Victoire's View: Paris (Neighborhoods)

When I travel, I like to get a feel for the real city that I'm visiting rather than the tourist version of the city.  Recently, I came across a discussion about how some people who have visited Paris were disappointed with what they saw because it didn't live up to the incredible fairytale-like hype that Paris has had for decades.  We've all heard about that Paris, the one where you sit at a cafe eating pastel colored macaroons watching the Eiffel Tower glitter at night and walking through rows of pink cherry blossoms on your way to the Arc de Triomphe.  That's not Paris.  I feel like too many people forget that Paris is a real, functioning city that people inhabit, it isn't Disneyland.  I find Paris very whimsical and magical, but that vibe for me has absolutely nothing to do with the Eiffel Tower or pastries.  

With that being said, I would like to talk about "my" Paris, the one that I fell in love with, and what I believe to be the REAL Paris.  I'll start with neighborhoods.  I know many people who think that the most Parisian parts of Paris are Montmartre and Invalides.  I'm not a fan of either of these areas, I just find them really cheesy and touristy rather than charming.  My substitutes for these are Saint Germain and the Marais.  Both can also be touristy (well all of Paris is touristy, it's a major city) but I find them to be so much more real.  Saint Germain is my favorite area not only because it's my old neighborhood but also because it's a great mix of the different sides that Paris has.  Half of Saint Germain is very chic and flashy, especially being so close to Invalides, but the other half is historic and weird.  Saint Germain is the land of boutiques (rather than large flagship stores), small bookshops, and tiny cafes on streets from the 1600's.  I feel the same way about the Marais but the difference is that Saint Germain has more of a balance between old and new while the Marais is more historic in my opinion. Saint Germain is probably best known for being the capital neighborhood of 60's bohemians and 20th Century bon vivants who put Café de Flore and Les Deux Magots on the map, but to me the area just has a charm to it that makes me prefer it over the other areas.  It's also incredibly central.  My friend asked me recently why I said I barely ever used the Metro while in Paris and the answer is simply because I didn't need to.  You can walk to almost everything from Saint Germain. It's bordered by Invalides (Eiffel Tower, Musée Rodin), Quartier Latin (Sorbonne, le Cluny), and Montparnasse (Catacombs). While a lot of the main sights around Saint Germain are officially in other areas, I consider a lot to still be Saint Germain. The Louvre is right across the river, Notre Dame, Jardin de Luxembourg, Jardin de Tuileries etc.  Saint Germain is an ideal home base for exploration.  

My other favorite area is Bastille.  I've said it a million times and ill say it again, I love Bastille.  As a nightlife girl, and specifically an NYC nightlife girl, I seek out places like Bastille.  It reminds me a lot of places I go to here at home (mostly I'm in the Meat Packing District) and the bars tend to have a bit of New York flair to them.  I also love the convenience of Bastille, if you get bored of one bar on Rue de Lappe, go to the one next door or across the street until you find one that suits you.  As someone who likes to do multiple bars in a night (that's the Roman in me) it's an ideal street.  I also like that the area means business, it's not filled with cafes for older couples or quiet little restaurants, these are party bars and I love it.  I like quaint restaurants and things during the day but at night I like to go all out and be with other people my age. 

Aside from the bars, Bastille is filled with historic little gems and oddities that you can find by wandering around. I remember a few years ago I found a bunch of space invaders graffitied on a random building, I love things like that!  Bastille just has a vibe that I go for, I know it might not be for everyone but for me it's amazing.  I always remember being on the metro with my Parisian friend who told me "Every time I see someone who's oddly dressed, they get off at Bastille"

Other areas I find charming-

- Canal St Martin (so many great restaurants!)

- Île Saint Louis