Hemingway was right saying that "Paris will never be the same as it used to be". This city also known as "Hemingway’s moveable feast", really every time appeared to me different and the same at once: on the one hand it’s always amazing due to stability and romance, preserving the reminiscence of its famous inhabitants and great events, and on the other – it’s always new, fresh and young, despite the age.
This time, having stepped at the French ground again, I was convinced of the justice of my perception of the city, especially now when I looked at it as man planning to closely relate his fate with Paris. Yes, that's right - I've come here to stay for once.
Discarding the romantic flair of this phrase, simply say - I came to look for an apartment in Paris. That's why this time I discovered a completely different city - not a city accustomed to speak the well-known language of art and architecture, but another one expressing himself in square meters and abbreviations like 2P, SDB (notations that are common for advertisements: 2P - 2-bedroom apartment, SDB - bathroom) that are not so clear for the Russians.
But first things first. And we’ll start with the point that at first glance seems to be the most complicated –selection of area, where we could go to a new level - see offers for sale.
Paris by parts
For person focused on real estate purchase, it’s probably better to determine first what kind of people are close to him and what landscape he would like to see from the window. Believe me; it will save you a lot of time and nerve cells.
It is not easy to understand the intricacies of Paris “arrondissements” (districts) numbering; as figuratively capital of France may be divided as follows: Districts the 1st and 2nd - the tourist center (Louvre); 3rd - 4th – districts of old mansions, here comes the Marais with its plenty of shops and cafes; 5th - the district behind the Notre Dame, the Latin Quarter with its narrow streets (student part of the city); 6th - the Orsay Museum, here is the Luxembourg Garden and Hemingway lived here; 7th - The Eiffel Tower (very sedate and bourgeois); 8th - the Champs Elysees (elite neighbors, for example, the President of France ); 9th -10th – the Grand Opera, north center (a large number of tourist hotels and railway stations); 11th – the Bastille; 12th - parks and workshops; 13th – bedroom suburb with skyscrapers; 14th – the Montparnasse; 15th -16th – the Roland Garros, quiet districts in bourgeois style (the wealthy part of the population); 17th - the Palace of Congresses, the middle class; 18th - the Montmartre and intellectuals; 19th -20th - bedroom suburbs and immigrants (considered to be unsafe).
The frontrunner
The Louvre
The 1st arrondissement is a heart of Paris - the most massive in size and thus the least populated - here live just over three hundred thousand people. The reason for such a small population is in the abundance of historic buildings, government agencies and offices.
It’s, of course, possible to buy an apartment in the first arrondissement of Paris, though worthy proposals are much smaller than in the surrounding districts and prices are correspondingly higher. At the same time the acquisition of property near the Palais Royal (Royal Palace), the Louvre or the Hotel de Ville (City Hall) is a very good investment as prices are rising with an enviable constancy, and the desire of tourists to stay in the historic center remains high. This is good if you plan to lease an apartment for the periods when you leave France.
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"Real estate near the Louvre and the Palais Royal is a good investment"
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As I’ve mentioned above, prices in this area are expectedly high: the average price per square meter is €10,400 and maximum level has exceeded €15,000. For €240,000 you can buy a small studio of 19 sq.m fair next door to the Louvre. For €698,000 is sold 3-roomed apartment with area of 72 sq.m near the Palais Royal.
If you will examine property in this district of Paris, be sure to note that here are as many duplexes, as nowhere else. High ceilings of old houses allow second floors almost everywhere and that is skillfully implemented by local interior designers.
Those who are looking for luxury real estate in the first arrondissement near Place Vendome may, for example, buy a luxury apartment of 172 sq.m with three bedrooms, living room, separate kitchen, two bathrooms and two dressing rooms. It costs only €2.5 million.
From the sixth to the eighth - "state within a state
Three arrondissements of Paris - the 6th, 7th and 8th are considered to be a "state within a state": they are cleaner and more attractive than others and mostly represent a classical 6-7-storey buildings with huge porches and broad staircases.
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"6th -8th districts are also the center of Paris but more clean and attractive"
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On the third floor of such apartment houses historically were located hosts apartments with huge french windows, massive doors, marble fireplaces and balconies around the entire floor. The last floor was for the help, but nowadays they are considered prestigious, because often have a rooftop terrace, offering a wonderful views over the city.
Sixth arrondissement
The Luxembourg Gardens
If you cross the Seine over the bridge located near the Hotel de Ville (Paris City Hall) and turn right from Notre Dame, you’ll just find yourself in the sixth district. Around the Jardin du Luxembourg are situated luxurious residences, literally immersed in the greenery. At the Boulevard Saint –Germain Paris is quite different full with cafes, shops and classic Parisian "Osman" buildings.
Prices here are the highest in the city (actually, that is not surprising!): The average cost per square meter is about €12,000 and the maximum exceeds €18,000. The cheapest housing that can be found here is 9 -meter studio for €85,000. And for €245,000 is sold an apartment of 18 sq.m in a beautiful historic building. Of course it’s a bit expensive for the studio... More or less interesting offers start from half a million euros. Luxurious apartments in the 6th arrondissement of Paris are not cheap. For example, a 5 - room apartment with area of 215 sq.m on the Boulevard Saint -Germain is sold for €5 million.
Seventh arrondissement: respectability and chic
7th arrondissement above all means the Eiffel Tower
More than once, leaving Les Invalides, where the first Emperor of the French Republic had been buried, I said to myself that this was the place I would like to live. Now, being the person engaged deeply into this issue, I decided to clothe my wish into figures. Internet confirmed that everything good is always expensive: 7th district is one of the most expensive areas in Paris.
Generally the left riverside is popular, primarily, among the wealthy Frenchmen. That is evident due to the close proximity to the center and its comfortable houses of a very high quality. So the figures are quite logical: the average price per square meter is more than €13,000 and the upper price level reaches €21,000. Studio area of 19 sq.m may be purchased for €235,000. For €860,000 you can buy a "three-rooms" with area of 80 sq.m in the house of Osman era. If we talk about luxury real estate, so for €5.2 million may be purchased a luxury 7-room apartment of 380 sq. m.
The Champs Elysees: beautiful life in French style in the 8th arrondissement
The Champs Elysees in Paris
Continuing the list of places from "purse still do not know his owner’s request" category, I would say, of course, about the area of the Champs Elysees and the Arc de Triomphe. And again, the Internet confirmed my theory - yes, living at the most famous promenade of Paris, near the presidential palace is not the most accessible category. There are many nice apartments with a true French touch, comfortable layout, and for the price that is "good" as well. Small and very modest "two rooms" with area of 28 sq.m costs €280,000. For €418,000 you can buy a 50-meter two-bedroom apartment near the Madeleine Church and the famous boutiques of Saint-Honore.
Frankly speaking, neither the first nor the second apartments do not meet my idea of the perfect Parisian style. They are very small and each has its own drawbacks. To find out what you like, it is necessary to increase the budget. For €607,000 are sold 3 -bedroom apartment in the "bourgeois" style, with a fireplace in the living room. If not for the price it could be a suitable option.
9th arrondissement and the Grands Boulevards
Building the Grand Opera in Paris, or the Opera Garnier
As much as I love the luxury of the left bank or never sleeping Champs Elisee but these are the Grands Boulevards that will always remain my favorite place. Because here, being a child, I first had stepped on the streets of Paris. And there's nothing I can do as even then Paris became my first love and still remains the most favorite city in the world.
The boulevards deservedly considered to be the heart of the new Paris. Their appearance as well as entire modern city appearance, owe great reformer Baron Haussmann, who founded wide boulevards and completely changed the layout of the city in the second half of the XIX century.
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"Paris is so alive and so real. It is the 9th district where is this unique "ambiance" that most buyers are looking for"
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Here as nowhere else is possible to find the real Parisian real estate with high ceilings, windows coming to the floor and fantastic Parisian mansards with a city view, so alive and so real Paris. Here is that unique "ambiance" that most buyers are looking for.
Prices in the 9th arrondissement start from €6,815 per sq.m and go up to the maximum of €11,000 per "square". There are few interesting offers of 2-bedroom apartment of about 60 sq.m for €500,000-530,000. And, as always in Paris to find "apartment of a dream", you have to significantly increase the budget. For €819,000 on Boulevard Haussmann is offered 3-room apartment of 82 square meters, that will please anyone.
15th and 16th – life for life: peace and constancy
Trocadero, Palais de Chaillot
Fifteenth and sixteenth arrondissements of Paris are somewhat similar to each other – both are bourgeois, sedate and restrained, as typical residents living here. Excellent infrastructure, large parks and a small number of tourists - that's what attracts the French themselves when choosing a place to live.
By the way, in the fifteenth arrondissement, with all its respectability is possible to find a small studio (19 to 25 sq. m.) for a reasonable price - from €230,000 up to €300,000. Apartment with a slightly larger area (32 "squares") will cost about €470,000.
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"Here live those who have trouble to be poor and they gathered to suffer together"
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Undoubtedly, the sixteenth district (District Trocadéro) still stands apart as this is the most bourgeois area of the city. As the Parisians say themselves -" Here live those who have trouble to be poor and they gathered to suffer together”. For example representatives of immigrant neighborhoods are rarely seen here. The most dramatic example of this bourgeois life is Passy street.
Prices for apartments in the 16th arrondissement, of course, are high: 2- room apartment of 45 square meters, for example, may be bought for €470,000. But spacious three bedroom apartment with area of 118 square meters, with living room and cabinet can become yours for €1.3 million. The average price is about €11,000 per meter.
It ‘d like to notice that this peaceful quarter is located close to the main French points of interest - the Champs Elysees, the Arc de Triomphe, the Eiffel Tower. You’ll definitely agree that it is important if you decide to lease an apartment.
18th – the Montmartre: creative loafers and Sacre Coeur
View on the hill of Montmartre and the Sacre Coeur basilic
There are no other districts where the variety of Parisians is reflected as strongly as it is in Montmartre.
Montmartre is traditionally considered to be the unsafe and, as a consequence, the most unpopular among buyers in Paris. At the foot of the hill lie the Boulevard de Clichy and Boulevard de Rochechouart. It will take five minutes to realize that everything here will make everyday life at least uncomfortable or at most - dangerous: 24-hours bars, sex shops, representatives of the oldest profession - on the streets and in shops and the abundance of the black population.
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"Everything here will make everyday life at least uncomfortable or at most - dangerous. Bu despite all this, the Montmartre is covered by a halo of romance"
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And at the same time Montmartre is not in vain covered by a halo of romance: if you climb the hill, you will find yourself in a completely different world - the world of Toulouse - Lautrec, Gauguin, Van Gogh, Renoir, Picasso, Matisse ... The Montmartre has been maintaining its aura for many centuries you’ll feel it here like nowhere else in all of Paris looking from the top of a hill, located at the foot of Sacre Coeur, to the city that wakes up.
Here dominates low-rise building and a very nice apartment could be found for reasonable money: for example, a small two - bedroom apartment of 31 sq.m with views on the Sacré - Coeur (that literally means "Basilica of the Sacred Heart”, that is the Heart of Christ) can become yours for €245,000.
The average price per square meter here is lower than in prestigious areas - about €7000-8000. In fact, it’s considered to be the cheapest district in the city in terms of real estate prices. Although the prices increase when you climb further to the hill.
19th and 20th – less favorable for residence
The last two arrondissements – 19th and 20th are dormitory areas. The first of them, the 19th, is considered to be safer than the 20th traditionally populated with immigrants from Asia and Africa. There are many cheap shops, and housing prices are significantly lower than in the center.
Many social housing areas were built in these districts and in terms of investment, the arondissements are considered to be interesting, but uncomfortable for residence.
The choice
A Week came to an end. I didn’t even hope to be able to make a decision during this short visit, just needed to decide on what district or districts to focus. I liked the Grands Boulevards, but today I clearly understand that this is not the place for family life. The determinative in favor of my decision was, as always, the emotional factor. It was my favorite place in Paris - the Rodin Museum.
The Rodin Museum in Paris
At one point I realized that it was the district I would like to live in. The 6th and 7th arrondissements are certainly not cheap, but rather the most expensive ones. But here is everything I need: proximity to downtown, quiet and green parks, my favorite Parisian streets and of course the favorite places. Finally you can always sell a second apartment in Russia, take a mortgage in France and still buy a dream in the best city in the world.
Text: Konstantin Grape, ee24.com