djsteach

One week in Paris…three women, many adventures and one miniscule toilet!

So, when I decided that it was time to go back to Paris, I contacted one of my Francophile friends (my Father’s soulmate, E) and the two of us invited my oldest daughter, B, as her 30th birthday present. After a bit of prodding and cajoling she said “yes”. What, she didn’t JUMP at the chance to go to Paris with two “old” women who love museums, culture and adventure???? Nope, but, she did finally decide to come along for the ride.

This would be the 3rd time I’ve rented an apartment in Paris. For a variety of reason I didn't return to either of the apts. I had stayed in the past. They both had been wonderful, but didn't serve my purposes for this trip. But, I did my research and after a few weeks settled on an apt. through VRBO. It looked good on the website. The price was right. The area was fine. But, oh my gosh, what a mistake!!! I've traveled all over the world over the last 40 years to all kinds of places with all kinds of accommodations, but this was a new one for me. If you are familiar with Bette Davis and her films and remember her saying “What a dump” then you can understand what we saw and how we felt. The WC was really a closet, with only a toilet that was soooooo small that there wasn’t room to change your mind! When you sat your elbow would bang into the door. Ouch! Luckily I was traveling with my 5"5" daughter and not my 6'2" daughter! There wasn’t enough room to pull up your pants! You’d have to exit the closet and finish up in the "living" room. Three women and 1 roll of toilet paper for the week???? I think not! So off to the Monoprix to remedy that and, of course, to buy a few bottles of wine, cheese and crackers. There's a new Monoprix on Blvd. St. Michel right off Ste. Germaine, which was very convenient.
Back to the apt. The bathroom, actually the area that was boxed off as the bathroom with 2X4' "doors" that were made from pieces of canvas stapled to a frame, was 10 steps across the apt. It had a good shower, but the sink looked like it came out of someone’s downstairs remodeled playroom, small and stainless, where brushing your teeth resulted in splashing water all over the place. The kitchen had painted silver cabinets which had seen better days. They were chipped, tilted and didn’t close properly. Get the visual? The whole place looked like an old whore who was tired, haggard and sagged in all the wrong places. Oh, and I didn't tell you about the dividing door.There was a metal door, like the ones shop owners use in places where there's lots of crime, which separated the "living room", actually the other bedroom, from the other parts of the apt. My daughter pressed the button and lowered it 1/2 way. We became hysterical as she used it to limbo under. But since we were in Paris and not Jamaica, the door remained in the up position for the rest of the week. We slowly accepted our situation, adjusted our expectations and did a lot of laughing. After all we were in PARIS!
Did we learn anything? Absolutely! Really look at those web site pictures, ask Fodorites lots more ?'s about their experiences and don't totally rely on the blurbs by other travelers posted by apt. owners.
But enough complaining about our “dump”…let me get to the good stuff. The weather was fabulous…sunny for many days, highs in the low 50’s and a very small amount of rain. April in Paris in February…we were blessed. We saw terrific exhibits…Edouard Boubat at the European Photography Museum, 100 Years of Color Photography at Hotel de Ville (ice skaters outside a bonus) and Christian LaCroix show at Musee Decouritif. We ate a picnic lunch at the Trocadero Fountain while watching the children enjoying the street performers. Wandering, watching and soaking in all the wonderfulness of Paris. Delightful!

More to come later… and the answer to the question… Would the 30 year old go back?

susanna

Please put a link to the apartment;

I am in Paris now, another wonderful apartment from XXX, I always fear what just happened to you; i,m off to see the same exhibit at the Hotel de Ville right now,

sorry so many mistakes, french keyboard, never could find an apostrophy

Nikki

More, more!

Samsaf

I'm looking forward to the rest of your report. My first Paris trip will be in October, and I can't wait!

Were the website pictures of the apartment accurate, and it just wasn't very noticeable until you were actually there, or were the pictures totally inaccurate? We're renting an apartment for our trip, and I've been worried about the same thing happening to us re the apartment.

Images2

Thanks so much for reporting!

Celiaanne

Please, please post the VRBO ASAP. You probably have many fodorites holding their breaths!

kerouac

<i> french keyboard, never could find an apostrophy </i>

The apostrophe is under the 4.

gracejoan3

There is so much available and easy to find on the internet. I am always amazed how many people just do not take the time to look for information. Here is a site to print out an &quot;AZERTY&quot; keyboard:

http://www.forlang.wsu.edu/help/kfrench.asp

VRBO apartment information should be easy to get. I have never had a problem. You have the contact with the owner..can ask for additional pictures, etc. If they are NOT cooperative with the information and/or pictures that you want...then look at another one!
Also, by posting the VRBO # you may get input from others.

The forums can be helpful...........

susanna

Thank you for the ' and the keyboard.

susanna

oops, got posted too soon, ment to say :
another great apartment from parisvacationapartments.com

djsteach

The Apt. was VRBO 37031. I did get additional pictures directly from the owner's web site. I didn't think to ask about the toilet and there weren't any pictures of it. We did ask lots of ?'s of the owner and she answered them. It is a very quirky apt. and I think that the communication between us was somewhat compromised because her written English wasn't accurate enough to totally answer our ?s.

swisshiker

Hello djsteach

<i>&quot;We slowly accepted our situation, adjusted our expectations and did a lot of laughing. After all we were in PARIS! &quot;</i>

That's the best attitude! Sometimes you've just got to suck it up and move on. Sounds like that's what you did. Good for you! We've also had apartments that weren't as shown on the websites (renamed the dungeon, the bomb shelter), yet looking back, the trips were wonderful!

Hoping to hear your daughter had a grand birthday!!

Intex

I needed to rent an apt for 2 weeks for a member of the family that was going to spend alot of time in Paris with others that had a large apt there, but didn't want to sleep with them. I found something that looked extremely nice in the photos, until I found out it was 100 Sq. Feet.

I am sending someone to take a look next week, as I am very curious how they can fit a bathroom, kitchen and sofa bed into 100 sq. feet, and still look as nice as the pixs. Who knows it might be OK just to sleep in.?

Christina

I would not rent an apt. that said it was 100 SF if that is really accurate. It doesn't sound like it could even be legal, I'll admit, for an apt. to be that size. That is only 9 square meters, and it smaller than the minimum size allowed by the French govt. for a 3* hotel room, for example. It is about the minimum allowed size, legally, for a 2* hotel room (which is 9 m2). If you've been in a 2* hotel, can you imagine the smallest possible double room in a Parisian hotel, and then try to figure out how to add a kitchen to that? I guess if the sofa bed were closed, and the kitchenette is just the size of a small minibar frig and maybe a very small sink, on the side of one wall. Well, at least you have someone to look at it, that helps.

If I just wanted a place to crash as the people I was hanging out with had a large apt., I'd just book a room in a decent 2* hotel as close to them as possible.

Photobear

I would not have liked that toilet...I'm 5'10 and Hubby is 6'2

I agree the pics look ok but I guess you can never know for sure.