Moving to Paris for the first time? Finding the best housing option can be daunting and overwhelming at first. However, with a few handy tips and a point in the right direction, your housing worries are easily cured.
Mômji is on hand to give you 10 tips to find your best accommodation in France’s capital.
Why trust us? We work with thousands of students and expatriates in Paris every year and are one of the biggest bilingual employers in the country.
As well as striving to provide English-speakers with the best part-time jobs, we are here to make sure you have the best experience possible.
Mômji is on hand to give you 10 tips to find your best accommodation in France’s capital. Why trust us? We work with thousands of students and expatriates in Paris every year and are one of the biggest bilingual employers in the country. As well as striving to provide English-speakers with the best part-time jobs, we are here to make sure you have the best experience possible. Find out more about us.
#1: Prioritise What You Need
When you first start looking for housing in Paris, you are going to be inundated with options. There’s a common misconception that a room is hard to come across in Paris, but a shortage of options is certainly not something to worry about. There are hundreds of landlords and companies who rely on foreigners coming to settle in Paris and they need you just as much as you need them.
Therefore, you’ve got to prioritise what you need. When browsing websites, be sure to make use of the filters. If you are set on having a double bed, get rid of all the single bed options from the start. If you don’t want to house-share, filter away all the ‘colocations’ too. You’ll see the number of options start to fall but that’s a good thing – you can start to consolidate your search.
#2: Price Range
Unless you are moving from another capital city, the likelihood is that Paris prices are going to sting you. The Parisian way of living is a notoriously expensive one and even if you manage to save on a house, you have to be prepared for day-to-day items taking a bigger bite out of your bank account than before.
Before starting to look for housing options in Paris, make a note of what you are willing to spend and what you can afford. Be prepared to pay more, but be sure to not waste time looking at rooms you simply don’t have the means of paying for.
#3: Make sure your arrangements match what you are doing
It’s not uncommon to get so caught up in the house hunt that you forget what you’re actually moving to Paris for. It’s important to make sure that your living arrangements will work with the life you are going to live. For example, if you’re a student who likes to socialise and have people round for drinks, perhaps a studio flat is going to work better than living with a working adult. Alternatively, if you’re going to be working early in the morning, it may be worth prioritising somewhere the closest to your workplace possible. Avoid disappointment further down the line by thinking ahead now.
#4: What area do you want to live in?
If you’ve never had the chance to visit Paris before, you might not be too familiar with the areas. The city is divided into 20 ‘arrondissements’ and each one is different from another – Paris is very unique in that way.
There’s a lot of research you can do into which arrondissements are best for your needs. As a starting guide, the lowest numbers can be found in the centre and the higher further out. It’s worth taking a bit of time to research which arrondissement appeals the most to you and centring your housing search there.
#5: The best websites to use
Going through an agency website to find housing has pros and cons. Whilst there are agency fees to pay, you can pass your search onto professionals who have helped hundreds of people like you before.
Finding the right website can be tricky, but Mômji has some partners to offer you. Spotahome provide videos and checks of all apartments before you rent, BeMyNest gives you the chance to live in a French family, whilst Les Estudines are specialists in student halls and Lodgis offers more upmarket options.
#6: Use your friends and family
By far the easiest and safest way of finding housing in Paris is through friends and family. Be sure to ask them to spread the word that you are looking for somewhere to live in Paris, and you may well be surprised what comes back. A lot of Parisians looking to rent out a room are just as worried about finding the right person as you are about finding the right room. Word of mouth is always worth a try.
#7: Avoid fraud
Wanting to avoid fraud, clearly, goes without saying. There are people in Paris who look to scam foreigners who don’t know the ins and outs of renting in the city. Be very cautious when sending money before your arrival and always look for past reviews or previous renters. Don’t be afraid to ask awkward questions to be sure your landlord is legitimate, it’s worth it in the long run.
#8: Visit the room before paying
Finding the time and money to visit Paris before the big move is easier said than done. However, if there is any way you can find a long weekend to cram in as many viewings as possible, it’s definitely worth the effort. The sure-fire way of knowing whether a room suits you or not is seeing it in person. Online, photos and angles can be misleading, plus a visit in person gives you a chance to see the area it is located in. Sending a French friend to check it out for you could also work.
#9: Sort it once you arrive
Most importantly when finding a house, be sure not to panic. It can take time, and it’s worth spending longer and getting the perfect place.
A number of students actually wait until arriving in Paris before looking for a house. Leaving it that late to look isn’t advisable, but it is possible to shack up in a hostel for a couple of weeks and visit rooms in Paris on arrivals. Landlords often accept quick move-ins and a lot of rooms are only advertised at short notice anyway. So, if you’re still room-less at the time of moving, there’s still a chance to sort something out!
#10: Ask for help from Mômji’s international community!
Mômji employs hundreds of students and English-speakers in Paris alone. By becoming a part-time babysitter or English teacher with us, you’ll be invited to monthly social events, be part of an exclusive Facebook group and meet lots of people in Paris just like yourself. Find out more and apply here!
Mômji is on a mission to gift French children with the skill of speaking English and we need you! Join the movement and find your perfect part-time job.
