Apartment in PAQUIS, Geneva: yay or nay?

Accomodation, House and Garden
1
Any insider advice/opinions about renting an apartment in the Paquis area in Geneva?

Something I read somewhere seemed to suggest it was kind of like a red-light district, but then other places I read seem to actually recommend this area to tourists for an international feel/restaurants.

Is this a safe area to live in for a single female?

What do you like/dislike about this area?

Thanks, in advance.

2
personal opinion? ... it's a nice place to visit.. but I wouldn't want to live there.

yes it is the red light district, home to GE's hookers and sex shops and yes it's also home to a large and eclectic range of restaurants ( err... I visit only for the restaurants mind you !!.. don't listen to LiB )

but as said... I wouldn't want to live there just for the late night noise, but from what I've heard it is as safe as anywhere ( ok, ok... almost ) in the city.

3
a single female friend lives in the paquis... and she told us a few months ago she loves laundry night and hanging out , chatting with the hookers. *L*

( biting my tongue to keep from asking if Camel Tongue is any relation to Camel Toe )

4
I wouldnt want to live there either. The noise is bad at nights

5
I'd say it depends...

-on your interpretation of safe

-on how bothered or not you are re. noise, bar brawls, hookers, drug dealers in your neighborhood

-on your zest for excitement, esp in the above categories or not

-exact Paquis location, better toward hotel Wilson, worse towards train station

-exact apartment situation, ie. entrance way secured how; windows/balcony in what direction, etc.; what floor, etc.

Overall I would of said ok about 5-10 years ago, but today it really has gone downhill.

ps--search the forum I recall a member or two ranting in the last year or so about the area

6

interpretation of safe = grynch lives in Mies, where we have only the occasional shoot out on the main st.

7
...once every 100 years or so

but I would be slightly more disturbed living there with your psycho mayor

8

*L*... we were discussing him on NYE's ( yes yes, I know.. how sad )

and re the shootout.. why does a 100 years event have to happen in my ten years tenure ?

EDIT:... going off topic here... lets get back to the nice safe Paquis

9
Because nothing much happens in these sleepy little villages, so it gives everyone something else to talk about other than the usual subjects of wacky local persona and how x is related to y who is married to z, etc.

10
That's a big "no" for a single female living in Paquis.

Next question?

11
I'd say small no. It depends the street and the life style. I spent quite some time as a visitor in the area rues Butini/Rothschild/Amat and the place is perfectly all right. There were non-hooker females walking and going, no screem, no blood on the pavement, my guess is that they arrived safe.

But between rue des Alpes and du Môle, I would make sure I am home before night fall. I really don't like rue de Berne and de Zurich. Really not. Not in Geneva.

Last thing: if the flat is very close to the lake, it's good.

During the day and evenings, especially summer, it's the best place in town.

12
Hahaha, wow, this thread is hilarious..!

Well, that actually really helped, thank you all, I think I have a much better feel for the neighborhood, thanks to your responses...

Seems like it won't be a neighborhood I'll be pursuing, so your advice makes for a more streamlined search...

Appreciate it!

13
Don't even think about it!

14
Funny, I'm staying and working in this area right now. I've been here three days and I'm still here...

Seriously though, I don't feel all that comfortable walking alone at night, although I stick to the well lit and well populated Rue de Lausanne as much as I can. I venture out to go grab something for dinner as I can't be ar*ed cooking for myself. I can't wait until my husband arrives next week...

15
Hi, I live in Paquis area and I find it quite safe, never seen anything strange. Yes, there are hookers and drugdealers, but only in a few streets. If you know which they are, it is easy to skip them. Also, if you have to cross them it is not like anything will happen, the drug-dealers just say "bon soir", you walk by and that's it

It all depends on the street, could you tell us where the apartment would be?

The area which gives Paquis a bad name is more or less the block between Rue de Berne and Rue de Paquis. If the apartment is close to Rue de Lausanne or closer to the lake, it is perfectly safe.

For me, this is the "bad" area (more or less). If the apartment is some streets away from that "square" I drew, I think it is perfectly ok. Specially the streets near the lake are some of the best of Geneva, incredibly quiet and safe (and very expensive!)

16
I would guess that if she can afford and find a place to live on the lake she wouldn't be asking us for advice. Camel, if you can afford to live right on the quai, don't hesitate.

I would go above the Wilson, below Chantepoulet and on the other side of the train station.

Anyway, you won't get eaten alive you see our poster above is still there. But there are much nicer places to live.

17
Hi Guys. Very informative posts. Thank You.

But can someone tell me how safe is the area around 18 Rue du Richemont 1202 in Geneva. Besides safe, do you think it's a good place to live while working at the WTO?

Thanks!

18
As was posted by others above, it depends on how well you can adjust with the area.

One thing for sure is it's pretty convenient to live and work within walking distance. You have a big asian store at the end of the street and on the other end is almost the entrance to Palais Wilson and the Lakeside.

Paquis has been the red light district of Geneva for as far as i can remember the only recent additions are the drug dealers.

19
I used to live in 7 Rue Richemont, and it is absolutely safe, very far from the "weird" part of the neighbourhood and not very noisy (the only thing is that there is a strip-club ~100 meters away).

To go to WTO, it is around 15 minutes walking, quite convenient. There is a tram stop 200m away from Rue Richemont, called Butini, but it doesn't go to WTO (good to go to the other side of the lake though); or you could walk 5 minutes to get the bus number 1 which goes to WTO. But if the weather is good the best way is to walk or ride a bike.

20
my girlfriend lived there a year or so back while working on a client project. she really liked the paquis area, as it had a bit more life than a lot of geneva.

we never found it threatening or dangerous

i agree, and I liked it too. very convenient for the lake as well. if i was to move to geneva, i would certainly consider moving there.