Loved this Marais apartment rental vrbo 28993 !
Dec 20th, 2006, 02:36 PM
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Loved this Marais apartment rental vrbo 28993 !
I absolutely loved this apartment in the Marais – thanks to everyone who so patiently helped me with my decision, Seamus, Anselm, Christina, PatrickLondon, Nina, Shellio, etc. Apartment vrbo 28993 was cuter and larger than it appeared to be in their ad. The owners are great, they live upstairs and kept telling me to contact them if I needed anything, gave me their cell #’s, but were not at all intrusive.
Very cute and roomy, large bathroom, wonderful, warm radiator heat, the most comfortable bed I’ve ever slept in Europe, a little balcony with a table where I could smoke and get a free wifi signal (thanks lolo256). The entire place, including the whitewashed hard wood floors, was clean, spotless, and charming. The apt also has really great lighting which was important in the winter. I negotiated for 70 E/night since it was low season. It's on Rue du Saintonge right off Rue du Bretagne which is a totally bustling street. Saintonge is a very small, narrow street, quiet and not well lit at night so I was a bit worried about my decision when the cab pulled up around 10 pm. After buzzing and meeting Jean-Michel who gave me keys and a run-down on the place, I left the apartment and most stores were closed (cafes and brasseries open), but I found a little bodega type shop just closing down where they let me in to buy some water, juice, and my favorite EU soda, lemon fanta.
In the morning, I pulled open the huge heavy gate and ran almost smack into a garbage collecting guy. I walked down around 5 buildings to the intersection at Rue du Bretagne and I was met with a buzz of morning neighborhood activity – the seafood stores setting up and laying out oysters and in-shell scallops on ice, boulangeries with their steamed-up windows, people shouting across the street to one another with baguettes tucked under their arms, crowds of men standing at the brasserie bars in thick clouds of smoke for their morning coffee, old men and ladies out walking their dogs (all wearing sweaters). As I passed by the fromagerie I watched the old lady writing specials on her little black board in chalk as the guy cut up little cubes of sample bites of cheese. I loved this neighborhood. From my favorite café, (right around the corner) I could look out on bustling street activity and into a photography shop where the owner has plastered the entire outside wall with large head shots of people from a photo-booth. From all the cafes, you seem to be able to hitch onto a free wifi signal – a welcome relief since sitting out on the balcony in 34 F weather wasn’t exactly leisurely. The apt owners have set up wi-fi recently but haven’t worked out all the kinks yet, he said he’s working on making the signal stronger. It was actually a good thing because it forced me to go out and take care of that stuff in cafes rather than sitting in the apt.
It’s not an active area like Rue du Rivoli which was way too active, busy, and corporate for me – this felt more like a buzzing and bustling neighborhood. On Saintonge, almost right across from the apt is a small brasserie where I could get a quick morning espresso for 1.40 E. There are book shops all over. There’s an outdoor covered market several blocks down on Bretagne, called Les Marches Des Enfants, or something like that. Flowers, bread, cakes and pastries, meat, seafood, an Italian products vendor (where I bought all my prosciutto), produce, an olive bar, a little Italian sit down place, a Moroccan food vendor – this place was really great.
BNP and Barclays were right on Bretagne two blocks away so ATM access was really easy (if you have access to your money, but that’s another story…). The metro was a short 5 minute walk and the 96 bus line (one of the favorite lines) was just three very short blocks away. If you decide to use the bus, get an all-day bus pass because I used up way too many metro tickets taking the bus since I kept getting off the bus before reaching my destination.
The owner is a total Fodorite type – in the apartment there are two binders he’s put together: First is entitled, “How to Survive the Area”. In it, each page has a large colored photo of an individual store –including boulangeries, butchers, charcuteries, fromageries, wine shops, seafood shops, grocery stores, pharmacies, the open market, etc – where he’s listed the hours and location and then there’s a colored map printed out for each shop. The maps are funny because you only have to walk to the end of the street or cross the street to get to these places. He also has photos of the nearest Metro stations, info and prices on tickets, carnets, passes, and has info on the 96 bus-line and a listing of all its stops and its schedule.
The second binder is “Where to Eat in the Area” where he’s listed well over 20 restaurants (a fraction of the choices in the area) with a large color photo of the place, a large map on how to get there, and a copy of the entire menu. (It appears that in some instances they’ve given him the actual menu, otherwise, it’s a digital photo) Following each restaurant he’s left a blank page for guests to write their comments, (he urges to post both negative and positive feedback) for the benefit of other guests. Then at the very end of the binder is a thick 10 page+ French-English glossary of food terms to help you decipher all the menus (all the menus were entirely in French). This is a pull out glossary and it’s evident that many of his guests have taken this with them everyday as it’s quite worn. His partner was showing this to me and I was laughing saying I’d never seen anything quite so organized – (except for on Fodors, of course.)
Between these folders and my guidebook, planning out my day and week was great – I knew exactly what time the bakeries were open so that my croissants and bread were warm, I knew how late I could stop in at the grocery store to pick up more juice and water (8:30 pm most nights), etc.
I took pictures of the apartment and area but I don’t know how to put them on a site. They're usually booked for spring and fall, he said. The owners go away for 8 weeks during the summer to their country house and they won't rent it out during that time, say they want to be around in case the guests need something or anything goes wrong. Jan and Feb are always slow, since as he put it, that is "zee most blah" time in Paris (so I think you could negotiate the price down from their posted 90 E). There is no washer listed in the ad but there was a small clothes washer in the bathroom – it looks new although he put a “Sorry, out of order” note on it. I wonder if it was just a pain to teach people to use it properly, but I have a suspicion that it works. If I return and stay longer than a week and need to do laundry, I’m going to ask him about it.
The only caveats:
1. there’s no phone line
2. no sit-down table except out on the balcony (which would be lovely in Spring and Fall). I ate at the counter on the stools or sometimes on the bed which was fine for one person but if I were with my boyfriend, I'd have wanted a sit-down table inside during winter.
Thanks again everyone! I hope to figure out how to post photos soon, but I can email pics to anyone considering renting the place.
Very cute and roomy, large bathroom, wonderful, warm radiator heat, the most comfortable bed I’ve ever slept in Europe, a little balcony with a table where I could smoke and get a free wifi signal (thanks lolo256). The entire place, including the whitewashed hard wood floors, was clean, spotless, and charming. The apt also has really great lighting which was important in the winter. I negotiated for 70 E/night since it was low season. It's on Rue du Saintonge right off Rue du Bretagne which is a totally bustling street. Saintonge is a very small, narrow street, quiet and not well lit at night so I was a bit worried about my decision when the cab pulled up around 10 pm. After buzzing and meeting Jean-Michel who gave me keys and a run-down on the place, I left the apartment and most stores were closed (cafes and brasseries open), but I found a little bodega type shop just closing down where they let me in to buy some water, juice, and my favorite EU soda, lemon fanta.
In the morning, I pulled open the huge heavy gate and ran almost smack into a garbage collecting guy. I walked down around 5 buildings to the intersection at Rue du Bretagne and I was met with a buzz of morning neighborhood activity – the seafood stores setting up and laying out oysters and in-shell scallops on ice, boulangeries with their steamed-up windows, people shouting across the street to one another with baguettes tucked under their arms, crowds of men standing at the brasserie bars in thick clouds of smoke for their morning coffee, old men and ladies out walking their dogs (all wearing sweaters). As I passed by the fromagerie I watched the old lady writing specials on her little black board in chalk as the guy cut up little cubes of sample bites of cheese. I loved this neighborhood. From my favorite café, (right around the corner) I could look out on bustling street activity and into a photography shop where the owner has plastered the entire outside wall with large head shots of people from a photo-booth. From all the cafes, you seem to be able to hitch onto a free wifi signal – a welcome relief since sitting out on the balcony in 34 F weather wasn’t exactly leisurely. The apt owners have set up wi-fi recently but haven’t worked out all the kinks yet, he said he’s working on making the signal stronger. It was actually a good thing because it forced me to go out and take care of that stuff in cafes rather than sitting in the apt.
It’s not an active area like Rue du Rivoli which was way too active, busy, and corporate for me – this felt more like a buzzing and bustling neighborhood. On Saintonge, almost right across from the apt is a small brasserie where I could get a quick morning espresso for 1.40 E. There are book shops all over. There’s an outdoor covered market several blocks down on Bretagne, called Les Marches Des Enfants, or something like that. Flowers, bread, cakes and pastries, meat, seafood, an Italian products vendor (where I bought all my prosciutto), produce, an olive bar, a little Italian sit down place, a Moroccan food vendor – this place was really great.
BNP and Barclays were right on Bretagne two blocks away so ATM access was really easy (if you have access to your money, but that’s another story…). The metro was a short 5 minute walk and the 96 bus line (one of the favorite lines) was just three very short blocks away. If you decide to use the bus, get an all-day bus pass because I used up way too many metro tickets taking the bus since I kept getting off the bus before reaching my destination.
The owner is a total Fodorite type – in the apartment there are two binders he’s put together: First is entitled, “How to Survive the Area”. In it, each page has a large colored photo of an individual store –including boulangeries, butchers, charcuteries, fromageries, wine shops, seafood shops, grocery stores, pharmacies, the open market, etc – where he’s listed the hours and location and then there’s a colored map printed out for each shop. The maps are funny because you only have to walk to the end of the street or cross the street to get to these places. He also has photos of the nearest Metro stations, info and prices on tickets, carnets, passes, and has info on the 96 bus-line and a listing of all its stops and its schedule.
The second binder is “Where to Eat in the Area” where he’s listed well over 20 restaurants (a fraction of the choices in the area) with a large color photo of the place, a large map on how to get there, and a copy of the entire menu. (It appears that in some instances they’ve given him the actual menu, otherwise, it’s a digital photo) Following each restaurant he’s left a blank page for guests to write their comments, (he urges to post both negative and positive feedback) for the benefit of other guests. Then at the very end of the binder is a thick 10 page+ French-English glossary of food terms to help you decipher all the menus (all the menus were entirely in French). This is a pull out glossary and it’s evident that many of his guests have taken this with them everyday as it’s quite worn. His partner was showing this to me and I was laughing saying I’d never seen anything quite so organized – (except for on Fodors, of course.)
Between these folders and my guidebook, planning out my day and week was great – I knew exactly what time the bakeries were open so that my croissants and bread were warm, I knew how late I could stop in at the grocery store to pick up more juice and water (8:30 pm most nights), etc.
I took pictures of the apartment and area but I don’t know how to put them on a site. They're usually booked for spring and fall, he said. The owners go away for 8 weeks during the summer to their country house and they won't rent it out during that time, say they want to be around in case the guests need something or anything goes wrong. Jan and Feb are always slow, since as he put it, that is "zee most blah" time in Paris (so I think you could negotiate the price down from their posted 90 E). There is no washer listed in the ad but there was a small clothes washer in the bathroom – it looks new although he put a “Sorry, out of order” note on it. I wonder if it was just a pain to teach people to use it properly, but I have a suspicion that it works. If I return and stay longer than a week and need to do laundry, I’m going to ask him about it.
The only caveats:
1. there’s no phone line
2. no sit-down table except out on the balcony (which would be lovely in Spring and Fall). I ate at the counter on the stools or sometimes on the bed which was fine for one person but if I were with my boyfriend, I'd have wanted a sit-down table inside during winter.
Thanks again everyone! I hope to figure out how to post photos soon, but I can email pics to anyone considering renting the place.
Dec 20th, 2006, 02:55 PM
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Dec 20th, 2006, 04:28 PM
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fishee, one minor point. I know you mentioned on another thread that you opened a BofA account due to the Barclay and BNP free connections, but were you aware that they DO charge if you use a Barclay's in France? They only let you use the Barclay ones in the UK for free. In France you only get free withdrawals at BNP.
Dec 20th, 2006, 05:40 PM
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Welcome home Fishee. So glad that you loved your apartment. It so nice that that it was even better than you had expected, something that rarely happens, but is magic when it does.
We leave home tomorrow and then off to Paris on Friday for two weeks, so if you do a more detailed trip report, which I hope you do, I'll look for it in January.
I wonder if your students will appreciate the fact that their papers were in Paris.
Nina
We leave home tomorrow and then off to Paris on Friday for two weeks, so if you do a more detailed trip report, which I hope you do, I'll look for it in January.
I wonder if your students will appreciate the fact that their papers were in Paris.
Nina
Dec 20th, 2006, 06:34 PM
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hi nina, hope you have a great trip and thanks for your help! I'm not telling my students about being in Paris -- I try to keep up the beleaguered teacher personna.
I won't get any work done if I keep posting -- my description of a short evening and a simple apartment review was over 6 pages long.
My highlights:
1. the laughter of an elderly French couple when they saw my face when I put my first ever spoonful of Berthillon ice cream into my mouth (salt caramel and chocolate are my favorites thus far). The old man literally pointed at me and asked, laughing, "chocolat noir?"
2. My first great, dazzling pictures of the Eiffel Tower, I just love this camera.
3. Laduree chestnut and caramel macaroons
4. punching in my apt code at the end of the day
5. ice-skating at night at Hotel de Ville
6. waking up to see the blooming tulips I picked up, in a different state of arching grace, every morning.
great travels to you, fishee
I won't get any work done if I keep posting -- my description of a short evening and a simple apartment review was over 6 pages long.
My highlights:
1. the laughter of an elderly French couple when they saw my face when I put my first ever spoonful of Berthillon ice cream into my mouth (salt caramel and chocolate are my favorites thus far). The old man literally pointed at me and asked, laughing, "chocolat noir?"
2. My first great, dazzling pictures of the Eiffel Tower, I just love this camera.
3. Laduree chestnut and caramel macaroons
4. punching in my apt code at the end of the day
5. ice-skating at night at Hotel de Ville
6. waking up to see the blooming tulips I picked up, in a different state of arching grace, every morning.
great travels to you, fishee
Dec 21st, 2006, 04:50 AM
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"... in a different state of arching grace ..."
A perfect phrase, fishee.
I've heard back from Guy and Jean Michel; the apartment is available for my dates. I'm going to send them a note in a few minutes to confirm that I'll take it.
I laughed when I read your "thanks lolo256" comment. I'll let you know if it's still there when I get back. Glad to hear about the free wifi in the local cafés, though, as there is something very civilized about sipping vin chaud and reading Fodors in Paris.
Anselm
A perfect phrase, fishee.
I've heard back from Guy and Jean Michel; the apartment is available for my dates. I'm going to send them a note in a few minutes to confirm that I'll take it.
I laughed when I read your "thanks lolo256" comment. I'll let you know if it's still there when I get back. Glad to hear about the free wifi in the local cafés, though, as there is something very civilized about sipping vin chaud and reading Fodors in Paris.
Anselm
Dec 21st, 2006, 04:51 AM
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So glad you enjoyed yourself. It's not a neighbourhood I know well, so it's good to hear such good things about it.
As for posting pictures on the internet, I use www.flickr.com, though there are others, and plenty of supporters for each, no doubt.
As for posting pictures on the internet, I use www.flickr.com, though there are others, and plenty of supporters for each, no doubt.
Dec 21st, 2006, 05:37 AM
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Anselm,
how great -- I hope you're getting a very good rate, Guy said they don't always expect to rent in February and it sounds like you're staying a long time. They are great guys, I hope you really like them and their apt as much as I did. Let me know how it goes or if I can email you pics or any other info.
how great -- I hope you're getting a very good rate, Guy said they don't always expect to rent in February and it sounds like you're staying a long time. They are great guys, I hope you really like them and their apt as much as I did. Let me know how it goes or if I can email you pics or any other info.
Dec 21st, 2006, 07:08 AM
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I loved reading your report, it's so much fun to learn the end of a story, so to speak. I'm really glad the apt. and area worked out so well, I thought that looked like a cute apt. and think I said I liked it better than the other one on Petit Musc or wherever.
That looks like an apt. I might like, it's about the right size for a single person and a good rate, and I like staying in areas that aren't as popular as some of the usual suspects.
It's too bad they won't rent it in summer, that's usually when I go, though, maybe I'll have to try something different sometime as in summer, I do kind of prefer hotels many times due to the AC.
That looks like an apt. I might like, it's about the right size for a single person and a good rate, and I like staying in areas that aren't as popular as some of the usual suspects.
It's too bad they won't rent it in summer, that's usually when I go, though, maybe I'll have to try something different sometime as in summer, I do kind of prefer hotels many times due to the AC.
Dec 21st, 2006, 07:47 AM
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Fishee-Thanks for the report. I enjoyed it and the other one about how you survived your last day.
Just had to comment that Fanta Limon is my favorite soda too! I rarely drink soda at home, but always have it in Europe.
Just had to comment that Fanta Limon is my favorite soda too! I rarely drink soda at home, but always have it in Europe.
Dec 21st, 2006, 10:34 AM
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Christina - you definitely weighed in on this Saintonge studio vs. the Rue Petit Musc place. You pointed out details I would never noticed -- like a good reading light -- which made a huge difference when I was there. It does sound like your kind of place -- and the elevator and security system were wondefully convenient. I'm wondering if they would rent in the summer to repeat guests. They don't seem to need the money -- they're pretty much retired and I think only in their mid-40's, they seem to geuninely enjoy hosting people.
and Kristina -- I consider limon Fanta the Pellegrino limonata of the masses! I keep wondering if they'll start producing it for the U.S. market.
and Kristina -- I consider limon Fanta the Pellegrino limonata of the masses! I keep wondering if they'll start producing it for the U.S. market.
Dec 21st, 2006, 10:39 AM
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Thank you fishee for this and your other posts - we followed your adventure in Paris with interest.
We are going to consider this apartment for the fall as we wanted to locate in the Marais district.
We are going to consider this apartment for the fall as we wanted to locate in the Marais district.
Dec 21st, 2006, 10:54 AM
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I remember your apartment searches and am so glad it worked out well. I know that area a little but have never stayed out there. I certainly would after reading your report. Looks like a great place. Did you happen to see the Hotel Saintonge while you were there?
And all my admiration for shaking that nuisance guy without losing your cool!
And all my admiration for shaking that nuisance guy without losing your cool!
Dec 21st, 2006, 11:14 AM
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Hi fishee,
We're in the Marais right now (it's fabulous!) and saw your post about the hard to find discount designer shop you stumbled upon. I can't find the street on my map - what streets is it near?
Thanks!
We're in the Marais right now (it's fabulous!) and saw your post about the hard to find discount designer shop you stumbled upon. I can't find the street on my map - what streets is it near?
Thanks!
Dec 21st, 2006, 11:58 AM
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hey rose,
It must have been on Rue St. Severin and the name was something like Le Piscine (or that was the name on the shopping bag -- there was no signage I could see on the building). I knew I should have written this down...
It wasn't on a busy street at all -- it was pretty narrow and quiet and I think it was very close to the Ile St. Louis island. Looking at my map, it says St Severin is just South of Ile St Louis which is technically in the 5th. I was just wandering around so I very well may have been on the other side of the island and not have even realized it.
Good luck finding it -- it was in a one or maybe two story white building with a gate in front and little courtyard leading to the front door where there was a security gaurd. Again, I don't recall seeing a sign at all but the street was small so shouldn't be too hard to explore. good luck and let me know how you do! if you can't find it but are determined, I can email the owners of the apt I was renting to see if they know about it. It was on a Friday when I was shopping there.
I hope the bag wasn't just "recylced" from another store!
It must have been on Rue St. Severin and the name was something like Le Piscine (or that was the name on the shopping bag -- there was no signage I could see on the building). I knew I should have written this down...
It wasn't on a busy street at all -- it was pretty narrow and quiet and I think it was very close to the Ile St. Louis island. Looking at my map, it says St Severin is just South of Ile St Louis which is technically in the 5th. I was just wandering around so I very well may have been on the other side of the island and not have even realized it.
Good luck finding it -- it was in a one or maybe two story white building with a gate in front and little courtyard leading to the front door where there was a security gaurd. Again, I don't recall seeing a sign at all but the street was small so shouldn't be too hard to explore. good luck and let me know how you do! if you can't find it but are determined, I can email the owners of the apt I was renting to see if they know about it. It was on a Friday when I was shopping there.
I hope the bag wasn't just "recylced" from another store!
Dec 21st, 2006, 12:46 PM
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fishee - would you be so kind as to email me a copy of the apartment pictures when you get around to it?
robertjames7022 at aol.com
Thank you - hopefully you will be posting all your pictures and a trip report
robertjames7022 at aol.com
Thank you - hopefully you will be posting all your pictures and a trip report
Dec 21st, 2006, 06:26 PM
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I am also in the throws of choosing an apartment for our paris trip. This apartment sounds like what we were looking for. It looked a bit small from the photos on the vrb site though. Would it be possible for you to send me some photos of the apartment? [email protected] Thanks a bunch!
