Paris Perfect

[GitteK]

Hey girls, those apts are EXPENSIVE ! I feel like the poor relation from the 27th row of p'taters......

[gracejoan]

Gitte,

There are apartments in all price ranges and in all sizes, all over Paris! Plenty of options for everyone............

Enjoy................

[gracejoan]

Here is a preview of the new Meursault apt. where I will be for a month.. Sept/Oct. Only the picture views from this 7th floor location now. Click on the first one and you will get them all. The floor plan is there. Madelyn will decorate it with her usual flair for the wow factor! Anxious for the finished pics in about a month. Location: 9 ave de la Motte Picquet for Pages Jaune and/or mappy building pictures...it would be the top floor. I am sure I will like it!

tinyurl.com/6kz8uu

Joan

[mez]

Joan, it looks wonderful!

And a whole month to experience it - you are a very lucky lady.

[GitteK]

>>> There are apartments in all price ranges and in all sizes, all over Paris! Plenty of options for everyone............<<<

Agree that their apts are very appealing and beautifully decorated. So far so good - even if they all appear to be located on the Left Bank .

But I do not agree that they have plenty of options for everyone. There is one small studio at 980 €, the next is 2030 € (highseason/summer prices) - and almost all the others are from around 2700 € and moving upwards. Per week.

[grndma]

:)No Gitte you are not the poor relation. I also could not afford these prices :'(but I think it is interesting that on this forum we obviously have a wide range of budgets (salaries!, pensions!) and it's nice to see sometimes how the other half lives, From both sides of the coin so to speak.
I actually get a kick out of getting a bargain, but sometimes I realise you have to PAY for quality. These apartments are lovely.
Denise
love from England

[gracejoan]

If you look on VRBO now you will find that Paris Perfect has all or most with a 20% discount!! They can't really put it on their website. It's a good deal! They recognize their customers..as they did me on this past trip by giving me the free upgrade to the St. Amour apt. that rents this time of year for 3710euros per week! I did enjoy it!!

I think we all enjoy good bargains...I have one for a month next Spring....the lovely one in the Batignolles area...only 2300 euros for the month..only negative was they only had a washer and a drying rack. I said no thank you! They are making other arrangements for my linens/laundry/weekly cleaning etc.

I think we all decide what kind of place we are happy with. I really don't like to "rough" it. Month stays might make a difference, too. I like similar amenities and living conditions to what I have at home.

It is like restaurants..we have so many choices. Some think it foolish to pay the price of a 3 Michelin star restaurant. Some excellent food can be had at many small places. It is fun to try them all!

Enjoy..........

Joan

[mez]

Joan,

A month-long trip later this year, then next year as well?

Your lifestyle is one I aspire to. I'll need to keep saving extra into the reitement fund now so I can reap the benefits in 30 years.

PS. I did not know ParisPerfect advertised on VRBO. Another new thing I have learned.

[gracejoan]

Mez,

Yes, you will pull up the Paris Perfect places on VRBO. They are listed individually and from it can go to their website. Since most (not all) are in the 7th, do VRBO by arrondissements and pull up the 7th.

I dislike the long flights and decided that staying a month put the return flight off longer!! When retired, why not. Now, Pat and Jim (Laidbacks) stay 2 months Spring and Fall..will see if I get to that!!

I have the rentals planned ahead, as you really have to, to get what you want. I also have Fall of 2009 rented...going to spend a month in Brittany. I have two locations of 2 weeks each. CDG to Rennes and pick up lease/buyback car and go from there. I have been working on Brittany for a couple years. I can't begin to tell you how difficult it was to find nice places in Brittany. I finally found what I have to believe are the only 2 nice places in Brittany..at least for 2 bedrooms!! It seems to be an area where a lot of summer people go with families and just do it all in a simple way. I do believe that half the fun is in the planning. I never can understand people who post on Fodor's saying that they are going to France, or wherever, and ask "what should I do, where should I go"?

Another thing...at my age, if I keep these trips planned way ahead this way, I have to keep healthy and alive so I take the trips!!

Joan

[Becky (Berkeleytravelers)]

Joan, this is a lovely place and I'm sure it will be a wonderful (temporary, unfortunately) home in Paris. As this is the type of place you enjoy, at some point you might want to check out Guest Apartment Services (www.guestapartment.com) on Ile St Louis (they also have a few in the Marais and I think now one or two in St Germain, although I keep going back to the ones on the island). Their properties are of a similar type and style, and the service level is really great (I've been a major fan of theirs for many years, and have stayed in the Rose apartment several tlimes - keep thinking I'll try another one, but if that's available we always want to go back because it's "home" and we love the little terrace overlooking the river).

So - when you work your way up to two trips a year, for two months at a time, you can use them for a change of pace . . . . ;D

[mez]

One thing in our favour in Australia, is that we get 4 weeks paid annual leave, which is why I have the time to travel - it's the trip finances that require careful budgeting over the year.

My poor Dad who is so old school that he doesn't believe in any banking cards (ATM or credit) always cringes when I pull out a card to pay for purchases. He didn't get the concept of frequent flyer points until I got a round-the-world flight last year because of my points.

After reading so many trip reports, I can see the appeal of staying in Paris for a month. I'll have to start aiming for that in the next few years - perhaps the big get together of 2010!

Becky, thanks for the link and recommendation to the apartments. I'll add them to my growing list of recommendations.

[gracejoan]

Becky,

Yes, I am familiar with the Guest Apartments. They are nice places. I am sure that you do enjoy the "Rose". You do feel comfortable arriving at a place where you have been and have enjoyed previously..like"home. I did stay on the Ile several years ago...I do like the 7th. It is so convenient for every place and great bus/metro connections. Then, of course all the restaurants..can't leave them out!!

Mez..that is the way to start thinking..stay a month, or as close to that as possible........

Joan

[gracejoan]

Received this update, from Madelyn, on my Paris Perfect apartment for my month stay Sept/Oct. It is all coming together..anxious to see the finished pictures. Only have all the view pictures from the 8th floor now and floor plan......

Meursault is coming along well! Kitchen is almost complete, bathroom is done; washer/dryer has been plumbed into a cupboard in the living room so there are even laundry facilities. We are waiting for the sofa from Italy which will probably take three more weeks, max.

The chandelier has just arrived from Denmark.

Note to self: has table arrived from Spain? Has mirror been shipped from Italy? Hole drilled for air conditioner? Lights put up on shelves in loft? Decorative fireplace installed?

I will be there on Friday to check the works and to start the final phase of putting up lights, decorating, etc.

Dropped off fabric last week to make 3.8 meter long curtains; a sheer cotton in pale horizontal stripes, with cotton lining. Found some pretty beige/aqua fabrics to highlight. Different colors and I think will be very pretty.

I can’t wait; it’s one of those apartments that has such beautiful light that things come together easily. It’s not a huge apartment but it’s bigger than Kir and I think will be pretty irresistible. The other nice feature is that if you don’t want to climb up to the loft at night, you simply flip open the sofa at night without having to remove back or seat cushions and have a great bed as a second option.

[luckyluc]

Dear God, is there a United Nations subvention for decorating Paris apartement? I must applied at once!!! I can not wait to see the pictures.

I do agree with you about the easy flipping, without having to remove cushions sofa. They are great, Truffaut have one in his place and it is a charm to use and much more confortable than a lot of regular beds that I remember from my old hotels Parisian days.

[Truffaut]

Yes, those flip-out sofa beds are amazing. I don't know why they aren't sold in the US. The mattresses are 6-8" thick and they're as comfortable as a regular bed.

I don't see many of them in the Paris apartments that are advertised--I suppose because they're more expensive. Of course, for their exorbitant rental rates some owners ought to be giving away a sofa bed as a parting gift at the end of each stay!

[gracejoan]

Yes, those sofas are very nice. Paris Perfect seems to use them often. That is where I first experienced one. Wondered how to open it! Parisian Flat also had one in the apt. that I recently rented when my granddaughter and her husband were with me. Much better that the common ones!!

Madelyn does seems to have a lot of contacts for her fusnishings. With apts. in Paris, London and Italy, I guess she needs them. I really don't know how she does it! Either she or Philippe (husband) go to Paris weekly. They have a daughter (12) and a son(17) and must have a family life, too. She is a most attractive, vibrant gal and sharp as a tack! We dined together at Spring when I was there and I told her that I wished I were her age and doing exactly what she was doing....fun, fun, fun.......

[luvparee]

Gracejoan -- If you choose to use that sofabed, be VERY careful opening it -- while with 4 other gals in the Sancerre, I helped open it one night, pinched my pinky finger on my right hand, and blood immediately gushed out -- eventually, my fingernail came off and had to grow back!! I was so afraid that I would get blood on furniture or bedding that I kept my entire right hand in a plastic bag all night! Thank God one of the gals in our group had good sized bandaids and an antiseptic cream. I kept the bandaid on my finger "tented" while in Paris so wouldn't bang it and start it throbbing again.

However, the gal that slept in the sofabed that week said it was very comfortable and loved it.

So, be careful!!!

[Becky (Berkeleytravelers)]

Grace, what a fabulous sounding place! Wow, I hope you're into taking and posting photos so we all can drool over it!

[gracejoan]

luvparee,

That sounds like one sore finger!!

Have used them at two different places without a problem, but will certainly be careful/

[gracejoan]

The Meursault apartment is finished!! A couple little things to do/change, is all. Madelyn has sent me all the pictures. They will be on their site probably within a week.

It is lovely. Madelyn has created another lovely spot.

I am looking forward to it............