The dilemma I have is not mine alone. So many people dream of that day when they can move to Paris for a month, a season, a year or forever. One glance at the list of rental agencies tells us that renting living space in France is a big business. There are companies in England that will find a place for you in France, as will others in Germany, the United States and Canada. I’ve read ads about studio apartments, six floor walk-ups or more comfortable, fashionable havens like villas in the country equipped with pools, maids and guesthouses. It boils down to location, price and availability. That’s where the homework begins.
One can’t just run off to Paris, pick up the newspaper and find what you want in an hour. The first thing you have to do is decide where you want to stay. Paris is a big city. If you stay in the 18th arrondissement your stay will be different than a stay in the 5th or 6th. For one thing, if the center of the city interests you, there’s a big difference when you have to fight your way into the city by métro or walk out your front door only a few steps from kilometer zero near the Nôtre Dame. So it means you’ll have to study the city and find the area that best suits you. That, in itself, can be time consuming and taxing. I suggest that you get advice. Talk to someone who knows the city, and then think it over. Pour over a city map, as I once did for days, just to find out what is where and where you want to be.
I wrote a review of Adam Gopnik’s ‘Paris To The moon’. He lived close to the center but he knew the geography ahead of time. Still, he was only renting and if he had chosen an area not to his liking could easily have said, “well, next time, I’ll rent is another part of the city”. So the implication here is, even if you think you might want to buy something, I suggest that you rent first. We do just that.
Last fall we spent a month in a tiny studio in the 5th, almost facing the Nôtre Dame. But I knew the city. I even knew the tiny street we would be on and I knew it was quiet. Paris can be a noisy place. I knew there were shops, a street market and wonderful places to walk in the area. We loved it and while we live in a wonderfully spacious home in Montreal, we soon got used to an apartment that was not much bigger than our guest apartment at home. Yet, we’re going back this spring and have selected an apartment in the 6th- about ten minutes farther west. There, the area is different and we’ll be able to explore new shops, meet new people and new restaurants will entice us. It will be quiet since it’s inside a courtyard and away from the city noises. I love the cacophony of Paris sounds but not when I’m reading, writing or trying to sleep.
So we’ve answered our first needs; location, size and cost (which we obviously considered before signing the lease). And still, I’m not sure if this is the utopian location. We’ll go back again in October and I may select something else.
I can’t really discuss price here because that’s your decision. However, I can give you ballpark figures. For a studio apartment, you should expect to pay about 1000-1500 Euros (possibly) more. There is an agency fee and the owners usually ask for a refundable security deposit. The one or two bedroom places are obviously more expensive and many rental prices change with the season.
After days of searching the web I came up with a rental agency that specialized in short term Paris rentals in all areas, and every budget. Their web site was easy to follow and their staff responsive, articulate and knowledgeable. Each rental unit had pages of photos showing the living area, sleeping area, kitchen and bathroom. It showed the exact location on a Paris map and how many people each place would accommodate. The apartments were all furnished, not lavishly, but adequate enough to offer comfort. Most are equipped with television, telephone, linens etc. and some offer dishwashers. Ours was a third floor walk up but remember, unlike North America where the ground floor is often No.1, the first floor is up one flight so it takes three full flights to get there.
While in Paris, I visited the offices of the rental agency. It is found in the 11th (near the Bastille area). There I met the owner and his charming staff who have over 600 places in and around Paris to suggest. They treated me like a visiting friend, which was appreciated in a city where people are often aloof or standoffish. The best way to get in touch with them or any rental agency is through the web.
But be careful. Don’t assume anything. If you have questions, ask them and keep asking them until you have a satisfactory answer. Many times, people ask a question and get an unclear answer. When renting an apartment in Paris, not being certain of an answer is a sure way to end up unhappy. No matter what agency you use, or how many times you have used them, communication is key to your satisfaction.
The dilemma I have is not mine alone. So many people dream of that day when they can move to Paris for a month, a season, a year or forever. One glance at the list of rental agencies tells us that renting living space in France is a big business. There are companies in England that will find a place for you in France, as will others in Germany, the United States and Canada. I’ve read ads about studio apartments, six floor walk-ups or more comfortable, fashionable havens like villas in the country equipped with pools, maids and guesthouses. It boils down to location, price and availability. That’s where the homework begins.
One can’t just run off to Paris, pick up the newspaper and find what you want in an hour. The first thing you have to do is decide where you want to stay. Paris is a big city. If you stay in the 18th arrondissement your stay will be different than a stay in the 5th or 6th. For one thing, if the center of the city interests you, there’s a big difference when you have to fight your way into the city by métro or walk out your front door only a few steps from kilometer zero near the Nôtre Dame. So it means you’ll have to study the city and find the area that best suits you. That, in itself, can be time consuming and taxing. I suggest that you get advice. Talk to someone who knows the city, and then think it over. Pour over a city map, as I once did for days, just to find out what is where and where you want to be.
I wrote a review of Adam Gopnik’s ‘Paris To The moon’. He lived close to the center but he knew the geography ahead of time. Still, he was only renting and if he had chosen an area not to his liking could easily have said, “well, next time, I’ll rent is another part of the city”. So the implication here is, even if you think you might want to buy something, I suggest that you rent first. We do just that.
Last fall we spent a month in a tiny studio in the 5th, almost facing the Nôtre Dame. But I knew the city. I even knew the tiny street we would be on and I knew it was quiet. Paris can be a noisy place. I knew there were shops, a street market and wonderful places to walk in the area. We loved it and while we live in a wonderfully spacious home in Montreal, we soon got used to an apartment that was not much bigger than our guest apartment at home. Yet, we’re going back this spring and have selected an apartment in the 6th- about ten minutes farther west. There, the area is different and we’ll be able to explore new shops, meet new people and new restaurants will entice us. It will be quiet since it’s inside a courtyard and away from the city noises. I love the cacophony of Paris sounds but not when I’m reading, writing or trying to sleep.
So we’ve answered our first needs; location, size and cost (which we obviously considered before signing the lease). And still, I’m not sure if this is the utopian location. We’ll go back again in October and I may select something else.
I can’t really discuss price here because that’s your decision. However, I can give you ballpark figures. For a studio apartment, you should expect to pay about 1000-1500 Euros (possibly) more. There is an agency fee and the owners usually ask for a refundable security deposit. The one or two bedroom places are obviously more expensive and many rental prices change with the season.
After days of searching the web I came up with a rental agency that specialized in short term Paris rentals in all areas, and every budget. Their web site was easy to follow and their staff responsive, articulate and knowledgeable. Each rental unit had pages of photos showing the living area, sleeping area, kitchen and bathroom. It showed the exact location on a Paris map and how many people each place would accommodate. The apartments were all furnished, not lavishly, but adequate enough to offer comfort. Most are equipped with television, telephone, linens etc. and some offer dishwashers. Ours was a third floor walk up but remember, unlike North America where the ground floor is often No.1, the first floor is up one flight so it takes three full flights to get there.
While in Paris, I visited the offices of the rental agency. It is found in the 11th (near the Bastille area). There I met the owner and his charming staff who have over 600 places in and around Paris to suggest. They treated me like a visiting friend, which was appreciated in a city where people are often aloof or standoffish. The best way to get in touch with them or any rental agency is through the web.
But be careful. Don’t assume anything. If you have questions, ask them and keep asking them until you have a satisfactory answer. Many times, people ask a question and get an unclear answer. When renting an apartment in Paris, not being certain of an answer is a sure way to end up unhappy. No matter what agency you use, or how many times you have used them, communication is key to your satisfaction.
