MAKING YOUR RESERVATION:
• What is the price of renting the apartment?
• What does the rent include? What is excluded from the rent?
• How do I make a reservation?
• How and when is final payment made?
• What is your cancellation policy?
YOUR ARRIVAL AT THE APARTMENT:
• How will I find the apartment and get the keys when I arrive in Paris?
• Is there an elevator? What floor is the apartment located on?
• Are bed linens and towels provided? Who launders them and cleans the apartment?
YOUR STAY AT THE APARTMENT:
• How big is the apartment? How many people will it accommodate?
• Is this a "Non-Smoking" apartment?
• Is the apartment appropriate for young children or pets?
• Does the apartment have cable TV and internet access?
• What about telephone usage at the apartment?
• Is the apartment quiet and safe?
• What about insurance and liability for theft or damage to our possessions or injury to us?
• How have previous guests liked the apartment?
GETTING AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD:
• What if I don't know how to speak French?
• Where will I find groceries and other items I need to buy?
• Where will I find an ATM or the post office?
• Is there a laundromat or dry cleaner nearby?
• Are there good restaurants in the neighborhood?
• Are there fun things to do nearby?
GETTING AROUND THE CITY:
• What is the closest Metro station?
• What about taxi and bus service?
• How far is it to Place des Vosges, Île Saint Louis, Notre Dame, the Louvre, and other famous sights?
What is the price of renting the apartment?
Depending on the number of people (between one and four), the length of stay (four days to three months) and the season, the rent will range between 850 and 975 Euros per week (payable in the U.S. dollar equivalent), with a reduction for stays of one to three months.
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What does the rent include? What is excluded from the rent?
The rent includes gas and electricity, wireless high speed internet, cable TV, incoming phone calls, local (01) outgoing phone and emergency calls, cleaning before and after departure; bed and bathroom linens, greeting upon arrival, and checkout upon departure. Our local Paris representative is also available to answer questions and respond to emergencies.
The rent excludes outgoing phone calls other than (01) calls or emergency calls and excludes calls to (06) cell phone numbers. Guests should purchase a prepaid phone card at nearby tabac for excluded outgoing calls and should make arrangements in advance for overseas long-distance calls. Also, mid-rental cleaning and laundry can be arranged for an additional fee of 60 euros (advance notice of seven days required.) (Although there is a washer/dryer in the apartment, in the French tradition, this can be a slow and sometimes noisy process. A good large laundromat is one block away from the apartment if you prefer to do this yourself.)
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How do I make a reservation?
Please contact us at info@parisbastilleapt.com or 415-282-3648 to inquire about availability and to discuss the details of your stay. Or send us your inquiry by using the "Contact" page of this website. We will then send you a term sheet summarizing these details. When we receive the signed term sheet and a 30% deposit, we will confirm your booking.
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How and when is final payment made?
The remaining 70% payment is due 45 days before your arrival date. Payment may be made by PayPal or wire transfer to checking account. In some circumstances, personal checks will be accepted. At the time of final payment, a damage deposit (in the amount of approximately one week's rent) will also be required. The damage deposit will be returned after all keys are returned and final cleaning and inventory are conducted.
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What is your cancellation policy?
If cancellation occurs less than 45 days prior to arrival date, there is no refund, and the full amount of rent is due and payable. If cancellation occurs 45 to 60 days prior to arrival date, any amounts paid in excess of the 30% initial deposit will be refunded. Prior to 60 days before arrival date, there will be a full refund of amounts paid, less a $150 administrative charge. Trip cancellation insurance is recommended.
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How will I find the apartment and get the keys when I arrive in Paris?
Prior to your departure you will be sent detailed instructions for arriving at the apartment. Our local Paris representative will meet you at the apartment, give you the keys, and familiarize you with the apartment and the neighborhood.
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Is there an elevator? What floor is the apartment located on?
The apartment is on the third (French) floor and there is no elevator. There are 55 steps with good handrails and hallway lighting (see photos on this website under the "The Apartment -- The Building.") Upon request, we will arrange for assistance with luggage upon your arrival and departure. Please note also that access to apartment (Cour Damoye) is by pedestrian access only (approximately 250 feet from either direction) and is paved in romantic but rough cobblestones. See photos of Cour Damoye on this website at "The Neighborhood -- Cour Damoye."
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Are bed linens and towels provided? Who launders them and cleans the apartment?
Bed linens and towels (including a clean change of linens) will be provided upon your arrival. Laundry during your stay can be done using the washer/dryer in the apartment or at the Laundromat located two minutes from the apartment. Pre-arrival and post-departure laundry and cleaning of the apartment are included in your rent payment. Mid-rental cleaning and laundry can be arranged for an additional fee of 60 euros (advance notice of seven days required.)
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How big is the apartment? How many people will it accommodate?
The apartment measures approximately 40 square meters (approximately 430 square feet) and has a living room with double sleeper sofa, separate bedroom with queen-size bed, a large remodeled kitchen and a split bath. The floor plan allows one to four people to occupy the apartment comfortably. A sense of space is provided by these separate areas.
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Is this a "Non-Smoking" apartment?
Yes, this is definitely a "Non-Smoking" apartment. Violators will be beheaded!!
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Is the apartment appropriate for young children or pets?
The apartment is newly decorated with fine details and is not appropriate for children under 12 years of age or for pets.
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Does the apartment have cable TV and internet access?
Yes, it has both cable TV and a VCR player which plays American "NTSC" as well as French "PAL" videos. There is also a portable radio/cassette/CD player. The apartment has wireless internet access, but you will need to bring your own laptop computer. If you choose not to bring your laptop, there is an internet cafe called "Milk," located just across Place de la Bastille, that is open every day and that offers internet access, faxing, photocopying and other business functions. (See "Neighborhood -- Nearby Services" on this website.)
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What about telephone usage at the apartment?
Prior to your arrival, you will be given the telephone number at the apartment. You can receive all incoming calls and make outgoing calls to local (01) numbers and emergency numbers, but not to (06) cell numbers. For other calls, it will be necessary to use a prepaid phone card. Every “Tabac” (which is much more than a tobacco store) sells phone cards. There are several tabacs located very close to the apartment.
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Is the apartment quiet and safe?
The apartment is very quiet because Cour Damoye is a private pedestrian street, and no automobiles, motorcycles or garbage trucks are permitted to enter. In addition, the windows in the apartment are double paned. The front and back gates of Cour Damoye are locked at 8:00 p.m. each evening, and access is restricted to residents and their guests through use of their keys and the intercom system. There are security cameras and a resident gardien, in case of emergency.
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What about insurance and liability for theft or damage to our possessions or injury to us?
You are responsible for obtaining trip cancellation, accident and illness insurance coverage, and insurance for your personal possessions. Check with your insurance carrier in the U.S. before you leave, because these things may already be covered by your health and homeowner's policies. We cannot be responsible for damage to or theft of renters' personal property or personal injury or death of renters or their guests.
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How have previous guests liked the apartment?
Comments include the following: "Your apartment was just adorable and perfect for us and we're hoping to get back there again sometime, perhaps for a month next year. The neighborhood was perfect!" Also: "It has been wonderful to be here, and the place (accurately captured in your photos) has been great. We're already thinking about a return visit."
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What if I don't know how to speak French?
Pas de problème! It's not a problem! The Marais and Bastille area (and most of central Paris) is very tourist oriented, and if one person doesn't speak English, the person next to him probably does. In any event, a friendly smile and a "Bonjour" and "S'il vous plait" and "Merci" will work wonders. Often French people will at first say they don't speak English but if you try this approach, they will suddenly remember that they speak English quite well!
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Where will I find groceries and other items I need to buy?
There are several good grocery stores and bakeries near the apartment. Also, there is a wonderful open-air produce market each Sunday and Thursday. See "The Neighborhood -- Open-Air Markets " on this website for specific information and photos. When you arrive, a detailed list of neighborhood stores and services will be given to you.
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Where will I find an ATM or the post office?
Several ATM machines and the post offices are within a few minutes of the apartment. Upon your arrival, you will be given information about the locations of these and other services located in the neighborhood.
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Is there a laundromat or dry cleaner nearby?
Yes! There is a large laundromat located 2 minutes from the apartment, and it is open daily. Within 4 minutes of the apartment there is a dry cleaner. See "The Neighborhood -- Nearby Services" on this website.
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Are there good restaurants in the neighborhood?
Yes! There are dozens of cafés and restaurants within minutes of the apartment to suit every taste and every budget. See "The Neighborhood -- Restaurants & Cafes" on this website.
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Are there fun things to do nearby?
Yes! There are many night spots on Rue de Lappe and Rue de la Roquette and other places in the Bastille area. The new Paris Opera Bastille is right across the street! There are two multi-screen movie theaters within 5 minutes of the apartment. See "The Neighborhood -- Entertainment" on this website. And don't forget the Saturday open air crafts market on neighboring Boulevard Richard Lenoir. See "The Neighborhood -- Open-Air Markets" on this website.
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What is the closest Metro station?
Getting around town is easy since there is a Metro stop and three Metro lines (1, 5 and 8) at Bastille. The closest Metro entrance is right outside the front gate of Cour Damoye, on Place de la Bastille. See "Location -- Metro Bastille" on this website, which also allows you to access a map of Metro and bus lines.
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What about taxi and bus service?
Several bus lines stop at Place de la Bastille. And the taxi station is just across the street in front of the Opera Bastille. When you arrive, you will be given phone numbers for several taxi companies, in case you need to make special advance arrangements.
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How far is it to Place des Vosges, Île Saint Louis, Notre Dame, the Louvre, and other famous sights?
From the apartment it is a 5-minute walk to Place des Vosges and a 15-minute walk to the Seine and Île Saint Louis. The apartment is on the edge of the Marais and within easy walking distance to the Picasso Museum, the Carnavalet Museum and the home of Victor Hugo. It is a 20-minute walk to Notre Dame and a short (10-minute) Metro ride on Line #1 directly into the ground floor entrance of the Louvre. Across the Place de la Bastille is the Port de Plaisance de Paris Arsenal, which is a man-made lake between the Seine and the Canal Saint Martin, containing a marina with over 200 slips for various riverboats and pleasure craft. To the right of the Opéra de la Bastille is the beginning of the Viadux des Arts (also known as the Promenade Plantée—a unique garden planted the length of an old railway viaduct, offering a pleasant stroll as far as the Bois de Vincennes at the eastern boundary of Paris. And don't forget to board a nearby Bateau Mouche (or its smaller cousin, the local "Bat-O-Bus" water taxi) for a round-trip tour of the Paris sights from the water, then enjoy dinner at one of the floating restaurants on the Seine! See "Location -- Nearby Sights" on this website.
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