The 5th or 7th ?

My wife and I are going on our first trip to Paris march1st for 5 days.

If you had to choose between the Hotel Splendid in the 7th or D%26#39;able St. Michel in the 5th.?

Are the two areas really that different?

We want to see all we can see in that short period of time.

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I don%26#39;t know anything about the two hotels, so I can%26#39;t offer an opinion between them.

Hubby and I rented an apartment in the 5th for our week%26#39;s stay last May, and we really loved the area...we walked to Notre Dame, wandered about the neighborhood and perused the shops, walked along the Seine, and just thoroughly enjoyed the laid-back, academic/student feeling that we got from the 5th.

However, the 7th is certainly in a central enough area, also.

With the excellent metro system and the bus system, wherever you stay, you can get to any attraction or area you want to explore relatively easily and quickly.

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I am pretty sure you mean the D%26#39;Albe, right ?? It is located on the corner of Rue de la Huchette and Rue de la Harpe ?? This is a VERY touristy area stacked with ethnic restaurants, bars, etc and while it is actually pedestrian, it is not a quiet . But, it is a pretty popular hotel.

I love the 5th and the 6th more than I do the 7th personally. But, if you like it to be quiet and more residential maybe the 7th would be good. Personally I like the upbeat, charming feel of the 5th and 6th...the nightlife and easy access to all of Paris. In the 7th, there the metro is not always as convenient as there are fewer stops. So, just look carefully at the area of the hotels that you choose.

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How did you come to choose between these two areas?

Both are very nice with interesting sights. Cafes and restaurants are good in both areas too, however, in general, there are more in the 5th than in the 7th.

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Both the 5th and the 7th are fine and have their different personalities. It is hard to generalize, but if you are student age through the 30%26#39;s you would probably prefer the 5th; if you are more upscale and older, preferring more open, green spaces and quieter nights, then probably the 7th. Both hotels are right by metro and bus hubs. The 7th has more Bib gourmand restaurants than the 4th,5th and 6th combined which is in keeping with its more affluent residents, while the 5th has more night clubs in one block than the entire 7th. Don%26#39;t get too worked up as you can walk from one to the other, as they are not much more than a mile apart.

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My husband and I stayed in the 7e last Easter. We enjoyed the quiet atmosphere. In addition, we liked being close to the Eiffel Tower, the Champs-Elysees, Rue Cler, the Seine. Invalides, and the boat tours. It was easy to walk along the Seine and venture to Notre Dame and the Louvre.

We are fifty-somethings who love to walk ....so we got a good map and decided to see as much as possible with the 6 days that we had. We bought a carnet ( a discounted bundle of subway tickets)and used the metro often. You are smart to read up on topics here at TA...there is a lot of information available here. Have a great trip!

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I am older than the previous poster and have had apartments in the 4th,5th, 20th and 7th and the 7th was our least favorite -- full of pretentious tea shops, upscale antiques and nowhere near full enough of good every day Parisian bakeries and the like. We much preferred the Latin Quarter, the Marais and even the 20th -- but not there for a short trip of course)

to each his own

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Having stayed in the 5th, 6th, 7th and I%26#39;le St. Louis, the 6th is my favorite.

Between the 5th and 7th, I%26#39;d take the 5th. The 7th is too quiet. I%26#39;le St. Louis was great too.

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I%26#39;le St. Louis is one of my favorite places too.

If I was only given a choice between the 5 e and 7 e I would choose the 5 e.

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My wife and I are going to Paris for 12 days in March. We just booked an apartment in the 5th. So I was anxious for some feedback. Thanks to all of you for the good feedback it was helpful and makes us think we made a great choice.

Maurice.

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