Where to stay in paris???

Question

im going to paris in october and im wondering which area is best to stay im going there to sight see so i want to stay somewhere in the heart of it all? but im so confused on where exactly the best arrondissement is for a single tourist . i want some where safe so not the red light district which ever that is?

somewhere with cafes a little night life but not to much as i dont want to be kept awake all nite and i want somewhere i can walk down the street at night and not be harased, at the same time near shops and sights to see??

please help i need it any advice would be great thanks!!

Answer 1

Well it's pretty hard to answer !

First of all, it's impossible to drive a car in Paris, and taxis are rare and expensive at night so I think the best way to move is to use the subway. It's rather cheap, there are a lot of lines and stations and it's quite safe and fast. You can cross the whole city in less than 30 minutes so the place where you stay isn't so important as long as it is close to a subway station. One thing to know : subway stations are closed between 1 or 2 am to 5 am so be carreful if you want to go out late, you will need to walk if you miss the last train ;)

The crime in Paris is quite low. Just some pickpockets... so it's not a dangerous city, just take care of not taking your passport and all your money with you if you go out...  

About the arrondissements, I would say that the richest ones are on the west part (1st, 8th, 15th and 16th). So it's the most expensive ones, they aren't really well connected to subway and are a little bit poor in monuments...

Now if you are looking for middle prices, you can take a look around Republique or Bastille... They are quite popular, full of restaurants and cheap bars, so a bit noisy but less expensive.

About the red light area I would recommand to avoid Pigalle and Barbes area as well as forum des Halles during night.

For shopping... well Champs Elysées and Rue de Rivoli are a must for expensive shopping... You can also take a look to large stores such as BHV, Printemps which offer a wide range of products and prices...

Answer 2

hey! i'm actually going to be in paris for like  a month or so starting in october (first time yay!!)....have you looked into www.couchsurfing.com or  hospitality club? don't know how long you're planning on staying but that's a good option for short-term stays...the people there can also help you see what the best area of town is...

Answer 3

the red district is a place where there are lots of prostitutes and paris is the best i have just been its great and there are great sights like the river seyn you can go a boat trip down it and see notradame and the effell tower

best luck and have fun XX

Answer 4

You'd probably like the Latin Quarter (5th arondissement) or St. Germain (6th).  I'm staying in the Latin Quarter next to Jardin du Luxembourg during my next trip (in September).  I've also stayed in Beaubourg, which was nice, but a bit farther from attractions.

The two "red light" areas that I know of are Pigalle and rue St. Denis.  As my Parisian friend told me, "if you find yourself on rue St. Denis, you are perfectly safe so just keep walking.  If you stop walking, someone might think you are a hooker."  

As someone else said, most places inside the city of Paris are pretty safe.  Just use common sense - don't be out walking alone on dark side streets late at night, don't flash around a lot of money, keep an eye on personal items at all times, stuff like that.  I carry a small amount of cash in an accesible location (a coin purse in my handbag).

Answer 5

Perfect description of what you like and do not, what you are looking for, and what not.

My suggestion to you is stay either around either of:

Bastille

Metro Odeon

Rue Mufftard

If seems that you have an impression of an unsafe place from Paris.  I do not know where this comes from, but I believe that you leave Paris with a different mind.

Enjoy