Paris Travel Forum

Hi,

I and my wife will be visiting Paris in June, and would love to stay on/near the Champs Elysees street. However, most hotels I've checked in this area are very expensive. Our budget is about $150. Can I find a nice hotel for this much?

Alternatively, is it a better option to stay near the Eiffel Tower? The hotels there are cheaper too.

And lastly, is Paris a safe place? I know there is some crime in every city, but in general - how's the situation here? Is it okay to travel by train or taxi late at night, let's say after a night of clubbing?

Thanks for all the help and advice.

Unfortunately, the choice of available hotels at 100€ is not what it once was. I seriously doubt you'll find comfortable lodgings at that price near the Champs Elysées.

I suggest you search in the 5th or 6th arrondissements if this is your first visit to Paris. This area is centrally located, animated at night, safe (actually virtually all of Paris is safe), has a large selection of reasonable restaurants, and overall very popular with tourists.

http://www.hotel-paris-familia.com/
http://paris-hotel-grandbalcons.com/
http://www.andre-latin-paris-hotel.com/
http://www.hoteldenesle.net/
http://www.hotel-de-saint-germain.com/
http://www.tellthetruthtravel.com/ParisHotels.htm
http://www.welcomehotel-paris.com/index.html


My personal choice is the 7th arrondissement (near the Eiffel Tower) but it is a bit farther away from the most popular destinations.

http://www.hotelparismuguet.com/
http://www.hotellindbergh.com/
http://www.hotelamelie.fr/
http://www.paris-hotel-tulipe.com/

My husband and i visited paris in feb '08 and we stayed at the Hotel Des Champs Elysees [ http://www.champselysees-paris-hotel.com/english/Hotel01.htm ]
there was a promotion going on when we visited and we got a double room for 100 euros!!I would def recommend it.Its walkable distance from the avenue des champs elysees.the rooms and bathrooms r very clean but not too big.the lift n the breakfast are better avoided:) hope u have a great stay!

The last time we stayed south of the river, near the Rue Cler market, betweent he Eiffel tower and Les Invalids. The area is residential with a significant student population. It was quiet and very pleasant. There were intersting restaurants and shops within easy walking distance. Best of all there was a Metro station at the end of the block. As long as you are near a Metro station, it is easy to get anyplace you want to go in the city.

In my humble opinion, the Champs Elysees is over rated. Restaurant prices are about double within 3-4 blocks of the Champs when comapaired to the rest of the city. The steet is crowded, noisy and traffic is very heavey. The shopping is either low end tourist shops or very high end luxory retail. Unless I was planning to drop a bundle at LouisV's, I would take a stroll along the avenue and head for someplace less crowded to stay and eat.

Pick-pockets and beggers are the biggest safety issue in the city center. As with any big city stay vigelent, don't carry valuables where they can get to them, and tell them to go away or you will call the police. I have never felt unsafe on the Metro and have ridden it pretty far out into the burbs. In recent years there has been some civil unrest, mostly in the outer suburbs. I would stay aware of my surroundings, especially if my senses were dulled by late night partying.

DG

This poor Rue Clerc must be wondering what on earth has befallen it since it was apparently eulogised in some American guidebook, triggering an onslaught apparently.

A "significant student population" in the Rue Clerc area? Now, you surprise me!

I can't recommend anything near the Champs, but you'll struggle to find something decent there for taht price, try to stay in central Paris instead.

Avoid the Champs at the week-end (late evenings). Too many young unrefined provincials (bordering on chavvy) and uncouth suburbians (in gangs sometimes)
invade the avenue to let their hair down, or let rip. They're having to put more and more bums on seats (any bums) on the Champs these days (highest rental prices for commercial premises in the world apparently) and it shows.

Even though you've had great answers, I'll toss in my 2 cents!
I TOTALLY agree with OiKnow that the Champs is over-rated. There should be internet deals now because not as many Americans are visiting Paris. Also talk with a travel agent - I know that mine belongs to a consortium that offers really good prices on hotel rooms. If you are interested in seeing the majortourist sites, I would stay central(1st, 4th, 5th & 6th arrondissements). You can jump the metro to go to Montmartre...everything else should be walkable.
As an aside, I've stayed in apartments twice and highly recommend them for repeat visitors - first-timers will do better with a hotel that has a friendly staff.
Enjoy!
Mary

hi there...

i thought that id add my thoughts also!!!

I stayed at Au Royal Cardinal Hotel which is near Latin Quarter (Saint Germain/Latin Quarter)...

we payed 120 euro per night (which was for 3 people)...

Hotel is walking distance to river & cafes - prob about 10/15min walk... heaps of shops to eat at near by & subway near by also!

see my paris page if you like..

hotel is only 2 star but bathroom & beds were ok! - oldish style hotel but clean and staff were nice!

As far as pickpockets go, I speak from experience as I have been robbed on a Metro in Rome.
At the end of the day, I had to admit that as clever as they were, I could have prevented it had I done just one simple thing - put my valuables in the safe in my hotel room.
People are understandably getting very nervous about being robbed on their travels, but take a tip from one who knows - just be careful and you'll be fine. Don't take passports and credit cards out with you when it is not necessary. Just some cash and keep your hand on that all the time. It can happen anywhere, but you'd be silly to let fear spoil your holiday.

The real question is : why to pay more an accomodation to get a poor location. Near the Tour Eiffel : the 7e arrondissement is expensive and has few attractions : the Tour Eiffel and few museums. More, il is uneasy to reach the other places of Paris from this location. On the Champs Elysees : expensive too and the location is on the outskirts of the capital.
The best place to stay is place du Chatelet" and nearby (Marais, quartier Latin), it is the crossroad of metro and RER lines. You can reach quickly the attractions and you can stroll in a pleasant area.

Have a good stay

RAY

You should be careful in Paris, like in other big cities in western Europe, I think. In the metro and RER stations, they often tell you that they are pickpockets. In the streets, you must avoid thieves who attract you asking for money or information and sometimes falsely trying to help you. My best suggestion is not to be dressed like a tourist... and do not have a lot of bags.

In March, I started intensively researching accomodations for beginning of June - not a lot of options available for $150.00 US - city centre - you may have to raise that due to the value of the Euro. We decided to go the apartment route via www.VRBO.com and www.waytostay.com and booked @ 125Euros per night. Apartments can be found for 119E and up but usually a minimum stay of 4 nights - they are slightly more than a basic hotel room for 2 but convenient, more room etc and can have breakfast on hand. Some are lovely! Look at 1BR & 1 BR in arrondisment (area) 7 which is close to the Eiffel Tower - members of my family who have been to Paris suggested arr 7 as good area to stay. I noticed last evening that a couple of new apts sites have been added - they may have availability. Be aware that some travel sites suggest that a traditional hotel double bed in Paris is smaller than those in US so look at descriptions & pictures carefully. One visitor to Paris also suggests on-line not to worry about staying too close to the city center as The Metro will get you down there quickly from almost anywhere and if you have to stick to your budget that may be an option. Have you visited www.ParisBy.com. (Note rooms are quoted per person per day) Do research info on pickpockets! Good luck!

My advice is: do not stay in the 7th or near the Eiffel Tower or the Champs Elysées (a bit chavvy these days), these areas are boring and uninteresting in the main (relatively speaking), compared to the many vibrant areas you could enjoy (for less money) ie Latin Quarter, Mouffetard, Saint Germain/Odéon, Bastille, Montparnasse, Butte Montmartre, Grands Boulevards, Les Halles/Beaubourg/Tuileries, Oberkampf, etc. all these areas are much better.

Paris is safe, don't worry. We had an interesting thread on this about 4 or 5 weeks ago, I listed a few dodgy areas within Paris proper (Inner Paris -department 75, as opposed to Greater Paris). There are roughly 200 unlicensed illegal taxis operating in Paris (estimation by the police), they obviously pounce at airports and also quite frequently in th early morning when discos shut, between 4 and 7. The rogues target discos/clubs as they bank on the combination of people being impatient/tired/sozzled/etc. (and desperate to get home) and a shortage of proper taxis at these times. Sadly, this is what happened to this poor Swedish girl a few weeks ago (she was murdered by a "taxi clandestin" -as they call them- after he picked her up outside a disco on Rivoli street).
Just be aware of that. A proper taxi will have a red sign on the roof (with 3 lights, corresponding to the 3 possible tariffs -A, B, C) that reads: Taxi Parisien (taxi is written in red) and a black and red plaque on th side of the car with its reg number. Have a look at this website from the Police authority in Paris:

http://www.prefecture-police-paris.interieur.gouv.fr/circuler/article/taxi.htm

However pickpockets obviously operate where tourists are so take the usual basic precautions and you should be fine, I don't think pickpocketing is that bad in Paris in relation to comparable cities, just make sure you do not look too much of a tourist, they go for them obviously, easily visible preys, so blend in and do not carry valuables and more money than you need.

We usually rent an apartment when staying in Paris for more than 4 or 5 days. You might check this website out: http://studio.provaction.com/PARIS/rendezvousuk2.html . We are renting the Pastis
for our 12 day stay in December. BUT for a nice little hotel at the rate you are looking for I would suggest
Hotel Valadon in the 7th. The owner is quite nice and we actually do like this area even though Americans
have discovered it. The French still find it a rather lovely area to shop for wonderful cheeses, produce, etc.
There is a dry cleaner down the street, flower shop, wine shop and small markets. We love the Duck Confit at Cafe' du Marche - reasonably priced. Also, around the corner and down the street is the wonderful Bistro 7eme. The Metro is a walk around the corner to get you anywhere in the city. We find
Paris quite safe at any time. Have fun!