Rue Cler Paris accomodations

The Rue Cler area is a favorite of many on this board. I find it very touristy and rather less "perfect ideal charming Paris village" than Rick Steves obviously does. There are lovely (upscale) restaurants and shops - together with some everyday stores (like the vacuum cleaner store with my favorite name ever: "La Compagnie des Aspirateurs!") But for some reason it just doesn't grab me. Maybe it is the expectant air of "here come the Americans with their money!" vibe that I seem to feel as I walk along window shopping. To be fair, I do sometimes get that vibe elsewhere in Paris - but you asked about Rue Cler. It definitely isn't too far from many main sites. In fact, some might argue that it is relatively central, as it's right between the Eiffel Tower and les Invalides. My favorite place to stay in Paris is in the Passy neighborhood, which I believe to be a lot like Rue Cler was before it was "discovered" by (primarily American) tourists. I always (always!) stay at l'Hotel Hameau, 48 rue de Passy. And we have never eaten anywhere along Rue Cler, so sorry, I can't recommend any place. What happens now? The folks who ADORE the place will start to weigh in. :-)

I've neither stayed there nor eaten there, save snacks carried from shop to shop, but I have met Rick Steves there one evening as he paused after filming. I had a great time, as I always do when in Paris, and the main reason I don't stay there is that I have places across town that are more convenient for my goals.

Many people, ,myself included , would not put staying in the 7th( which is the area that Rue Cler is in) top of their list. I find the general area a bit dull and while Rue Cler is more lively , it is only one street, I tend to vacation on more then one street don't you? Think about it . .
The 7th is not far out from many sites, but I also would not consider it as central as some other areas, namely the 4th( Marais) 5th( Latin Quarter) and 6th( St Germain) . I sincerely hope that whatever you do, you don't limit your dining experiences to Rue Cler , nor your accomadation choices to that one street. There are MANY MANY cute market streets,, its not that Rue Cler is the only one for goodness sake, and most areas are chock o block full of cafes, bistros and shops.. so while I won't say "don't bother with Rue Rick" I will say do not let it limit you at all.

So far, it doesn't seem like afficianados of Rue Cler are chiming in! Dining recommendations for anywhere in Paris would be welcomed.

Yep, not a rue Cler fan. I agree with Pat, I find it boring, over-run with Americans (thanks to Rick), and not central at all. I much prefer the 4th, 5th and 6th, as close to the river as possible. That is the heart of Paris for me, and my favorite area. My most favorite neighborhood is Ile Saint Louis, the little island east of Ile de la Cite where Notre Dame is. There are many good, not expensive restaurants there... we especially liked Cafe Med (in RS guide), we ate there a lot 2 yrs ago... 3 course prix fixe dinner for 15 Euros. Don't follow RS guides exclusively, use other guides, tripadvisor.com and recommendations as well. Lots of wonderful, charming, affordable hotels all over Paris.

I stayed in the infamous Rue Cler area (Hotel Du Cadrin) last May and had a wonderful time. I liked being able to walk to the Eiffel Tower every evening before turning in to watch the light show; can't get enough of it. You're also witin walking distance of Nopoleans Tomb, and the Rodin Museum. Because of its proximity to the ET there are lots of hotels with a lot of tourists, and a lot of locals. There are at least three supermarkets in the immediate area, they're not staying in business from just the tourist trade;) Paris has more hotels than any other city in the world, so no matter what part of the city one stays in, there are always going to be tourists. Not that there is anything wrong with that; Paris is one of the top destinations, so you will be sharing it with lots of other travelers regardless. Sorry but I can't give any dining recommendations. I happened to be in other parts of the city during the dinner hour and ate elsewhere, so I can't comment on it.

Hi Kathy I ate in that area twice last week, once at Cafe Constant (139,rue Saint Dominique) and one night had a late pizza at Gusto Italia (199 Rue de Grenelle). Had great meals at both places. Cafe Constant does not take reservations and does not seat until 7:00 pm so if you want to eat there, be there about that time to get a table. Neither on on Rue Cler but close. Even if you stay in the Rue Cler area, I wouldn't limit myself to just eating there. It is very easy to take the metro, which we did most nights for dinner elsewhere as we had some old favorites in other areas.

I stayed on Rue Cler on my first trip to Paris back in 1999 and I really enjoyed it. Then I went back to Paris and stayed in the Latin Quarter and liked it more. And then I went back again and stayed in the 4th (Marais) and loved it; I've stayed there on my last couple of trips. I do think the 4th, 5th, and 6th are more convenient than Rue Cler. As for restaurants, I really like David Lebovitz's blog for foodie suggestions. He is an American food writer who lives in Paris. www.davidlebovitz.com/paris/ I also had a very good meal at Cafe Constant. The owner was featured on NPR. Here is the story if you want to listen to it. www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=114250336

Add me to the list of people who did not care for Rue Cler. My favorite area is the 18th, or Montmartre. I loved being high up on the mountain overlooking the city. It's not so much the tourists carrying the blue RS guide book that I didn't like about Rue Cler, it's that it's a BORING place. But if you like slow-paced residential neighborhoods, then by all means, visit away.

I ate at Cafe du Marche on rue Cler and got food poisoning. Spent 3 days on the bathroom floor, not fun. Yes, it can happen anywhere but I'll never eat there again. And yes, there are American tourists all over Paris but no where are they as concentrated as rue Cler. Maybe it's just me, but I don't want to be surrounded by Americans when I'm in Paris.

I stayed in Rue Cler last year at the Hotel Muguet for one night prior to joining a tour. The hotel is convenient to two metro stations and other sites. Enjoyed sitting at a little bistro watching the world go by on our first afternoon in Paris. We did love breakfast at the PTT recommended by
RS and my friend still mentions that it was one of her most memorable breakfasts ever.

I LOVE the Rue Cler area because of its proximity to the Eiffel Tower. Every am and pm I would have to see it. I stayed there on the RS Best of Paris tour and have returned twice myself, and will be there again in less than 1 minth! I prefer the restaurants near that area, Cafe Constant is one. I do breakfast on rue Cler every morning and eill probably do so this trip. Other posters are correct that it isn't the most convient area for other sights, but I found it great with bus routes to everywhere and the metro. This trip I am staying at thr Muguet, my first visit there, very close to rue Cler. I have walked from rue Cler to Notre Dame along the Seine, unforgettable!! Enjoy your trip.

We were on a Rick Steves Paris city tour in May. The tour hotel was the Londres Eiffel. We stayed there for a couple of days before the tour started. After the tour, we moved to a different hotel (Hotel du Champs de Mars) also in the Rue Cler neighborhood. We enjoyed our stay in the Rue Cler area. The metro allows you to get anywhere in Paris in a reasonable time. While there were may tourists, it is also true that Rue Cler is a real neighborhood. The area is fairly upscale, so we always felt safe. There are many good restaurants within a short walk. Rue Cler has a nice pedestrian friendly vibe.

I stayed in the Rue Cler area (Hotel Du Cadran) on my first trip to Paris because Rick recommended it so highly. It is a nice, very quiet, area. You can see Rue Cler in very little time. If you are there on a Sunday, you will find almost everything on the street will be closed. Unless you want to take the metro everywhere, I found it convenient to the Eiffel Tower and not much else. I have been to Paris twice since then and have stayed in the Latin Quarter both times. It is much more central and walkable to many sites you will likely want to see. Not to mention a bit more lively!! I agree with pat and Susan that the 4th, 5th and 6th, close to the river, are the most convenient areas to stay in.

I've only stayed in Paris once (visited briefly on other occasions, though), and I stayed just off of Rue Cler. I didn't even realize it was Rue du Rick until my wife and I noticed that about half the people in the restaurant we had randomly chosen were Americans and flashing the Blue Book Sign. That being said, I appreciated the fact that it was quiet at night and very close to a Metro stop. I have no idea if it's the best or worst neighborhood, but it worked fine for me.

Hi Kathy, I've stayed in the Rue Cler area three times the last being Aug '12. I have enjoyed my stay there each time and will again. I'm not certain why so many folks are upset to see other Americans on a trip to France when France is the most visited Country by American tourists. If you want to avoid Americans on a trip to France by all means avoid: The Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, Arc du Triumphe, Sacre Coeur, the Louvre, Orsay, Rodin, and Picasso museums, Pompidou Center, Montmartre... I was doing laundry in an obscure area of Brittany France and guess who came in with a laundry bag and "Tide" soap? For Shame! Regardless of where you stay, enjoy your trip.

HI, We have stayed in both Rue Cler and Marais districts and liked both. We find Rue Cler quite convenient to desired museums and walking paths; it is quite romantic. Last we visited, in 2011, we stayed in Hotel Leveque, which recently renovated and is quite nice (note that rooms are pretty small everywhere, unless you shell out top dollar). Earlier, we had stayed at another popular hotel right across from Leveque, but it was fully booked. Good luck!

We were in Paris this past March and stayed at the Relais Bosquet. It is one of the Rue Cler area hotels that I found in Rick's Paris guide book. The hotel was better than expected and the staff was great. It was a two block walk to the Rue Cler, 5 minutes to the Metro, and 10 to the Eifel Tower. The RER station is also 10 minute walk. I thought the atmosphere and food on Rue Cler was great. I would go back in a heartbeat.