PWAbbott

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)?

StuDudley

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

beaupeep

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

DalaiLlama

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

Christina

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.

RufusTFirefly

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

sf7307

<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!

maitaitom

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.

StuDudley

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

twk

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.

Kay_P

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.

farrermog

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

StCirq

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.

tuscanlifeedit

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.

DalaiLlama

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.

cathies

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)!!

Guenmai

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.

kerouac

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

kerouac

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

Guenmai

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!