Week stay in Paris, choosing a neighborhood for vacation rental

I would avoid the 16th which is an upscale residential area less well equipped with bakeries, restaurants and not all that convenient. The other arrondissements are all good although it always depends on exactly where you are. If you can find a place near the Luxembourg Gardens, it is a particularly great park for kids the age of yours -- but the Tuilleries is also full of great kid things including model boats for the fountain pool and trampolines (and there is a small carnival there right now).

We stayed in a shared apartment in the 15th via airbnb. We lucked out because it basically bordered the 7th, so we were 1 min from one metro line, a 5 min walk to a diff metro line and less than a 10 min walk to Eiffel Tower. Lots of restaurants and bakeries as well. The 16th could certainly work if it borders closer to the 7th/8th. It is nice to be able to walk so if you end up on the fringes, it might not work as well (unless you have a convenient metro stop).

I like the Latin Quarter (5th & 6th), where you also have the Jardin du Luxembourg and the Jardin des Plants. The Latin quarter is called so not because there are Mexicans or Guatemalans around, but because that is the area where the Universities are (incl. La Sorbonne), where scholar used to gather and, in the old times, speak Latin (which was the language of the intellectuals at the time).

Arr. 1st through 6th are also the closest to the Ile de la cite', therefore they are more convenient to the sights, although the Metro is pretty extensive everywhere. The arrondissements are numbered in a spiral order starting from the center and growing clockwise. 1st through 6th (in part also 7th) spiral around the Ile de la cite and are equally well centered. as you get higher in the numbers the spiral gets farther from the center.

I like the 4th, 5th & 6th, as close to the river as possible. That will keep you the most central. Luxembourg Gardens is in the 6th and would be great for a 9 year old. Quiet will depend on the exact location of each place. Pay close attention to the reviews of each place you are considering.

Have you read thru RS Paris Guide Book for information yet? Always a good source. We found it very handy when we stayed in Paris in both June and July of this year. If you do not have that book, it can be purchased elsewhere on this web site. I sure like Paris.

I'm partial to the 3rd and 4th - the Marais. For any location, how quiet it is depends the exact location (address) and not which arrondissement it is in. If you're going between June and September, I'd recommend a place with AC.

Of all of the arrondissements you list the 16th is my favorite. It's very convenient provided you stay in the correct neighborhood and it has everything you need. We like Passy - it has a great vibe, a nice park (Jardin du Ranelagh and the not too far away Bois de Boulogne), small family restaurants, and a metro station (La Muette) that is centrally located and minutes to everything in the very center or town. Off of the few main streets it is quiet which, for us, is a big deal!

Of those you have listed I would choose the 4th or 5th.. fun areas .. and you can walk to many sites. etc.. so no need to be on metro or buses all the time.

Some parts of the 5th are close to the Luxembourg Gardens ( which is in the 6th. .but right on border with 5th) ..has a lovely playground for kids.. a large pond kids float boats on, music played in park sometimes, a snack/icecream café, etc..
I also like the 14 and stayed there with my 11 yr old..

The 16th would not be my choice.. at all. Its a lovely area.. but its a bit staid for me.. and its not convenient to walk to most sites that first timers are interested in.. ( well depending on where... the ET is close).. but its simply not central to me..

I can highly recommend a tour from Paris Greeters. The private tours are free, though you can donate to the organization. When you fill out the application online it will ask you about what activities and things you like, then try to match you with a volunteer greeter. You are not obligated to accept a tour you don't want to do. I've done this twice. The first time we got a tour of the Marais and last year we got a tour of the Place de la Concorde area.

I was going to say, the 16th can be very nice, and Anita's recommendation of Passy is spot on. I have friends who have an apartment there who love it, and my former boss and her husband recently visited and rented an apt there for two weeks (right by Passy metro) and loved it, they were happy as clams. There are plenty of bakeries and restaurants there. So don't exclude it a priori.

The more residential areas - 16th, 10th near Canal St Martin, 11th near Bastille - are good bets. Charming, comfortable, lots of parks/playgrounds for your son. Marais (3rd/4th) is great for access to sites, but can be really crowded with tourists and doesn't have as much green space. 5th is good if you can get close to Jardin des Plantes.

If you are light sleeper, the actual apartment is more important than the arrondisement. Be sure it's on a higher floor and that the bedroom windows face the courtyard, not the street. Be sure you see a lot of photos. After that, you can look at a metro map to see how many lines run near the apartment, and google the address to see what stores and parks are nearby.