Paris

I really like the Marais, but anywhere close to the center (4th I think is Marais, 5th or 6th, or on the Ile St. Louis if you have the budget) will be perfect.

Paris is the only place I have concerns about apartments/Airbnb. It may be an unfounded concern but the city doesn't like (illegal) short term rentals and seems to be working, sometimes more than others, to shut them down. I'd worry that your rental would be unavailable at the last minute and you would be stuck searching for a place.

Maybe others here can give you advice about how to have more certainty that the place you rent is legitimate and not subject to the city shutting it down?

We will be in Paris in September and rented an apartment through HomeAway in the 7th, which does not appear to be particularly popular on the forum but was highly recommended by good friends. I also booked an apartment at Citadines Bastille Marais Paris as a back up and will cancel if it looks like there are no problems with the apartment. Taking a chance I guess and we'll see if that plan works out. I check periodically to see if the apartment is still listed. There are other apartment hotels in locations that might be better for you, but this one is quite reasonable. Someone provided this link that I found helpful when deciding on a district.

http://europeupclose.com/article/paris-arrondissements-where-to-stay/
You might want do a search to see the discussions about Paris rentals. I believe Paris Best Lodge is supposed to be legal and has very good reviews. We considered staying at the apartment in the Marais. Good luck!

I think the 7th would be fine if you are on the eastern side of it. Most of what you want to see will be east of the 7th. At the west end you are close to the Eiffel tower which sounds good until you realize it's a very long walk from there to most of what you want to see.

In city: The most handy location is close to a Metro station, especially one served by more than one line.

Out of city: Paris' multiple train stations all serve different directions of travel, so you may need to use a few different departure stations for your day trips.

We stayed out in the 18th for a big trip one March. It was great to be among Parisians and not with thousands of tourists, but we had to get on a bus or the Metro for every outing. Since then we've stayed in a hotel or B&B in the 7th which we like very much, but for a longer stay next fall, I found this apartment near the Louvre. It looks really convenient to me.

The only time I liked Paris was when we stayed at Le Citizen in the 10th Arr. An area often overlooked by tourists, but within striking distance of the major sights.

Be more specific about what you are looking for as far as neighborhoods.
Maybe you want lodging next to a train station or metro bus line that you can walk to so you can take day trips to other towns.
Maybe you want a lot of clubs where you can go dancing into the wee hours of the morning,
good restaurants, entertainment that you can walk to, etc.

Contact forum member janettravels44 she is always in Paris
www.janettravels.wordpress.com.

For the past couple of trips, we have stayed in either the 10th Arrondissement. There are many reasons, but foremost is that this really isn't a tourist area and is more like a neighborhood where people work and live. Metro stops abound, as do bus stops, and you are close to the Gare de l'Est and the Gare du Nord, with a reasonable Metro trip to the Gare de Lyon. Apartments are more numerous than hotels, due to the less touristy aspect, but that makes me feel more like a Parisian than a tourist. It is an area in transition, with all ethnicities represented, and has a bit of a hipster feel about it, which is what makes it fun. Enjoy your day trips, and don't miss Chartres and the cathedral.

I agree that it depends on what your objectives are in Paris. If you want to be able to walk to a lot of the famous museums, etc., then pick out a place near your desired places. I personally like to stay in an apartment in the 15th Arrondissement. Partly it is because this is a bit more affordable than staying in more "desirable" areas. But it is also because I prefer to be in a place not inundated with tourists - I like to see more of what it is like to live like a Parisian. Also, I do not mind taking the bus or the metro to get to the destinations I am heading to - in fact, that is part of the Parisian experience,and allows you to see what average Parisians are like. We stayed one time in the 16th, and did not enjoy it as much as the 15th (although we had an apartment with an amazing view of the Seine and the Eiffel Tower). This was partly because the apartment was next to a busy street, so therewas a lot of noise if you opened the windows. Also, it was a little hard to get to the local shops for croissants and other foods (we like to cook dinners at our apartment). So wherever you stay I would advise you to look at Google Street (or something comparable) to see what the neighborhood looks like, and where the shops are. I have never had any problems with safety when staying in Paris, but we have always stayed in places where there is a digicode for the front door of the apartment building. And when you are interested in an apartment, always look at the reviews of it - they will often clue you in to problems you might otherwise be unaware of. Peter

I would suggest, like Brad, either the 4th, 5th or 6th. I'm partial to the 6th - the St. Germain area. Since you'll be there a longer time, you could also consider staying in two different areas to get a feel for the various parts of the city.

For apartments, we've used Paris Best Lodge (www.parisbestlodge.com) and Vacation in Paris (vacationinparis.com) and been very happy with both.

Sounds like a great trip!

We really like the Saint Germain area. We are in a 2 bedroom apartment we rented through My Time in Paris and are very pleased with it and the location. They have been easy to work with. There is a good boulangerie a few doors down, several brasseries very nearby, and a Monoprix around the corner.

With 2 weeks, I'd seriously consider one week in the Marais and one week on the Left Bank in the 5th or 6th, so you get to know both areas well. Then adjust your sightseeing schedule accordingly. Choose places that are close to metro stations. Not all metro stations are equal - some lines are better for touring, and stations with more than one line are usually better. Or being positioned between two station with lines in different directions.