Time for a new Paris Hotel? Narrowing down the search

We like the 7th and have stayed twice now at Hotel Relais Bosquet. Did not find it particularly "touristy" in the neighborhood, and ample numbers of Parisians shop there as well. Metro is 2 blocks away, the Eiffel Tower very close. If you "friend" them on Facebook or Instagram you get the best price and free breakfast. Their classic room is small for two, but manageable.

It would be more helpful if you tell us where you have stayed before.

If your former neighborhood was the exact opposite of rue Cler, the area around the Eiffel Tower could be a welcome relief. I would suggest the Touisme Avenue, because I spend a lot of time in and around this area. Especially nice is the avenue Emile Zola, rue du Commerce and the rue du Theatre. There are lots of food shops around here, so no need to stick around to get a glimpse of rue Cler, which really isn't very interesting anymore.

The only drawback to the Tourisme is that it's very close to the elevated portion of the Metro system, but I'm sure the hotel has double-glazed windows, and if you asked for a room located on the little side street, you probably wouldn't have any noise to worry about.

I saw your post on TripAdvisor where the "long knives" were out claiming the ONLY people you will see on Rue Cler are other tourists. (Yes, the other tourists are buying all those groceries and cooking gourmet meals in their illegal rental apartments. Really? Do those people on TripAdvisor think tourists keep fishmongers, butchers and green grocers in business? )

I have not stayed at the Relais, but some friends did and had a great time. I am spending part of my upcoming visit at the Hotel Beauregency in the area (the other half is at a hotel in the 14th so a little variety in this trip)

I think the area is fine. You are in Paris everyplace has a lot of tourists!

Thanks for the feedback - and good one Carol - the Tourisme sounds like it might be a good option. I will check in to the other suggestions as well - thank you all!

There are other neighborhoods in Paris I like much better but of the two, I'd choose the Tourisme b/c the La Motte Picquet-Grenelle Mêtro stop is so good... it's the hub of 3 main lines so you can get to lots of places w/o changing trains.
I don't care for rue Cler. Every time I've been there it's been full of Americans and I could hear American being spoken all around me... thanks to RS. I don't want to be surrounded by Americans when I'm in Paris. Yes, there are tourists, and Americans, all over Paris, but not in the concentration I've experienced the many times I've been on rue Cler. And yes, Parisians live there but I never noticed many on the street or in the shops... not like there are in more central Paris. Rue Cler is also not as fun, not as lively as other neighborhoods that I like better.
We stayed in a hotel for 6 wks a half block from the La Motte Picquet-Grenelle Mêtro on one trip and it's very walkable to the ET. It also has my favorite Monoprix and a fun 2x week outdoor market.

Here is another vote for Hotel Relais Bosquet. We had a great stay here. The neighborhood and location were perfect for us.

It would be helpful to know where you've stayed before.

I dislike the area near Rue Cler because I find it boring and removed from "real" Paris.

While it's true that Parisians do live on and near rue Cler and some find it handy to shop in one or two specialty shops there, most of them head for the Leader Price store on this street or the Carrefour supermarket located about a block and a half away, where the prices are more reasonable. True, a supermarket lacks charm, but it's more efficient and has what everybody needs.

Nothing is wrong with Americans or other English-speakers wanting to visit rue Cler. It used to be much more of a "rue de commerce", but the spaces have been taken over by cafes and restaurants which cater to tourists and are convenient for people who work nearby. If you have mobility issues, the street is flat and easy to navigate, so would be a good option. But if you are looking for a more authentic market street, you should head to rue Montorgeuil, near les Halles.

The Metro stop La Motte-Piquet-Grenelle is extremely convenient, but it is also a very busy station. Be aware of your surroundings, because there is always a lot of pickpocket activity here. Be especially vigilant when going through the turnstyles and using the stairways. It's not a dangerous area - not even at night - but it's good to have a heads-up before you arrive there.

Most streets in Paris are flat and easy to navigate, that's not unique to rue Cler.

If a person has mobility issues, I'd recommend staying more central, near Nôtre Dame, so they can be in the heart of Paris and near many places they'll want to see w/o needing the Mêtro, bus or taxi.

I have spent time on rue Montorgeuil, rue Mofftard and a lot of other market streets. Sorry, but there are LOTS of American tourists on those too.

If you want to avoid the American tourists you need to get into arrondissements that have more than 1 number. :) (ie, 13th, 14th, 20th etc..) While you will still see them, you won't see near as many.

Carol, we'll just have to agree to disagree. I've spent a lot of time on rue Montorgueil and never noticed Americans there, I'm sure there are, but none that I noticed, and nothing coming anywhere close to rue Cler.
To me, rue Cler is what you'd see at Epcot in Disney World...

I did notice Americans on rue Mouffetard, but again, not like rue Cler. Also, rue Mouffetard is very narrow, so not a fair comparison.

There are lots of areas in the 1 digit arrondissements where you will not see American tourists.

I just saw the notice posted on the Hotel Relais Bosquet facebook page that Rick Steves is currently staying there with them. Now, for some forum users, this would be a strong recommendation. For others, it might have the opposite effect.

If you do choose to stay there, "like" them on facebook and get free breakfast included in your stay. (it is a great breakfast, too!)

Rue Cler has been paved over in recent years to basically eliminate the curbs and sidewalks. It is like a "place" - flat and wide - the only things missing are a few benches and some trees. Only delivery trucks and taxis are allowed to drive through this street, so there's a bare minimum of traffic. As such, it's very convenient for people with mobility issues.

Rue Montorgeuil is one of the hottest, hippest spots in the Marais - the only reason you don't find many tourists hanging around there is because the Parisian cool kids get there before they do and hog all the available tables. That is a fact - although many tourists do make a beeline for Stohrer's and maybe E. Dehillerin, then high-tail it out of there because there's no place to sit.

While it's true that most of Paris is not built on steep inclines, there are a great number of streets which are quite narrow and have sidewalks that are even more so. Many of the streets in the Marais have been paved over during recent roadworks to repair gas and water lines, but there are still many with uneven paving stones, odd steps and narrow sidewalks.

Le Mouffetard is one of the most difficult streets to navigate, due to the cobblestones, extremely narrow sidewalks and the continuous parade of cars.

When I was on RS Paris and Heart of France tour in Oct 2014, we stayed at the Hotel Muguet on Rue Picquet 2 blocks from Rue Cler. It is a very quiet street and the Hotel is nice and I think our tour group enjoyed it and its proximity to the Eiffel Tower and Metro stops and restaurants as well. It is also within walking distance of the Invalides with Napoleon's tomb and near the Rodin Musee.

Best,
Judy B