Hotel by Gare du Nord

Sharon,

I have stayed in the Gare du Nord area numerous times over the years, (since 1987), whenever I am in Paris. It's fine, lots of tourists there and at Gare de l'Est, mainly European tourists, especially Germans but very few Americans. Gare du Nord is the ideal place to stay if you're going to England, northern France, Belgium, northern Germany after you get to Aachen or Cologne. And, if you're going east to Germany--that's the way to do it--so you don't have to take a TGV but the ICE train to Mannheim from Gare de l'Est, a ten min, walk from Gare du Nord.

Gare du Nord has numerous 2 and 3 star hotels right across the street from it. The two star I would recommend is New Hotel which can be seen once you step out of the station...just across the street. I always stay there; for a three star there's Hotel Nord Terminous, it's over 100 Euro. Across the street from New Hotel is Kyriad, never stayed there but it's more than New Hotel.

We stayed at the Ibis there and it was perfectly fine, breakfast, AC and very nice staff. The week we were in Paris, it was really hot, so it was nice to come back and have the AC. Got delicious sandwiches from the near-by bakery and had a nice Italian meal one evening from one of the restaurants along there.

Can't say I felt unsafe there, though there were some unsavoury sorts hanging around a bit by the train station exit. You just ignore them and stride past.

Thank you. We will be coming from Normandy and taking the Eurostar to England, so I thought that would be convenient.

I often wonder whether the people who say to avoid staying in the 10th Arrondissement because it's rough, unsafe or sketchy have ever actually stayed in the 10th themselves.

I will admit I had some reluctance to book a stay in the area, but my brother (who travels regularly to Paris on business) talked me into it and I am glad that he did.

I stayed for 2 weeks in the 10th and found it to be a great neighborhood to base out of. I had 2 major train stations nearby, easy access to the RER and several Metro stations. I stayed in the area as a woman traveling solo and was coming and going at all hours of the day and night on public transit and never once did I have a problem or feel unsafe.

In the immediate vicinity of the train station, you will see a couple homeless or strange looking characters, but if you've ever traveled to Los Angeles, New York City or any big city in the U.S., I defy you to say you don't see the same (if not more) hanging near the train station. Also nearby you may see a few adult "bookstores" or stores selling X-rated movies. Except for some neon signs, the windows are blacked out and you don't see anyone loitering outside these stores.

Further away from the station you'll find many working class white & blue collar Parisians going about their daily lives. Because of this, you will find many affordable restaurants & cafes, bakeries, tabacs and the like.

I can also second the recommendation for the Ibis chain. I stayed at the Ibis Gare du Nord Chateau Landon. It was within 5-7 mins walking distance to Gare du Nord (not right across the street - but I liked that because it was much quieter), and there was a self-serve laundromat 1 block away. Because it is a chain hotel, it's missing the old Paris charm, but I was ok with that because I don't spend all my time in my hotel room, but when I did I had air conditioning, an elevator and a fantastic view from the top floor of Sacre Couer Basilica off in the distance.

We spent 1 night at the "New Hotel" which is right across the street from Gare du Nord. I even used the luggage carrier from the train station to carry my luggage across the street to the hotel...it's that close.

Sharon,

For the Euro-Star staying at Gare du Nord is most convenient, instead of navigating the Metro with the luggage, going 4-6 stations and/or transfering to get to your hotel, just to avoid Gare du Nord, and in the morning you'll have to do the same to get back to take the Euro-Star. I travel solo when I am staying at Gare du Nord, always have, and as noted above, the 10th Arrondisment is just fine.

In the Gare du Nord area it's dotted with numerous types of restaurants, Italian, Chinese, French, chain restaurants such as Buffalo Grill, etc. At Gare de l'Est more French and cuisine from Alsace.