Paris apartments are a great alternative to the expensive hotels of France’s capital city. This form of accommodation may find you in a residential neighborhood, complete with a local patisserie (bakery) and brasserie (restaurant). An apartment rental in Paris may just satisfy the craving to live in Paris more than any hotel could. Extra living space, the possibility of cooking your own food, and exploring lesser-known districts of the city are all attractive qualities of renting apartments in France. If you’re looking to spend more than a few days in Paris, and you want to do it on a budget, apartment rentals are almost always the best strategy.

Discounts can be earned on Paris apartments in a number of ways. The length of your stay is one of the most important factors. If you plan on staying in Paris for longer than a week, you will get great value for your money. Time of year is another consideration when planning an apartment rental in Paris. July and August can be very hot and crowded, so rentals may be booked far in advance. Christmas, New Year's, and the month of January are also popular times to visit Paris. If you can handle cold weather and are looking for a deal, February and March will have openings and discounts available. The warm spring weather arrives in April, but you may still find a good deal on a Paris studio apartment. October and November are also considered shoulder season, and deals are available.

Not all apartments in France will fulfill your dreams, so it is wise to only reserve through a reputable web site or to insist on seeing pictures if you are renting a privately owned apartment. There are numerous rental agencies and web sites that specialize in connecting travelers to quality Paris apartments, and these businesses will allow you to not only see photographs of the rental you are interested in, but most will also allow you to read comments from travelers who have stayed there before, and you can share your experiences after your stay. These options will help you to find the apartment rental in Paris you’ve been dreaming of, regardless of whether location, space, or proximity to attractions is your main criterion.

Paris Map

Apartments in France are also available for business travel. If you are going to be spending time in Paris for business and are finding hotels prohibitively expensive, rentals are a great alternative. Rental agencies can help to connect business travelers to flats that have wireless internet and space to work. This is becoming more important to leisure travelers as well, but not all apartments will have this feature, so if you’ve found the perfect apartment but it doesn’t offer internet, remember that it is possible to use local internet cafés. When making a reservation, you can ask the owner of the apartment for recommendations of nearby access points for internet, and even restaurant and nightlife recommendations.

With all the money you will save on renting an apartment, you will have more to spend on the many attractions in the City of Light. Whether cruising down the River Seine or seeing the great works of art at The Louvre is your ideal afternoon in Paris, you’ll have the extra cash to spend. Other great ways to see the city are bicycling tours and walking tours. There are many museums, monuments and historical attractions that will lure you from your apartment, but you’ll be glad to return to somewhere private and comfortable at the end of each thrilling day.