Where to live in Paris? Best arrondisement (excuse the spelling!!) for college junior
 

My 20-year-old will be studying next spring in Paris. And she didn't invite me to come along, but that's another story...

The school that she will be studying at has apartments available in the 5th, 11th, 12th, 13th, and 14th arrondisements. I've visted Paris many times, but am really only familiar with the 5th, 6th, 3rd and 4th. So out of what's been mentioned, which one would you choose and why?

Thanks!

It would depend on where she is going to have to go to class, where those apartments were in those arrondisements, etc. I like the 14th and did stay there often, and also did when I was studying there, but if her classes are in the 9th arr., I'd choose the 11th, probably.

Also, I'd really compare facilities first, as maybe some have different features, costs, etc. So first I'd really find out where she is taking class, for starters. Even though I like the 14th, it is quite large (as most of those arrondisments are, I guess 5th is smallest), so there are places in it that I wouldn't find so convenient and are far from metro stops. Same for others.

I've stayed in the 14th arrondissement both times (except for a couple days in the 13) I've visited Paris and liked it. I didn't spend that much time in the 13th, but did like the bit of it that I saw.

But as Christina wrote, it depends on where your daughter is going to class.

I stayed in the 14th a couple of years ago and really liked it. Great area and neighborhood, good transportation available, seemed very safe. I'd stay there again any time so for living, if not inconvenient to school, it would be a great area for her.

Rather difficult to give a complete answer without knowing the exact address. For example we bought an apartement in the 11th near Voltaire métro, but we would not have bought one in the 11th near Bastille or Oberkampf.

>>And she didn't invite me to come along<<

Maybe the 20-year-old should do this herself. If she makes a mistake, she'll learn something.

I was totally kidding about my daughter inviting me to come along to Paris!

Anyway, her classes will be based in the 3rd and 4th. So I am now thinking the 5th is the most convenient, but what would you advise?

Thanks!

My bias is always to be close to where I will need to be most often, or at least able to reach it most easily (i.e., direct or fewest connections on metro.) You may want to get exact addresses and look up (pagesjaune or mappy.com) to see how convenient to metro they are.
I have come to like the western part of the 12th, and parts of the 11th and would probably start there, but 13 and 14 may offer options that are more economical. None of the areas you list are bad choices - though in truth, if I were a college junior I'd probably accept a waterproof tent on the banks of the Seine for the chance to spend a semester in Paris.

It really depends where the apartment is. I think the 11th might actually be most convenient if she will be on the Right Bank a lot, and if the classes are in the 3rd-4th. They are probably in the northern part of the 3rd (just a guess, but the Archives, Pompidou, etc. take up the south, and the north is cheaper and has some other schools--like around Temple).

I suspect the apartments in the 5th could well be on the border with the 13th. Maybe not, they could be around Jussieu where some Sorbonne branch is, but there are other school housing near the bottom. 12th could be fine, also, as that really starts at the Bastille, but it could be the far side.

13th and 14th probably would not be the most convenient choice for her, and parts of the 13th are really full of modern cheap apartments that are not particular attractive nor are their surroundings.

The best arrondissement is the one with the best apartment closest to a metro station (cancel what I just said if it happened to be the 6th, 7th or 16th).

Any arrondissement is fine, as public transportation is excellent. Most people adopt their arrondissement within a week and swear by it.

11, 12, 13, 14 strike me as the best bets. 11 is somewhat more central. 12 and 14 have lots of interesting working class areas and markets. 13 is great for Chinatown and cheap prices.

Hub and I visited a Sorbonne-for-the-year student friend when we were staying on Rue du Cherche Midi (near Vaneau Metro) and she said we lived on a great street.
Easy walk to Bon Marche and Blvd. du Montparnasse where friend said she loved to shop and hang. OPs have naysayed Bon Marche but we bought a bunch of stuff at the epicerie. On our street, we enjoyed little grocery store, laundry and a wow of a restaurant (something like "Little Green Box"). It all felt local. Sorry, not certain of arr. number-maybe 6th.

Thanks so much,everyone for the replies which are very helpful.