We wil be spending a week wit kids aged 12 and 9. We love to walk and fully plan to use public transportation as well
We plan on renting an apartment. I started looking at Arrondissement 1 but now am wondering if that would be the best choice
Any insight is appreciated!
My wife and I enjoyed the 7th near the Eiffel Tower. We stayed at Hotel Kensington in 2010 for five nights, check to see if it's still in Rick's book (I see it only gets a 7.3 on Booking.com currently; for us it was great but that was almost seven years ago). Some people will tell you this area is too close to the dreaded Rue Cler, but we actually enjoyed that area quite a lot. While Rue Cler itself may be packed with Americans carrying Rick's book, you only have to walk a couple of blocks to get away from them. It was close to the metro the Eiffel Tower. In general Rick's advice on where to stay is highly reliable, this is one of the strengths of his books. If you don't want to commit to buying the book you can probably find it at the library.
I recommend the 4th, 5th or 6th arrondissement as this puts you within walking distance of alot of the major sights like Notre Dame, Latin Quarter, Luxembourg Gardens, the Louvre and walking along the River Seine. I stayed in this flat with my 3 kids and we enjoyed the location alot. There were lots of cafes close by, metro stops and even a movie theater where to this day my son talks about how we saw Iron Man Trois before all his friends in the US did. http://www.vacationinparis.com/listing/254/cobblestone-delight-st-germain-one-bedroom. I know Rick likes the 7th and the Rue Cler area. It's very neighborhood feel but kind of far to walk to the major sights which is why I prefer the above.
I also like the 7th as it's a great area and close to the Eiffel Tower and other sights. It also has convenient access to the Metro via the Ecole Militaire stop.
I agree with Claudette. 4th (Marais/Ile St Louis), 5th (Latin Quarter) and 6th (St Germain) are my favorites. As close to the river as possible.
You can easily walk to many places you'll want to see from these 3 arrondissements. I'm not a fan of the 7th and it wouldn't be my first choice. I like being in the heart of the city, near the river and Nôtre Dame. My most favorite neighborhood is Ile St Louis (the little island next to the bigger island where ND is).
All that said, any arrondissement in Paris is fine, and safe. Prices will be less for the 10th-19th.
Be sure to schedule a couple of hours for the Luxembourg Gardens in the 5th/6th. A beautiful park with a great playground, 2 cafés, bathrooms and more.
Also, check out the street entertainers on the pedestrian bridge going from Ile St Louis to the back of ND (day and night) and in front of ND at night, during warmer months. Your kids will enjoy it.
Before our first trip to Paris, I read someone's opinion that (especially if it was your first trip) you should stay "as close to the river and as close to Notre Dame as possible." We followed that advice and were glad we did so.
Our family spent four nights in the 1st, and then four nights in the 5th - both areas had their good points in terms of easy access to what we were enjoying seeing and doing. However, all three of our kids preferred the location in the 5th - we were near the Luxembourg Gardens, and lots of shops and sights that were interesting to them. The 1st was close to the Louvre, Tuileries, etc., but for just wandering around, we all preferred the vibe around the 5th and 6th arrondissements. If you need a hotel rec, we stayed in the Hotel Excelsior Latin on Rue Cujas in the 5th, and they had several room setups that were good for families. Ours had two rooms, separated by a wall but not a door. There was AC, and the beds were really comfortable, and decor recently updated.
Overall the feel around the 1st seemed more upscale and full of shops we didn't need - while being in the Latin Quarter (especially during the summer sales - lucky us) was more fun for us.
Have a great time!
Laurie
I like the 3rd/4th and the 5th/6th. Being near a metro station is a definite plus. Being near a metro station with more than one line is usually even better. A lot of people like the 7th, but it is not walking distance to most sights.
I have stayed in the 1st, 4th, 5th, 6th, 8th, 11th and 14th
I recommend for you the 4,5th or 6th.
The 1st is a bit dry.. wide busy streets( not those cute narrow windy streets that make you think of old paris ) .. and I didn't find as many cheaper places to eat in that area..
exception if you can find a place in the 1st close to river.. I stayed in a hotel 1/2 block from the river right beside the louvre.. I could just walk over the Pont st Neuf and enjoy the left bank easily.
7th is fine.. mostly boring and residential and not as convenient for some transport options.
What time of year will you be visiting Paris?
If you're coming in the late Spring and Summer, you will need air-conditioning, especially if you are used to using it.
Apartments do not normally have air-conditioning, or might have one portable unit in one bedroom. Most buildings ask that residents do not run any machines after around 10PM, so you would have to open windows, which will be noisy.
Agencies are free to list apartments without breaking the law. However, they cannot vouch for the fact that the apartment you choose will be legal.
Since it looks like this is your first time in Paris, you would benefit from having a 24/7 front desk staff to help you with whatever you may need.
Here are several choices for legal apart'hotels - they include real beds, kitchen and laundry facilities, some have air-conditioning, some do not.
They are all convenient to transportation and many are within walking distance to the usual attractions, markets, cafes, etc.
http://www.residencehenri4.com/en/
http://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/le-roi-de-sicile.fr.html?aid=356982;label=gog235jc-hotel-XX-fr-leNroiNdeNsicile-unspec-fr-com-L%3Afr-O%3
http://www.citadines.com/
http://www.adagio-city.com/gb/hotel-6790-aparthotel-adagio-paris-eiffel-tower/index.shtml
http://www.leprinceregent.com/
http://www.helzear.fr/en/
Sharon: We have stayed in the 5th, 7th, 15th, and 16th arrondissements. Overall we prefer the 15th, partly because it is away from the tourists and you get more of a feel for what the average Parisian neighborhood is like, and because it is likely to be less expensive. However I have mastered both the metro and bus systems, and do not mind being a ways away from some of the sites in Paris. In fact, I rather enjoy taking a bus ride to get to wherever I am headed. But I would recommend looking for an apartment that will not be noisy, has something of a view, has a digicode to get in the front door (safety reasons), and is near at least one bakery (so you can easily walk and pick up a croissant for breakfast). Price may also be a factor. Peter Dodd
