No toilet paper in Paris on Sundays and other fun European Adventures!
 

We arrived in Paris on a Saturday, checked into our apartment by Le Madeleine and headed out to explore. On Sunday morning we ate breakfast in the apartment and noticed the toilet paper was getting low. We searched throughout the apartment but never found any replacements. 5 people, one apartment, and NO TP!! You can buy $10,000 dresses on Sunday, you can buy crepes on the street, you can visit famous museums, you can sit in cafes all day, but you CANNOT BUY TOILET PAPER IN PARIS ON SUNDAYS. None of the stores that sell TP were open. We asked several natives and they said you cannot buy that today. So, we resorted to visiting a few "fast food" establishments and "borrowed" (HA!) some TP in our handy ziploc bags placed in our backpacks.

What funny stories do you have to share when confronted with different countries and their customs our assumptions (like all stores will be open in a big city on a Sunday)?

There are some grocery stores along R Lecourbe (or it may be Vaugirard) and R Cambronne in the 15th that are open Sunday mornings. There might be some open on R Convention - also in the 15th (both areas have street markets on Sunday). I find it more amazing that you found a store open that offered $10,000 dresses on a Sunday.

If you've ever visited a grocery on a Saturday late afternoon in a countryside village that is a popular Gite rental region, you'll witness a "mad dash" to purchase supplies befoe everything closes for the remainder of the weekend. Check-in at Gites is normally 4pm on a Saturday. We have a Word document ready to go that lists all the stuff we might need to purchase for the Gite. Ge spend the first 15 mins at the gite checking off what's there & what isn't - and then off to the grocery.

Stu Dudley

Those small alimentation stores always sell necessities like toilet paper. But they are hard to find in some neighborhoods!

You didn't have any pocket-packs of Kleenex on you? That'll learn you, as they say...

You shouldn't have assumed that renting an apt. means those people are going to provide you with things for free, even TP. That is your responsibility, you are renting an apartment. Some apartment owners do provide it, but I would never presume such a thing any more than I would presume they would provide my food or soap. I had one apt. that provided literally nothing (except the furniture, of course, and linens but that was in the agreement), and that included matches for the stove which you had to light by a match.

I can't even imagine traveling without some packs of travel Kleenex or something, though, as you may need that in public restrooms and just for Kleenex purposes.

The natives you asked don't know what they are talking about or you had communication problems. There are stores that sell things on Sunday, I'm sure you could have found something. All the souvenir and misc. shops along the quais, for example, are open.

Where exactly are you going to buy a $10,000 dress on a Sunday, that's what I wonder.

Flushing kleenex can clog a toilet very quickly--depending on how much kleenex and the design of the toilet.

<i>You shouldn't have assumed that renting an apt. means those people are going to provide you with things for free, even TP. That is your responsibility, you are renting an apartment. </i>

I completely disagree with this statement, when you are renting on a short-term basis. These are obviously vacation rentals, and noone should expect to have to go out shopping for toilet paper upon arrival!

We stayed in apartments in Prague, Krakow, Dubrovnik, Trogir and Rovinj. All had plenty of toilet paper. I agree with sf7307 that for short-term rentals, one should expect there to be TP.

((H))

We've stayed in over 35 different gites in France and our stays are between 1 &amp; 4 weeks in each Gite - 2 weeks is our norm. All have had toilet paper &amp; soap when we arrived on Saturdays. About two only had a 1 or 2 day's supply (there are 2 of us). One gite where we've stayed 4 different times in the Dordogne, and are returning to again this June, had adequate supply of TP &amp; soap - but that's about all. No coffee or coffee filters, no herbes/sugar/salt/cooking oil/paper towels, etc. Sheets &amp; towels were provided in all but 1 of the gites we've stayed in (most of the time we had to specify that we wanted to rent them).

Stu Dudley

Because flushing the wrong type of paper can cause plumbing problems (which end up costing the landlord), that's one item that I would think most landlords would provide for short term rentals, and something that I've found in the apartment both times that I've rented (London and Paris). If I were a landlord, I'd provide TP, but it would be that cheaper tissue paper (its easiest on the plumbing). I'd hope that by providing the stuff that's best from my point of view, the tenant would forgo buying the more expensive, but harder to flush, TP.

I frequently rent apartments when travelling and one thing I always do is leave a full roll of toilet paper upon departure. Pay it forward I guess.

An adequate supply of toilet paper is a constitutional right, surely. (And ditto free public toilets, but that's another matter.)

When I was renting my house in St-Cirq, I always had HUGE supplies of TP, not to mention soap, shampoo, conditioner, hand lotion, body lotion, sunscreen, coffee, coffee filters, tea, sugar, salt, pepper, a zillion spices, olive oil, vinegar, sugar, flour, and a pantry full of other stuff like pasta and rice and a gazillion other things.My biggest problem was tossing out the weird stuff renters left there - not stocking the place for people.

I can't imagine a rental property that doesn't provide TP. Really.

We haven't done that many rentals, but we haven't had one without TP.

I am a little concerned with arriving in Paris on a Sunday and not having easy access to a few groceries (must have coffee and milk). I think I can easily find bodega-type places, but the pickings won't be perfect.

Anyone know open on Sunday afternoon stores near the Pompidou or in the general area? I will take the metro to get coffee and milk.

The streets in the vicinity of the Pompidou have all kinds of shops, even on a Sunday you are bound to find the basic necessities - ask for a magasin de comestibles and you will be directed.

There is a little grocery store in the Marais that is open on Sundays, unfortunately I couldn't tell you exactly which street. We shopped there for essentials at about 5pm on a Sunday afternoon in June this year. Also probably in close proximity to Pompidou.

I agree with the other posters that the landlord should provide such a basic necessity.

StCirq you sound like a dream landlord(lady)!!

I ALWAYS take toilet paper with me no matter where I travel overseas...have been doing it for over 30 years.
I had the same situation at my apartment in Paris this past spring and on a Saturday evening. But, I just went into my suitcase and pulled out one of three rolls of Charmin! Smiles.

There are plenty of Franprix and G20 supermarkets in Paris open all day Sunday now. Just check their websites. Times have changed.

For example, here is one near Gare de l'Est:

Franprix
246 rue du Faubourg Saint-Martin
75010 Paris
Lundi : Ferm&eacute;
Mardi - Dimanche : 8h30 &agrave; 20h00

And here's one on rue Mouffetard in the 5th:

Franprix
122-124 rue Mouffetard
75005 Paris
Lundi : Ferm&eacute;
Mardi - Samedi : 8h30 &agrave; 22h00
Dimanche : 8h30 &agrave; 20h30

SF7307- I agree. These are short-term, vacation apartments and some back-up toilet paper should be provided. They provide bed linen, towels, etc...so what's so odd about back-up toilet paper? It was interesting that the apartment that I rented, in the 6th, had a kitchen cabinet full of condiments... which I didn't expect.

And as exhausted as I was, I wasn't about to run around and go on a scavenger hunt for toilet paper... and even though I was in a neighborhood that I've stayed in since the early 80s, I couldn't, off the top of my head, remember if there was anywhere that would be OPEN . The supermarket is 3 blocks down the street, but wasn't going to be open until Monday. So, it was good that I was able to squeeze the Charmin. Happy Travels!

There was no computer in my apartment to check a website. Happy Travels!

As someone who manages various properties, I'm of the same mind as St Cirq, and leave lots of staples for our guests - certainly toilet paper, soap, coffee filters (plus tea, coffee, milk, etc.) When we rented and had to buy salt and pepper and other staples for one week I was always annoyed, and so we decided we wouldn't operate like that.

Unfortunately too many people (we know some of them) think -'its just for the renters' and provide cheap furnishings, and no supplies. I figure if you're paying me to stay somewhere, you deserve decent accommodation, and not to have to run around the day you arrive looking for toilet paper!

Well, apparently (KEROUC) we asked the wrong people or were in the wrong neighborhoods because we asked a number of Parisians in restaurants and other stores if we could find a basic grocery store open and they all said No! And it was just 6 months ago.
Ditto Cathies comment: I want to stay in your rental, St. Cirq. Sounds wonderful!

Carlux-Thumbs up! Happy Travels!

When we check into a rental on a Saturday, we always check the supply of toilet paper as well as other necessities and make a point of going shopping immediately. A tip I learned on www.slowtrav.com. On other days, the shopping trip is not quite so immediately necessary. In most of the places we rented, we needed to buy toilet paper.

<i>When we rented and had to buy salt and pepper and other staples for one week I was always annoyed, and so we decided we wouldn't operate like that. </i>

That salt &amp; pepper thing always annoys me, too, but if I have to buy it, I always leave it for the next renter.

hi tuscanfeedit,

if you click on google maps, you can search for businesses around a specific address.

so all you have to do is put in the address of your apartment, and search for supermarkets.

you could also consider packing a roll or two of bog paper, tea-bags, instant coffee, salt and pepper etc., just to tide you over.

i agree that we shouldn't have to do this, but it's better than not having them!

being on both sides of the equation, as it were, i hope to be of the st. cirq persuasion. but I'm sure that there are things that we could supply but have never thought of.

what is YOUR [non-obvious] essential in a holiday let?

regards, ann

Paper towels, a sponge, dishwashing soap, bar of shower soap, laundry detergent (just one small packet - I can buy more if I need it), bottle of wine (just kidding :-)

PWAbbott, the locals are very often clueless about reality in every country of the world.

Locals don't pay attention the the &quot;details&quot; of life because they have &quot;routines&quot; -- it is always better to ask questions of non-locals when you are not following the routine.

PWAbbott, the locals are very often clueless about reality in every country of the world.

Locals don't pay attention to the &quot;details&quot; of life because they have &quot;routines&quot; -- it is always better to ask questions of non-locals when you are not following the routine.

To the top for another poster with the same situation. Happy Travels!

Topped for Poobah. Happy Travels!

This is very strange. I had the same issue when I rented an apartment in Paris back in May. It was a good thing I told my sister to bring a roll of toilet paper (I forgot mine but did have a travel size pack). The lady who greeted us and took the rental money apologized for not bringing any toilet paper. Her exact words were &quot;Seems the girls before you used it all and I didn't think to bring any&quot;. I thought no big deal, we'll just buy some. The problem was, we just missed the store being open. I wasn't very familiar with the area to find another store that would be open. This apartment was also very dirty. The cleaning supplies I was able to bring didn't even put a dent in the dirt. I ended up getting so sick (I swear it was the mold) that I spent most of the week miserable and unable to sleep. I did make the best of it but would never rent another apartment in Paris again.

Sassy, I wouldn't let your experience put you off ever renting an apt. again. I just would switch agencies and complain mightily to the one you rented from. Our apt was spotless, had adequate supplies of essentials even a bottle of wine.

Sassy- Just find a good agency. Check out the Paris Apartment Thread here in this forum. What agency did you use? Happy Travels!

How can the word &quot;bidet&quot; not appear once in this thread?

;)

oh my goodness, you're right!
bidet, enyone?

Where else would you store the spare toilet paper?

I think that asking for a roll of toilet paper from the neighbors would be an excellent way to meet people.

I went through Homelidays.com and the apartment was also listed on vrbo.com. I figured since it was listed on both websites, it would be decent. The pictures are true to life but of course they didn't show the dirt, mold, broken mirrors and lamps. It actually was funny when we used the outlet in the kitchen. I went to unplug something from the outlet and the outlet cover and outlet came out of the wall. The location however was great but that's about it. This was not my first time to Paris or renting an apartment in Europe.

I am fortunate that my good friend will be living in Paris for the next 2 years. So next time, I will be staying at a nice, clean and rent free place:).