15th arrondisement, Paris

Hi Susan, I just got through responding to your other post! I don't know the 15th but I wouldn't be put off by that. I've stayed in the 14th, near the Gare Montparnasse, which was fine. You're not in the heart of tourist Paris but you're close enough to get anywhere you want by Metro. You're probably getting more flat for your money than in the single-digit arrondissements, and more of a feeling of a real neighborhood. If you have the address, take a look on Google Earth street view, up and down the block, around the corner, around the nearest Metro stop, etc. You'll probably find all the urban services you want (grocery, bakery, laundry, dining, takeout, etc.) within a block or so. It helps to be near a Metro stop where two lines meet, like Pasteur, so you can go in any of four directions.

The biggest advantage to being in the "heart" of a city is being able to pop back "home" for a midday nap or change of clothes, or between sightseeing and dinner. That can be convenient but costs in money, square footage, and potentially street noise. And you'll be in Paris long enough to pace yourself.

I've stayed in the 15th a couple of times at a hotel on avenue Emile-Zola. It was fine, a little less popular with a lot of tourists because they have heard they must choose a single digit arrondissement or be thought odd. If the apartment you are considering looks suitable, then I say go for it. You will discover a part of Paris that is interesting and lively.

The 15th has the largest population of the arrondissement. Where in the 15th is the apartment? I stayed in the 15th in 2010 and the Eiffel Tower was a less than 15 minute walk away. Other than the Tower, you will probably want to take the Metro to get to most sights. If the apartment is near La Motte-PIcquet Grenelle, there are 3 metro lines connecting there. With 12 nights, as others have said, you have time to pace yourself. I enjoyed my stay. We needed the space and taking the metro was not a big deal.

On our first trip to Paris , we stayed in the 15th and liked it . As Dick says , you'll find everything there , and as we were near the Pasteur Metro stop getting around was a snap . The area is great , don't hesitate to hang your hat there . Remember , it was good enough for the likes of Gertrude Stein , Hemingway , Fitzgerald , and Picasso , and the café that was the Dingo Bar in " The Last Time I Saw Paris " is at 10 Rue Delambre ( Now called the Auberge de Venise ) .http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dingo_Bar

We stayed for 6 wks in the 15th a half block from the La Motte Picquet-Grenelle Metro stop. As JHK said, it has 3 lines connecting there so it's a great Metro stop to get places. There's a wonderful twice a week outdoor market there, my favorite Monoprix and it's not too far from the ET. Having said that, other than loving the hotel we stayed in (Hotel de l'Avre), I didn't care for the area. I like being near Notre Dame and the river (the heart of Paris). It was too working class, no nice parks, too far from the river and too boring for me. We never found a good cafe or restaurant near us. BUT, if the apt is nice I would definitely stay in the 15th as there is nothing wrong with it.

Hello Traveler,

The 15th arrondisement is a perfectly safe, fine place to stay in Paris. There are some smaller museums and parks. It is the most populace neighborhood in Paris as well as the administrative district of Paris. The Paris Metro can connect you to any part of Paris quickly with out much waiting. Should you be coming back to your flat after the metro closes at night you can utilize the night bus to get back. Staying in a neighborhood that has less tourists and more Parisians means that you get be closer to the culture. Also, you have the chance of getting some great advice as to where the locals go for affordable, good restaurants or shopping from your apartment concierge. Some lesser known sights, that you can look up, which may interest you if you find the time: La Ruche, La Tour Monparnasse (views of Paris), la Musée Monparnasse, Musée Bourdelle and a local shopping center: http://www.beaugrenelle-paris.com/en. I hope that this advise helps you decide on that apartment in Paris. Bonne Chance!

We stayed very reasonably in a charming apartment off a lovely courtyard for 4 weeks in the 15th on rue Cambronne. It's very safe and does have easy access to metro stops to get back into the heart of the city, but it is a very staid more family/residential area.