Will be visiting my niece (UF student studying in Paris this summer)in July and would like to rent an apartment for a few weeks rather than an hotel room. I need to know if I need air conditioning - most of the apartments don't seem to have it. I'm from Florida and July is unbearable without a/c. Thanks.

I'm from Texas.

I wouldn't rent a Paris apartment without a/c in July.

Been there, done that, won't do that again.

It's certainly nothing like Florida, but I think you would probably want to have it for comfort. There are very few with AC, so you are going to have to pay a lot and/or duke it out when many others for those few apartments. If the reason for this is just that you want a kitchentte, not the Gigi fantasies about how you are going to pretend you are Parisian, you can book an "aparthotel" with AC much easier, like Citadines. There are several of those around Paris with AC. www.citadines.com

These are not cheap, though, even though they aren't deluxe places. There is nothing wrong with them, they are just modern and maybe not so charming. You can search for AC apartments, of course, and might get lucky. If your budget is not very limited, it will make it a lot easier.

Through VRBO, my wife and I rented a one-bedroom apt. for two weeks for less than $100 a night -- immaculate, quiet, small garden terrace, TV, kitchenette, even online computer. It can be done. Just don't make a/c a deal breaker when looking for a place in Paris.

Air conditioning, elegant and economical:

http://www.slowtrav.com/cl/detail.asp?l=2636

We staying in this apartment last November. Here's my review on the Slow Travel site:

http://www.slowtrav.com/france/vr/review.asp?n=2523