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Please help me pick a neighborhood

Hello everyone,

I've been reading posts here on the forum as part of my preparation and you have all been so helpful I thought I'd reach out. I'm looking at apartments for a week-long visit starting the second week in June. I've done the best I can to research the neighborhoods--searched the forums, Googled the areas, "walked" around in Google Earth and Maps, but I'm not getting what I need to make a decision. Honestly, Google Earth and Google Maps must have driven around in the early morning--everything looks boarded up! It is hard to get a feel for the neighborhoods.

Who we are and what we are looking for: There are four of us. While my husband and I have been to Paris before (almost 19 years ago now!,) this will be our 14-year old son's and 12-year old daughter's first visit. We plan to visit all of the major sights in Paris, plus Versailles. We are all museum-lovers and while we are proficient at large-scale public transportation, we'd rather walk if convenient--that said, we would like convenient a convenient metro station. Shopping isn't a focus on vacations, but we would like to be around restaurants, bakeries, groceries, and shops. We'd like the neighborhood to have some "charm" as well--not look industrial.

So here we go:

Apartment 1 is on Rue de Palestro, right around the corner (southwest) of the Reamur-Sebastapol metro station. The apartment itself is lovely, well-priced, and has a grocery and metro around the corner--but Rue St. Denis is the next block to the west. While the owner believes the area is improving, Rue St. Denis has the reputation as a red light district. Our kids understand that these things exist in the world, I just don't want to be face-to-face with it every morning and evening--and I'm a little concerned about safety. I've searched, and a lot of the info on Rue St. Denis is older, so perhaps the area has changed? Are we fine if we just avoid that street, or does it spill over into the neighborhood-at-large?

Apartment 2 is on Rue du Temple on the same block as the Jewish Art and History Museum. It is close to Rambuteau Metro Station. It seems to be a quiet street close to the shops on Rue Rambuteau. It seems very well-located for walking to the sights.

Apartment 3 is close to the St. Paul metro station, just north of Rue de Rivoli. This also looks walkable, but on busier-looking streets. I know both Apartment 2 and Apartment 3 are in the Marais, but the immediate areas seem to have different feels, at least on Google Maps.

Apartment 4 is on Ile de la Cite, but is on what seems to be a busy road--Quai aux Fleurs. The apartment itself is very charming, with a partial view of Notre Dame and close to the pedestrian bridge to Ile St. Louis. It doesn't seem to be as close to a metro stop, and there aren't shops on the street--it seems to be more of a transport road. While this is the most expensive, it is certainly still within our budget.

So what do you all think? I'm especially interested in any advice about Rue St. Denis and the area around Apartment 1, as I already put a (refundable) deposit down on that one before identifying the possible issue with the area. I want to get the apartment decided soon, as I feel I'm a little late to the planning game.

Many Thanks!

Posted by
8293 posts

Personally, I would eliminate Nos 1 and 4. Rue St Denis is still pretty down market as far as I am concerned, or gritty as it is fashionable to say now. Not a good introduction to Paris for your kids. No 4 is located in an area not likely to fascinate them, though it is a beautiful quarter of the city more appealing to adults.

Either of the ones in the Marais would be terrific. So lively, close to transportation, Picasso museum close by, fairly close to Pl de la Bastille, lots of small shops and restaurants.

Others will have different thoughts, no doubt.

Posted by
7010 posts

I tend to agree with Norma, I wouldn't pick 1 or 4. I stayed in a apartment on Rue du Temple and I loved the area. I was a couple of blocks from the museum closer to Rue de Rivoli and Hotel de Ville metro stop but I also used Rambuteau stop occasionally depending on where I was going or coming from. Where I was there were lots of bars and restaurants so it was a little noisy at night but that didn't bother me. I think your apartment would be a bit quieter at night. There are plenty of shops and restaurants around that whole area and I walked around by myself well into the evening without any qualms. I think you'd be very happy in the Marais neighborhood. You'd be only a few blocks from the Pompidou museum and the square in front of it is very active in the summer evenings and lots of stuff for kids around there.

Posted by
248 posts

Numbers 2 and 3 are in terrific and convenient neighborhoods. My favorite area!

Posted by
11507 posts

I would choose two or four.. I would NOT choose number one.

Posted by
8 posts

Thank you all so much! I went ahead and booked Apartment 2--it was the less expensive of 2 and 3, and I also liked it a little better. I appreciate everyone's information--I think I just needed somebody with more knowledge confirming what my instincts were already telling me. I hope that in the future I can "pay it forward" and help some future travelers.

Francile