Any experiences in 10th and 11th arrondissements (sp?) in Paris?

Lots of great restaurants in both. Been awhile but I believe the 11th also has Canal St Martin which is a very trendy area.

Septime, Le Chateaubriand, Mokonuts, Du Pain et des Idees are just a couple of really popular restaurants that way.

Again, if I recall, I think I preferred the 11th.

We've also stayed in the 7th and that is probably my favorite.

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We've also stayed in the 7th and that is probably my favorite.

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Loved it.

Gosh, I certainly don't think of the 10th or 11th as seedy. Certainly, the areas around Gare du Nord/Gare de L'est aren't super nice, but move away from the train stations & they're regular, mixed parts of Paris--not posh or swanky or filled with giant private houses, but with the apartments of middle and lower middle class residents, "regular" restaurants and bars patronized by non-tourists, and the kinds of independent hotels patronized by European travelers.

The 1oth is kind of "NoMa", aka the Northern Marais, a historically Jewish quarter that is now more gay than Jewish. As the Marais proper has become infested with international chains & higher real estate prices, the "old" Marais of independent shops has kind of pushed northward. Aforementioned du Pain et Des Idees is an excellent bakery, but you can also find Mamiche, and Yann Couvreur (other side of Canal St Martin, pastries).

And the 11th takes in a piece of Place de la Bastille, which has an excellent open air market on Thurs & Sun. Beaucoup vendors, lots of raw ingredients and cooked food options. Not too far away is Alain Ducasse's atelier du chocolate--he manufactures bean-to-bar chocolate on site, and the praline filled chocolates are some of the best I've ever eaten, anywhere in the world.

Both areas are well served by the metro.