We are visiting Paris for the first time. Because of various schedules we have to go at the end of August. Our group of four is my 74 (very active %26amp; well traveled) mother %26amp; my two teen daughters (also great travelers). We are looking at moderately priced apartments.
Should a/c be an absolute must at this time? I have found a few places with availability during our dates with good rates from vacationinparis %26amp; perfectlyparis.
One is smallish in the 5th at 14 rue des lyonnais with a private garden which sounds nice. Another is in the 8th at 29 rue ponthieu, 1 block from the champs elysees. Both of these would require the girls sleep on a pull out sofa.
Or, we could get a larger place with 2 bedrooms for a bit more money in montmartre.
Any thoughts? We will only be in Paris for four days and nights.
|||
IMO, you can%26#39;t go wrong with perfectlyparis (3 happy rentals so far) and Montmartre is my favorite home base in Paris. The 9th is very central, if you prefer that. If La Belle Epoque is available, that apartment has lots of room for your group, including 2 ensuite bathrooms and an extra toilet.
|||
Forgot to add, have stayed several times in early September, during very warm weather, and never felt the need for ac.
|||
Montmartre is not a very central base for touring.
The 5th is more central.
Actually, the Rue des Lyonnais is just one block behind where i live, just are a couple of monutes away from rue Mouffetard. Line 7 is there at censier Daubenton, and you can also take from Les Gobelins.
Rer B at Port Royal is another option.
I don%26#39;t really like the Champs Elysées, the area has an %26quot;upscale feel%26quot; to it.
|||
I forgot to mention that most people in France don%26#39;t have air conditionning, as the energy costs a lot, and we are fine...we survive.
|||
I might also add that only my 16 year old speaks any French (just a few years of instruction in school though she wasn%26#39;t very helpful in Morocco reading signs etc. saying she would be much better reading menus in Paris!!!) Would our lack of language skills impact our choice of location?
|||
Just spent a week in Paris with my 15-year old niece - stayed at the 5th, very close to Censier Daubenton. Found it very convenient, as it is well located and connected thru the 7th line. Also, you have great choices of restaurants along Rue Mouffetard. We speak only very basic French and had no problem with our communication. Good luck!!
|||
BCA...another point of view here.. I would suggest A/C if you can get it in late August. in the past decade there have been a few wickedly hot heat waves in Paris (global warming??) that have killed some older and infirm people. and if it doesn%26#39;t kill you, it could make you pretty miserable. this severe kind of heat wave doesn%26#39;t happen often - but it *could*.
...also, just had to add that I don%26#39;t consider the Champs Elysee %26quot;upscale%26quot;...it%26#39;s kind of like Van Ness Street in San Francisco; a big commercial thoroughfare with lots of traffic, tourists, chain stores, movie theatres, car dealerships, noise, ugh.
did I mention noisy? imagine trying to sleep at night in 90 degreee weather with the windows open, trying to catch a breeze, and listening to the clamour of cars honking, people laughing and yelling, etc...
is there another choice of apartment that isn%26#39;t in the 5th or the 8th?
|||
I have been looking at a lot of agency websites but many don%26#39;t offer short term stays under a week. Perfectly Paris and Vacation in Paris seem to be good. The properties I mention are available for our dates, fall within our price range (USD300 or less night) and have a/c.
I agree it might be risky to go without the a/c. I can handle pretty much anything site seeing during the day if I have a comfortable climate to return to at night.
The 5th %26amp; 8th seem to come up for options. I think the 18th might be too remote for our short stay even though some better properties seem to be available.
What to do?????
|||
Dear BCA, I once thought of Montmarte as %26quot;remote.%26quot; One day, I saw the view to Sacre Coeur through one of the clock faces in the Musee D%26#39;Orsay and thought, %26quot;that where I want to go.%26quot; I could not believe that from when I stepped outside the museum, it took me only 10-15 minutes by metro to get there. Since then, I have become a convert to %26quot;living%26quot; in Montmartre and easily %26quot;visiting%26quot; %26quot;central Paris.%26quot; I feel as if it gimes me the best of both worlds.
|||
BCA -I%26#39;d advise you to keep looking for other apartments that have A/C in central Paris that are available for less than one week. have you checked out NYHabitat ( www.nyhabitat.com )? august is the best month to find sublets - you *should* be able to find something nice in a better %26#39;hood that has A/C. you might also check www.vrbo.com - some of the rentals are available for less than one week.
No comments:
Post a Comment