Mrs. MM and I decided to rent a flat for five days in Paris. She did all the research and legwork, and narrowed the choices down until we picked this place in the 6th arrondissement… We wanted a small, clean flat in a quiet area, close to transport and markets/food, and with a decent kitchen so we could cook or prepare meals when we inevitably got up in the wee hours of the morning with jet lag. It was our first time to book an apartment using airbnb, and our experience was a very good one. The apartment was exactly as the photos in the link here indicate.
The building was located on a quiet street, and the apartment itself was in the back of the building with windows opening up to interior courtyards. You couldn’t hear any traffic or horns at all (this can be a problem in Paris). A five minute or so walk to La Grande Épicerie of Le Bon Marché and about the same distance to the Boulevard Raspail market, it was ideally located for us. It was perhaps more than a coincidence that the area was fairly close to where Mrs. MM lived when she pursued her graduate degree in Paris many years ago. We quickly made the place “home” for a few days.
While I love luxury hotels, it’s really nice to have a flat with a kitchen, and at half or more less than the cost of a much smaller hotel room. This apartment could have easily accommodated three people, but we were just two so it was nice and spacious compared to a hotel room, and it cost half or more than a good hotel.
But the real bonus was the wonderful host, Josephine, who made sure we had an enjoyable stay. I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND this place should you be searching for something similar in Paris. Just be forewarned it is a very tidy, immaculate apartment, so you’ll have to leave it that way. I wouldn’t want to send messy guests her way…
If you have specific questions about this flat, please email me directly and I can put you in contact with the owner. And no, I have no financial interest whatsoever in this place. We just really enjoyed our stay there. :)
20 Responses
HI MM, It’s my dream to go back to Paris and stay in a place with a kitchen! Can you email me details on this place? And don’t worry, we’re neatfreaks ourselves :)
Don’t forget to buy the Christine Ferber confitures and les Beurre Bordier (if you want, I’ll give you tips on how to pack those yummy butters) at the La Grande Épicerie. Must visit G. Detou (58, rue Tiquetonne 75002 and l’Epicerie Bruno (30, rue Tiquetonne).
That’s a luxurious amount of space by Parisian standards. And the kitchen’s pretty nice too!
Can be a peg for the rapidly shrinking real estate choices here :)
This looks big by Paris standards. I have a friend who lives in a shoebox of an apartment.
Would love to know more about detail about the place Sir MM, mom really wants to back to Paris and as we all know hotels in Paris can be expensive. Thanks in advance sir and hopefully 10 more years for marketmanila.com =)
moi aussie; did same last oct [in the 11th err.] and the two in london; will do same this coming march [in the 1st err] along with places in lisbon, porto, madrid, lyon, san sebastian, bilbao. airbnb
I love using air bnb when I travel for a longer duration. I find it more interesting and more cost efficient than hotels. Plus I enjoy interacting with locals.
Very nice and practical. Gives you the local feel
We also used airbnb for our Paris & Rome trip last year and both apartments were fantastic! Much more space for a fraction of a small hotel room. One gets to feel how the locals live, buying from neighborhood stores and walking around the residential area. Nice apartment for your stay MM! :)
Have never tried this kind of accommodation yet but would love to try soon! I clicked on the link, is Josephine a kababayan? She looks pinoy. That will be a plus….Filipino hospitality! :)
Betchay, she is Vietnamese by ethnicity, but French citizen. A very interesting and friendly person.
We normally stay 2 weeks per city when we travel on family holidays, and we often use AirBnB. By and large, we have had positive experiences with our hosts and their apartments.
It’s more difficult to find apartments if there are more than 2 people in your group esp since I’m particular about the bed configuration. A double bed for me is good only for one person, not two.
You can also try Wimdu or VRBO, there are other similar sites as well. I think Wimdu has more european rentals.
How wonderful!! You can finally COOK!!! Air bnb is really gaining ground.. Cheap and clean residences.
It really delights me that you’ve had a positive airbnb experience – in Paris, my childhood and favorite city! This summer I bought and renovated the c. 1770 rowhouse next door to mine in Baltimore and have had overwhelmingly positive experience running it as an airbnb. It really makes me happy that you’ve had a positive experience because i feel the airbnb market might by oversaturated and inconsistent in quality. The Wire connotations aside, I’ve discovered that there is a huge market for curious and respectful Baltimore visitors -artists, professors, doctors, conference goers, families of students, and folks who are genuinely interested in exploring the city – seeking a boutique experience. I’m not marketing here, but I will include a link to my property – you’ll see there is some Filipinana threading through the house: httpss://www.airbnb.com/rooms/3792345?euid=83ed8b1f-bf3e-c54a-92e4-243276125360
Taylor, our daughter is at school somewhere along the east coast, and perhaps one day we will rent your place… it sounds terrific, and I once read the article in a Baltimore paper on your own place as part of that part of town… :)
I live here in California I would appreciate if you could send me the address of this airbnb ?I am a single traveler and want to go back to Paris. Merry Christmas to you and your family Thank you
I’m in California and planning to visit Paris in the summer. Can you please provide the details of the apartment you rented in Paris. Appreciate the help. Thanks.
When I lived in Paris, I was just around the corner from this place, but very close to the Blvd Raspail mrkt, which was just behind my house. Unfortunately, I had no money to enjoy the mkt, unless the mother of the family I was staying with cashed me up and sent me to buy stuff. What a joy living in that place!
Dear MM
I would love to know where is this location. We are visiting Paris and we have never tried AirBnb ever before.
We appreciate your reply! Thanks very much!