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Parisian youth hostels are among the most expensive in Europe, but can still be a good deal for solo travelers and anyone who enjoys the social interaction. Most of the hostels have private doubles, but these can end up costing the same as a double in a hotel. Below are a few well-located hostels. No matter where you go, be sure to confirm ahead of time whether there’s a membership fee or age restrictions, if the breakfast and linens are included, if there’s a curfew or lockout, and what time you need to check in.
Les Maisons Internationales de la Jeunesse et des Etudiants (MIJE): 6 Rue de Fourcy, 4th, M° St-Paul or Hôtel-de-Ville, ☎ 01 42 74 23 45, fax 1 40 27 81 64, www.mije.com. Dorm beds €24-€26, breakfast and linens provided. Annual membership fee €2.50.
The MIJE has three hostels, in fully restored 17th-century townhouses in the Marais, open to guests 18-30 years old. The setting, with exposed wooden beams and cobblestone courtyards, puts other hostels to shame! Each dorm has four beds and a bathroom with shower and sink (toilets in the hall). Double and single rooms can be rented as well (€30-€47 per person). The vaulted dining hall is in the Fourcy MIJE, and serves full meals for €10.50. Reserve at least a week in advance through the web site, or show up in the morning between 7 am and 11 am. Lockout is noon to 3 pm, curfew is 1 am to 7 am. Free lockers. The other locations are around the corner at 12 Rue des Barres and 11 Rue Fauconnier (all in the St-Paul area of the Marais).
Young & Happy Hostel: 80 Rue Mouffetard, 5th, ☎ 01 45 35 09 53, fax 01 47 07 22 24, www.youngandhappy.fr. Dorm beds €22, doubles €23/person, includes breakfast. Linen rental €5.
The age limit is a bit “fluid” at this tiny hostel, on a cobblestoned market street in the Latin Quarter, near plenty of student bars and cheap crêpe stands. Dorms have four or five beds each and a private bathroom with sink and shower (more showers and toilets down the hall). The building itself is quite old, with exposed wooden beams and stone walls. Continental breakfast (baguette with butter and jam, OJ and coffee or tea) is served in the stone cellar (the kitchen down there is fully equipped for those who want to cook themselves). The lobby has a small bar, daily papers, and an Internet kiosk (which always seems to be out of service). Reserve online or by fax, or show up in the morning between 8 and 11am. Lockout 11am to 5pm, curfew 2 to 7am.
Peace & Love Youth Hostel and Bar: 245 Rue de la Fayette, 10th, M° Jaures, ☎ 01 46 07 65 91, www.paris-hostels.com. Dorm beds €21, doubles €25/person, included linens and breakfast.
Although slightly off the beaten track, this modern hostel has no curfew, no lockout, and its lobby bar has cheap beer and satellite TV. Needless to say, it attracts the party crowd, which, along with the busy traffic outside, can be quite noisy (not ideal for light sleepers). There are cooking facilities and free safety deposit boxes. Rates are slightly cheaper off-season or if you just want a mattress on the floor. The hostel is at the intersection of three métro lines close to the Gare de l’Est and Gare du Nord, and the Canal St-Martin. Reserve via the web or call in advance.
Auberge de Jeunesse – Jules Ferry: 8 Boulevard Jules Ferry, 11th, M° République, ☎ 01 43 57 55 60, fax 01 43 14 82 09, www.hostels-in.com, paris.julesferry@fuaj.org. Dorm beds €19.50, including breakfast and linens. Annual membership fee €2.50.
This hostel at the crossroads of the Marais, Oberkampf and Bastille quarters has no age limits, and doesn’t accept advance reservations. There’s a laundry room and free lockers, but no cooking facilities (just a microwave). Each dorm room has two to six beds and a bathroom with shower. The reception desk is open 24 hours (no curfew), but there is a lockout from 10am to 4pm. It’s a small hostel in a good location, so get there early in the morning for a room.
Le Village Hostel: 20 Rue d’Orsel, 18th, M° Anvers, ☎ 01 42 64 22 02, fax 01 42 64 22 04, www.villagehostel.fr. Dorm beds €21.50, doubles €25/person, including breakfast. Linen rental is extra (small fee). No age limits.
This Montmartre hostel is famous for its private terrace with views of Sacré-Coeur. Like most hostels, it has old stone walls and exposed wooden beams, with metal-framed bunk beds and modern bathrooms. The reception and café are open until 2 am (curfew), lockout 11am to 4pm. A small kitchen is available for light cooking. Dorm rooms have up to five beds, but there are also singles and doubles, all with their own bathroom facilities and telephone. Reserve a room by web or fax, or show up early in the morning.
Auberge de Jeunesse – Le d’Artagnan: 80 Rue Vitreuve, 20th, M° Porte de Bagnolet, ☎ 01 40 32 34 56, fax 01 40 32 34 55, www.hostels-in.com, paris.le-dartagnan@fuaj.org.
Dorm beds €20.60, doubles €21.50/person, includes breakfast and linens. Annual membership fee €2.50. No age limits.
This is the largest hostel in France, with over 400 beds in a modern building in the St-Blaise Quarter (near Père Lachaise Cemetery and Belleville. It’s open 24 hours (rooms closed noon to 3pm), with a cafeteria, game room, mini-movie theater, and a bar (open 8pm to 2am). No cooking facilities (outside food must be eaten in the rooms). Dorm rooms have up to eight beds. Lockers, laundry and Internet access available. Because of the size, this hostel gets a lot of groups, and the staff rarely seem to have time to be overly helpful to individual guests. It’s right up the street from the popular Flèche d’Or Café, and is well-placed for anyone wanting to explore the eastern quarters of Paris, but families may be put off by the slightly “rough” look of the area.
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