My wife and I are planning a month-long visit to Paris in May 2019. We've already been there as tourists and are looking for more of an "actually-living-in-Paris" experience. We'd appreciate recommendations on neighborhoods (or just arrondissements) to focus on. Also, a previous forum on this subject mentioned the importance of selecting a rental that is registered with the city but at that time this was a fairly new concept -- any up-to-date thoughts on this?
Posted by
Boston, MA, United States
1806 posts
Focus on getting out of the single digit arrondissements if you've already done the tourist thing. What kind of a neighborhood are you looking for? Quiet? More active for families? Foodie oriented? Fun and bustling with lots of nightlife? Upscale shopping/boutiques?
Personally, I like the 10th around Canal St. Martin. Also, Neuilly sur Seine just over the border from Paris is nice and upscale with plenty of restaurants and if you stay close to the trains you can get in and out of Paris proper easily enough and you'll not be seeing anywhere near as many tourists as you will in some of the other neighborhoods.
Posted by
SF Bay Area, CA
2030 posts
I have enjoyed renting an apartment in the 11th arrondissment the past 2 years. Highly recommend it.
Posted by
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
8293 posts
I am very familiar with the Place de la Nation area and if I were to live in Paris for an extended period of time it would be my first choice. Not a lot of noticeable tourists. Lots of restaurants, cafes, bars, grocery stores, wine shops, optometrists, ..... you name it, Nation has it. Plus a branch of Printemps and a Saturday morning street market to die for. A couple of bus stops away is the Marais, with all its charms including the Picasso Museum.
Posted by
Chicago
8559 posts
We have spent a month or two in Paris many times and the 17th near Square Batignolles was our favorite area; we also liked the 14th east of Montparnasse, and the 11th was okay although our precise location wasn't great. Note that arrondissements are large and varied, so it will depend on specific neighborhoods within the larger area. We really liked Montmartre around Rue Caulaincourt as well. Basically if you get further out, you will find a more neighborhood feel. We have stayed in the 13th near Butte aux Cailles because friends have an apartment there we can use. I don't like the location for accessibility but the area we were in was attractive and we enjoyed the amenities of the neighborhood but large parts of the 13th are ugly apartment blocks.
Posted by
Panguitch, Utah
2707 posts
Looking for places in the single digit arrondissements is always a good idea but I might expand to include the 14th and particularly the 15th as well.
Finding legally registered apartments is more important than ever, particularly if you are staying for a number of weeks.
Posted by
Edmonton, Alberta
797 posts
I love the 15th, great markets. I love the Eiffel Tower and could easily walk to it from rentals in the 15th. I explored a lot of the 15th as I stayed there 3 times.
I also stayed in the lower 5th, on rue Claude Bernard. Bus at the fior of the building, walk to rue Mouffetard, longer walk to Notre Dame and Luxembourg Gardens.
Enjoy your trip.