Living the Dream: Short-term furnished rentals in Paris for the 99%.

Finding an apartment to rent in Paris is not difficult, especially if you’re looking for a one or two-week vacation rental. Short-term rentals are often priced as an alternative to a hotel. For a couple or a family of four, paying $100-$200 (80€-155€) per night to have your own fully-equipped kitchen and living space is not even a luxury since you’ll save considerably on food expenses. However, most people (those without a housing stipend from their employer) seeking accommodations for a month or longer cannot afford to pay a monthly rent of $3000-$6000 (2340€ - 4650€) for a studio or one-bedroom. Unless you’re from Oslo or Tokyo, Paris is not going to feel affordable, but it is possible to find a wide range of housing options in Central Paris for $650-$1950 (500€-1500€) per month for a single person or couple.

For furnished short-term rentals of a month or more, have a look at Sabbatical Homes, PAP, a French owner-to-owner site, and FUSAC (‘housing offers Paris’ and ‘short-term rentals’). For example, a PAP search for studio and 1-bedroom apartments in the central arrondissements 1-6 and 11-13 yielded a selection of 142 apartments in the 500€-1500€ per month range. FUSAC’s offerings are fewer, but in the same price range, while Sabbatical Homes listings tend to be a bit pricier (beginning at 950€), but well-appointed and central. You’ll probably find it easier to communicate landlords on mostly English Sabbatical Homes and FUSAC sites. It is also possible to find good deals on Airbnb and Trip Advisor. 

Most of these listings are offered by owner so you save on the agency fee, but a higher level of independence is required since there is generally no local manager to turn to for help if you run into problems. However, in my experience, many agencies act not as managers, but as go-betweens for private owners and may be of limited help if something in the apartment or building is not functioning. 

If you want the convenience of having a local point person, Roxanne Ledru of Central Paris Rentals has a selection of very small, but centrally located studios and apartments.  

Always establish contact with the landlord directly through email or phone with the owner to talk about the apartment or house, plans during the stay and the particulars of payment.  

Rooftop Brunch

© 1994 K-Rae Nelson

What to look for:

1)    Location. Location. Location.

You may find an adorable house in a leafy suburb ‘only 10 minutes from the city center by train.’ Avoid. You’re in Paris. Most likely for a short time. Enjoy it. Walk. Savor. Do not spend it on the RER B which is usually slow, and late, and when it’s not, the workers are on strike. And it closes early.

Chose the most central location that your budget allows. There are many delightful, trendy neighborhoods in Paris, such as the western Righ Bank arrondissements, 10^th-12^th, 19^th-20^th. See my post on Paris Layout for a description of neighborhoods.  

2)    More location.

How close are you to work or school? Look at your metro and bus connections. Paris intra muros is pretty compact. Aim for a 20 minute commute by bus, metro or walking. Consult a map or ask about the nearest bus stops and metro stations.

Are there shops near the apartment? Find out the location of the nearest marché, rue commerçante, supermarché and boulangerie.  

3)    The building and apartment.

The Essentials in 4m2

© 1993 K-Rae Nelson

 

Most Paris buildings have a keypad entry on the street, called a digicode. These codes are often not activated during the day and are used in the evening and on weekends. Buildings often have interphones at the stairway entry so when you visit someone, you need to know the address, the digicode, the stairway (sometimes there are several), the name or number on the interphone, as well as the floor and the door (usually left or right). For example, an address might be:

51 rue Montorgueil, 2ème, Code: 5463, Escalier A, Interphone Dupont, 3ème étage gauche. 

51 rue Montorgueil, 2nd arrondissement, Code : 5463, Stairway A, Interphone Dupont, 3rd floor (4th U.S.) left (as you come up the stairs or exit the elevator).

Sleeping arrangements may include beds, futons, or pull-out couches.  Mattresses are sometimes on the floor (who wants to carry a frame up 4 flights?). Sheets, towels, and dishes are provided in almost all cases.  Most rental units have washing machines, dishwashers, microwaves, DVD players, and Internet connections.  Wireless connections are very common. A dryer may be listed in the amenities, but it is usually a combination washer/dryer and the dryer is more of a cooker.

Clarify. What are the expenses in addition to rent? Most short-term rentals include internet, cable TV and local telephone service (some providers include international phone as well!). Gas and electric are often not included. Gas and electric is billed separately on two-month schedules which can complicate the final check out. You might want to suggest taking a meter reading when you enter the apartment and pay by usage when you leave. You should not pay the charges, or home owner’s association fees. They should be wrapped into the rent. Les charges can also be used to mean just gaz et électricité. The caution is your security deposit. It is often one, or even two, month’s rent. Make sure to clarify what charges will be taken out of the security deposit and when and how it will be returned to you.

4)    Reasonable Expectations

The owners will expect you to be reasonably quiet. This means keeping your voices down and closing the windows if you’re having a party and the volume escalates. They may not want the neighbors to know they are renting out their apartment. Respect their privacy by not giving out this information. You’re ‘friends of the family’ if anyone asks.

Chances are you’ll be living in an apartment that is one or more centuries old. Things break down (entry doors, elevators, appliances) and may take some time to repair. More time than you find unreasonable. If your landlord does not provide you with a list of contact names and numbers (a helpful neighbor, the home owner’s association (le syndic), handyman, etc.), you should ask. Before they go on vacation.

5)    Things to Worry About

Make sure you have the landlord’s phone number and contact information as well as that of a local point person if the landlord will be unreachable (out of the country or some areas of Brittany).

Building and apartment keys in France are ridiculously expensive (a security scam no doubt perpetuated by the insurance companies and locksmiths). Ask the landlord if there is someone local with a spare key. If you leave the apartment without your keys, it will cost several hundred Euros to open the door. If you had the misfortune of leaving the keys in the lock and then closing the door (bad, bad idea), you’ll be replacing the whole lock (beginning at 1000€). Most keys cannot be duplicated without a code and if you lose a key you may be charged for re-keying, or replacement of the key (100€ would not be unusual).  

Getting your security deposit back. Ideally, there will be someone to check you out when you leave, look over the apartment, read the gas and electric meters, call the phone company for charges, and then return the balance of your security deposit to you right then and there in cash. This is not always possible, so it’s best to discuss with the landlord or property manager beforehand how the security deposit will be returned and what exactly you will be charged for at the end of your stay.

Internet scams. I do not recommend Craigslist as a housing resource. If you have not rented before and are unfamiliar with the city, it may be difficult to recognize scammers.

Compare these two ads:

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Apartment A

This charming and delightful 120 square meters , 4 Bedroom, apartment is located on rue Gustave Dore in the 17th arrondissement, on the 3 rd French floor of a 19th century building and it sleeps 7 people. This apartment is equipped with : washer, dryer, dishwasher, cable, TV, unlimited high speed internet access with the wifi, DVD, stereo, decorative fireplace. Also provided : Bed linens, Blankets, Pillows, Towels and Kitchen utensils.

The 19th century building is equipped with : elevator, intercom, security code.

Apartment B

This charming and delightful 120 square meters , 3 Bedroom, apartment is located on rue Gustave Dore in the 17th arrondissement, on the 3 rd French floor of a 19th century building and it sleeps 7 people. This apartment is equipped with : washer, dryer, dishwasher, cable, TV, unlimited high speed internet access with the wifi, DVD, stereo, decorative fireplace. Also provided : Bed linens, Blankets, Pillows, Towels and Kitchen utensils
The 19th century building is equipped with : elevator, intercom, security code

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The first apartment is listed on Paris Attitude for 5000 € per month with a minimum one year contract (agency fees not included). The second apartment is listed on Craigslist with the title “Already Furnished Apt 500 EUR/ 2 bd.” If it looks too good to be true, it is.

Is this for real? The number one indicator of a scam is extremely low rent for a large, fully furnished apartment. Other things to look for are photos of apartments that seem too modern or out of place. If the interior looks like a model home in a Californian subdivision, it’s probably not Paris. Central air-conditioning is also exceedingly rare. “Easy access to motorways” is also not something that people seek in a Paris apartment. Words that you do want to see in a Paris apartment ad are “walking distance”, “proximity to bus, metro, shops”.

Rooftop Nap

© 1994 K-Rae Nelson

A reassuring word. My family and I rented apartments in Paris for almost 15 years without incident before finding our apartment. As much as possible, we rented through word of mouth and friends of friends. Whenever possible we asked a local contact to look at the apartment before deciding on it. We continue to rent vacation homes all over Europe sight unseen.

Culture Shock: Same or Different?

Maybe I am less trusting of cultural fact sheets because I always seem to retain the one tidbit that is out-dated or inaccurate.  Or maybe it’s because although I have been informed by respected intercultural experts that it is impolite to cut the point off the camembert at a French dinner party, my French friends repeatedly do just that.  I have also been informed that orange juice is served at the end of an evening as a sign for the guests to leave.  Apparently I don’t travel in the right circles, because my experience has always been that the imminent closing of the metro is the best predictor of when guests will depart.  It may be useful and it is certainly interesting to read about specific cultural differences and peculiarities in various countries, however in my experience, how you adapt to life in a foreign country, whether you are living abroad for an extended period of time or visiting a short period, depends a lot on how you react to and interpret new situations.  The current trend is to focus on cultural differences, yet cultural similarities abound, especially between Europe and the United States.  Let me introduce two simple rules, based on my own experiences in foreign countries and those of my American students in Paris, as well as one important, and often overlooked tool for navigating foreign settings.

Rule 1: Look for similarities in new environments.

            When my law students arrive in Paris for their summer study program, I try to orient them to common differences between French and American life. I also warn against the wholesale assumption of dissimilarity, which can lead to misunderstandings and confusion. In many respects, Paris is much like many major American cities, except when it is different.

            In my Survival French class, I focus on practical everyday skills such as shopping, taking public transportation and telephoning. A few years ago, public telephones in Paris could only be used with smart cards. Purchasing the card was relatively easy. Since the instructions in the phone booth were in French only, and involved low frequency vocabulary such as décrocher, to pick up (the receiver) and volet, the sliding cover for the card slot, I would give the students detailed instructions on removing the receiver from its hook, inserting the télécarte in the slot and then pulling down the cover.

capl@washjeff.edu

Washington & Jefferson College © 2012

This preparation was usually sufficient and I rarely heard any further questions on the matter.  One summer, I had a student who was having a particularly difficult time learning the ropes.  She came to my office several times for advice on telephoning.  After a few fruitless attempts, she flopped herself down into a chair, completely undone.  “I found where to put the card, but I cannot for the life of me locate the receiver!”  Now we were both stumped.  How could one possibly go to a public telephone and not be able to locate the receiver?  Could some hooligan have lopped it off during a vandalism spree?  I could think of no other explanation.

Her story was so bizarre that I asked her to show me the mysterious public telephone in question.  She led me several blocks from the institute, passing a perfectly serviceable bank of phone booths next to the metro, all clearly marked with the word TÉLÉPHONE with the receivers all neatly on the hook, to head down a small side street.  By now my interest was piqued.  My student led me directly to the object of her consternation.  “See,” she motioned triumphantly, “here is where the card goes, but there is no receiver!”  My gaze shifted to my student.  What could I say and how could I put it?  This young woman, who would later clerk for an appellate judge, had been trying to telephone from --- a parking meter.

The point of this story is that sometimes things are pretty much as they appear to be. Telephones can look just like the ones at home, or at least share enough common characteristics as to be readily recognizable. Searching for the differences obscures the similarities.

Rule 2: Sometimes things aren’t what they appear to be.

            Now that I’ve suggested that the differences between France and the U.S. aren’t so great, I offer this exception to Rule 1.  If something looks the same, it may well be, but if your experience doesn’t fit your original hypothesis, it may be time to reevaluate whether it really is similar or not.  In language, these false similarities are called faux amis, or false friends.  Sensible in French means sensitive and as health-food conscious Americans quickly find out, les préservatifs in France are for preventing pregnancy, not for prolonging the shelf life of food. 

 

© Supermarchés Casino

Navigating a culture also requires sifting through “true” and “false” friends.  Recently, another student announced to me that she and her friend where going to the casino over the weekend.  I assumed they were headed for Monte Carlo, but they informed me that there were casinos, “all over Paris.”  Since I had been coming to Paris for almost twenty years and had never heard of gambling in the city, I expressed my skepticism. “We’ve seen the ads all over town,” they assured me.  It wouldn’t have been the first time my students had taught me something new about Paris.  Curious, I queried a few Parisian friends over the weekend who were as uninformed as I about gaming in the City of Light. The following Monday, I asked the girls about their casino adventure.  Disappointed, they admitted that they hadn’t managed to find the casino, which was strange since they had seen ads for inexpensive casino meals, just like in Las Vegas, at every bus stop.

A few days later, I was leading my students on an excursion when one of the girls pulled me aside to show me the advertisement which did indeed depict an impressively low-priced plate of roasted chicken and French fries with the word Casino arching across the poster in bold red.  I had to explain to my students that Casino is the name of a supermarket chain.  They had clung so tightly to their original interpretation that they were unable to process other clues, such as Casino supermarkets they might have passed on the street or other Casino posters with pictures of articles not usually associated with gambling halls.

Helpful Tip: Sometimes an accent comes in handy.

            Learning to spot and interpret similarities and differences in a new environment is an important part of cultural adaptation.  Acculturation is a very long process and individuals adapt with varying degrees of speed and success.  Perhaps unexpectedly, being identified as an outsider can be an asset for someone finding her way in a foreign country.  Indeed, the accent that we generally strive to eradicate along with identifying characteristics such as mannerisms and clothing serve a very useful function.  For example, if you learn to ask a question with perfect grammar and an excellent accent, but are only minimally conversant in a language, there’s a good chance you won’t understand the answer.  Your interlocutor will assume that you speak the language fluently and it may not occur to him to slow down or make other speech adjustments as people naturally and unconsciously do when speaking with foreigners. 

            On the other hand, if you are a native speaker, but have not lived in your native country recently, you may find yourself in the uncomfortable position of understanding and speaking the language, but not the customs and nuances of everyday life. 

© Bill Madison.blogspot.com

In an instance of reverse cultural misunderstanding, my colleague Isabelle and I had a hilarious, but frustrating experience with French telephone operators in Paris.  In the early 1990s, Isabelle returned to France for the summer after several years of college in the U.S.  At the time, we were working together at a French university and found ourselves in possession of a Minitel, a pre-internet terminal hooked up to an early local version of today’s web.  It offered on-line directory assistance and a plethora of other information.  You could not take the metro without seeing ads promoting Minitel services of a romantic nature, called Minitel rose, pink being the code name for romance.  Each of these sites was accessed by a code with the number 3615 followed by a word, such as ULLA, for the Swedish girl chat line.  There were more practical applications, such as 3615 SNCF, for the train company, or 3615 RATP, for the bus company. 

We were delighted with our treasure, but had no idea how to access directory assistance.  I suggested calling directory assistance on the telephone and asking the operator how to use the Minitel.  When Isabelle called and requested help, the operator hung up on her.  Surprised, she called back, explained that she had been cut off and repeated her question.  Again, she was disconnected, but only after the operator yelled at her, saying she didn’t have time for pranks.  Isabelle, by this time, was incensed.  She called a third time, asked to speak to a supervisor and repeated her story.  The supervisor, noticeably annoyed, advised, “Call this number and they’ll explain everything.”  That number turned out to be the Central Income Tax Office. 

We could not get the information because the operators were convinced that the woman with the careful enunciation and educated accent was playing phone games with them.  Finally I called, and assuming an obvious American accent and imperfect grammar, explained that I was visiting France and had access to this machine, but had no idea how it worked.  The operator, encountering a foreigner who could not be expected to understand the workings of the Minitel instantly provided the needed information.

It is important to remember that many aspects of life in France will be familiar.  Assume similarity if it seems warranted, but pay attention to clues that indicate otherwise.  Some things will be different, but not necessarily the ones you expect.  Part of your task is to adapt to a new culture, but take your time, don’t be hard on yourself, and finally, take advantage of your status as an outsider to ask for clarification.