While celebrating getaways this month, we've featured the highs and lows of vacation rental style. Luckily, here's another one for the "high" column. Of course, the decor is just icing on the cake considering each of these six apartments are located located in the heart of Paris. So, get out your Breton stripes and experience Paris like a Parisian!
I've mentioned my preference for vacation rentals before as they allow those visiting for an extended stay to experience their destination like a local. So, I have to thank CasaSugar for posting the beautiful Cecile Apartments. These are definitely bookmarked for my next (and first) visit to Paris!
The Cecile Apartments are named after their owner who has painstakingly remodeled each apartment herself with beautiful furniture and elegant details. They are located in the neighborhoods of St. Germain and Le Marais and are available in one and two bedroom apartments. Prices start from under $200 a night (if booking for a week) for the one bedroom units.
To see more of these gorgeous apartments, visit Cecile Apartments.
Images: Cecile Apartments">Cecile Apartments; found via CasaSugar.
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Renting an apartment is the best way to go! Every time we've been to Paris, we've gone this route and have had great experiences doing it this way. Aside from the savings, we like that we can rise at our leisure, and having a place to prepare and store food, allows us to have a small breakfast, maybe pack a snack or two before we head out for the day.
It also gave us a place to "decompress" in the afternoon, have a glass of wine or snack before heading out for the evening.
Some suggestions: get a place close to the action, the metro, and a decent grocery shop. WiFi/computer access is also a plus. We brought a laptop and used it to check train schedules, map out routes, find info on museums, various events, etc, and save ourselves a ton of time by not getting lost or trying to suss out what we wanted to see/do.
does anyone know a source for those trunks used as coffee tables?!
Paris has a housing shortage - such rentals may soon become a thing of the past:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/07/business/global/07rent.html
Um, please keep in mind while you promote this that it's illegal.
Renting out a flat for less than a year in Paris is illegal if is still classified as residential land instead of commercial. N
Nine-month contracts are allowed for students.
I had read that NY Times article as well and had the same thoughts about this being illegal. How do you find out if a listed property is legal to be rented for a week or not? Will the property owners tell you? If they have several properties for rent (like the one in this post), does that mean they are somehow licensed to do that? I'm very curious as these apartments are gorgeous and it does seem like a great way to visit.
$200 bucks a night?! For that price, I'd rather stay a hotel where it's legal and I can ask the concierge to make dinner reservations for me.
no hotel for under $200 a night will be as nice as these in the heart of paris....
come off it, people. that law has rarely been enforced. that they have a five-person staff on it now is hardly a big deal. they aren't going to show up and throw you out. it's the landlord who has to deal with the legal ramifications in court. if they're even caught.
I'm Cecile, the owner of these apartments.
Indeed Paris' mayor wants to forbid short term rentals for political reasons but they are not very active, furthermore when you know that there are thousands of furnished rentals in Paris to accomodate milions of tourists every year. Owners may be caught if their neighbours denouce them, but renters shoudn't worry at all. There is no risk for them...
So don't hesitate to come to Paris and enjoy your stay at a nice apartment in the heart of the city of lights! :)
www.cecile-apartments.com
If the owner gets in trouble before I arrive, would my reservation still be honored?
There are of course alternatives and ways around this. You could rent from someone who has an independant annexe of their main residence. You could also go outside of Paris to Versailles or Saint Germain. Both are within spitting distance of the centre of town (a 20 minute train ride to central Paris from Versailles). Versailles allows you to channel your inner Marie-Antoinette and be sure of sleeping at nights!