Where can I stay in Paris where it is a village like enviorment with shops,cafes in walking distance from digs

Question

what area of Paris has a quaint village like surroundings. One with shops , cafes friendly not too chic. Not the Marais, but with a metro station and perhaps a small hotel. Kind of arty . Less tourist perhaps more residential?

Answer 1

I've read that St Louis en l'ile (to the east of ile de la cite where notre dame is) is village-like and really quaint and pretty.

A safe and elegant residential area will be the 16th arrondissement, at the Victor Hugo/Trocadero area.

EDIT: You can check out www.holiday-rentals.com.

Answer 2

For all Travelling details  visit:

http://best-tourist-spot.blogspot.com/

Answer 3

I can recommend my old neighborhood in the 17th. Very untouristy with lots of shops and good transport. Look for something around rue de Levi/metro Villiers.

Answer 4

There are many parts of Paris that are just as you describe. As for the area in the book, I would guess Montmartre, Montparnasse or St. Germaine. Enjoy your stay, Paris is defintely the most beautiful city on the world.

Answer 5

the ile saint louis is very nice. You really should try it

Answer 6

Try the Hotel Magendie in the 13th.  I stayed there for two weeks a couple of years ago.  It is near at least 3 metro stations, and between two roads that have shops and cafes.  According to www.hotels.com they have four double or twin rooms left for about $100 per night.  That's a great deal for Paris!  There's a nice continental breakfast buffet at this hotel (it costs extra).  

For lunch, I suggest Les Canons des Gobelins.  It is walking distance from the hotel, along Boulevard Arago, just outside the Gobelins metro station.  

For dinner, I suggest L'Alouette, which is just a short walk down rue de la Glaciere from the hotel.

Answer 7

You are describing almost every neighborhood in Paris.

That is, indeed, one of the charms of Paris, for wherever you plunk yourself down you'll find cafes, little shops, and a Metro stop within easy walking distance.

This notion of an untouristy residential area that is out of the way is a bit of nonsense foisted off on tourists by the likes of travel writer/entrepreneur Rick Steves. Its really rather misleading.

Ther are, indeed, some areas of Paris where tourists seldom venture but that's because they are inconvenient and there is nothing to see.

I travel to Paris frequently and always stay in the 5th or 6th arrondissements, both areas very much frequented by tourists. Yet there is no lack of a "village like enviorment" in these areas.

On my last visit in October I rented a little apartment in the area of the Pantheom, a major tourist sight. Within two blocks of my apartment there were several small grocery stores, a wine shop, a couple of bread/pastry shops, a cheese store, a butcher shop, a hardware store, a dozen cafes, half a dozen small restaurants, and several places selling prepacked meals to take away. I was there for a month and within days I was a "regular" at several places, greeted warmly on sight, and well established as a neighborhood resident.

What I'm saying is that it isn't neccessary to seek out some out of the way area of Paris to find that small village atmosphere because almost every neighbor in Paris has it.

With only one day to enjoy Paris you needn't waste one second in extra travel. Stay in the center almost anywhere in the 1st-6th arrondissements.