We are looking for apartments in the 7th and have found a few that we like...

The one we found with a KING bed (a big plus) has no washer/dryer... The ones with Doubles or queens sometimes do have washer/dryer but are more expensive.

Would you pay more for a washer/dryer or just go to the laundromat? Would it be easy to find a coin operated place in the 7th? Are the machines easy to use? Or would you definately need a washer at the apartment?

We are going to be in an apartment for 12 to 14 days then going around northern France for a week either before or after the weeks in Paris...

Another question, we plan to arrive mid-October for 3 weeks...Would you do Paris first then lug your souvies around for the last week or tour northern France first for a week then 2 weeks in Paris then home????

So may options, so little time...

We also prefer a king sized bed, but will gladly trade to a queen in order to have the washing machine. It is so much easier and more convenient to be able to do the laundry at your apartment then to spend the time and energy out looking for a laundromat and to have to sit there while your clothes are washing.

Cher ami acadien:

The washing machine is the greatest invention of the 2oth century and access to a washing machine is the most sublime luxury that apartment-renting affords. It really allows you to pack so much less!

You probably do not need a drier, as European machines do such a good job of spinning the clothes.

We generally leave Paris as our last stop as we tend to shop more in Paris and then don't have to carry everything around with us.
We would opt for the queen sized bed and washer/dryer. Most hotels in France, at least the three stars we usually stay at, do not have king sized beds. By the end of our stay we're quite used to the queen and the convenience of the washer is worth it to us....saves time we'd rather spend doing something else.

We used a coin-op laundry in the 7th, so yes, there is one. But is took a half a day of valuable Paris time---you can't just put the clothes in a go do something else. So if you can get an apartment with a washer/dryer, I would definitely recommend that. They are a little tricky to figure out. . . . see if they will provide instructions. The one we had in Chamonix had no instructions, just symbols, not all of which were decipherable. We did end up with wash cycles and clean clothes by guessing.

Photobear, we rented two houses without washers. Never again. As enzian points out, you end up spending time looking for a laundry and then have to hang around waiting for it to be finished.

Good hunting. I hope you find the perfect place.

Anselm

We rented an apt with a washer/dryer in the 7th, had a king bed, but it might be considered expensive..www.Parisperfect.com ( Pomerol)

When we stay in hotels and need laundry done, we take it to a dry cleaner on rue de Seine in the 6th..

Depends on the conditions. If you have kids I would definitely do it. For adults - I would just bring enough clothes for the trip - I mean we don;t play in the dirt or spill things on ourselves nearly as often - so don;t need several changes per day.

No, just me and Hubby but I don;t think I can really pack 3 weeks worth of clothes and still be able to handle my own luggage as that is the condition my Darling Hubbay has placed on this trip...

It's easy to find a laundromat (use the http://pagesjaunes.fr and search for laverie) in the 75007 district. I think they are reasonably easy to use. Perhaps you can find a laundromat where the proprietor will do it for you, which will solve the time issue.

That said, it would be easier to just use the inside washing machine.

My husband reminds me that there is a large laundromat Rue de Grenelle and Rue Valadon..

I would pay more for a washer and dryer and have done so.
Do realize that most apts in Paris have a combo so it takes awhile to do your laundry. Laundry is also expensive in Paris v. US assuming you are American.
Some apts charge extra for utilites so check that out too. Its very personal and depends on your budget.

Uh-oh, I'm going to post the contrarian view here. I think it all boils down to the convenience of an en suite washer vs. the convenience of sleeping in larger bed. For me, it's no contest, I'd choose the larger bed every time. We've used two self-serve launderies in the 7th and consider it a cultural experience.

Oh no!!!!

One of the apartments we liked had a DOUBLE...not for us....Too bad as I loved the apartment as it had a nice view but I just can't go from a King at home to a DOUBLE..No way...

I guess we will continue looking.

I would go queen bed and a washing machine. We normally sleep in a King. We managed perfectly well at the Paris Perfect apt and used the washer quite a bit. I wouldn;t do double though, but most surely would have queens?

I don't mind the laundromat. You can do all your laundry at one time, not stretched out over several days or all day doing several loads. We sometimes get coffees from a cafe across the street, or catch up on journal writing and invariably meet some people and enjoy the social interaction.

Sure it's nice to have a washer and dryer in the apartment, but it's not a deal breaker for me if it doesn't have one. Especially if it ends up being one of those horrible washer and dryer all in one or a dryer that takes four hours to get your clothes just to the damp stage.

Hi Photobear, if you click on the thread "Cooking with strangers..." you will see an apartment in Paris that has a Queen size bed and a washer. Thought that might interest you.

There are several laundromats in the 7th. The last one I used was just a block or two south of Rue Granelle off of Rue Cler.

I like them because you can do one or two loads rather quickly since the machines are big, and the dryers do NOT mess around -- they run VERY hot, so stuff is dry in about 30 minutes.

I have left my clothes in a machin at that laundromat and gone down the street to the Post Office and back, and had no problems. My husband did the laundry another time and found it fun because he met a family and a little girl who wanted to practice her English on him while he practiced his French with her -- just one of those good things about doing "every day" chores with the people you've traveled to see.

Happy travels,

jules

..please, what is this laundry obcession. I can pack for weeks and do a minimum of laundry so a machine is not an issue..undies and T shirts in a sink. I pack dark colored trousers and spring for dry cleaning if necessary. I travellled in Europe for 4 month doing this and I sont thin I offended anyoen upwind from me! I must also admit I lived in Europe. This did not change my obsession with soap and water (my SO did often tease me), but rather I just was more selective.

..whoops, I dont know what happened with the spelling. I corrected it and then the computer gremlins sent my first draft (and thank goodness I don't have to type for a living...)