Everyone wants to visit Paris, but the best experiences really come from living like a Parisian. There is nothing wrong with visiting the tourist spots while on holiday, but if you want a more authentic experience you must break away from those areas and dig deeper. Paris is really about the neighborhoods and they all have a distinct feel and energy.
For anyone planning a vacation to Paris I first recommend changing up your lodging. Staying in a hotel isn’t going to provide you with an experience to remember. Paris has more than 2,000 years of history and most of the buildings have kept their beautiful exteriors intact. Immersing yourself in this history is a vital part of visiting Paris and can best be done by staying in a real Parisian apartment. This is why we chose to stay with Cobblestone Paris Rentals.
Cobblestone Paris Rentals provides an authentic and culturally rich experience you will never forget. All of their apartments are beautifully decorated and ready for you to start your Parisian adventure. Cobblestone Paris Rentals even starts you out with some French chocolates and wine (perfect for couples on a romantic getaway). Paris is one of our favorite destinations to visit as a couple and as a family. For our last visit we traveled with our kids and they loved staying in an apartment and having their own space.
Waking up in Paris and having the option of either heading to a local café or staying in and making breakfast is amazing. Having a homemade meal while on vacation is quite the luxury and one I fully take advantage of when I have a kitchen. We stayed in two different apartments in Paris and they each had amazing kitchens brimming with anything you could possibly need. While I love eating out, there is something so fun and real about heading to the local markets and then preparing your finds. I love the markets in Paris and they have so many amazing options. You won’t be able to try a lot of different foods if all you do is eat out. If you have kids with you they will get a kick out of scoping out all new sweets they have never seen before!
I loved feeling like I was at home in Paris. When you really think about it, hotels just weren’t modeled around accommodating a family for longer than a few days. Unless you’re springing for the penthouse suite, most likely your room will be small and start to feel even smaller as the vacation goes on. What you really need is something that feels more like home, but away from home. You need a place that you can still cook meals if you desire and wash clothes if needed. It would be great if these things would be put on pause while on vacation, but it’s an unfortunate reality. Kids still need clothes washed, (probably even more while on vacation), the whole family needs to eat and everyone loves more space.
For these reasons and so many more is why I highly recommend choosing Cobblestone Paris Rentals. Cobblestone Paris Rentals also has English speaking greeters to introduce you to your apartment and make sure you are truly at home. Live like a local while in Paris and take home one of the greatest travel experiences you can have!
Below you can view the two amazing apartments that our family stayed in and head over here to see all the properties available from Cobblestone Paris Rentals.
Le Merlot Du Marais
This beautiful one bedroom apartment has everything any traveler could want. Although it is only one bedroom it has plenty of space to accommodate four guests. It has a French country feel that makes it so charming and a perfect start to your Paris stay. Located in the 4th District you will find yourself close to all the famous sites in Paris. Only a ten minute walk to Notre Dame Cathedral and the Louvre. We absolutely loved this neighborhood and were actually sad to leave it. It was full of so much life and many amazing shops and restaurants.
Le Merlot Du Marais has a full modern kitchen and with the country feel it’s almost begging you to cook a homemade meal.
Right out the front door you will find cobblestone lined streets that will lead you to The Centre Georges Pompidou Modern Art Center. This art center only adds to this already vibrant neighborhood. This is a fabulous apartment for anyone looking for a true Parisian experience. Beware though you will fall in love with this property!
Le Balcon Notre-Dame
Wow, it’s hard to put into words how I felt about this apartment. I felt as if I had designed this apartment. It was beyond perfect for our family. The name gives away one of its amazing treasures; a balcony overlooking Notre Dame. What an amazing view. I could have sat on this balcony all day long just people watching, staring at Notre Dame Cathedral and viewing the waters of the Seine flowing by. I would wait for night to fall and go out again to see the streets and cathedral lit up.
The view isn’t the only amazing thing about this apartment though. It has a large open kitchen, two big bedrooms and an incredibly spacious living room. I loved all the windows as well. Most apartments in Paris only have windows on one side of the apartment. This could mean very little light for the apartment, but not with Le Balcon Notre-Dame it also has windows looking out at two different courtyards so that almost every room gets some natural light.
There is no question about the neighborhood. With Notre Dame practically in your backyard there is no lack of amazing restaurants and shops. This is the Latin Quarter and it has a vibrant and lively atmosphere. Again you can find cobblestone roads in this neighborhood as well and much to my surprise right behind the apartment building was surplus of eating options that are really affordable. You can’t get any more in the center of Paris and you will find everything is incredibly easy to walk to.
A big thank you to Cobblestone Paris Rentals for hosting our family in order to facilitate this review, all opinions are my own.
Check out more photos from our Parisian experience below:
