Paris Apartment - 1 Bedroom Rental in Saint-Germain des Prés (PA-3554)

This apartment is well equipped for Americans who are used to having built-in dishwashers, washer and dryer, and a fair amount of space in the living room and dining room. The downside is the bathroom, which consists of a raised (6") tiled area, about 6 feet by 6 feet, onto which is installed a shower, which drains in the center of this area, and a small sink (12" in diameter) with no partition between the shower and sink. Therefore, one has to point the shower head away from the sink so that the other half of the bathroom doesn't get so wet. The entire 6 foot square area DOES get wet, however, so if you want to do anything at the basin after a shower, you stand on a cold, wet floor. Otherwise, this bathroom is all right and serves the purpose. One can step down onto a dry rug from this tiled area and get dressed easily since a closet with shelves faces this bathroom.

The only other downside is that there is a 6th floor above this 5th floor unit and, though I was not home during the morning and early afternoons, my husband was and heard yelling on most days from the 6th floor or adjacent unit. We couldn't ascertain where that noise was coming from: kids and a mother yelling.

Otherwise, this is a clean, well-equipped apartment, well located to many metro stations and bus stops, bakeries, and the Grand Epicerie of Bon Marche and 10 min. from the Luxembourg Gardens. There's an elevator and rooms are light. An added plus is that the owner is an artist and displays lovely paintings in each room.

Back from our Paris trip for more than a few month, we still miss it. What a unique place to stay in, what a privilege to enjoy such a beautifully decorated place in the center of the best arrondissement in Paris! High ceilings and hardwood floors give it a classic and lavish feel. The owner has gone out of her way to give it a personal and artful touch, with exceptional love for detail. The kitchen is spacious for local standards and very well-equipped. The big living/dining room features painting and sculptures of the owner and other artists. It has a long table for work and entertainment. The bedroom is separated by a corridor. It is cozy and dominated by a king-size bed. The bathroom situated off the bedroom is very small with a shower, the toilet is off the corridor. It is an apartment where you can easily spend rainy days and long winter evenings without forgetting that you are in beautiful Paris. The building is ideally situated on quiet Rue Saint Placide, betw. Rue de Rennes
& Rue du Cherche Midi with between attractive bistros, cafes, and small stores, very close to metro, multiple bus lines, and major shopping, including Fnac (on neighboring Rue Rennes) and Bon Marche (a few minutes down neighboring Rue Saint-Placide). There are some of the best bakeries, butchers, delis and chocolatiers just around the corner. Outdoor fresh produce market around the corner on Boulevard Raspail three times per week (all organic on Sundays). And within minutes by foot one can reach the jewel of Parisian parks, the Jardin du Luxembourg. Ideal for morning walks, jogging, ball play, picnics, or just taking in the exceptional atmosphere of an extremely well-kept French garden, with Palais du Luxembourg (now seat of the French senate) as a backdrop. We stayed for almost 4 months in the apartment and could not get enough... The landlord was very approachable and any small issue (such as replacing light fixtures or bulbs) was attended to conscientiously. The only minor
downside from an all-American perspective may be the lack of air conditioning, but outside of hotels this is anyways rare in France (or the rest of Europe) and windows on opposites sides of the apartment can always be opened wide to get a fresh breeze on the few hotter days in summer (besides, this is Europe and if it was for air conditioning one could as well stay back home...).