Should You Split Your Visit between Different Neighborhoods?

If you're visiting Paris for a week or more, should you consider splitting your stay between two or more neighborhoods so that you can experience different parts of the city?

In the Sunday edition of my free Paris Discoveries Newsletter, I answer reader questions about Paris travel. Recently, readers have asked whether it makes sense to move from one Parisian neighborhood and hotel to another when time permits.

This article is part of the Paris Discoveries Q&A Archive and brings together my answers based on my own experiences with staying in multiple neighborhoods on longer trips.

You'll find advice about whether splitting your stay is worth doing, how to choose best-for-you neighborhood combinations, hotel suggestions for several popular areas, and.

I've lightly edited, expanded, and updated my original answers, included a few practical tips for making the move from one hotel to another easier, and added photos to make this a more complete Paris travel resource.

Where to Eat in Saint-Germain?

Canal Saint-Martin, in Paris's 10th arrondissement

Alison's Question:

My husband and I are visiting Paris this August. This will be our fourth trip to the beautiful city in the past 20 years so we're very excited to be coming again.

We are spending our first week at the Citadines Saint-Germain-des-Pres. Since we are staying in an apartment style hotel, any recommendations for our daily grocery needs would be appreciated.

Susan's Answer:

Hi Alison, The Citadines Saint-Germain is about a 5-10 minute walk from one of the best traditional markets in Paris, the Marché Couvert Saint-Germain.

The market dates back to at least the early 1500s, and probably existed before that, and used to have around 300 vendors but the number had greatly diminished when it was renovated a decade-plus ago. When it finally reopened in 1917, international brands like Apple and Uniqlo had replaced the market stalls on the side along Rue Clement - if you see it from this side, you'd never guess that there's still a food market there.

But at the back, along Rue Lobineau, there's still a quite vast food market area where you can find some of the freshest produce in the city, wonderful cheeses, meats, fish, etc. And as a bonus, at least a half-dozen carryout places offer small seating areas near their counters if you want to enjoy lunch on the spot.

Wonderful markets similar to Marché Couvert Saint-Germain, as well as the farmers' markets that pop up 2-3 times per week, can be found all over the city - but you're lucky to be close to one of the best of the best.

Slightly closer to your hotel on Rue de Seine, there's a very good product store called Potager City (potager means vegetable garden), and there's also a large Carrefour market almost directly across the street if you need basics such as aluminum foil (in fairness, their produce is fine - it's just not as good as what's on offer at Marché Couvert Saint-Germain). You'll also find a couple of good bakeries on Rue de Buci, which intersects Rue de Seine, including Paul's.

Here are my suggestions for traditional French cuisine:

Boulangerie Moderne - 19 Rue des Fossés Saint-Jacques. My long-time favorite bakery in this area, unfortunately now boasting long lines due to Emily in Paris fame - but happily the quality of their patisserie and sandwiches is unchanged.

Creperie Elo - 7 Rue Saint-Antoine - Choose from savory buckwheat crepes and sweet crepes.

La Pie Noir - 5 Rue de la Montagne Sainte-Geneviève - Classic French dishes with a strong Breton influence: Breton-style razor clams (perhaps their biggest claim to fame), bone marrow on toast, steaks, sausage, and sever dessert choices - the creme brulée is always excellent here.

Bouillon Racine - 3 Rue Racine - A gorgeous Art Nouveau interior makes this bouillon-style restaurant feel special from the moment you walk in, and the food is usually quite good - updated French classics. I've been here for both lunch and dinner, and prefer lunch because the servings are a bit smaller and the service is somewhat less formal. They also usually a well-priced formule at noon. You definitely will need a reservation.

Bistro l'Estrapade - 15 Rue de l'Estrapade- Classic bistro fare such as French onion soup, duck terrine, cheese-charcuterie boards (including a 1-person size), beef Bourguignon, a "butchers cut" (which is typically some sort of steak), and veal kidneys,

Bistro des Livres - 44 Rue Galande - A "bistronomique" take on French classics, including escargot, frisée salad with lardons (bacon), a terrine, steak tartare (ie, raw), duck leg confit, fish, and poire belle Hélène, an old fashioned dessert involving a poached pear, ice cream and/or whipped cream, and chocolate sauce that's lately enjoying as small revival in Parisian restaurants.

Café de la Nouvelle Mairie - 19 Rue des Fossés Saint-Jacques, open Monday - Friday; no website so stop by (or call +33 1 44 07 04 41) to make a reservation and get an outdoor table for the best people-watching - This small wine cafe near the Pantheon is rightfully known for its long-time support for natural wines but its simple bistro-style French food is also quite good - oysters, eggs mayo, sardines, rabbit terrine, fish, pork, a beef dish, sausage and potatoes, a cheese platter.

Rue Mouffetard - This is an ancient and esteemed market street, which has has its share of takeaway stalls with kebabs, crepes, and other student-budget fare, especially at the Place de la Contrescarpe end. I can recommend only two places to eat plus one coffee shop on Rue Mouffetard.

Flocon, a small bistro at 75 Rue Mouffetard, is quite lovely inside and offers a small menu that changes monthly and features slightly modernized versions of traditional French bistro dishes. You can see a menu online - it's not usually the current one but it gives you an idea about the dishes. I've had some excellent meals here, including as a solo diner one time when they were technically booked up but gave me a spot at the bar when my hotel made a last-minute reservation for me. Tip: Book a few days in advance on their website.

The other spot I like on Rue Mouffetard is Mon Petit Poulet at #107 - it's basically a rotisserie with about a dozen sides. They also have a couple of other locations in Paris: I'm also a big fan of the chicken and veggies at their Rue Cler rotisserie in the 7th arrondissement. In addition to chicken, their Rue Mouffetard counter usually offers pork and smoked pork roasts along with maybe 10-12 different sides. They do a brisk take-out business but also have a few ridiciously cramped tables outside (which is where I always squeeze in) plus a few more crowded inside. You can also do carryout for a picnic or even a dinner in your hotel room; their to-go prices are, if I recall correctly, about half of the dine-on-the-spot cost.

After your meal, walk across the street to Graines du Jour, a truly excellent plant-based coffee shop with delicious vegan pastries. They make all of their almond milk on presses in the back of the shop. Although I'm not vegan, this is my favorite place for a café crème in this part of Paris.

Where Are Good Food Shops & Cafes in the Latin Quarter?

Ellen's Question:

I will be in Paris for the month of September. I've rented an apartment on Rue Monge near metro Maubert Mutualite. It's been many years since I was in Paris last so can you recommend a place to shop for necessities for the apartment - food, etc? Also, any cafés close by that you recommend?

Susan's Recommendations:

Sure, I'm happy to suggest a few places to shop and eat.

To shop for necessities such as paper towels, toilet paper, olive oil, vinegar, milk, butter, and seasonings, I'd go to the nearest Franprix. Depending on exactly where your apartment is in relation to the Maubert metro station, the closest will be at 14 Rue Lagrange, 2 Rue Domat, or possible 28 Rue de la Montagne Sainte Geneviève.

But for anything else, in that location you're literally in the epicenter of some of the best markets in Paris, including the Fromagerie Laurent Dubois-Maubert cheese store, a wonderful charcuterie, a wine store, and an excellent produce store, all in the little plaza next to the station. An award-winning bakery, Maison d'Isabelle, famous for its highly glazed croissants, is also located in the same plaza - you can easily spot its location by looking for a long line outside a door (fortunately it moves quickly).

Plus, on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, the Marché Maubert farmers' market sets up next to the station, which is the best place to buy the freshest fruits and veggies, plus the cheese and fish vendors are also quite good. If you want to make a delicious and super-easy dessert, buy some berries or other fruits that look good, and pile them on top of a meringue from Aux Merveilleux de Fred at the corner of Rue Monge and Boul' Saint-Germain.

If Marché Maubert's days don't work for you, an even larger market, Marché Monge, is located farther up on Rue Monge and takes place on Wednesday and Friday, and expands even more on Sunday when you can also choose from a wide range of prepared foods. There are also numerous excellent butchers, bakeries, produce stores, coffee shops, and a wealth of other shops along Rue Monge, as well as a small Carrefour City supermarket.

Nearby, Rue Mouffetard is this neighborhood's go-to market street for anything else you need, plus there's lots of carryout food available, including the chicken, veggies, and Greek salad at the Mon Petit Poulet rotisserie. You can also eat onsite - the outdoor tables are my favorite for people-watching.

On Rue Lagrange, there's a good Viet market and on the other side of the intersection on Rue Monge, good Japanese and Chinese markets. I've stayed near this neighborhood a couple of times in recent years, and honestly, if I were there for an entire month, I'd become so accustomed to having all these wonderful food choices that I'd never want to leave.

There are several cafes in this area that I especially like, and all are by the river on Quai de Montebello: A Lacroix (bakery/cafe, with nice outdoor seating), Aux Arts Etc, a sort of coffee shop/cafe/art gallery combo, and Cafe Panis, where honestly the food is nothing special but the views of Notre Dame are fantastic. On the other side of Square René Viviani, the food at Shakespeare & Company's cafe is surprisingly good, if you can ever find a table.