Ask Karen

Dear Susan: If you’re speaking of the coming semester, I hope your daughter is coming to Paris at least ten days before school starts.  She should immediately check into a youth hostel and start running.  She might luck out the first day and locate housing.  However, don’t bet your last Euro on it. Many questions: Does her school have a housing office?Is she coming with a US university’s study program?  If so, it should have some options lined up.Does she have any friends or fellow students in Paris with whom she could share an apartment?And lastly, what is your/her housing budget? Factoring all of the above: Your daughter’s greatest chances will be by networking before she arrives.  E. G: former students, any friends or friends of friends, who are currently living in Paris, etc. She should immediately go to the American Church and the American Cathedral and other Anglophone churches; they have bulletin boards with housing offers.  Some offers may involve baby-sitting in exchange for a room and board. Others people might want someone willing to teach English or do other chores.  Some may be simple room rentals (expect to pay cash) as a way of the apartment owner generating some extra income. Check at the Alliance Francaise (SP) and L’Instistut Catholique and any and all academic centers in Paris. Your daughter should pick up a FUSAC (www.fusac.fr ) (at any Anglohone restaurant/bar or book store), and call on each and every room or apartment that’s in a convenient location and price range.  If she finds a suitable situation, tell her NOT to hesitate.  It’s a sellers’ market and rooms (even dumps) go quickly if they are decently priced.  Depending on budget, she may end up renting a chambre de service — that can be amazingly expensive —  as one frequently has to share a bathroom with others on the same floor.  And, most of the rooms are located on the top floor of a building. It’s rare to find an elevator.However, those rooms are one of the secrets as to why many young French women have such good legs and don’t have to go to the gym each day. Wishing your daughter much success in her hunt and a super time in Paris! Best, Karen