Staying at Houdon was a great opportunity to live life as a Parisian would, with our own neighborhood boulangerie around the corner along with other locally-owned specialty shops.  Two days of our one week stay were spent walking around Montmartre and getting to know the ins & outs of our little Abbesses part of it…

View from the Houdon balcony

Winding 5 floor walk up to the apartment. It became old hat by the second day. My buns thank you

Left: our bright, naturally lit kitchen with lots of helpful amenities. Right: our greeter Evelyn cut a bouquet of fresh flowers to welcome us

The best baguette in Paris, from Le Grenier à Pain

Carousel at the base of Sacré Coeur

Le Montmartrobus

The Love Wall in Place des Abbesses

Tuileries Garden

Tuileries Garden

Tuileries Garden

View of la Tour Eiffel from the Arc de Triomphe

Rue Pierre Lescot, just outside Joe Allen Bistro, where we had Thanksgiving dinner for lunch (note to self: book early next time!)

Left: view of Notre Dame at night from  the east, taken from Pont de la Tournelle. Right: Parisian dog with owner on rue Turbigo

Steak Frites at Les Fous de l’Ile on Ile St. Louis

Left: Southern entrance to rue Turbigo at night, from the steps leading down Eglise Saint-Eustache. Right: Jenny trying to find her way on the Boulevard Saint-Germain

The bartender from A la Pompette

The lively entertainment at Chez Louisette in the center of the Marché aux Puces de Saint-Ouen

Cheese shop on Ile Saint-Louis

Guix Cherta, holging a replica of one of his many paintings. You can find him on rue Lepic in Montmartre

Marché Paul Bert, a mid-century modern focused part of the Marché aux the Puces de Saint-Ouen

One of the handful of bouquinistes open on a November weekday along the Seine

Left: a bouquiniste owner taking a cigarette break. Right: a mannequin at the Marché aux Puces de Saint-Ouen

Framed poster found in Deyrolle, an incredible taxidermy shop found at 46 rue Bac

Left: American icons Woody Allen & John Wayne found at a bouquiniste. Right: one of the many adorable Parisian dogs, this one found on rue des Abbesses

Related Links:

• Jenny Jimenez’ great blog
• Jenny is a Seattle Wedding and portrait photographer
• Like what you see? Stay in one of our Paris apartments in February at up to 30% off!

Written by Jenny Jimenez. Looking for a fabulous vacation rental in Paris, Provence, or Tuscany? Check out Haven in Paris.

Introduction by Maggie Battista

I’m in love, and it’s not just with Paris.

As a member of the Haven in Paris team, I feel very lucky to get to know amazing people from all over the world who stay in our luxury Paris apartments. Guests are very dear, and it feels as if we let them in on a little secret: they can indeed feel like real Parisians by staying in well-stocked, carefully decorated Paris homes. The saying ‘home away from home’ was coined for our apartments.

While each and every guest is special, I met up with the perfect guest at the perfect moment last week. I’ve been a bit lonely, missing my husband, Boston friends and all my blogger friends. And as I’m still learning French, it’s not easy to make new friends. That’s where our guest Kari saved the day.

Kari happens to be a New York City blogger, photographer and all-around great lady. We met up for a quick drink. Four drinks and four plates later, we were fast friends. She blogged about her Haven in Paris apartment and let us re-post it here. If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to stay in one of our apartments, and specifically one of our Montmartre properties, read on. Thanks for the kind words, Kari!

***

Text and photos from Lit-Wit

My first trip to Paris? Accommodations mattered. Were critical, in fact. I had no desire to spend a week in a hotel—although I love hotels—because hotel rooms feel stale after a while (no matter how grand) and I’m not the sort of girl who would ever say, Oh, I won’t be spending any time in my room anyway. I like rooms! Also, I like naps. I have only two feet and two eyes and I find sightseeing, as an hours-long hobby that requires my active attention and participation, fundamentally exhausting. Ditto chit-chatting daily with concierges, bellhops, and maids, and doubly so in a foreign city where I do not speak (or really understand) the language. I wanted freedom of movement and a modicum of space in which to unwind and absorb, to occasionally buy my own food and cook my own meals, and to go or stay at my leisure on a common city street.

(Is there a common city street in Paris?)

(These paragraph breaks are arbitrary, by the way. I am in the mood for e x p a n s i v e t h i n k i n g .)

So when I read about the short-term rental apartments at Haven in Paris on the blog A CUP OF JO last September I signed up immediately, after performing the requisite checks and reading copious online reviews. (Repeat: I’m a planner, and I don’t cut corners when I travel alone. Which explains my attachment to Town Car International, as well.)

I’M SPENDING A WEEK IN AN APARTMENT IN PARIS! I sang to myself daily for six months. Honest, I did. And now that I’ve done it (sigh! it’s done), I sing to myself, I LIVED FOR A WEEK IN AN APARTMENT IN PARIS! Because this wasn’t visiting, this was living. I had an elevator and a huge open space on the seventh floor flooded with natural light and a full bath and shower and a queen-sized bed and a real kitchen and table and a French press for coffee and a stove to scramble eggs on and a corkscrew and wine glasses and a view of Sacré Coeur and all of Montmartre—all of Paris—right there at my feet. And I loved it. I loved everything about it.

And when I go back next year, I’m staying here.

See more great photos and read the rest of Kari’s post.

***

Written by Maggie Battista for the HiP Paris Blog. Looking for a fabulous vacation rental in Paris, Provence, or Tuscany? Check out Haven in Paris.

Sometimes the best trips result from last-minute impulses! Summer may be over, but that doesn’t have to mean an end to your travels. Due to a  last minute cancellation, Haven in Paris is offering a great special offer on the spectacular Elzevir apartment for the week of September 14-21. At 15% off the regular weekly rate, you can enjoy your own little corner of the Marais… with all of the neighborhood’s cafes, galleries, shops, and museums just outside your door.

Contact Haven in Paris for more information by clicking here.

Written by Tory Hoen for the HiP Paris Blog. Looking for a fabulous vacation rental in Paris, Provence, or Tuscany? Check out Haven in Paris.

Terrace and garden w/ stairs to upper level terrace.

Some visitors to Paris will scale any height—or endure waiting in any line—to achieve the ultimate view of the city. And while Sacré Coeur and the Eiffel Tower certainly do not disappoint, many of Paris’ most unique and breathtaking views are afforded by private residences, discreetly tucked away in various parts of the city. During the summer, the lucky few with access to these hidden havens take advantage by soaking up the sun during the day, kicking back for cocktails in the evening, and taking in the view of Paris’ magical lights at night…

At Haven in Paris, our Left Bank Designer Penthouse is one of these unique residences, blending in with the surrounding neighborhood while still providing guests with a one-of-a-kind experience: a 360° panoramic view that encompasses the Eiffel Tower, the Panthéon, Notre Dame, Sacré Coeur, and countless other sites and monuments throughout the city. The two-story apartment is encircled by wrap-around balconies on both floors, and the top floor opens onto a stunning terrace and roof garden that provide an amazing space to entertain friends or simply relax after a day in the city. The balconies and terrace provide a combined 300m² of private outdoor space—nearly unheard of in Paris, where most apartments are much more confined. Now is the time to contact us about renting this apartment, as we are giving 10% off all rentals from now until August 29, 2009.

Terrace w/ view of Pantheon.

While available for rental to visitors, the Left Bank Designer Penthouse is owned by German artist Markus Hansen and his wife, French writer Valentine de Ganay. In designing the space, they worked with architect Pierre Louis Faloci to create an atmosphere of fluidity, where the border between indoor and outdoor was blurred, and where light and air move freely throughout the space. Landscape architect Pascal Cribier was charged with the task of designing a customized garden and terrace area that would maximize the space available while still emphasizing the incredible panoramic view. The result of these collaborations is a breathtaking living space where guests can enjoy complete privacy, while still feeling closely connected to the city that surrounds them.

Formal living room w/ designer furniture and door onto terrace.

Stairs connecting upper hallway to lower level living / dining space.

And while they might be tempted to spend the whole day lounging on the terrace, guests at this property will also find that the surrounding area—the historic 5^th arrondissement—is a fascinating quartier to explore. Just up the street from the Designer Penthouse apartment is the charming Place de la Contrescarpe, whose cafes were once frequented by Ernest Hemingway—a former resident of the neighborhood. Café Delmas’ sunny terrace provides a perfect spot to stop for a morning coffee or evening apéro. From here, you can walk uphill towards the Panthéon, a former church that now houses the remains of many of France’s greatest writers and thinkers.

Place de la Contrescarpe. Photo courtesy of orble.com

Foodies will want to head downhill on Rue Mouffetard to browse the myriad traiteurs that line the street, selling wine, cheese, fish, fruits and vegetables, chocolate, flowers, and countless specialty products from throughout France. Stop for a gelato at Gelati d’Alberto or pick up some wine at La Fontaine aux Vins. Take note: most of these shops are closed on Sunday afternoons and all day Monday. At the base of Rue Mouffetard, you will find a handful of cafes (such as the quaint Salle à Manger) where you can take a break after shopping. On Wednesdays, Friday, and Sundays, the nearby Place Monge (Metro: Place Monge) also has a green market where local artisanal producers come to sell their products.

Jardin des Plantes. Photo courtesy of about.com

From here, make your way to the stunning Jardin des Plantes, France’s premiere botanical garden. In addition to providing ample space for strolling and picnicking, the garden also houses Paris’ Natural History Museum and a menagerie full of exotic animals. This is a wonderful spot for families with children to explore.

After an afternoon in the garden, swing by the café at the Mosquee de Paris for mint tea and North African pastries. The mosque itself is also open to the public, and visitors will be astonished by the beauty and intricacy of its blue-and-white tiled interior.

And then return home to your private terrace to watch the sunset as the day comes to a close and the monuments of Paris light up the night sky.

For more information about the Designer Penthouse property or any of our other vacation rental properties, please visit www.haveninparis.com.

The bright, Southern-exposed living room, with its creative mix of Ligne Roset leather sofas, classic Mies van der Rohe style chairs and stately Napoleon III desk, emanates sophisticated lounging after a long day of shopping.  During any down time between shopping and dining, the eclectic and thought-provoking book and DVD collection will keep even the fussiest channel-surfers occupied. Down the hall, the bedrooms are soothing havens from Paris’ hustle and bustle. Streamlined yet cozy, they convey sleek and playful; old and new; classic and irreverent – with ample closet space for holiday acquisitions.

Both soothing, neutral-toned bathrooms, inspired by a Japanese-influenced taste for order and space, feature rain showers, soft lighting and plenty of room to unwind and pamper. With an impressive and eclectic collection of artwork and seamless mixing-and-matching of time periods and styles, this apartment is a sensorial feast for anyone with a penchant for classic irreverence.

To Check out this wonderful Paris rental flat: haveninparis.com/rental/Rameau.php

Former guest Reviews of this Paris apartment - haveninparis.com/propreviews/Rameau.php