Hi all,

Flying from LA in and out of CDG, I have booked three nights in Paris at the end of a 5-week trip in early October. Our plan is to take a day trip to Versailles (DH hasn't seen it) and a day trip to Giverny. In the evenings, we will want to sit at a cafe and have dinner. No big Paris sightseeing this time.

I have rooms reserved at the Hotel de Lutece https://www.paris-hotel-lutece.com/ on Ill Saint-Louis and the Dauphine Saint-Germain hotel on Rue Dauphine https://dauphine-st-germain.com/en/ and need to let one go. Refundable deals were on the Internet over the weekend offering standard rooms for about $500 for three nights (Hotel de Lutece even includes breakfast.) Standard rooms are pretty small so I may upgrade, and we don't need breakfast as we like wandering to a little boulangerie or patisserie.

My question is what do you think about staying Ill Saint-Louis, especially with Notre Dame under construction? Hotel de Lutece seems nicer and comes highly recommended but I'm not sure I love Ill Saint-Louis nor its location. And I'm wondering if the construction zone is such an eyesore that I should stay in Saint Germain.

I've stayed in Saint Germain the last two times I've been to Paris so was thinking of venturing out, but...

Thank you!

I have not stayed at the Lutece but friends who did (quite experienced travelers) gave it good reviews. As for staying on the Ile itself, what you are describing sounds like a perfect fit - there are numerous little places to eat and drink on the Ile and it is fairly quiet at night.

Hi lrice,

I've stayed on the Ile several times -- and in the 1980s in that hotel! However, these days I need to have a room with some space and air outside the window so my stays have been overlooking the river.

But lately I've moved on to other areas of Paris. One reason is that transportation is not super easy from the Ile; I prefer bus travel, and there are few stops/lines that go through. And of course there are no metro stops on the island. While there are nice patisseries and small grocery shops and wine merchants.... if you need a bigger market for stuff like your favorite brand of yogurt, again you need to leave the island.

Tough choice. Nevertheless, Paris is always a good idea.

s

Thank you both! I am leaning toward it being too quiet for us. Although it sounds like people walk to the Marais, which I don’t know at all.

it is difficult to find a nice hotel for under $200 a night. October seems expensive!

It all depends on what you consider to be a "nice" hotel. In outer Paris, there are a multitude of "nice" hotels for no more than $100. But if you find a 15 minute metro ride to the center of the city unbearable, please feel free to stay in the tourist ghetto, where you will also pay a premium for restaurant meals or even a drink in a café..

Sorry to sound cranky, but particularly for someone who says they do not need to do much sightseeing on this trip, I find it tragic to feel a need to stay in exactly the same area where frantic neophyte tourists feel they need to stay to be able to "see everything" as quickly as possible.

I remember seeing the Hotel Lutece, and jotting down a note so I'd remember it for future visits. It looked very inviting.
I think it has a sister property right next door?

We have eaten dinner twice at nearby Le Caveau de l’Isle, on Ille Saint Louis:
https://lecaveaudelisle.eatbu.com/?lang=en
(Cash only) Low-key, good food & service, not touristy.

NOT touristy on Ile Saint Louis? What is your definition of touristy?

Thanks kerouac and MoBro !

Keouac, you have a good point. That said, we prefer to stay closer to the city center. I don't like to use the metro or busses to "run around" Paris, mostly because I don't speak the language, although I will to Versailles and Giverny. I'm not a fan of the Latin Quarter because it is so full of tourists and postcard shops, although I don't think October will be particularly crowded. Saint Germain seems quieter and Ill Saint-Louis even quieter with basically only one street of cafes.

I like the idea that Ill Saint-Louis is close to Marais and we have never really explored that area. My main concern is the charm factor. Is the scaffolding and construction around Notre Dame such that it impacts sitting at those cute cafes for dinner on Ill Saint-Louis?

Is this comment directed to me?

I did not say “NOT touristy on Ille St Louis”.

I said that particular restaurant I recommended is not touristy. The two times we were there, it seemed more low-key, with moderate prices, as locals might prefer. It did not seem like a tourist trap to us.

In any event, it was our impression, and you don’t need to be aggressive about it.

We ate at the same restaurant MoBro mentioned as a local recommended that restaurant to us and said he goes there with his friends.

Then why do you need to be so defensive, MoBro?

My personal feeling is that there is not a single place on the Ile Saint Louis that is not touristy. Does this really surprise you so much? It's kind of strange that you would believe that every "touristy" place would be a tourist trap. I go to plenty of touristy places in Paris (living here for so long, it would be impossible to avoid them all). Touristy is not necessarily an insult, but it is still an essential qualification to describe places or areas.

On the subject of "touristy," I would like to add that I consider Paris to be the most touristy city in the world. And yet I do not consider it to be a reason not to go there. I am a bit annoyed that people use "touristy" as a negative adjective. It is a condition to accept, not to pretend that it doesn't exist.

You sound like an insufferable know-it-all. Looking at some of your other comments, it seems you’re staying true to form.
P.S. Nobody cares.

Thank you. That’s how it felt to us, and is one reason why we liked it. It felt authentic. Dare I say “not touristy”? Haha

Laughing a bit... Is it "wrong" for a tourist to stay in a touristy area? How and why do some places become touristy and others don't? Could it be that they are spots that tourists enjoy and find convenient for their stay?

Anyway, we've stay on the island multiple times. Thirty years ago at the Jeu de Paume. About 10-12 years ago in an apartment offered by a friend. Lutece about 5 years ago. I like being in a somewhat quiet spot but still feeling close to both sides of the river and loads of interesting streets, restaurants, etc. We've also stayed in other parts of Paris over the years.

The work at Notre Dame would have nothing to do with my decision. Unless you walk to/from the island via Pont Saint-Louis, you won't be dealing with its construction zone.

Signage and announcements in the metro and on buses are in English as well as French, so now I am wondering which language you speak. With all of the electronic screens now in use, a lot of the information is also in German, Italian, Spanish and even Chinese.

But you may of couse stay wherever you feel comfortable. Exploring the Marais will take half a day at most, which is still twice as long as the time needed to explore the Ile Saint Louis.

Hi again,

If you are interested in exploring the Marais, would you consider staying there? For instance, the Hotel Jeanne D'Arc has doubles for around 150€ per night in early Oct. The Hotel Caron has doubles around 170-190€ per night (depending on cancellation options, etc) for the same period.

BTW, I went to school in Paris for a year in the 1970s, and I am still drawn to the 7th, where the school is located. I've been derided for this preference by folks saying it's "the American Paris," and artificial and inauthentic. But it feels like home to me, and it gives me a sweet nostalgic time. I also love the architecture, views, and feelings of the Ile Saint-Louis, and have received the same derision. I thank goodness that we are all different, with different tastes and varying needs. I'm also very thankful that I can now afford to stay where I like, as opposed to the old days when one baguette was both dinner and (stale) breakfast. I'm also thankful that I'm old enough to have survived peer pressure.

Enjoy your stay!

s

FWIW, we stayed on Isle St. Louis about 10 years ago, in a B&B apt. on the 5th floor of a building. The neighborhood was about a block from a bridge near the south end of the island. Sure was not at all touristy; but we only used it as housing, while exploring other parts of the city during the day.

We’ve stayed in different apartments on Isle St. Louis many times. The location is to our liking, easy walking distance to either side of the river. We like the selection of bakeries, small grocery shops, and restaurants. We don’t really cook but I make coffee while my husband goes out for fresh bread and sweets for breakfast. We also like being close to the river at night for walks after dinner.
Our favorite restaurant is L’lot Vache. We have had dinner there many times through the years and have never been disappointed.

The hotel has never interested us because the rooms are very small.

As far as the Marais goes it’s not our favorite location. A few quaint streets around St. Paul but otherwise a lot of falafel shops and the very busy Rue de Rivoli.
This is just one person’s opinion, everyone is different.

IMO, for only 3 nights I’d choose the Dauphine. Centrally located and you are familiar with the area which adds time to your short stay, Our go-to hotel is always The Madison on St. Germain, close by.