think you will be fine - I checked the Accor web site and the hotel appears to be adjacent to the Porte de Vanves metro stop: very convenient. As I said, the area is safe, though nothing special (mostly residential, but with a large convention center nearby at the Porte de Versailles).<BR><BR>Andre

thank you Andre!so, if i decide to stay for some days in the suburbs of Paris in order not to spend much Porte Vanves is a safe area for the night.<BR>Any other comments are welcome...

Routard is a good guide book and it is used by Europeans who don't want to overpay for hotel rooms. ETAP and Formule 1 are cheap and okay when on the road away from major cities, but I wouldn't stay at one of those in Paris area. Republique is a neibhorhood with lots of affordable hotels. Les Halles is mixed, and a guy could stay there but your sister probably wouldn't be comfotable walking by all the guys who tend to just hang around in that area day and night.