Why is everybody so desperate to stay in the 6th arrondissement in Paris?
 

I was just wondering why the 6th arrondissement in Paris is seen as some kind of Mecca for a lot of people on this board. What's wrong with the other 19 arrondissements? <BR><BR>To my mind, the 6th is pretty enough, but it is also extremely expensive, and crawling with tourists.

It's popular for good reasons, but I tend to agree that there is often a built-in premium to stay in certain arrondissements, including the 6th. I stay in the 11th-12th most often, myself.

Hm... good question, indeed. I never stay in the 6th and go to Paris on a regular basis. I definitiely prefer to be in a typical and genuine Parisian neighbourhood rather than in tourist crowds in an area with often overpriced restaurants and boutiques. But I happen to spend some time in the 6th during the day or evening, nonetheless.

Have stayed all over Paris for business and have to say that the 6th has the best feel of Paris. I hate to put it that way but it does. The 8th and other parts around there are packed with tourists and shopping. The right bank has become overrun with &quot;Americana&quot;, for lack of a a better word. The left still gives you that feeling of old Paris which I enjoy. Might be because I am older and was there long before it was a chic place to visit. Try the latin quarter or marais areas as well.

Picturesque, narrow streets, very central to major sites and museums, fascinating bookshops and tiny shops of all kinds, convenient and atmospheric street market, lively evening scene, feels very French. That said, I also stayed in the 5th and had the same reaction. <BR><BR>The right bank does seem less exotic, in many areas there I felt like I could have been in New York.

I was not aware that anyone was &quot;desperate&quot; to stay in the 6th.<BR>The Left Bank always appeals to us because we prefer the small winding streets, the cafes and bistros and parks. While there may be many tourists, there are just the same amount over on the Right Bank also. There you have the huge hotels that cater to Americans and tourists of all countries, the big stores, the big companies, it somehow lacks the charm that the Left Bank has (this is personal, not a condemnation).<BR>While the area is not what I would call a Mecca, Paris itself is a huge favorite of people who travel, so I guess it is all in the the way you see things.<BR>

It doesn't appear to me that the people on this board are desperate to stay in the 6th, but rather that they feel that the 6th is the &quot;in&quot; place to be.<BR><BR>There are tourists in all hotels, left bank or right bank. I prefer the beauty, space and amenities of hotels in the right bank. The left bank is TOO crowded for my taste.<BR>

Paris is crowded. Left or Right Bank. I think it is all a matter of taste.

Notice in my original post I said 6th, not left bank. To me, there is so much more to the Left Bank than the strip running between the place St Michel and St Germain des Pr&eacute;s, although I agree, it is charming enough.

Then what exactly is the purpose of your post? <BR>Are you really that curious about why people stay in a certain city on certain streets?<BR>Maybe you should find something to do with your time, that will give you mind more to do than wonder why tourists visit certain streets more than others.

I have lived in Paris for many years. Ask any native Parisian and most of them will say the following (no joke): &quot;La Rive Gauche : ce n'est pas Paris.&quot; Translation: &quot;The Left Bank is not Paris.&quot; With that in mind, each of us can formulate our own opinions. Just some food for thought.

Eye Spy,<BR><BR>If the Left Bank is not Paris, why do we hear so often that the certain parts of the 6th and 7th arrondissements are among the most desirable places to live for upper middle class Parisians--is that not true?

I am not saying they are right or wrong: it's just a general consensus amongst Parisians themselves. While the 6th is very nice, the 7th is even more desirable but a lot of travelers overlook the 8th, part of the 17th and the 16th because of the sometimes unjust emphasis of the Quartier Latin. It's a difficult feeling to describe but once people live in Paris for a while, a lot of them begin to understand the meaning of the phrase. I really don't care personally, but I think I'd rather live on the Rive Droite in the 8th in particular in the Boulevard Malesherbes / Parc Monceau area or in the 7th around rue de Lille or rue de l'Universite or the Invalides. The Quartier Latin is animated but not a really desirable residential neighborhood.

I stay in the 6th b/c the streets are lively and crawling with Parisians! Most of the hotels in this arrondissement are boutique and can't handle the crowds that hotels in the 1st and 8th can. Plus, I like the proximity to site, shops, and love walking to dinner - so many great choices in a 10 block radius.

I don't know the answer to your question. If you read this forum, you will get the idea that there are only a dozen or so hotels in Paris. The Muguet, Bersolys, and a few more.<BR><BR>I personally don't stay in the 6th. I found a nice hotel just over the line in the 14th, along Boulevard Raspail south of Boulevard Montparnasse.<BR><BR>I think the important hotel feature for Paris is to be close to transportation options. The hotel is close to two Metro stations and several bus lines.<BR><BR>And Montparnasse is a lively area at night.<BR><BR>

So Bob, which hotel do you stay at these days? We stayed close to that area a year ago, and the transportation was really good. What are your favorite haunts in the neighborhood, too?

I always stay in the Marais, right around the boundary between the third and ther fourth. I'm glad its not more popular, but wonder why.

Eye Spy,<BR>If this were about Living in Paris, I think I would choose somewhere other than the 6th or 7th but this person is asking about staying on a holiday, so why be far from the main center of town? The areas nearest the Seine, Right/Left Bank are so convenient for tourists. <BR>My wish would be to live near the Eiffel Tower though, but since that isn't about to happen, I would be content to stay there when I visit.

Ever stayed at hotel therese?<BR>www.hoteltherese.com

Joey, looks great, thanks.