Looking for a flat in Paris

The following points are meant to be guidelines for a foreigner which needs to find a flat in Paris.


1) If you are not seriously obliged to stay for a long while, consider seriously to invest some money in excess than you planned and go to a Apart Hotel. Believe me, you'll get a high return on capital invested, as you avoid the stress connected to be looking for a flat in Paris.

2) If you really cannot do without staying for longer than 3-4 months (hence you can't opt for a "temporary solution"), first of all begin taking ginseng or magnesium pills in the morning, you will need it.

3) There are several websites where you can find for-rental adverts. Of course in French. If you address yourself to English alternatives, consider that it is unlikely that you would get a legal contract.

4) When you find an interesting advert, call immediately, even if it is late night or very early morning. Consider that 65% of your calls will result into a "sorry, it is rent already".

5) When you get an appointment to visit a flat, dont be surprise to find out that another 20-30 people got an appointment for the same flat, at the very same time: demand exceeds supply so much that flat owners feel entitled to do whatever.

6) Don't forget to bring a copy of your working contract with you. If you don't afford a high salary (you are an intern for example), you have the right to have a person granting in economical terms on your behalf. This person should be a French, meaning that he/she has to pay taxes in France. If, as a foreigner, you don't have anyone corresponding to this profile and you haven't had the time to find a wealthy French boyfriend/girlfriend, forget about a lovely small studio on your own and get ready to share a three-four bedroom flat with at least 6 others.

7) When you deal with the flat owner, obviously in French, make sure you pronounce everything in a proper manner otherwise they would not understand. Be careful especially when you are on the phone. If your French is not good enough, chances are that the speaker will abruptly hang up in the middle of the conversation.

8) As you visit a flat, make sure that: the flat is heated, the fridge works, there is a sort of kitchen in place and that there is a working internet connection. Even ask if you may try to log on. Beware of people saying to you "there's not internet yet, but I've just applied for a flat wifi service": in that case, expect to wait a couple of months before having it in place. If you're lucky enough, you'll be able to smuggle your neighbors' wifi passwords. Forget about the washing machine and the elevator unless you have a very high disposable budget on housing.

9) Consider that you will be ask to pay at least 2 months in advance.

10) When you'll have your flat, most of the time you will face conditions that you have never expected in a EU Member State (at least, for Italian readers, be prepared to face what you were told as a child by your granny "when I was young and I didn't have a washing machine, nor a car, nor proper heating..).

11) Bottom line: before packing everything and go back home, have a walk downtown Paris. You'll be in the most beautiful place in the world, you'll forget about everything else and get the inner strength to move on with your Parisian life.

http://www.appartager.com/
http://www.craigslist.org/about/sites
http://www.recherche-colocation.com/paris.html

Go and have a look at the Parisian American church's dashboard: it normally hosts rentals and job offers and it's constantly updated (65, Quai d'orsay. VII arr.).

Stockholm - tips for a summer trip

Swede summers are short and the best of it the end of June, when sun shines till late at night. RyanAir operates flights to Skatsa airport, around 100-km far from Stockholm.You can get to the capital by train, for the station of Nyköping (7 km far from the airport). SAS airlines provide a wide range of flights to the city hub (Arlanda), which is in turn connected to the centre by a quick train service (Arlanda Express). I have always chosen the second option: public transports and cabs fares are quite expensive and you might lose the price advantage when you end up far away from the city.

Stockholm - as well as the Country in general - is very safe, you won't generally end up in a black-spot filthy hotel. Make sure you are close to a subway station if you are not downtown, that may be confortable as the suburbs stretch far from the centre.

After a yummie Swede breakfast, you can go for "classics" on your first day. Head to Gamla Stan, the medieval district, and take your time to fool around. Literally: forget about your mobile phone switch off your blackberry, stop browsing for a wi-fi zone. Just enjoy. The medieval town hosts two examples of sacrated Nordic architecture (Storkirkan and Tyskakirkan), as well as the Royal Palace. This last is astonishingly elegant, not withstanding its simplicity, in line with the generally sober atmosphere that one can breath in the Country. It's the place where Nobel prizes are delivered (apart from the Peace reward which is held in Oslo) and you can find a museum about the history and chronology of this international ceremony. Being a small island, it offers panoramic views of the town in front of it: don't miss the chance to give a glimpse to the City Hall building which stands a few sea miles away, in front of Riddaholmshammen. Gamla Stan is not only culture. It offers also a caleindoscope of cozy shops: while noising around the small alleys you'll bump into vintage clothing, hand-made jewelries, second-hand comics dealers, calm cafés.

If you are lucky enough on your second, you'll find one of those sunny yet cool days that I love about Stockholm as I have a break from the stifling Milan summer, don't be a couch potatoe and walk down sea-sided Strandvagen to Djurgarden.  

There you find a huge green area and Skansen: a conglomerate of outdoor attractions which are worth visiting. Skansen area have been hosting festivals and celebrations since long time ago. It offers both historical buildings to sightsee, a fabolous zoo of Scandivanian animals and other uniqueness pearl like Astrid Linger-dedicated theme park. If it were to get rainy (chances are, weather is variable), you may be interested in visiting the Vasamuseet. Everything but a boring museum. You will admire the remains of an original Vasa boat are on exhibition. Beside the awesome vessel, those of you who are fond of history (as I do) will enjoy the reconstructions of a Vasa village and the explanations about th way Scandinavian sailors lived and travelled back in the past.

Stockholm is actually plenty of museums, still, you might prefer to skip them and privilege a shopping session or some sport on the days you're left with (I strongly recommend to do so!).

Being a spoilt Italian lass, I have a tendency for the "Shopping malls other than Milan's? Yeah...of course...", with the only exception of Paris. Stockholm was a surprise in that sense. Not a city for luxury brands clients, though plenty of convenient casual outfit shops: the value for money gets higher when it comes to winter clothing and shoes. Just consider that on my first time there, I ended up fighting with my suitcase lock because of the three coats I had bought in the boulevards around T-centralen station. Not mentioning the glam brown boots I got last year for 70 euros! The area between T-centralen and Ostermalmtorg is a tough battlefield for a shopaholic (carefully gaze the map: that'll be your playing ground)! Enormous H&M flagship stores, local brands'shops, department stores where you can find whatever: from clothing, to house stuff, from perfumery, to bakeries (a shopping session has to imply an epicurean lunch break, especially on holiday). I had one of the best times in my life as I finally fell in a blue armchair of a café, throwing a set of plenty shopping bags on the floor next to me and ordered a kannelbulle (typical Swedish cinnamon roll) and a large cappucino!

And then, enjoy the people and the relaxed atmosphere of this city: you'll fall in love with it and wish to be back.

Stockholm - the essence

As a child I spent hours flicking through a fairy tales book by the Grimms. My favourite tale was Hans and Gretel. Every night I asked mom to read it for me and I ended up knowing each sentence by heart. I wondered whether such big forests to get lost while walking through actually existed and whether somewhere in the world people actually built fancy peaky-roofed houses with enormous windows, as the awful witch’s one. And hers ...it was even made of ginger biscuits!
What ginger was, it was not that clear to me, though mom had vaguely explained me that it was similar to saffron but darker and with a more intense taste.
Many years afterwards, I got an answer to all the questions that came into my mind while listening to Hans and Gretel fairy tale. I finally realized what the Grimms had in mind when I ended up in a Stockholm’s suburb for the first time: a constellation of peaky-roofed houses surrounded by green parks appeared to my eyes!
Sweden capital city is definitely the one that went more beyond my expectations, among the places I visited so far. As I landed at Arlanda airport for the first time, I assumed I would have spent a week in a Copenhagen-like town: I was wrong! Nothing to do with the excessively touristic and terribly calm Danish “sister”!

Stockholm lies on an archipelagos of islands, each connoted by its own architectonical features and attractions: Sodermalm – the young, lively liberty district; Skansen – truly an open-aired kids “playground”; Gamla Stan – the ancient city centre, which dates back to the XIII century; Ostermalm – the modern “outfit” of the while Country.

The town life rhythm is just relaxing, or at least it is for me. I love Sodermalm so much: it’s a residential borough, slightly apart from touristic sights. During the day, it’s the crossroads of students and workers…the same people that crowd the area’s fancy pubs and cafes at night. Out the subway stop (Slussen), there’s a square, dominated by a “rokeri” – a fish smoking house (for those who think that fast food tastes plastic, I strongly recommend to have a blind order, beyond the globalized smoked salmon… for example, I discovered my favourite is the “stromming smorbrot” which I still ignore what actually means and what meant I was eating!). You not gonna find anything to sightsee or take picture of in Sodermalm: you gonna have the chance to stop and observe. And learn. That’s why it’s my very favourite place in Stockholm: I discovered that several offices are connected through underground channels to avoid going outside in winter time; I tried a kick with a hockey stick for the first time in my life in a sports outlet there; I was told that leggings are for summer, whereas in winter one wears thick and colourful “tights”.

Those who aren’t much fine with the issue of being grown-up people, Stockholm is definitely the place to be: you’ll find all the gorgeous stuff that grown-up are convinced no to exist…because it’s just a kids dream. Remember when you wished the sun wouldn’t set because you wanted to keep playing? In summertime, sun shines till very late at night in Stockholm.

You’d have moved heaven and earth to get a lemonade and a chocolate roll at Pippi Longstockings’ soda-pop tree? In Djurgarden – Skansen – at Astrid Linger’s theme park you’ll find not only the soda-pop tree but even Pippi’s lovely horse.
You used to climb on whatever was taller than you were? In Stockholm parks you’ll enjoy wild climbing on artificial walls.

You read at least twice Silver Skates? Book a low-cost flight in December for a couple of skating days downtown Stockholm: the ice ring, surrounded by historical buildings, and the friendly Swede population practicing its national sport will make you plunge through your childhood book memories.

The Swede are deeply attached to their traditions. On June 21st, they celebrate the longest day of sunshine with street concerts and barbecues. During summer, they practice several outdoor sports in the city’s green areas: those who are used to jogging beside traffic jams as I am in Milan will be amazed by the amount of parks that the town offers. Fancy trying Nordic walking? Go to Karlsberg Slottpark. Are you a skater? Vanadislunden Park. What about getting a glam tan? Humlegarden, next to the main malls…just in case you’ll end up with a craving for shopping!

In December, Xmas lights seem a shiny dress that make the city bright no matter the never-ending darkness of the Scandinavian winter. People meet around Xmas markets, having a chat at the entrance points where small fires are lighted to literally warm up the atmosphere. As you are hanging around for shopping there’s nothing better than a glass of hot Glogg – a berries juice served with raisins and almonds inside and some cinnamon biscuits. If you are brave enough to visit a market after 4.30 pm, you’ll surely get one!

If the weather is frosty, Swede’ politeness and friendliness will compensate abundantly. You’ll have great fun dancing around a giant Xmas tree at the sound of carols and local chorus. Tradition wants people to hold each other’s hands in a circle. And nobody escapes from tradition in Sweden: you’ll jump and twist in-between old ladies in local fancy dresses, blond kids, young punks and Sri-lankese immigrants. Everything is harmonic: no one yells, no one’s on a nervous break down, no one’s impolite. Life is designed around children even when it’s about adults: no one loses its capacity to dream.

You’ll even find those ginger-biscuit houses you were told of before you fell asleep, in Stockholm.