Grand Hotel Jeanne d'Arc

First I must thank my VT friend Mary (BeatChick), whose Virtual Tourist "Top 5" Paris page is not to be missed. On her enthusiastic recommendation the Hotel Jeanne D'Arc was the only place we sought to book for our week in Paris. Her review of Hotel Jeanne D'Arc is very complete and as always very interesting.

If we had conjured up the perfect out of the way Parisian hotel it would certainly have looked like the Hotel Jeanne D'Arc. On the tiny side street rue de Jarente, the Jeanne D'Arc was a welcome sight after having just dragged our luggage and our jet-lagged bodies from the Chemin Vert Metro station. Of couse, our room would not be ready until 1:00 pm and it was now only 8:00 am. The hotel staff, however, was very accomodating, checking us in and storing our luggage.

When we finally saw our room we were delighted. It was completely unpretentious with an eclectic mix of furnishings that felt more like someone's guest room than a hotel. Images of the rooms and other interior shots, which accurately portray the look and condition, can be seen at the hotel's web site listed below. Our room was on the second floor above the ground floor overlooking rue de Jarente with a largely unremarkable yet entirely charming view.

Unique Quality: Intro Photo: The unpretentious and welcoming entrance to the Hotel Jeanne D'Arc.

Photo 2: Their signature mosaic tile lobby mirror.

Photo 3: The view of roof tops out our window.

Photo 4: Looking down rue de Jarente.

Photo 5: While not actually part of the Hotel, Place du Marché Ste Catherine, located a few steps from Jeanne D'Arc, became our location of choice when our weary legs told us not to venture to far from our room. There are 4 or 5 resturants located on the square including the Jewish Pitchi Poi and the decidedly French Le Marché

Hotel Jeanne d'Arc is a great little budget hotel located right in the heart of the Marais. The staff was nice enough and certainly helpful with directions. The maids were cheerful and friendly. In July, 2006, my rate was 58E/night for a single room with a private shower and WC. The room, particularly the shower, was small, but quite clean and adequate. Room 41 faces rue de Jarente.

Unique Quality: The hotel is conveniently located within walking distance of the Place des Vosges, the Musee Picasso, Musee Carnavalet, the St. Paul Metro stop, and many restaurants and boutiques (Anne Fontaine, Artik Batik, Pepe London, etc.).

Directions: 4th arrondissement; Le Marais

The tiny Hotel Jeanne de Arc is on a narrow "street" that, to us, seemed narrow enough to be an alley. It is between rue de Sevigne on the west and rue de Turenne on the east, only one block from the Place des Vosges! The hotel was built in 1786, three years before the French Revolution. It has been a hotel for over 100 years. The façade is adorned with lanterns and vertical windows that are wide and open easily to let in fresh air and light. Our room over looked the street, but other rooms offer a view on paved courtyards filled with flowers and greenery. It has a safe for valuables, [Subway: Saint Paul] It is not for those who stay at large American motels, but for us, who prefer B&B's & other unique lodgings, we loved it & would reccommend it. The location is unbeatable, and being on the right bank, is not in the middle of the Latin Qtr with its bussel and noise. It has a unique tiny elevator. The cost is very reasonable.

Unique Quality: Nothing special like pool and that stuff. You came to Paris for Paris and this is smack dab in the middle of it all. Be sure to get their business card because it has a map of its location so you can find your way back to the place! Very helpful for taxi drivers. This is on a one block street, so many people will not know of it. Just have a good map, put a mark on it where the hotel is and you will find your way back.

Directions: Extrememly chic and hip. Great boutiques, small fashion designer store fronts, patiseries, great restaurants to stumble in. art galleries, old Jewish section with great delis, gift shops, etc., Picassio & other musee, and much more.

Grand Hotel Jeanne d'Arc - 3 rue Jarente
5 minutes walk to the Place de Vosges

Loved my room, though it was QUITE small but charming with beamed ceiling, French windows, blue/green oriental carpet, coral bedspread/wallpaper, little desk, quaint light fixtures, & 6th floor ROOFTOP view!

At night I'd meander home along the northern street of Notre Dame, cross the bridge to the Ile St-Louis, then halfway down the rue St-Louis-en-l'Ile to cross the Pont Marie and eventually reach my little hotel in the Marais. I passed many couples & young groups of people along the way. The wonderful thing about this area is that I felt completely safe & comfortable as a single woman walking through it late at night. What immense freedom.

Another great thing is that it is 5 minutes from the Metro station St. Paul on the #1 line, so it's very convenient to everything. From that station, I easily found my way back to the hotel by walking along rue St-Antoine to the huge St. Louis-St. Paul church, just past it on the left is rue Caron which would take me right through the middle of the Place du Marche Ste-Catherine (a beautiful little square with restaurants lining it and tons of people hanging out - prime location for people watching) then around the corner to the Grand Hotel Jeanne d'Arc.

The Place du Marche St-Catherine, incidentally, was one of the locations used for the film The Bourne Identity. It flashes very briefly on the screen but I recognized it. The safehouse for Treadstone is above one of the restaurants on the east side of the square.

Jeanne d'Arc e-mail: information@hoteljeannedarc.com
Deal directly w/ Stefan

Photos: Feb 2006 & April 2003

Unique Quality: Stefan will make your lunch/dinner reservations & give you advice on French food specialties. To get into the good graces of the staff bear in mind they LOVE peanut butter eggs. :)

BOULANGERIES/PATISSIERS
Miss Manon - Patissier/Boulanger/Traiteur for breakfast-open 7am-10pm except Monday.
Boulangerie Paul - next to Miss Manon on r. Saint-Antoine 3 mins. from hotel (Directions: thru Pl. du Marche Ste- Catherine & r. Caron & across the street @ #87).

CAFE
Cafe Tabac Jean Bart - for cigarettes, stamps, phone card, late-night cafe or frites & cidre!!

FOOD MARKET
Just west of the patisseries is a Supermarche at #115, rue St-Antoine where you can buy your bottled water or drinkable yogurt.

PLACE DU MARCHE STE-CATHERINE
At night I'd grab my CD player, sit on a bench in the square, smoke cigs, listen to Coldplay & people-watch ~ sheer heaven!

VILLAGE ST-PAUL
If you walk down the rue Caron, cross rue St-Antoine & continue down rue St-Paul within a few minutes you'll reach the Village St-Paul, a quaint area set up as an antiques market.

Directions: Marais district ~
From Metro Bastille walk E on r. St-Antoine, right on r. Caron, thru Place du Marche Ste-Catherine, around the corner (turn right on rue Jarente) from the charming tree-lined square. 5 minutes walk west from Place des Vosges.

This hotel was warm and welcoming - from its reception desk to its rooms. Rooms were bright, clean, cheery and well-sized (we had a quad). All hotel staff we met were friendly and helpful, and VERY patient with my struggling French (although many spoke English). I'm sure its smaller size added to its charm. By the end of the first day, they knew our name and could give us the key without even asking our room number. We felt at home.

Unique Quality: The Jeanne d'Arc has an awesome location, especially for those wanting to get to know a Parisian neighborhood a little better. We were pleasantly surprised, as this was not mentioned in reviews I had read.

The hotel is located just a block or two off Rue St. Antoine and just as far from Place du Vosges... so it is just far enough to be quiet and comfortable, but close enough to be near the energy.

More importantly, it is located just around the corner from Place du Marche Ste. Catherine and the several cafes that line the plaza. Also, the SNCF (French rail) office and a self-service laundromat are just a block away! Metro St. Paul is also only about 3 blocks away.

Directions: Marais Neighborhood - just off Rue Sant Antoine

Two stars. Perfect location in the Marais. I love the shopping here. I love the restaurants here. I love Place des Vosges, the Carnavalet, Picasso, walking to just about everywhere from here....They messed up our reservations a week before we got there and when I emailed to confirm....YIKES! Fortunately they "had a cancellation" and gave us a lovely double for 73 Euro/night. For those who "need" a shower curtain, we had a 1001 Dalmations curtain in our shower :-) Anyway, what else can I say but location, location, location. I love Paris. I'd rather spend the $$$ on dinner and wine!

Unique Quality: The staff on site was a helpful as could be. When you check in, ask them to arrange for a transfer to the airport if that's how you're leaving. It's the "way to go" when it's time to go home.

Directions: Metro: Saint-Paul
RER: Chatelet or Gare de Lyon

MY PREFERRED HOTELS

1/ Grand Hôtel Jeanne d'Arc
3 r Jarente 75004 PARIS
01 48 87 62 11
Fax : 01 48 87 37 31
98 Euros / night

2/ Hotel HENRY IV
25 place Dauphine
Metro Pont Neuf (Sein River)
Tel 01-43-5444
68 Euro / night

Unique Quality: Nice, beautiful, historic and well located hotels for less than 100 Euros.

Ask for a room at the top, you will have a great view !

Directions: QUARTIER LE MARAIS

US$50 (Single)

Unique Quality: This hotel is located in a great location. It's off a pedestrian walk way so it's quiet and very close to the metro and all the sights. The hotel is staffed by friendly and knowledgeable folks. For the price, it's hard to beat.