Best place to stay in Paris for sightseeing?

Or Saint Germain-des-Pres?

We stayed in an apt. in the Marais. Used public transportation for our 4 days in Paris.
2 blocks to metro station, 3 blocks to bus stop.
We went all over Paris and had a wonderful time.
Had a city map that showed transportation lines and we were all set.
Hope you have a great visit to Paris.

Montmartre is lovely but unless you are staying for a week it well out of the center and you will waste a lot of time commuting. It is IMHO not a good location for a short first trip. If you stay in the 4th (Marais), 5th (Latin Quarter) or 6th (St. Germain) preferably near the river you will be able to walk to most of the sights people want to see on their first trips. You can easily use the metro from there for more distant sites like the Eiffel Tower, Montmartre or Pere Lachaise. Another benefit of staying by the river is that one of the nicer things to do in Paris is to walk along the river and around Notre Dame at night - stunningly beautiful.

I mapped out where we want to eat (priorities!) and what we want to see and 6th made most sense. Booked a Rick steves recommended little spot and hopeful it will be as great as I think it will!

I'm with Frances and Janet, the 4th, 5th or 6th are best. My fave of those 3 is the Marais in the 4th. Enjoy!

I stayed in the 7th arrondissement during my last visit and it is also well situated for many sites, like the Eiffel Tower, Rodin Museum, and the Army Museum / Napoleon's Tomb.

I do agree with many that for your first visit to Paris, the closer you can stay to Notre Dame, the better.

I've stayed in the Marais and the 7th, both were fine locations and walking distance to many sites. This trip we are staying on Isle St. Louis which seems even more centrally located and many people seem to agree. We use the Velib bikes as much as possible and nothing is more than a 15 minute ride away except Montmartre.

My first trip last May I decided that the 6th-St Germain would suit me perfectly and it absolutely did--I was a 3 minute walk from 2 metro stations and within walking distance of many sites, the Jardin du Luxembourg was a block away and it was a really nice and comfortable neighborhood full of shops, restaurants and lovely patisseries. Your requirements would also be met by the Marais, I think.

I like to stay in the 5th.
It's great for RER trains from the airport, buses to just about anywhere in the city, Metro the same; and lots of shops and museums and parks nearby.
It's near N. Dame, and the Sorbonne; lots of students and bookshops.

I have been to Paris thrice. And I think the 3-star Hotel de la Bretonnerie is probably your best bet, located in the heart of the charming Marais district, near the picturesque Place des Vosges. Rooms are individually decorated and include free Wi-Fi access.

You can walk along and drool at pastry shops or anything else imaginable. The little square of St. Catherine is one of my favorite places--- go at night and you will be amazed at the atmosphere in this small square ringed by old apartments and giant trees with soft yellow light filtering down through the leaves and glow of street lamps. There are some nice little bars and restaurants strung around the perimeter of the square where you can sit at night and eat outside or just have a glass of wine.

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Have a good time!

Hi Georgia, I agree that Montmartre is a bit too far to be convenient, especially for a first-timer. It is very nice so if you have time, be sure to take the metro out there to do some exploring!

I've been to Paris several times and I like to stay in the 7th. My current favorite hotel is the Hotel Empereur which was recommended by another poster on this forum. It's a nice hotel and (if you're a walker), in walking distance to pretty much everything I want to see. It's right across the street from Napoleon's Tomb and if you're lucky you can get a room with a terrific view of the dome. Hope you enjoy your first trip to Paris!

It's best to be near the center, Ile de la Cite. The closer you are the more convenient things will be. Last time I stayed at two different hostels, one was in the 11th, a couple of blocks from the Marais and the second (the Mije) was closer in. It's amazing how nice it is to be able to walk to Notre Dame, for example, rather than catching a metro.

I'm going again in May. I'll only remain in Paris part of the trip. I'm staying at the Mije again on arrival but have a reservation up in Monmarte the night before I fly home - just to see that area conveniently. I wouldn't recommend Monmarte as the place to stay to see the center of town.

Momartre is not centrally located. Consult the map. It is worth a visit and may be fun to stay for a future visit but the Marais or right bank or just over the left bank to the 5th can be good for first time visitors because walking to most sights is easy from there...I find that the 7th is very limiting for a first timer as you will have to hop on the metro to go anywhere but the Eiffel tower and a few other sights.