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| In terms of places everybody should visit at least once during their lifetime, Paris is right there at the top of the list. It's a veritable smorgasbord of cultural delights. A long and colourful history, combined with a culture saturated by the influence of influential people means that the city stands at the forefront of many fields. Food, art, music, science; the list of Parisian fields of excellence goes on and on. With so much to choose from though, how will your family decide what to see, when to go, where to stay and how to choose the best cheap family accommodation? The first two are up to you, but choosing hotels in Paris should be made much easier by this article. |
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Making Sense of the City |
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| In case you didn't know, Paris is officially divided into 20 administrative areas known as arrondissements. These are numbered in a clockwise spiral starting with the Arrondissement du Louvre in the very heart of the city. Amusingly, for a country with a gastronomic penchant for gastropods, this makes a map of Paris look a lot like the whorled shell of a snail. |
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| The 20 districts are each divided into four quartiers, which are then numbered from one to 80. This official numbering system, while surely useful for governance, leaves the tourist with rather a lot of information to sift through. A common habit in guides to Paris, therefore, is to name areas based on a well-known quartier within them. This guide will follow that format. |
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| Further to the artificial divisions mentioned above, Paris is carved in two (three if you count the trio of islands in between) by the river Seine. This provides a good starting point for talking about how to choose one of the many hotels in Paris. |
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The Left Bank |
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| Despite accommodating the Eiffel Tower, this side of the Seine has fewer big-name attractions, so accommodation commands lower rates, which is good news for families on a budget. As a rule, hotels in Paris are very reasonably priced for a city of such prominence, but the best deals are definitely to be found on this bank of the river. |
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| The Montparnasse area is known for having the lowest prices in town, despite, or perhaps due to, suffering from a bit of a dearth of things to visit. On the plus side, however, it has historically been studded with many stars from the art world, so who knows who you'll bump into while enjoying your pain au chocolat with the kids? |
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| The Latin Quarter and Invalides are a step up, in both price and local attractions. They enclose the Pantheon and Sorbonne, and the Eiffel Tower and Invalides respectively. The Latin Quarter comes much more highly recommended in terms of atmosphere, while it's also the less expensive of the two. |
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| St Germain is the highest rung of the nightly rate ladder on this side of the river and is considered to be one of the most colourful. The high prices are due to the desirability of the area mixed with the strong artistic vibe of the place; a valuable combination! |
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The Right Bank |
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| While on the one hand hotels are more expensive on this side, rooms are also larger on average; perfect for travelling with the kids and the luggage they bring. There are also many more things to see and do. Montmartre has the fewest of these, but boasts both the Sacré-Coeur and the Moulin Rouge. Hotel prices are also the lowest you'll find on this side of the water. This may be due to the neighbouring red light district. |
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| The Notre Dame, Picasso and Victor Hugo museums are situated in the Marais-Ile St Louis area. This comes with a higher price tag, but it's the oldest part of town and is just oozing with atmosphere. |
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| The rest of the Right Bank is highly priced. While it would be convenient to be staying by the Louvre, or down on the Champs Elysées, the mood of the surroundings doesn't have the same piquancy to it and the true Francophile will be disappointed. These are the areas to spend the daylight hours touring. |
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| Whichever hotel you decide to stay in, remember that the city's underground rail network is a quick, convenient and reliable method of getting around. Most hotels in Paris, at least in the central areas mentioned above, will be within easy walking distance of a station. |
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| With the above in mind, your decision on where to stay should be based on what sort of restaurants and evening entertainment you would like to have nearby. Once you've picked an area, narrow down your options on the basis of budget. This way, you can sight-see during the day and retire to your chosen calm/classy/colourful corner of the city in the evening, not having to worry about navigating night-time Paris after that bottle of Beaujolais. |
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