Pick Your Paris Apartment
Jun 7th, 2008 by Marilyn
On every street in Paris, I found a reason to abandon my new old house and move into a place with dubious plumbing, cramped space and a totally dreamy facade. I took enough apartment photos to make a local gendarme look twice, and maybe he would, if he wasn’t busy with cafe and croissants, the French cops’ answer to a Dunkin’ Donuts break.
Already annoyed, this particular madame in the 6th arrondissement was much too peeved to notice me.
“Oh, when I see that Marie I will box her ears! The stupid girl never waters the plants.”
Whoever lives up there, the buildings in central Paris stand like solid urban fairytales, full of geraniums and tall windows and ironwork. Since there are thousands of them, why should I keep the fantasy all to myself? Pick your own Paris apartment.
No. 1: Mon dieu! That Madeline roof, those arches, the view. Gerard has just called Therese to say he bought an excellent Brie de Meaux, but will be home, ahem, a bit late – and that’s fine with her, because she is entertaining Jean-Luc.
No. 2: Merde, that’s a lot of stuff going on up there! In America, we’d call it ‘busy’ – there, we’d call it charming, and pay double.
No. 3: Simple but well-kept in the Latin Quarter. Are you kidding? If an ad read “above fondue restaurant, all the cheese you can eat,” I’d be first in line.
No. 4: Bonjour from the uptight Right Bank! Genevieve the maid will be in today, but she drinks all the Bordeaux and smokes while she cleans, no?
No. 5: Ooh la la! Someone has a green thumb on the busy Left Bank. Is it you?
No. 6: Living right over Chinese takeout near the Boulevard Saint-Germain. Where do I sign?
Honestly, I’d take any, and if I won the lottery, I’d take them all. Which one is yours?
As much as I joke about wanting to live above a Chinese restaurant, so I could have Chinese food whenever I want it, the truth is that I’d never want to live above! Cheese, on the other hand — yes, give me house #3!
Oh goodness, my heart went pitty-pat at the idea of living above a fondue restaurant. But #5, with a Juliet balcony big enough for a chair or two, really has my vote.
Number 5 please! It’s all about the Left Bank…
By the way, this is now one of my favorite posts of yours!
#5 is the one for me. What a romantic idea to live in Paris in an apartment in the city. Wow !!! If I was single I might have considered such an idea. Nice pics.
Mmmmmmm…..
I have to pick #3 just because I love fondue so much!!!
Since we are dreaming, I will take two.
#2 Because it is sooo odd. The round submarine windows and tudor half-timbering and # 5 Because I just love the flowers trailing down that balcony.
#1. But I’m going to put flowers from #5 on it. Oh yeah, and you’re all invited over for drinks. I’ll have a clean kitchen and we’ll invite Marilyn to bake scones for us.
#5 but I would want a wee bit more room to be on the balcony — I love the vine’s and etc…
ALthough living over a chinese restraunt is extremely tempting, I think I ‘ll take the busy left bank gardeny one… with a side of croissants and strong coffee please.
As long as I can have Genevieve to clean and Jean-Luc to keep me happy I’d take any
LOL…Modernemama, you always come up with some good lines.
#3 for the fondue alone. i am in some major love w/fondue!!
#5 s’il vous plait. J’aime les fleurs. Je voudrais manger le petit dejuner sur le balcon.
No. 5 seems to be the one! Maybe we can all split it as Le Time Share.