What is Montmarte really like??

[Ellen]

Not sure if I should have put this in the 'Quatier by Quatier' section, but here goes anyway..

While in Paris last year, I fell in love with Montmartre. I decided that if I was to return to Paris I would stay in Montmartre. However I was only here during the day.Returning again next month with my husband , and have booked a hotel there.


I was really looking forward to staying there, our hotel is Hotel Regyns on Rue de Abbessess.


Starting to worry now though as I'm getting mixed messages about Montmartre that it is very rough.


Should I cancel our hotel and stay elsewhere and just visit Montmartre during the day?


What are your opinions?

[annettecinca]

You'll be fine. What street is your hotel on--or better yet, what hotel are you staying in? We'll check the neighborhood out for you and let you know! Gitte will shoot you if you cancel your reservations!

edit: Duh.....you already posted what I asked for! Will do a preliminary check now!

[GitteK]

Ell - I can see that you have already had some very sensible replies at TripAdvisor also.
I suggest you listen to Les68 who is a seasoned Montmartre traveller: TA thread

Your hotel is right on Place des Abbesses, which is considered to be one of the most pittoresque squares
in Paris, with the exquisite Hector Guimard metro entrance and the merry-go-round for the children.



I suggest that you also read these hotel reviews in TripAdvisor: Hotel reviews They are usually highly reliable indicators, nor only about the hotel itself but also about the safety of the area. If you are worried about staying there, I suggest you find somewhere else, e.g. Saint-Germain des Près, the Marais or the Latin quarter, because feeling anxiety will only affect your ability to relax and to enjoy your vacation.

And FYI, I have stopped shooting people long ago, not worth the bother. Too messy, takes too much explaning to do to les gendarmes.

Personally I am going to stay 3 weeks very soon in Rue Jean-Baptiste Pigalle, just south of Place Pigalle, with the hookers allegedly swarming up and down the street 24/7 - and I don't expect them to give me the evil eye, as I clearly constitute no threat nor competition to their noble trade.

For a very thorough description of Montmartre, you could see this thread also: QUARTIER CAULAINCOURT initiated by our member Laidback who lives in Paris 2 x 2 months per year, and usually in the areas around Pigalle, Nouvelle Athènes or Montmartre.

[suzanne]

I enjoy visting that area very much. I have not considered staying there simply because I think I would get tired of the hilliness. Be sure you find the elevator in that metro station. It is a killer climb out of there.

[chicchantal]

I think you're more likely to be worried by the swarms of tourists than anything else . . . make sure you have something to eat in Cocquelicot one day, it is right by where you're staying.

By the way Gitte I was once (in my 20s) mistaken for a potential customer by one of the ladies.

I have NEVER moved so fast in my life!

[GitteK]

So they work both ways ?? Interesting............... increases their business potential with approx. 100%, I'd say !

[Happygoin]

Who knew!!!

[Laidback]

Aug 6, 2008 18:05:15 GMT -5 Ellen said:

Starting to worry now though as I'm getting mixed messages about Montmartre that it is very rough.


Should I cancel our hotel and stay elsewhere and just visit Montmartre during the day?


What are your opinions?

Ell,

I have spent a considerable amount of time in Montmartre and South of Pigalle and I would only fear getting trampled by the crush of tourists going from Abbesses to Sacre Coeur or perhaps a coronary from climbing stairs until you learn your way around.

There is a concentration of sex for sale in the area between Place Blanche and Place Pigalle on Blvd. Clichy, but it is a wide, well lit blvd. I think the only thing I would fear in this particular stretch would be a possible attack of nascent prurience

[chicchantal]

Well, Happygoin', I didn't know till then!

Nascent prurience? Some kinda rash?