January 10, 2012 by Kelly Page
After having made the huge, scary, glorious decision to quit my plum entertainment job of 14 years to move to Paris, all I could picture was drinking rosé in fabulous cafes in St. Germain and strolling with my soon-to-be-named French lover along the Seine. It was going to be all storybook romance and Parisian perfection, right? What could possibly go wrong?
Finding an Apartment
The first big task on moving to Paris was finding an apartment. I felt like a Parisian kid in a confiserie as I set out to look through all the online listings. I was picturing my new, highbrow, literary friends meeting in my salon and debating whether Anna Karenina was due society’s scorn or the victim of a double standard. And then there would be the lavish, multi-course creations that would appear out of my kitchen and people would say, are you sure she’s not French-trained or a descendant of Julia Child?
As I dug into the apartment search further and started to learn the meter to square feet conversion, a rosé hangover started to kick in. How was I supposed to entertain the French literati in a space the size of a parking spot? Would my culinary creations have to come from a hot plate in my Betty Crocker play kitchen? Oh, no, this wouldn’t do. I decided an in-person visit would be best because I was sure there were some things that weren’t translating on the web page. Continue Reading »
Posted in Homes | 8 Comments »
January 28, 2011 by Maggie Battista
The rooster, the emblem of France, as a door knocker and a friendly neighborhood dog keeping watch (mksfca, Ian T. McFarland)
This time last year, I was packing up my life to move to Paris for three months. I remember the butterflies spinning inside me as I made my way to my first Paris apartment in the hours just before sunrise. I was nervous, but delighted to finally live the French life.
Navigating the maze of cozy streets, shopping for my basic necessities (mainly cheese) daily, and assembling effortless meals in my tiny kitchen, I can understand why living in your very own Paris apartment is the quintessential American girl dream. There’s really no other drug better than living in Paris (except for maybe living in New York City, but that can be battled out over here.)
However, renting just the right apartment for you can be quite a process and one with its share of potholes, especially if you do what I did for part of my stay abroad: I rented one of my flats online, sight unseen.
Now I may approach this with some bias, as I do work for Haven in Paris (a boutique vacation rental company) and we recently discovered that someone, pretending to be the owner of one of our flats on Craig’s List, very nearly scammed a couple people who by chance found us before putting down any sort of deposit. But I want to write this with as much objectivity as I can muster. And since I always rent apartments when I travel, I felt compelled to share some of the wisdom I’ve gained from first-hand experience.
Even Parisian window latches are beautiful (artistfriendship)
First, you should take note that there are anywhere between one and four sometimes-lovely people involved with an apartment rental. There’s the renter – that’s you. There’s the owner who actually owns the apartment, but they often hire the agent to do all the nitty gritty. The agent typically manages the rental process and greets you at the flat. Sometimes agents also list their flats on vacation rental sites or Craigslist and sometimes they have their own web sites. (For your information, Haven in Paris is actually an agent, with exclusive rights to rent our owner’s properties and we’ve used all the previously mentioned venues to match renters with our apartments.)
Finally, there’s the most dreaded member of this process, and one I hope you never encounter, the scammer. They pretend to be an agent or an owner, but really lie by attempting to rent you the most amazing Paris pied-à-terre for just a few Euros. Oh, glorious Craigslist, please forgive me but scammers usually hang out on you.
Unfortunately, scammers are rampant these days. They’re showing phony apartments on vacation rental sites, classified sites and on made-up agency sites. In fact, scammers tend to steal photos from legitimate agent sites only to showcase them elsewhere, usually for an unbelievable price.
Fortunately, a scammer never tricked me, but they’ve hoodwinked too many people, including a dear friend who contacted me moments before she sent off hundreds of Euros. Luckily I got to her in time, so here are a few bits of advice to consider before getting tricked: Continue Reading »
Posted in Travel | 11 Comments »
November 4, 2010 by Maggie Battista
Boat ride on the Seine; photo by Maggie Battista
I’m dreaming of Paris. Again. This happens when I’m in the States.
I just returned from a month-long trip to France. I traveled up and down the south of France, exploring most of Provence while fighting the devious Mistral winds. I spent a fabulous girls weekend in Normandy, sipping cidre and finally visiting Mont Saint Michel. And I drank small cups of espressos and not-so-small glasses of red wine all over our favorite city, Paris. I’m home in cold, rainy New England, missing out on too many fun November events across the pond. Here’s a peek into what I’m missing:
1. I really wanted to learn how to make macarons in Paris, and La Cuisine Paris offers a wonderful class on the subject. I’m living through their wonderful posts on their Facebook page.
2. I adore the artist Basquiat, and spend tons of time in his old stomping grounds, downtown New York City. I was hoping to make it to the new exhibit at the Paris Musee de Art Moderne. The show is on through January 30, 2011, so perhaps you’ll be able to see it and report back?
Continue Reading »
Posted in Events, Food, Parisian Living, Travel | 14 Comments »
July 14, 2010 by Genevieve Sandifer
I love Paris in August. Although it gets a little steamy at times, the city empties out of its usual crowds of Parisians as everyone jaunts off to their country homes for the traditional 4-week summer holiday. A strange calm descends over the slanted rooftops and all of a sudden, I don’t have to fight for a seat at a sunny terrace in the middle of the afternoon in St. Germain.
What’s more, Haven in Paris is offering some pretty amazing special offers in some of our most in-demand flats this year, just in time for a last-minute break in Paris — when the city is at its most relaxed.
Keen to wander down car-free cobble stone streets? The Marais has some of Paris best shopping, food and cafés — the best of which Amy Thomas recently blogged about here.
How about living right on the Place des Vosges — one of Paris’ oldest places and a fabulous place for strolling, napping in the sun and, of course, people-watching. Just a 10-minute walk to the Ile St Louis, Notre Dame and some delicious Berthillon gelato on the banks of the Seine. Continue Reading »
Posted in Homes, Parisian Living | 4 Comments »
March 13, 2009 by Genevieve Sandifer
Photos Erica Berman
Bonjour vacationers! We hope you’re enjoying your Parisian experience wandering through winding, historic streets, getting lost in mazes of artwork, whiling away afternoons on sun-drenched cafe terraces… A newcomer’s eye is often the most perceptive, which is why we’re now looking to you to share your unique Paris havens with us.
We want to hear about the restaurant where you ate the best crème brulée, which bench along the Seine has the finest view of Notre Dame, how you unearthed an original antique at an unassuming corner brocante, and the artisan bakery with organic goodies just down your street! Tell us which room in your apartment has the best light for morning breakfasts, about your dinner parties with old and new friends, and simply what it feels like to wake up in a large, soft bed in your very own fabulous Parisian flat! We look forward to hearing about all of your HiP tips and reviews. Happy exploring!
Posted in Reader Tips & Reviews | 88 Comments »
Chris Waits; David L. 
Mollie C.; Chris Waits
