JeanneB

This apartment is near Rue des Lombards and Rue St Denis. Is that a safe area? There are tons of shops, cafes for many blocks around. Are they legit or are they like the tourist traps near St Michel?

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/1460146...-24&s=4Nx_p29n

I've always stayed in the 6th and 7th when visiting Paris. But this trip I want to branch out into parts of the city I don't know very well. I'm also taking a teen aged girl (graduation gift) and think she would like a more lively street scene. Her parents, too. I think I want to be near Rue Montorguiel and La Marais, two areas I've shortchanged in the past. And I like being close to the river for my early morning walks.

This apartment ticks off almost all the items on my list....no view, though.

JeanneB

BTW, I didn't mean to give the impression I never venture out of "my" arrondisements. I've been to the Marais many times, just haven't stayed there. As for the Les Halles area, when I first started going to Paris in 2001, posters on these forums scared me off with all their horror tales. I've never used Les Halles or Chatelet metro stations for fear of pickpockets, gypsies and all kinds of evils! I think it's time I get over it.

Kathie

I hope you are aware of the issues around short-term apartment rentals in Paris - almost all are illegal.

fuzzbucket

The extra fees added - including the 1000 EU damage deposit - are truly unnecessary, and are far in excess of the traditional fees charged.
Why stay in a place "with no view" - especially since this probably translates to a window facing a brick wall.
If you are travelling soon, be aware that this apartment does not have air-conditioning.

fuzzbucket

In addition, the calendar seems to be "cleared" very conveniently, so you cannot tell if the apartment is rented legally during the owner's vacation period.

Sarastro

There is no way that is an owner´s primary residence which would make it legal. It´s much too sterile to have a full time owner/occupant in residence.

I might suggest that you rent it now before the new registration laws go into effect this October and airbnb is forced by the city of Paris to remove it from their website.

Christina

yes, it's safe, it's the center of Paris, did you see where it was on a map? Not to mention full of tourists, even that is a site of interest (Tours St Jacques). That's only a couple blocks from the Hotel de Ville (city hall). Have you never been in that area in all your trips? I don't know how you could have avoided it.

It's not where I would choose to stay because of the density but not due to safety, and there are what you call tourist shops in that area. There are "gypsies" and pickpockets all over Paris in many popular spots, I'm surprised you thought just those two metro stops were suspect, I'm not sure where you got that idea from. There are plenty on the close-in areas of the Left Bank and if you don't think the Latin Qtr and around St Michel RER/metro and St Germain are not lively street scenes, I think you'll be disappointed.

Have you ever even been in the area you are asking about? It's certainly central enough and maybe that's what you want. The shops are "legit", they are major chain stores in many cases, and stuff like that. They are certainly not just souvenir shops but it's not rarefied like parts of the 7th around the Hotel de Ville. that location you named is right near a couple late night jazz clubs, also, it is certainly lively given all the people around there. In fact, I'd be concerned about the noise. If you want lively, you sure picked it (LE Baiser and Duc des Lombards are 2 of them).

JeanneB

Christina: As they say, you opened my eyes! I was thinking the teenager would like it because it's "lively". But it isn't charming. And I want her to be charmed by Paris like I have.

Yes I've been to all those areas. No I'm not naive, I simply picked up the wrong vibe when I was preparing for my first trip and it stuck. I guess I fell into a pattern of never using those two stations. I use mostly bus, anyway, so it isn't a big deal.

JeanneB

Oh, and Thank You!

janisj

At this time (until the situation gets more settled) I would not rent an apartment in Paris -- except in one of the aparthotels such as citadines or in one if the TEENSY % of legal properties.

We ALL want to save money and have the extra space a flat offers -- but they are almost all illegal. So it might not be possible to have what one wants . . .

apersuader65

DW and I stayed here: http://cobblestoneparis.com/La-Charme-Du-Marais.html in 2015 and loved it. I am not aware if this is a "legal" apartment or not. Last year we stayed in a PVA two bedroom in the Palais Royal that is on the Mairie's website as legal, (it lists three apartments at this address, and there are only three in the building) but it is 150 more than the apartment you show. It is here: http://parisvacationapartments.com/c...s/two-bedroom/

menachem

It's safe to assume that anything offered through AirBnB or agency websites is illegal.

fuzzbucket

There are "conciergeries" now, who are paid lots of money to "stage" an apartment for photos appearing on the Internet.
Théy are also paid to clear out unnecessary personal items, buy new deluxe linens, provide wine or goodie baskets and do the "meet and greet".
It's a growing business for people who own multiple properties or who don't mind paying for someone to deal with their apartment.

Sarastro

<i>It's safe to assume that anything offered through AirBnB or agency websites is illegal.</i>

Au contraire actually. The types of apartments which are legal to offer short term are primarily offered through on line sources such as airbnb, leboncoin.fr, or pap.fr.

These would be apartments available directly from the owner who is himself the apartment´s resident and sole occupant. This does not mean that any apartment offered through airbnb is done so legally. Most of the 50,000 current offerings on airbnb unlikely meet the owner/occupant requirement. When the city registration law for all apartment listings become effective this October, it is very likely that the total number of airbnb listings will drop, possibly in dramatic fashion.

menachem

whatever mate

janisj

>>It's safe to assume that anything offered through AirBnB or agency websites is illegal.<<

>>Au contraire actually. <<

A <i>few</i> of the listings are legit -- but the VAST majority are illegal.

So not <i>any/every</i> listing is sketchy, but the number that aren't is so small that "anything offered through AirBnB or agency websites is illegal." is only a slight exaggeration

apersuader65

Is that like being "slightly" pregnant?

janisj

nope . . . it is slight exaggeration that <u>every</u> listing is illegal. But IRL most are.

fuzzbucket

Well, if you are travelling this summer, you will need air-conditioning. So book a hotel which has it.

Sarastro

Actually, all vacation rentals in Paris are illegal. There are two exceptions:

1. Apartments offer by their owner occupant.
2. Apartments specifically approved by the government for short term rental.

Virtually, the only way an owner occupant can advertise his home as a vacation rental would be through places like airbnb. Many feel that in the future, this will remain the only rental option for most visitors to Paris.

The large majority of the apartments offered by fancy rental agencies are illegal. This illegal group of apartments would include investment properties, second or vacation homes, any apartment that is not specifically included in group 2 above. I have noticed a gradual shift locally by many of these slick vacation rental operators from short term to legal long term rentals.

Estimates of the number of apartments contained within group 2 above range from just over 100, according to the city´s own website, to 500 to 600 according to the rental agency Paris Perfect. Even this higher number represents barely 1% of the total number of listed apartments currently available in Paris. Further, apartments offered in group 2 are just as expensive to rent as are top rated (4 star) hotels.

It will be very interesting to see what happens this October, specifically to the total number of listing on airbnb as well as to those fancy agencies renting only illegal apartments.