Paris apartment help
 

Hello,
We are a family of 4 (19 and 16 yo daughters) traveling to Europe in July. We will be ending our trip with 8 nights in Paris. I have just started looking for places, and these are the ones I like so far. We want a place with 3 beds (not including a pullout if possible). These places all look fairly central, but I'm not familiar with Paris neighborhoods and if there are areas that might not be best suited for a family. I understand that all big cities, and small ones too, have their issues, and that Paris is in general a safe city. That being said, are any of these places in an area that you would be hesitant to recommend to a family. Trying to keep the price around $3500 USD or less for the 8 nights. If there's anything I left out, please let me know. Thank you for the help. ~Robert

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/1026329...qNL1%2FAEBFVcb

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/3949895...xKO7UDsbMhE5vz

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/2821916...7ppyZgWET0OX5u

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/1862480...825ZhrHdre9LUQ

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/7851399...bSJBjTB7ANahDi

Since I have better things to do than click on links like this, I would have preferred a mention of the location and any extra or missing amenities.

Having nothing better to do and loving perusing Paris apartments, I clicked on your links. I did not read all the details, mostly looked at photos and location. They all seem to meet your needs and are all in good locations. #3 has no comfortable seating for 4 people. Boards on bricks? Really? My favorite by far is #4, Odeon. By far the most central. I have stayed in that area and loved it. Good Metro connections and walkable to many classic sights in Paris. #5 is so cluttered I would have no rest! I hope you and your family have a lovely time in my favorite city!

None are horrible
 

but I'd be enticed by having two bathrooms, so #3 would go to the top of my list. #4 features a sofa bed which you prefer to avoid. Agree that #5 looks a bit cluttered.

Yes, I agree with gomiki. The one in St Germain-Odeon is a great location! It will be crowded but that's because it is in a central location -- walking distance everywhere. We always stay in St. Germain. Walk further into the 6th and 7th arrondissement and you will find charming, less crowded neighborhoods.

I also like this part of Marais: Montorgueil Marais (David's apartment.)

But I would go with the one in St. Germain (and hope they hung some art on the walls.) :)

I have the one in Odeon bookmarked myself as a future possibility. I love that area.

I guess being in St Germain area in July would not be my preference. We have rented apts on the right bank mainly in the haut Marais for many years and even though it’s still touristy it feels a bit less crazy. I do agree that 2 bathrooms for 4 people would probably be ideal.

Since I am suffering from insomnia I have lots of time. I like the last one. I am a sucker for rooftop views of Paris. I do not like the apt with bricks, that is a little strange for me. I hope your family has a great time.

Hi rmoore926,
I agree that having 2 bathrooms will be important to relaxing and enjoying your vacation. But I've never been tempted to stay in the 6th (Odeon), as it's too crowded and frenetic for me. But it might be perfect for your daughters...

If it were me, I would stay in #2 with a great location near/on Rue Montorgueil, a wonderful shopping street. Because I prefer to take busses over the metro, and because I like to avoid making connections, I usually stay near the river (tons of busses run by the river out to all points of the city).

If your daughters are neutral about being near the Latin Quarter, I'd go with #5 (but check the bus situation, if you'd like to take them occasionally). But for transportation and for your daughters, I guess the Odeon one would fit best.

Have fun as you plan!

s

Just to clarify, #4 does have two bedrooms, plus a sofa bed, and two bathrooms, one with a tub/shower in the ensuite and one with a shower. Agree with Irice about the art!

One thing I did not look for is A/C. You may want that as Paris has had some very hot summers.

Thank you for taking the time to check out the places we're looking at - glad you had nothing better to do. I agree that #4 isn't very welcoming - too plain. I appreciate your comments. It gives us a lot to think about.

Go nothing-better team! The OP will already be fully relaxed before arriving with all responsibility removed. We all know that the actual apartment is far more important than the city itself, especially the number of bathrooms. Keep up the good work.

kerouac - I thought the purpose of the forum was for people with less expertise in a place to ask those who are more knowledgeable. That's all I'm doing. I am in no way giving up my responsibility. In fact, I think I'm doing quiet to opposite. This trip is one in which my teen daughters will be traveling abroad for the first time. I feel a tremendous amount of responsibility, not only for their safety while we travel, but in some ways to make sure they have an enjoyable trip as well. My post doesn't ask about specific attractions in the city, and please don't think that all we are going to do is stay inside whichever apartment we choose (perhaps with the guidance of helpful posters on the forum). It has been over 20 years since my last visit to Europe and many things have changed. I truly appreciate the help and knowledge of those willing to take time away from their day/work/family/responsibilities to help me and others with valid questions.

Rmoore, my remark about your search for an apartment concerns your lack of active participation. Just throwing down 5 links that you have presumably investigated without any accompanying comments give no information on what is important to you other than "appropriate area for a family." Some of the things you might have said would be things like "the kitchen and bathroom seem a bit cramped," "this one seems a bit farther from the center than the others," "the furniture looks like crap," "there doesn't appear to be a decent view," or any hundred or so other things that one might see on these apartment sites. You seem to be relying on the opinions of people who don't know anything about you or your family about which we know nothing other than the ages of your daughters. What are they interested in? What are you interested in? Do you plan to prepare some of your meals in the apartment or will you be eating out almost all of the time? That's the sort of thing that counts when you are staying in an apartment.

Believe me, we have seen it all here, including the people who post things like "I'm thinking of going to Paris. Is there anything to see there or anything good to eat? We might spend 3 days or are 2 days enough to see everything?"

I will now give my own opinion, which some people here find controversial: do not stay in a central area. If it were a 3-day stay, that would make sense. But if you are staying 8 days, you have much more time to get a feel of the city and its different neighborhoods. If you stay in the center, you will be exactly where all of the things that you will see in the first 2 or 3 days are already located. Do you need to see them over and over again? Part of the adventure of Paris is taking the metro or buses to a multitude of places and discovering things that nobody told you about, not having everything in "walking distance." That's for people over the age of 75.

kerouac - Thank you for the reply and ideas. I didn't include the fact that we want to make meals and would like a functioning kitchen because that is something that I have looked for in the places I saved and asked about. We currently only have one shower/bath in our house now, so for me that was not a concern either. Maybe I should have made that more clear. Being that this is our girls' first trip to Paris we will want to see all the major tourist sights (Louvre, D'Orsay, Arc de Triomphe, Eiffel Tower, etc). I thought I would reserve posting about best practices for those spots in another post. As mentioned in my original post, I was mostly concerned with the locations of the apartments, and anything that I may have overlooked (some mentioned seating in one of the apartments, and others pointed out the number of baths). Thanks for the suggestion of not staying the most central location. Your suggestions gives us something to think about in that regard as well. We're not over 75, so I think a little walking/discovering and exploring is something we may enjoy.

I would narrow down your choices to the Germain- Odeon and Marais, due to their locations.

I don't think anyone knows how you would feel because I would have to be forced to stay in Paris around the Odeon metro, I detest that location. There are hordes of tourists hanging around that location, all the time. I mean sometimes you can't even walk down the sidewalk hardly. It's not even that scenic right there. That apt is right on the corner overlooking HSBC and in front of that area where the metro stop is. I would think it would be terribly noisy.
Is it central? sure, and it won't be far to the tourist things in the center.

YOu can just look at where they are on a map. The center of Paris is Notre Dame. I think that Odeon one is the most central and a couple others say they are around Reqpublique, etc. and the last one is inbetween Strasbourg-St Denis metro and Gare du Nord, I guess. I think that one said it did not have a smoke alarm or carbon monoxide monitor, so I wouldn't even consider that. I am shocked by that, I would think that is possibly illegal for anyone renting apts to not have at least a smoke alarm in them. It would be where I live, homes have to have them.

The second (Oh's near Rep) and the last ones do not have even a smoke alarm. I don't get it, they aren't that expensive. I would not stay in such a place myself, I think that refflects something, as well as being dangerous.

Tough call but you may be in the group that likes Odeon but I personally think that apt. looked really uncomfortable in terms of furniture. I think the one that says Montorgueil/Marais looked nice. One said it was only a few meters from Republique metro station, no thanks. I wouldn't want to be a few meters from any metro station entrance, I don't think. I do stay at a hotel in Paris that has a metro station entrance (not a real busy one) across the street and down one building, but even across the street is more than a few meters.

I don't think any of them is in the Marais, not that I could see.

The word air conditioning was crossed out on all of them. Does that mean no AC in July?

I agree, an apartment with a family is ideal. With one bathroom, having your coffee, and breakfast onsite while everyone gets ready saves a lot of time in the morning.

We love the 6th and the Marais, is also terrific. But, I did notice none of your options have air conditioning. That concerns me, with the recent horrendous European heat waves. But A/C is a rare feature in an apartment rental. Since your windows are likely be open all of the time, maybe an apartment out of the crowded tourist areas would be more restful at night.

It sounds like a fantastic trip!

good catch
 

didn't even notice the lack of AC on the listings. Having been caught in summer heat waves in Paris a couple times, I would not book a place in July or August that does not have AC.

Funny - the first time I took teenage daughters to Paris, we stayed in St Germain in June. Both girls loved Paris but the neighborhood was overly crowded for one whereas the other went back two years later and rented her own apartment right in the middle of it all!

So excited for your daughters! Such an amazing opportunity!

Many people go over and over again to places they already know, a sort of psychological safe haven ("I know where the chocolate is located in that supermarket.").

Interesting story: we stayed at St. Germain in June the first time I travelled to Paris with adolescent girls. Both girls adored Paris, but one found the area to be too busy, while the other returned two years later and rented a private apartment in the heart of it all!

I am so happy for your daughters! Such a wonderful chance!

Thanks for the continued suggestions. It seems like ac isn't easy to find in Paris, and might be a premium if we do find a place we like with it. We are from Southern California where temps can reach over 100 in the summer during the day and only cool to the low-mid 80's at night. We're used to heat, but don't love it. Certainly something to think about. I appreciate your help.

I used to stay in Paris in July a lot, even went to school there 3-4 summers in July, and my typical hotel at that time did not have AC. I was fine, bearable, once in a while it might be fairly hot a day or two but overall fine. And I don't think my hotels or apts or dorm rooms ever had AC, of course. That has changed due to global warming. I wouldn't consider staying in Paris in July now without AC.

I noted some of the comments on the Odeon one talked about how very noisy it could be. It is apparently only on the 2nd floor (3rd US), and one person said the main bedroom overlooked that corner metro stop and was intolerable due to noise. Others comment on the noise but say they could live with it. A couple said it was unbearable..One commented on how the windows had double glazing (helps a bit, but on second floor and that location, it's not going to be quiet), but in the summer without AC you'd have to open them, although if it is a dead heat, that won't help, and that person said it was terribly noisy with them open. It is right next to the UGC cinema where I go occasionally and near some clubs, etc, it will be noisy. One guy went into detail about all the noise problems and said it was the worst apt rental he'd ever had in Paris.

YMMV as they say, some people may have a very loud noise tolerance.

I used to like St Germain also many years ago. It's really changed.

Christina - thanks. I don't love that apartment. It's so plain and unwelcoming. I know that may have changed, but wouldn't you put new pics up if it did? I think we'd like something relatively central since it's the girls first time, but a little less crowded/noisy might be better.

My youngest daughter and I were looking at places and I was telling her I want a place that looks homey (for lack of a better word). That Odeon place doesn't "look homey" to me. Too cold. Everyone's opinion differs, but I think I'd like a place with a little more charm. I like the looks of the first one, David's place in the Marais. Still looking and deciding...........

If it's hot and you don't have a/c, then it is especially important you are not on a noisy street. You will keep your windows open and be subject to the noise even very late at night.

I would not consider going without a/c in the summer in Paris.

I have done breakfast in a hotel room just by buying fresh fruit, cheese and bread. You don't need a whole kitchen for that. White peaches in summer are a delight, generally far better than what we get back home.

If most places do not have air conditioning, it does not mean that it is a poor backward country which sometimes seems to be implied here. It just means that we locals do not consider it necessary. I actually have an air conditioner in one room, and I turn it on from 3 to 10 days a year.

Since I live in a 200 year old building, opening the windows when it is hot is the very last thing that I would do. Old buildings stay considerbly cooler inside if you don't let the hot air in from outdoors.

Hi rmoore926, I looked at the precise location map and would prefer number 4 for the best location. As a tourist, I want my hotel to be easy to get to. Need to drop off some stuff? End of the day? I want an easy, cheap commute back.

Querulous kerouac, good to know that AC not needed often.

Edited to add that the last one actually looks occupied.

Having stayed in Paris during that heat wave when many people died, I would be reluctant to book a place without AC. I realize I may be being overly sensitive about this but we were miserably warm even though we were in an older building.

The great heat wave was in August 2003, 20 years ago.

2003 was the last time I was in Europe. My wife and I traveled there before we started our family. I remember that well. To be honest, I do not remember if the places we stayed had ac. Since we stayed in hotels and not rented apartments I would assume that most did.

shelemm - when it cools down at night having the windows open will be a great way to cool down, and yes, we don't want to be in a noisy area in that case.

rmoore,
it sounds like you have done a great job weighing all the factors involved in the choice. I know when travel we always have a long list of preferences, but then that darn, annoying budget makes us pare down to what is the most important. It sounds like you have dealt with the heat in California, so that is not as challenging to you. Chances are, your weather will be fine.It is just always good to have as much information as possible. Again, the windows open or closed, it could be a factor in whether to pick a quieter area or not.

kerouac, an article for you. Last year, June 18, 2022 in Paris, 97 degrees Fahrenheit, not the record, but I would consider that unpleasant, and June 2022 was the hottest June on record
https://www.france24.com/en/france/2...-june-heatwave

coral22 - We're trying our best. This is a 24 day trip ending in Paris. Yes, that pesky budget continues to get in the way! Looked up average temps and see they are about 80F during the day and 60F at night. That's a nice cool summer day where we are. Just because we live in the heat doesn't me we like it! Just used to it. Thanks for the help.

Yes, coral, we had a few unpleasant days, but it was not a heat wave. In the French definition, a heat wave is a period of at least 3 days when the temperature reaches at least 30° during the day and does not go below 20° at night. This did not happen in Paris last year. Hot days are not a problem since there are always solutions for that. People worry about hot nights, and the temperature went down enough at night.

The first thing I noticed was the lack of A/C in all of the apartments, and your time of visit . . . generally very warm, if not hot in Paris then. But if you aren't menopausal or sensitive to heat, just remember, heat rises. So the higher the floor, the hotter it will be. And stickier because it can be quite humid.

Look for a place on a lower floor with a cross-wind (like a corner unit).

I have to tell you, the hotel we've stayed at in the 14th since 1984 with the 2 bathrooms (a must!) finally got A/C in 1994 and it made all the difference in the world . . . especially THAT summer when there was a major heat wave across Europe. And even worse in July of 2003 (yes, we go often). Some years, it was muggy and a few times even chilly, and we didn't need it at all.

And even though I'm from L.A. where it's been known to get very warm in summer, there's a huge difference between a dry heat and a wet heat.

Assuming on a lower floor, I like #4 best.

We were there during that time, it was awful! I thought it was over 100 degrees. We are used to hot weather since we live in a tropical island but the heat those two days was awful!

Moore926, I forgot to mention, I like apt number six because I like the location and it is close to a lot of metro stations even though It is a little too cluttered for me.

Okay, I finally clicked on the link of the apartment that people are claiming is too cluttered. That is exactly the sort of place that appeals to me since it is lived in and doesn't look like an antiseptic showroom in a furniture store.

I would probably choose the last one because of the rooftop view, Parisian rooftops are best enjoyed with a cup of ice-cold coffee in the summer, that's just me. Others have also pointed out the lack of AC and the weather in July can go up to 26°C which is still bearable for me coming from a country with this usual weather.

I don't think Montorgueil is considered part of Marais, but it is the most central of all the apartments listed.