We think first of hotels as our base while traveling, but Paris is well equipped with short-term apartments for rent (flats to let).

More and more visitors to Paris are renting/letting apartments instead of staying in hotels. Click on the examples on the right to see what I mean—>>

Renting an apartment for a week or two is not as easy as making a hotel reservation, but the convenience of having your own place, and the cost savings for both lodging and food, as well as for incidental expenses such as laundry and Wifi, can make the rental process well worth the extra time.

Your greatest expense while in Paris is likely to be lodging. By renting an apartment, at a minimum you get more space and convenience than with a hotel room. Usually you also get a lower cost per person, per night.

Your second greatest expense is food and drink, and this cost is also significantly reduced if you have an apartment. You may save up to 70% off your cost for food and drink by buying your food and drink supplies in a Franprix or Monoprix food store and making your own meals.

Of course, a rental apartment makes the most sense for families, but it's also great for two or three couples or three or four friends.

Two- and three-bedroom apartments rentable by the week are fairly easy to find. (We've even rented a splendid four-bedroom apartment with 2-1/2 baths, large living room and dining room, and fine views of the Place de la Nation, for four couples.)

Many agencies can help you find a suitable apartment. There's also VRBO (Vacation Rentals by Owner).