Barbes

We are considering an apartment in rue Poulet, Barbes thru Homelidays. It looks yummy and good value for two bedrooms but on checking previous posts on this site it seems Barbes its not the greatest of areas even though it is apparently 10 minutes from Montmartre. Any feedback from local experts and others would be greatly appreciated!

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Well....I wouldn%26#39;t stay there. It%26#39;s not central or relaxing. It%26#39;s not the nicest part of Montmartre. Blvd. Barbes is thick with people selling their wares, hustling you to come into their restaurant, and a pickpocket or two (or three or four or five).

I have great friends who used to live on Rue D%26#39;Orsel, right around the corner, and I stayed w/ them once for a month....just coming and going on the metro was a long, sometimes stressful event. Their place and their street were fabulous, but the Blvd. Barbes and the metro stop Barbes Rochechouart were both very tiresome...

Any other options?

Les

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Patz, do not stay there !!Keep away from Barbes.

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Cheers for your prompt reply.

We really fancied staying in the %26quot;suburbs%26quot; so to speak to live like locals as it were and Montmarte appealed to us but perhaps its not central enough given we are only in Paris for 6 days. Any other suggestions for a central location with atmosphere, local shops etc. would be appreciated. In the meantime I will continue to trawl through all of the accomodation sites for other possibilitiies.

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You might like the area around Alesia in the 14th. Strictly locals there and a pleasant place in my opinion. We visit that area weekly (to check in with our favorite Depot Vente) and still love it. Before we bought in the 4th, we placed it high on our well-researched list of favorite neighborhoods.

The 12th is probably the most under-rated Arrondissement in Paris. Many of our friends live there and they love it. It%26#39;s non-touristy and very much a family-oriented. It gets a bad rep strictly because there are more modern buildings sprinkled among the old than in other parts of the city. It was also high on our list.

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Oh dear Guguk please elaborate!!!

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Barbes seemed always to me as the place where north africans are in the majority. Drugs, girls, cheap etc.. It%26#39;s the imigrant place par excellence . I do know from friends ( doctors ) having worked in the nearby hospitals that it%26#39;s heavy stufff.Knives etc ...

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Yikes a close call me thinks - thanks Guguk and others for your thoughts. At the risk of sending this thread off on a whole different tanget and being from the Antipodes, is there a problem with a neighbourhood full of North Africans???

This will be our first trip to the Northern Hemisphere and we are so excited we are ready to burst - just want to soak it all up like a sponge but am realistic enough to know that forums such as this will be our lifeline to a well planned trip so relish your input. Cheers!

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I go to shop in that area regularly and it%26#39;s no more a haven of knife-wielding thugs and pushers than is Bastille or Nation. It%26#39;s decidedly poorer than other areas in Paris and that fact attracts immigrants who aren%26#39;t well-off. It%26#39;s North African residents are pretty much like the other people in Paris. Lots of families, mothers and babies out shopping, etc. There%26#39;s a lot more street commerce than other parts of town and sometimes that gives it a more third-world vibe but the people are just regular people.

I wouldn%26#39;t pick it as my first choice to stay in Paris but certainly not because of the ethnic mix there.

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Well answered Metromole. So you%26#39;re saying your first choice would be the 14th or 12th? The only problem is the apartments that I keep seeing and falling in love with have all been in Montmarte!

Really appreciate the feedback and will as I say keep looking for one that grabs me. I have this picture of shuttered windows, wrought iron balconies and romantic interiors (or have I been watching too many old movies????) Just want something abit special but without the high pricetag.

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I was basically responding to your comment about wanting to %26quot;stay in the suburbs%26quot;. I like those areas because they are true Parisian neighborhoods with no tourist draw. however, I am very much a HUGE fan of Montmartre. It%26#39;s really one of only two quarters that Haussmann didn%26#39;t destroy. It%26#39;s old Paris. The Marais would be the other but Montmartre is still my favorite. I wouldn%26#39;t hold out too much hope to get EVERYTHING on your wish list but there are charming neighborhoods on the west and north side of the butte.

Because of the movie Amelie, Montmartre is no longer the cheapest place to rent but we%26#39;ve found a few jewels for our family and friends in the recent past. email me if you see something promising and I%26#39;ll scope it out if I can. progressyve@yahoo.com. I%26#39;ll be in that area on Monday and Thursday.