Hotel advice Rue Cler district

In July you will need AC. Hotel du Champ de Mars does not have AC, but Hotel Duquesne does have it (according to their website). Don't go to Paris in July without AC.

The Hotel du Champ de Mars does have AC now. Here is the webpage link to their amenities.

https://www.hotelduchampdemars.com/en/services

The place that will be crowded with be the actual Champ de Mars which is the grassy area in front of the Eiffel Tower. That is several blocks away from the street called Rue du Champ de Mars or Hotel du Champ de Mars.

https://goo.gl/maps/Hw9SzZjno9p

I've not stayed at the Hotel Duquesne Eiffel (that's the one you mean, right?) so can't comment but have stayed at CdM. Either location is good as far as I am concerned. CdM is on a smaller street that might carry less traffic but the windows usually have double glazing so that's not often a consideration. I've stayed in Hotel l'Empereur which is near Duquesne Eiffel and on a busy street and I heard very little street noise. I know some RS tours stay at Duquesne Eiffel. They used to stay at CdM but it may be smaller and difficult to get everyone served in their small breakfast room. I'd easily stay at CdM again.

I'd say it's a coin toss.

I have stayed at the Hotel Duquesne twice and really liked it both times. It is quiet and some of their rooms have a nice view of the Eiffel Tower. The optional breakfast buffet is very good. I highly recommend staying there.

We enjoyed the Hotel Relais Bosquet. Stayed twice. https://hotel-paris-bosquet.com.

Thank you all for your replies!

Yes, according to their web site the Hotel Champ du Mars DOES have AC..... A bit less $$ at the Champs du Mars, as compared with Hotel Duquesne Eiffel (yes, that's the one I meant) ... the good breakfast at Duquesne Eiffel is a plus as we prefer having breakfast in house, generally....so hmmm. As someone said, it's probably a coin toss.

And thanks to Alan for suggesting Hotel Relais Bosquet, which I will check into (and therefore further confuse myself ;-) )

As to the hordes of RS fans in the neighborhood - I'd prefer a neighborhood that is more "Parisian," which Rick says in his book this is. I realize that being a tourist is being a tourist, i.e. it's hard to get around that. Esp. in July!

But if anyone has suggestions in a more "homey" neighborhood, I would be happy to hear. I know St. Germain des Pres can be pricey but am interested in that neighborhood, or a good suggestion in the Marais would be welcome. I am not interested in Montmartre and want to be as central as possible.

Or should I just stick with the options I have already??

Thanks to all for your input,
R

I generally never give hotel advice without some idea of one's budget window, in euros, but I shall make one recommendation of a very modestly priced hotel not found in the tourist slums of St Germain des Prés, the Latin Quarter, or rue Cler.

Check Hotel le Clément on rue Clément in the 6th arrondisssement. A small, charming, boutique hotel, very centraly located which has with a wonder staff. The hotel was recently renouvated and rue Clément is quiet yet only a short walk to the Seine River and Ile de la Cité.

We stayed in the Rue Cler last June and it was great. The street is lovely to stroll. Nice restaurants and shops. Enjoy your holiday.

Hello,
We have stayed twice at Relais Bosquet and have been happy with the room. The air-conditioning is good the breakfast is generous, but the whole Rue Cler area is not the best choice if , as you say, " I am not interested in Montmartre and want to be as central as possible." From that area, you can walk to the ET and if you are good with a little longer walk, you can also reach the Trocadero or the Rodin Museum.

Our most recent visit we stayed at Residence Henri IV, located in the 5th. From there we could easily walk to Notre Dame, Luxembourg Gardens, the Marais, or the Louvre. The area has tourists, but no more than the RS Rue Cler area. The area also has lots of students and is very lively.

We are also in your age range.

Just across the street from Hotel du Champ de Mars is Hotel du Cadran with an inclusive breakfast and AC and nice rooms...just in case you needed another option.

Thank you all for your advice. I am still mulling over now 3 choices: Hotel Duquesne Eiffel, Hotel du Champ du Mars, and Hotel Relais Bosquet. Maybe I am overthinking (which I have a tendency to do!) and they are all pretty equal and fine.

However, I am a bit puzzled by Tocard's remark about the Rue Cler and St. Germain being "tourist slums" - really? I can understand that they may be overtouristed, but they don't strike me as slums...

Can anyone else comment on this, and on the rec for Hotel Clement? It is quite a bit more economical than the others I am considering, but it also looks less attractive on the web site.

Merci encore,
R

Nothing slummy about the Rue Cler area.

Hotel Relais Bosquet was excellent when we stayed there. Really, I don’t think you will go wrong with any of those three.

Thank you, Carol! That's my sense also, just have to nail it down ;-).

Best,
Rachel

We stayed at Hotel Duquesne Eiffel in 2015 and enjoyed it. The room was small, but I’ve been told most hotels have small rooms. We liked its location. In the evening we’d sit out front and have a glass of wine while watched the Eiffel Tower’s lights. I’d have no hesitation staying there again.

I am heartily agreeing with Carol and most of the others who have posted positively about this area. I enjoy this part of Paris; find it a very comfortable neighborhood and very much to my liking. I have stayed at the Champs du Mars and also a couple other hotels located here and enjoyed all of them very much. I don't think you can go wrong with any of your hotel choices so choose the one that speaks loudest to you! I have stayed in lots of other locations in Paris over the years as well but always find myself wanting to return here. I'll be there again in a few months. I'd be willing to bet you will have a wonderful time no matter which hotel you choose!

Rachel, have you gotten hooked on the video walks from A French Frye in Paris? He is a tour guide and I'm enjoying his walks thru neighborhoods.
(edited to spell the guide's name correctly! Thanks Andi!)

Here is his tour of the 7th. He starts on Avenue Rapp and walks over to Rue Cler. If you don't want to watch the whole thing he turns on to Rue Cler at about 22:30. (I enjoy the Cafe Roussillion on the left just before he turns right!) He walks down Rue Cler to Rue Champ de Mars and then he turns right toward Hotel du Champs de Mars (on the left with the small trees) and stops at Epicerie Fine which is right across the street. The Relais Bosquet is further down on the left.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAY8vsAbpFs

Some people on the forum don't like Rue Cler area which is fine. No need for them to demean it either. It's an upscale Paris neighborhood. If the video guide had turned left on Rue Cler instead of where he turned right at the fruit stand he would have walked by the building where President Macron lived before his election.

editing to add: Here is a link to a map of the guide's walking route. I could not get it to route correctly starting on Avenue Rapp (wouldn't go thru that 5-point intersection at Avenue Rapp/Rue Sainte-Dominique/Rue de la Bourdonnaise correctly).

https://goo.gl/maps/V9BHnL1YUCs

Thank you, Carol and Pam. I am very excited to watch A French Fry's tour! I had not heard of this before...

I have a slightly off-topic question, and I hope it does not offend anyone: But as a newbie to this forum, I am wondering who the responders are, i.e. are they other travelers like myself, or are they in the employ of Rick Steves' organization? I ask because I want to be sure I am getting somewhat "objective" info, as opposed to info that is biased toward a particular area for some particular reason.

Again, I hope this does not offend, but - inquiring minds want to know :)

Thanks again,
Rachel

Most of us are just travelers like you. There are occasionally people who work for Rick Steves who respond. They have a Rick Steves Europe Icon by their names and it is very clear that they are employees.

You can also check out anyone's profile. If you'll click on my blue-highlighted name you can go to my profile and see that I have taken a bunch of Rick's tours. It's not a requirement to have taken his tours, in fact Rick's whole point is to get people to travel independently!

and...laughing, yes, I just updated my profile!

I can’t speak of hotel choices, but can highly recommend the video tours of Corey Frye, aka A French Frye in Paris. I love them so much that I now set my alarm for 0700 Saturday to catch the live walk, rather than watching the replay. I’m hoping to do a tour with Corey in person when I go to Paris in June. Bon voyage!!

I prefer to stay in the 7th arrondissement because I enjoy seeing the Eiffel Tower at the start and end of every day. I think the area is quiet and comfortable, but it is easy to hop on the Metro to go elsewhere.

Thank you, Pam, very much for clarifying - very helpful.

And i very much look forward to "meeting" Corey Frye on video.

Also thanks to Eleanor and Rita - I love the idea of seeing Le Tour Eiffel every morning and every night!

Rachel

Pam, just watched French Frye in the 7th arrondissement and I am totally HOOKED! Thank you so much for the tip. Will check out more of his videos and maybe take a tour with him.

Merci,
Rachel

Hotel De L'Empereur is also very nice and has AC and a (very tiny) elevator. Excellent restaurant right across the street and beautiful views of Les Invalides at night

Merci, herronlaw! Will check it out...

R

We have stayed at Hotel Beaugency twice. Great location and price but I'd say it's a 2 star but we loved it

If you choose to stay on rue Cler you’ll see lots of Rick Steve’s books and lots of Americans. Sometimes it can actually feel a little too much like being back home in the USA.

I find the "assumption" that Rue Cler is all tourists rather amazing. I mean I don't think tourists are keeping those merchants in business. (exactly how much meat and veggies do you think we purchase?) Sure there are lots of tourists, but there are also a LOT of locals.

Tim,
I notice in an earlier post you recommended Hotel du Cadran, across the street from Champs Hotel du Champ de Mars...but you also say that Rue Cler is filled with Americans, implying you don't like it much - or did I misunderstand? Is there another hotel in another district you prefer?

Carol, I just watched French Frye in Paris' tour of the 7th arr and Rue Cler - it appeared to be filled with locals shopping for their foodstuffs. Granted, that did not seem to be peak tourist season (e.g. July).

At this moment, I have booked 3 hotels, all cancellable for no fee up til shortly before we arrive, and all in the Rue Cler. Unless something else comes my way soon, I will decide on one of those.

While I certainly would prefer to be in a "typical" neighborhood not overrun with tourists, the truth is I am a tourist, like it or not, and nothing else has caught my attention. We stayed in the Marais a number of years ago and though we liked it, I'd prefer something different this time around.

Thanks all for your help, again,
Rachel

I also get up early to watch Corey Frye’s live video walks (one can also watch them later on either Facebook or YouTube.)
I took two of his walks when I was in Paris last October, Pere Lachaise and Montmartre, and enjoyed them very much.
I stayed in the Rue Cler area many years ago and enjoyed it. For subsequent visits (maybe 10?) I have chosen other arrondisments but will usually spend a day in the area. There is nothing wrong with it and each person can decide on their own if and when they might be ready to try a different part of town.
I love Paris! Enjoy every minute!

SharYn,
Where do you like to stay when you go to Paris, other than Rue Cler? Suggestions appreciated :)
And yes, I am sure I will enjoy the area I have chosen, just still mulling over the options.
Thanks,
Rachel

Have to admit I don't get the Rue Cler fascination, although like most people outside North America I had never heard of it until I started using english language travel forums. On streetview it looks like any other shop lined street in Paris, but guessing from the names of the shops that line it would I be right in guessing much of it is aimed at the $US now?

For the record I like Rue de l'Annonciation (16th) and Rue Daguerre (14th) and Rue de Meaux in the 19th - and I am sure there are hundreds of look-alike streets across Paris. - can someone enlighten me why Rue Cler is special?

(meant to add... I wouldn't travel more than a mile to any of these streets, because there is sure to be an almost identical one closer.)

Simon, i have thought the same. I have stayed all over Paris, all lovely!

Personal choice but I like staying in the 6th. We stayed at Hotel Le Regent on Rue Dauphine one trip and were pleased. Another trip we did an apartment near St Sulpice church. We didn't care for the apartment experience but loved the location. In April we're staying at Hotel Residence des Arts, also in the 6th. I find this area very walkable to many things and lively at night.

Another thread from today w info to consider:

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/france/rue-cler-or-marais

There’s nothing wrong with the rue Cler area but i like other areas more. Rue Cler has a concentration of American tourists because of Rick Steve’s emphasis on it in his videos and books for at least 30 yrs now. Yes, there are American tourists all over, but more spread out, not as concentrated as rue Cler.
It is also not central. Notre Dame is the center of Paris. I enjoy staying in the center of Paris and the river where you can easily walk to many places (Louvre, Orsay, Notre Dame, Luxembourg Gardens, Latin Quarter, Marais, Ile de la Cité, Ile St Louis, rue Mouffetard (a market street and the oldest street in Paris - built by the Romans), Place des Vosges, Place Dauphine, etc).
I like to stay on Ile St Louis most of all (little island next to Notre Dame), or, the Marais and the Latin Quarter.

Again, there is absolutely nothing wrong with the rue Cler area, or St Germain des Près in the 6th arrondissement, but i thought i’d try to answer your most recent questions.
I hope you have a wonderful time wherever you choose to stay... : )

As much as I really appreciate everyone's thoughtful responses, I have to admit now to total overwhelm...the disparate opinions are quite fascinating, and of course, much of it is personal taste. À chacun son goût :)

I now have SEVEN hotels booked, all fully refundable. Three in Rue Cler district, 2 in Marais, as well as Hotel Relais Saint Sulpice, and finally Hotel Saint-Louis en l'isle.

The latter two look the best to me, also the most expensive, duh. Right now I lean toward St Louis en L'isle, as I like the idea of being on the island, and don't want to spend what Saint Sulpice costs.

As to the Marais, we stayed there many years ago - maybe 15 or more - at the Vieux Hotel Marais. Didn't like the hotel, it was dark and gloomy and the staff not friendly or helpful. I think it colored my view of the Marais, as I may be the only person on this and other forums who doesn't love it. I am not against trying it again, just saying I found it sort of depressing. Yet everyone else finds it lively so - go figure! As I said, it could simply have been the hotel. But this time looking to try something else.

With best wishes to all who have contributed to my process,
Rachel

I generally stay in the 14th and love it. I stayed at Champs du Mars once and will NEVER return. Hopefully the male half of the ownership couple no longer has to fill in at the front desk, but he's in the WRONG business LOL! (He actually YELLED at me because I dared to sit in a chair in his lobby.... i guess they are just there for show? He abused another guest while I dared to sit in the chair over something he thought they had done wrong... I figured life's too short to hang around unhappy people much less pay them to abuse you LOL!)

We are renting an apartment near that area this time.

I am another who is not a huge fan of the Marais I stayed there once and it was just too "packed" for me. (and the number of tourists there on a Sunday afternoon makes Rue Cler look completetly undiscovered IMHO)

You have to get off the “main” streets in the Marais, i spent a month there last June and found the majority of the Marais has very few people and the gems you discover meandering all the smaller streets are wonderful... from beautiful little parks, to centuries old mansions, and much more.

Rachel, some advice: stop with the hotel reservations and make a choice. Paris is less about the hotel than many places you can visit in the world. I did what you did once, (in Venice) found myself going back and forth back and forth (paralysis of analysis). Each hotel had their own cancellation rules and I did not keep a spreadsheet to keep it straight (are you?). Finally choose and a month later saw the 150 Euro charge on my credit car for the one I cancelled a few days beyond the cancellation date. Expensive lesson.

We like Hotel Bosquet and definitely find it nicer than Champs du Mar. Agree with comment on rude owner of CDM. Bosquet is friendly and breakfast is included. Several years ago and our very last stay ever at CDM we were given a tiny room with a double bed pushed against the wall. We booked months ahead and requested twin beds and that request was ignored. Husband is tall and we spent five miserable nights there. We like the neighborhood feel of the area with the markets and shops and there are three Christian Constant restaurants a few blocks away. Hotel CDM makes a good impression with their lobby/sitting area but it ends there.

Alan,
LOL I totally agree with you. Do not have a spread sheet but do have pretty carefully written notes on each hotel in my notebook. However, I have whittled it down to TWO now and will speak with husband later today to make the final decision. Then I can move on to the rest of the trip planning (Provence), where I have also booked 3-4 hotels and need to figure that out. But that's a subject for another thread.

Susan, thanks for weighing in on CDM. Have cancelled that reservation.

But as a newbie to this forum, I am wondering who the responders are,
i.e. are they other travelers like myself, or are they in the employ
of Rick Steves' organization? I ask because I want to be sure I am
getting somewhat "objective" info, as opposed to info that is biased
toward a particular area for some particular reason.

I'm a traveler who has lived overseas twice in my life and have a lifelong love of travel! I've never taken a group tour like a RS tour as I prefer independent travel. I became familiar with this forum as I look at RS travel books for ideas.