Opaldog, I'm the one who risked her sanity ;-), what little I have left that is, and gave you the URL of our rental on Ave. des Gobelins next week.

I've just been riding older posts (Nikki's trip report from February), and saw your references to the apartment that both of you rented near the Bastille. For a future trip, it sounds nice, and in our neighborhood of choice (which we couldn't book at such a late date for this upcoming trip).

Would you please give me more info, owner, location, website, price etc.. especially any pros and cons. Would you stay there again Opaldog, even though you mentioned considering another neighborhood for a future trip?

We leave for Paris on Wednesday ;-) ;-) ;-) - so I hope either of you sees this and responds before then - otherwise I'll check in October when I return (in case you respond and I don't acknowledge right away).

Nina

Whoooops I made that sound as if Opaldog and Seamus rented the apartment at the same time ... now that would be a real Fodor Paris GTG!

Nina

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Nina66, the apartment you are asking about has a website; www.paris-vacation-rental.com The owner's contact information is on the website. He is very easy to do business with. He lives in Vermont and we had telephone contact more than once while doing business. I also paid in advance by check in dollars. We were actually able to get it for only 4 nights because it was during the winter, but it is usually rented for a minimum of 1 week. The owner also has another apartment on Ile St. Louis which is listed on the same website. The apartment is located near the corner of Rue Mornay and Blvd. Bourdan which runs along the beginning of the Canal St. Martin down by the River Seine. It is about 2 blocks south of the Bastille, 4 blocks east of Ile St. Louis. In otherwords, a great location. The view is very nice. I would stay there again, but don't know if I could as my next trip to Paris is for 5 nights. I also try to move around a bit even if it is only within the Marais. Have a wonderful trip.

Opaldog, all I can say is OH MY GAWD - those views. The location is excellent as is the affordable rent. Thank you for sharing this info. I know that it is risky to give info on an already popular property. It lessens your chances to rent it again.

It looks cheerful inside and a washer/dryer to boot.

We have stayed in many areas, but the Bastille and St. Louis areas remain our favorites.

His St. Louis apartment is way above our budget, but who knows, maybe we will hit the lottery by our next trip ;-)

Again, thank you so much and enjoy your stay in the apartment.

Nina

Iles St. Louis does have the most expensive real estate in Paris, or so I have been told.

You've got that right Ronda. We've stayed in various hotels there and in one apartment. The main street can be very noisy late at night, bar crowd, but it is so lovely to be right there in the middle of the Seine. It is indeed a priviledged location.

WHEN, (not if) I win the lottery, that's where I'll be buying an apartment - maybe next door to the Rothchild compound ;-)

Nina

The 4th doesn't have the most expensive real estate in Paris, St Germain does. The 4th is second in cost per m2, on average, and the 7th is just a bit behind the 4th. The 6th has been the most expensive for quite a few years, as I recall, ever since I started reading the survey they put out on real estate sales (the Chambre des Notaires does this regularly in Paris and it's often published in the paper). It think they just published it today in the financial newspaper, Les Echos. Often, the 7th is a little ahead of the 4th, but the 6th is usually first.

Are you talking about the 4th in general? Ronda and I were talking about St. Louis specifically.

Nina

I too have often seen quotes saying that Ile St.Louis is the most expensive real estate in Paris. Of course it's only part of the 4th. . .

Sorry, Nina, I jut saw your post, but Opaldog has given you the scoop you need to get in touch with the owner in Vermont. The location is great - we found it most enjoyable and easy to use as a base for touristic activities, and we were touring my niece on her first visit to Paris.
When you call, give the owner my greetings from Texas!

I sure will Seamus, although it may be awhile. We leave Thursday for our 2005 trip.

Thanks for the info.

Nina

Opaldog or Seamus - I noticed that neither of you said anything about the apartment itself, just the location. On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate the apartment?

Nina

10 being luxurious and 1 being squallor, I would have to say a 7. The furniture could use an update, although the bed was very comfortable. It was a murphy bed and it was easy to use and the mattress was very thick. The carpeting was in need of cleaning, but the bathroom and kitchen were clean and updated. The terraces were a 10. The view was a 10. The location was good also, although I don't think I can rate it, because everything is relative. I like that area so I would give it a high score. The building was new so you don't have anything old, historic, or quaint, but it did have elevators and you are on the top floor so that is helpful. It was directly across the street form what turned out to be an RATP cafeteria, so during the week the RATP workers were using the street and on weekends, it was quiet. You were steps away from a footbridge across the Canal St. Martin. There were plenty of old buildings and small narrow streets off of rue St. Antoine to explore. The Bastille was a few blocks away (as I said before). I would recommend the apartment for the view, ease of doing business and reliability, the location, and the apartment itself, in that order.

I'm curious as I'm usually not keen on a studio where you have to make up the bed each night. I looked at that apartment, and was thrown by the idea of having to move the dining table and chairs every night to lower the bed. Where do those chairs and table go -- it hardly seems enough room now? Do you create an obstacle course to get to the bathroom at night?

Patrick - Though I would not liken this flat to a football field in terms of area, the dining table simply slid to what became the foot of the bed when it was opened, and there was room to passs without an obstacle course. It's not something to nominate for an ASID award but it is very functional and comfortable. The murphy bed itself, as Opaldog noted, was quite comfortable and there was ample room for storing things on shelves inside the cabinet that holds the bed, along with a <<placard>> cabinet/closet in the hallway to stash suitcases or other bulky items.
There is also the other room - shaded on the floor plan because the part under the sloping mansard by law cannot be counted in the floor space calculation - which holds a quite comfortable trundle bed, and though it has no windows my niece found it just fine for sleeping. The owner told me that when he and his wife are there they use this room to sleep.
It is a modern building, thus lacks the "charm" of older edifices, but it also lacks the annoying quirks. The location is probably the best selling point, as it is in a quiet area - even when the RATP cafeteria is operating, as we never heard anything from there - out of the tourist maelstrom but within easy reach of transportation and commodities (grocery, bakery, brasserie.) Overall, I'd rank it as the equal of a decent three star hotel or low end four star.
I really should stop praising this property, or it won't be available the next time I want it!

Thanks again Opaldog and Seamus. We know and love that area and so that is a 10 right off the bat. The apartment sounds good too. We have a murphy bed just like that one, with a thick mattress in our guest bedroom/office. It is extremely comfortable, and very easy to put up and down. Maybe the owner will read these posts and spruce the apartment up a bit, but all in all what you both have said about it, makes it sound desireable.

It's funny that we want to share our 'finds' but are afraid that others will jump on them, and we will be looking elsewhere for our next apartment. It's nice to share, but soooo tempting to keep things like this to ourselves.

The apartment that we are renting this trip, also has the same bed, a double bed, which I wish was a queen size.

I pushed, and you both came through with flying colors.

Thanks again.

Nina