My Favorite Paris Airbnb: A Homey Flat Near Montmartre

30.10.2024 - 23:27 / cntraveler.com

For my 33rd birthday, I visited Paris for the 11th time. Why not? There's always a classic touristy must-do that I've yet to cross off my list (Monet's Water Lilies at the Musée de l'Orangerie, for example) or something new-to-me to see in the French capital (an exhibit at Printemps by a contemporary French painter whose work I love). Even after multiple visits, Paris consistently surprises me, offering a side of itself I haven't yet gotten to know. It never stays the same, much like my beloved New York City, where I live. They both pride themselves, I think, on being un-pin-down-able. A running joke: I like my cities like I like my men.

At the same time, over the last few years and visits, Paris—and, if I may, French life—has grown ever more familiar to me. I can now navigate restaurants, cafés, museums, shops, and pharmacies entirely in French. Navigating the Metro feels as natural as riding the subway from Brooklyn into Manhattan. I don't even experience jet lag anymore whenever I'm here; my body immediately adjusts to what it thinks is its second home.

But perhaps most importantly, I have built a community in Paris. Local friends both old and new—expats, immigrants, and natives alike—make me feel like the lifelong dream of living in this city, even for just a little bit, is within reach. Which is why, when I started to look at Airbnbs in Paris for my birthday trip, I wanted to find something that felt like it could be my very own home. My strict parameters: Something chic and simple, with that distinctly Parisian crown molding and maybe a few plants, a proper bedroom, and a view. No shoeboxes and no shares. I wanted a space that was my own.

Lo and behold, I found just the place that ticked all those boxes: this one-bedroom flat on the sixth floor (seventh floor, in American terms) of a building located between two of my favorite areas in Paris—Montmartre and the Canal Saint-Martin. As soon as I turned the key and stepped into the place, I immediately thought, “This place is ready for move-in.” The decor was low-key and tasteful, with a comfy couch and rugs and blankets for textural (and literal) warmth. The dining table was big, located right next to the kitchen which had a microwave, a glass-top range, and an oven. The bathroom was well-equipped and even had a washing machine. There was even an entire office room with a desk, chair, and a lamp; I was on vacation, but a space like that is ideal for working remotely.

I also adored the three French-doored windows through which I could pass and sit on a balcony overlooking the neighborhood's Mansard roofs. It felt like a quintessentially Parisian flat, down to the small but nice bathroom and the lack of an elevator. Yes, I must repeat, this place