Paris Apt Rental
 

Hi!
We are a family of 4 ( 2 adults 2 children) that will travel to Europe next summer. 1st stop is Paris. We want to rent an apartment. I am getting overwhelmed with the choices etc. Also, do you really not need Air conditioning in July?
Thanks in advance for any advice or help.

Lisa

I'm going next month and am using Vacation in Paris: http://www.vacationinparis.com/index.html

They have a wide selection, are highly recommended on several internet travel forums, and are U.S. based so you handle all arrangements in U.S. dollars before leaving.

So far, everything has gone very smoothly - I'll report back on my stay and the apartment when I return in November.

Have you selected a neighborhood you prefer, at least?

I would not rent an apartment in Paris without a/c in July!

Hi John,
Thank you for your reply. I think I have it narrowed down to a couple of areas. (I could change my mind !)
I will be anxious to hear your report when you get back.
Have a great trip...
Lisa

OP: Have you been to Paris before?

What kind of enening do you prefer?

How old are the children?

Please share your chosen areas for us to comment on.

If you're like me, then absolutely you want an apartment with a/c in July in Paris. I don't need it so I stay inside in the cold all day, it's more for the peace of mind that I have someplace to escape the heat if I need to. I sleep better when I'm cool, and I don't want to waste a minute of Paris time sleeping more than absolutely necessary! :)

I've rented places from Vacation in Paris since 2006 and would probably rent from them again because I prefer to stay in an apartment versus a hotel when in Paris. I've been disappointed by the fact that some of the amenities I pay for don't work when I get there, despite reassurances from the office in New Jersey that they will. We lost a whole refrigerator's worth of food when the refrigerator quit. Calls to the local manager went unanswered until Monday morning, and very expensive mobile phone calls to the New Jersey office on a Saturday didn't accomplish anything. My experience is that while I pay more for an apartment with specific amenities, neither VIP nor the owners take responsibility for things that don't work, yet I still pay (in advance) as if they did, and I don't like that.

YMMV

We have rented from Cooper Paris Flats 4 times and can recommend them. Glenn Cooper lives in Paris and is responsive to any problems that arise (not that we've had many).

Whether an apartment is right for you depends on many factors: how familiar you are with life in France, how old are the children, do you plan to cook and eat in a lot, how do you plan to get around town, etc. Many have washer/dryers and that can be very handy for an extended trip (although quite unlike the kind you find in the US).

An apartment is not like a hotel at all, but is much more interesting.

Mr Canuck and I spent 2 1/2 summers in Paris and managed to get by without air conditioning in our apartment (and I had no a/c at work, either). I was worried about it at first, because, as you can tell from my FT name, I'm Canadian and more accustomed to moderate temperatures than hot temperatures.

It was very hot from time to time, but I quickly realized that, although a/c makes things easier, it's not essential in Paris. I simply adjusted to the temperature by taking a few steps to keep cool. A cool shower in the morning (actually warm to start and as cold as I could stand it at the end), when I got home from work and before bed if necessary make a huge difference. A few strategically placed fans make it possible to sleep. Open the windows and close the blinds when the sun is shining directly through.

I also found that because I wasn't moving back and forth between super-cold, air conditioned environments to hot environments (because there is very little a/c in France), my sense of the temperature and adjustment to hotter temperatures was much easier than I expected.

The bottom line is that, while I think you may want to consider the availability of a/c in deciding which apartment to choose: 1) don't let a lack of a/c be the deciding factor in your search (but do ask about cross-ventilation and availability of fans); and 2) if you choose an apartment that is advertised as having a/c, don't expect super-cool temperatures. The a/c unit will take the edge off the heat but it's likely to be a room unit that doesn't produce an environment anything like what you would expect to have in the US.

Also, pay attention to how hight up the apartment is on and don't rent a top-floor apartment. A romantic garret overlooking the rooftops? Bad idea in July.

I also wanted to add that during our sojourn in Paris (2005, 2006 and 2007 to July 20), late June and the first half of July were much hotter than late July and August. On the other hand, I think 2004 was consistently hot through the whole summer.

Also, if you have any choice about the timing of your trip, keep in mind that Paris Plage (if they hold again in 2009 - they probably will) runs for about the last 10 days or so in July through the first three weeks in August. Going to Paris Plage, where they convert part of the banks of the Seine into a beach - with beachy amusements - might be fun for all of you.

Get the a/c
 

Hi,
I don't have experience renting apartments in Paris, but I did live there for almost 20 years until last year. During all that time, the summers gradually got hotter and hotter, a trend that is not going away. In 1990 people made fun of air-conditioning and few stores and restaurants had it. Now most commercial places have seen the light, luckily. It still amazes me that small stuffy boutiques selling clothes will often not have a/c. Sometimes it's so hot in them you just have to leave.

A large high-ceilinged apartment in a stone building will not need air-conditioning at night even in the heatwave, but you might still need a fan. The problem is that most Paris apartments aren't like this. If the rentals don't have high ceilings or if they are high up, they are going to be HOT even at night if Paris has a heat wave. The heat is highest in July and August, historically worst in August.

If I were you, I'd insist on a/c. Maybe you'll be lucky and get a cool rainy summer!

THanks for all the help. We do have our flights which are July 7 - 15th. (leaving on the 15th for Rome!) so I think we will miss the Paris Plage...
I will still check into it to make sure.
Thanks again,
Lisa

parigot:

You are correct!

A family with 2 kids should try to get A/C. As you mentioned, a large high-ceilinged apartment may not need A/C.
I have not stayed in an apartment, but have stayed in a hotel off St. Honore in the last floor during summer. It was very, very hot. To hot to have a good sleep.

Hi
Thanks for the questions.....Our children are 13,(boy) and 7,(girl).
This is our first time to Paris. (We did make some stops in France on a cruise last summer :) .....
The evenings....I would say, walking to cafe's (or collapsing after a busy day!), or doing whatever the locals do in the area we are in.
We have found an apartment I really like on vacationsinparis.com (Thanks to the recommendations here!) and am waiting on a response from them.
We do want to spend the last couple of days at Disneyland Paris. (most likely will stay onsite there?).
Thanks,
Lisa

I lived in Paris during the summers of 2002-2004. 2003 was the only one I'd classify as hot - and it was really just August that was bad. The other two summers had a couple of uncomfortable nights, but all-in-all, they were quite nice with a fan or two (and you must acquire the fans before it gets hot - they'll all be sold out once the heat hits).

We had up to 30 expats in Paris from 2001-2005, and while we had some rather nice apartments, not one of them had A/C. The OP will be hard-pressed to find A/C except at a hotel or businesses - and even then, it won't do a lot of good on the hottest days.

My experience with air conditioning in vacation rental apartments in Paris is that they will have a small, individual room air conditioning unit, usually on wheels that is intended to cool a small area. It helps bring the temperature down a bit in the room where it is operating.