Appartment in Paris...ok Location ?

Yes, the neighborhood is safe. I live very close by.
You may come across mentions of Strasbourg-Saint-Denis as a rough area: that's 20 years out of date.
You will find plenty of good restaurants in that area too, you will be spoiled for choice! I liked Les Résistants for creative fare a few months ago, La Cantine Champ Libre is also pretty good, but really there are tons of places and I've barely scratched the surface.
There is also a nice covered market, every day except Mondays, a block east of rue du Faubourg Saint Martin. Marché Saint-Martin, I believe.
And Les Résistants have a nice grocery store focusing on local or artisan produce.

Thanks Balso !

Is it a good location choice for a first visit to Paris (Well my wife and I have been there in 1999 before we were together) ? I know it's not very central, but if we can get around easily it's fine for us.

I’m not familiar with that area, but as a first visit I would choose to stay in a more central area. I like the 4th, 5th & 6th, as close to the river as possible, for the best areas to walk to many places you will likely want to go. You will spend more time underground on the metro to get to the more central areas instead of enjoying what you are coming to Paris to see if you stay on the fringe.

Andrea, of cours we would have like to be in a more central location but we have to make some budget choice. We will be on a 38 days trip and we can afford to be in the best and more expensive places every night. The appartment we found cost 220 euro per night. If you can find a central appartement that got stellar reviews and AC in the heart (and heat) of july at that price we will happy to take a look at it !

I hope your apartment works out well for you.

Do you know that there has been a big crackdown in Paris on illegal apartments? To be legal most need to meet much tighter restrictions on renting and must include (in most instances) a 13 digit registration number. It isn't foolproof but helps avoid last minute panic,

It is actually quite central! Definitely not "the fringe". Maybe 200 metres from the Grands Boulevards, a 30-minute walk or 10-minute metro to the Opera, 20-minute walk to the heart of the Marais, 15-minute metro to Saint-Germain des Prés ...

Do be wary of illegal apartments: the presence of a 13-digit registration no. is a very good sign, but do check reviews closer to your travel date as well to double-check that no travelers have had issues!

Thanks for the advice, we have check all reviews and they are all good which doesn't warrant anything but still...In the listing there's also a number that start with 75, so I guess it will be fine. But we will check that again when our travel is closer.

I totally understand budgetary restrictions. We choose to stay in less expensive places, with our criteria being location and cleanliness. Spending less on lodging allows us to travel longer and have more experiences. As I said, I’ve never been to that area and I’ve been to Paris 7 times for a total of 47 nights. Can you tell I love Paris? We were there for a week last April in an Airbnb apartment in the 4th and paid about $150/night. The location was fantastic and it had everything we needed. Do pay attention to whether an apartment is ‘legal’ and I suppose anyone could make up a registration number. I hope you have a fantastic trip to Paris and that it’s everything you dream of.

Andrea: As you can Imagine prices in April and prices in July aren't the same. It's hard to tell if an appartment is legal because there's no way to check that, but I got a good feeling on this one, the owner answer fast and with many details.

Can you share the rental you got in April ? I'm curious to take a look at it.

Here's the one i'm looking for : https://www.vrbo.com/935104

You are a few minutes away from https://g.co/kgs/D94Rdu

My husband and I spent six months in that area across the street from the Marché St. Martin. It has excellent transportation--many, many metro and bus lines-- and is walking distance to the Gares du Nord and Est, the Canal St. Martin, the Opera, Montmartre, Centre Pompidou, the Marais and I regularly walked to the Louvre, Les Halles and Châtelet. Life does exist beyond the Ile St. Louis and rue Cler.

I just checked the apartment we stayed in and the calendar is completely full, which leads me to believe that they aren’t currently renting it on Airbnb at this time, but haven’t taken it off the platform. Maybe it’s a long term rental now. Based on what others who are familiar with the area are saying I think the place you found should be fine. I know Bets and would trust any advice she gives.

I too can vouch for Bets. She knows whereof she speaks. (Andrea from Sacramento too)

Thanks to all !

Weel if a well informed persons says it's too far and another well informed persons says it'.s ok....

I'm not the type to "fight for my point of view", but I think the order of the posts left some confusion. Both balso, and I have lived near there. I have had friends in that area for the last 45 years. Andrea doesn't know the area but then deferred to my experience. It's as far from the center point of Paris, the borne in front of Notre Dame, as Andrea's apartment was over near Bastille.

The last time we lived there, 2007, our street had traditional wholesale stores and had a lot workshops in the courtyards . But Balso, who lives near there now and whose opinion I completely respect, says that the area is very nice and it sounds like there are a lot of new restaurants.

And, I never felt unsafe there.

To add to what Bets said, the area around rue du Château d'Eau (cross street to rue du Faubourg Saint Martin) got significantly gentrified since 2007.
So yes, plenty of new places around!

There's also the better-known Canal Saint Martin area just 10 minutes away on foot, with tons of additional options.

We were on Chateau d'Eau in a very old building, American fifth floor (4th in France) without an elevator or air conditioning. LOL

Just to clarify, I don’t know that area and was just suggesting that you might find something more central to be more convenient. It sounds like you found a place that will meet your needs and that’s what is important .