I am taking my family of four (including two nearly-grown teens) to France this summer, spending most of our time in Provence and in the Alps, but at the end of our time in France we have a very brief (barely 1 1/2 days, 2 nights) in Paris. We've chosen Musée d'Orsay and a night time boat on the Seine (along with gelato on Ile St. Louis) as our destinations, but we are finding all the accommodations close by to be out of our price range.
Last time I was in Paris was 40 years ago (which included that gelato), so not surprisingly, I neither remember the neighborhoods nor are those memories probably particularly relevant.
I'd love ideas for which arrondissement(s) people might suggest for more affordable accommodation with reasonably straightforward ways to get to where we are going. We don't mind some walking, and we are game for the Métro and other forms of transport (haven't yet researched whether there is a Parisian version of Uber or Lyft).
- We would love €200 or less per night but don't know if that's doable.
- We would gladly consider apartments, apart-hotels as well as hotels, etc.
- We want an area we feel safe coming back to at night, post-tour boat.
- We value connection and cultural experience over fanciness or luxury (helpful when trying to save bucks).
Any suggestions of areas or specific lodging would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!