Hostels, foyers and student accommodation
France > Paris > Hotels > Hostels
Hostels are an obvious choice when you're keeping to a tight budget, though it's worth bearing in mind that you can often find a double room in an inexpensive hotel for very little more, especially in the outer arrondissements where many hostels are located. There's normally a maximum length of stay, mostly less than a week, and there is often a curfew at around 2am, though many hostels will loan you a key or give you a pass code that opens the main door.Most places now take advance bookings, including all three main hostel groups, FUAJ (part of Hostelling International, or HI), UCRIF and MIJE. Paris only has two central HI hostels, both part of the Fédération Unie des Auberges de Jeunesse (FUAJ; www.fuaj.fr), but they can put you in touch with two more HI hostels, Cité des Sciences and Léo Lagrange, both just outside the city limits. You need membership, but it's available on the spot. It's advisable to book ahead in summer – this can be done anywhere in the world via their computerized International Booking Network (contact your nearest Hostelling International office before leaving home or look up details on the Internet). In Paris itself, the central FUAJ office is near the Pompidou Centre at 9 rue Brantôme, 3e (tel 01.48.04.70.40). A second, larger hostel group is run by UCRIF (Union des Centres de Rencontres Internationaux de France; www.ucrif.asso.fr), which caters largely to groups. Again, we've detailed only the most central hostels, but a complete list is available online, and individual hostels should help you find a room elsewhere if they're full. Alternatively, UCRIF's main office at 27 rue de Turbigo, 2e (Mon–Fri 9am–6pm; tel 01.40.26.57.64; M° Étienne-Marcel) can tell you where there are free places. A third group, MIJE (Maison Internationale de la Jeunesse et des Étudiants; www.mije.com), runs three hostels in historic buildings in the Marais district. All are very pleasant places to stay and need to be booked a long time in advance. Independent hostels tend to be noisier, more party-oriented places, often with bars attached and mostly attracting young visitors from Europe and the United States. Several suburban hostels exist on the outskirts of Paris; the tourist office has a list of these and can provide directions. Finally, you can always stay in one of the church- , state- or charity-operated foyers – residential hostels aimed at students during term time and young workers new to Paris. For other foyer addresses visit the CIDJ (Centre d'Information de la Jeunesse) office at 101 quai Branly, 15e (tel 01.44.49.12.00, www.cidj.com; M° Bir-Hakeim). Student accommodation is let out during the summer vacation. Rooms are spartan, part of large modern university complexes, often complete with self-service kitchen facilities and shared bathrooms. Space tends to fill up quickly with international students, school groups and young travellers, so it's best to make plans well in advance. Expect to pay €15–30 per night for a room. The organization to contact for information and reservations is CROUS, Académie de Paris, 39 av Georges-Bernanos, 5e (Mon–Fri 9am–5pm; tel 01.40.51.55.55, www.crous-paris.fr; M° Port-Royal). Except where indicated, there is no effective age limit at any of these places.
Pages in section ‘Hostels’: Hostel groups, Independent hostels, Foyers.
| 