As far as history is concerned, there’s no city in the world quite like Paris. Boasting a colourful past and equally flamboyant present, there’s no corner of the city which is not an embodiment of ancient tales. Montmartre, the epicentre of the 18th arrondissement, is possibly the most historic area of Paris, and one of the most visited. If you’re looking for a holiday apartment rental in Paris for your next holiday, we urge you to look closely at Montmartre. Thanks to the exceptional Parisienne Metro it is ever so easy to get around town, but your evening walks will be much more authentic and enjoyable, considering you’ll be far from the touristy crowds and the bright lights of the city centre. Montmartre is best known as the home of the Sacre-Coeur Basilica, a spectacular white-domed church sitting atop the most infamous hill in Paris. Climbing endless stairs to reach it is well rewarding as the church grounds gift fantastic views of greater Paris. But the church is considered a recent addition to the city’s skyline as it was built merely a century ago. The hill on which it is built however, boasts a much more impressive history than that! The Romans thought ...

There’s no other area of Paris which does self-indulgent luxury quite like St. Germain. The once intellectual hub of the French capital is now its trendiest suburb, filled to the brim with opulent palaces, awe-inspiring churches, monuments, art museums and an almost indecent amount of hip bars, cafés, restaurants and designer boutiques. The best part of modern-day St. Germain is that while it has not lost its bourgeois feel, it is now also the prime hang-out of arty types, keen to graduate from the many art academies on the Left Bank. This makes St. Germain the ideal holiday destination for anyone who appreciates the good things in life...minus the conceited snobbiness usually associated with rich suburbs. When visiting Paris, book your holiday rental apartment in St. Germain and enjoy the ultimate Parisian walking tour.  Soak up the atmosphere and culture of this most unique quarter and discover the true magic of Paris. Start your day’s exploration where it all began (for St Germain anyway), at one of Paris’ oldest churches: the Église de Saint-German-des-Prés. The original construction started in 200 AD, yet the church which stands there today was not built until the early 12th century, after raging fired levelled the church ...

Travelling to Paris for a week of blissful relaxation and sightseeing is bound to be one of the best ways to put a spring back in your step. Nowadays, finding fantastic deals on flights and Eurostar train rides is the norm, so your little getaway need not break the bank either. But what about when you get there? Are you likely to part with all your hard earned savings? Of course you are! Between expensive hotels, meals, transport and entry tickets into museums, you will soon realize that even a short week-end away can cost you big time. But there are many ways to reduce the cost of a visit to Paris, without reducing the quality of your vacation. Follow our best ever guide to ‘doing’ Paris on a budget and you could easily be planning several weeks away in the City of Lights & Love. Keep it Close Some people choose to stay well away from the city centre, in the hope that they’ll be saving on accommodation costs. While this may be true some of some cities, in Paris it actually pays to stay nice and close to the attractions. Your best bet is to book an apartment near ...

Renowned the world over as one of the most romantic icons in existence, the Eiffel Tower in Paris has a way of inspiring awe, admiration and quite a few sighs, in all who visit. No matter how many times you see it, or from which angle you first view it, this most grandiose feat of engineering is one mighty impressive site. Whether you happen to hop off the bus and stumble across it, or walk for miles around Paris trying to find its perfect viewing spot, the Eiffel Tower remains the most celebrated attraction in the whole city and quite possibly the entire country. While most people simply buy a ticket online, join the queues, climb it and then go on their merry way, we’d highly recommend dedicating some serious time to appreciating this illustrious structure. When next in Paris, book a holiday apartment near the Eiffel Tower area (Champs de Mars) and give it the respect it deserves! Follow our very intimate guide to the tower, the ideal spots from where to photograph it, and take home some truly unforgettable memories. Close or far? Some people argue that tall structures like the Eiffel Tower are best viewed from afar, when all of ...

[pinit] When on holiday in Paris, choose to stay in Le Marais, the most historic and culturally enhanced area of the French capital. Opulent buildings, magnificent museums and unique stores and café are just the tip of the iceberg in this most fashionable nook of Paris. Le Marais enjoyed quite noble beginnings, being the district of choice for the French élite, yet suffered one of France’s most ironic transitions, when it became home to the new country’s struggling artists, philosophers and literati. Nowadays this translates to a district adorned with extravagant old buildings yet inhabited by local and foreign bohemian and alternative types, representing the true essence of modern day France. Book your holiday rental apartment in Le Marais and let us take you through its street in a walking tour you’ll never forget. To get the most out of your Le Marais tour, start your day in one of the most iconic Paris landmarks: the Place de la Bastille, site of the 1789 revolution which saw heads roll and a new French era begin. Granted, there’s not much left of the old Bastille (only an enormous monument erected in honour of the French Revolutions), but the area still boasts an ...

It is often said that diamonds are a girl’s best friend, but we beg to differ. We say shoes are a girl’s best friend darling sweetie. Paris, the most chic of European capitals, is considered by all self-respecting shoe worshippers as the absolute mecca, and a visit here a dream to fulfil at least once in a lifetime, if not once a year. Indeed, a shoe shopping spree in Paris is considered by some to be a religious experience like no other. The French capital is renowned for being the cradle of style, elegance and effortless beauty. Paris is not only home to some of the most famous shoe-brands in the world, but it also attracts the most talented up-and-coming artists and designers, meaning you will find that ‘one of a kind’ pair of heels no matter how much (or little) you spend. When planning your trip to Paris, we suggest you concentrate on THE shopping district of St. German-des-Prés. Stylish, gorgeous and very Parisienne, St. Germain is not only one of the most elegant parts of Paris, but it is also a bubbly and vibrant university quarter. Long established boutiques sit alongside trendy new bars; perfectly coiffed middle-aged madams rub ...

No Paris holiday is ever complete without a hard-core shopping spree! Be it for food, perfumes, knick-knacks, designer clothes or art, there’s no better city in the world to spend your heard-earned holiday dollars. Should you be looking for holiday rental apartment in Paris, then keep in mind that the area around the Paris opera house, the Palais Garnier, is your best bet if you want to really absorb the true essence of Parisian life. Dine, shop and feel your way through Paris, just by stepping out of your front door! To help you on your merry Paris shopping way, we’ve compiled a walking tour which will guide you to the most popular shopping havens in the area. Start your day out front of the Opera Metro station and discover the unadulterated bliss that retail therapy can bestow on even the most discerning tourists. Fragonard Perfume Museum Located merely meters from the colossal Palais Garnier, this unusual museum is a true treat for your senses. The lovely collections shown in the Fragonard Perfume museum showcase almost three thousand years of perfume history! Testers and gift-boxes are also available to purchase, making this one of the most enjoyable educational outings in Paris! Printemps de la ...

It is often said that the best laid plans are always the most challenging. Sometimes, it is the smallest detail which threatens to ruin a project you’ve been planning for years! While the idea of building an extravagant opera house in the centre of Paris seemed simple enough at the time, it almost failed before it even began. Napoleon III, who turned out to be the last head monarch of France, was renowned for his opulent tastes, and had dreamed of the 2,200-seat architectural feat for years. In 1862, after clearing nearly three acres of land, on the site where the Opera House would be built, an underwater lake was discovered. It turned out that, with all the planning and organizing, no-one had bothered to really check the ground...and the next 12 months were spent implementing projects and measures to dry up the swampy land. In order to assure the future structure would be left undamaged for centuries to come, architect Charles Garnier devised a double foundation system. Between the first and second layer lies an enormous hidden cave; curiously though, this underground dungeon-like space (certainly big enough for anyone to live in) is what inspired Gaston Leroux to write ...

Montmartre would have to be one of the most iconic areas of Paris. The Sacre Coeur Basilica, which sits right on top of the hill, gifts some of the most magical views of the French capital. The narrow cobblestone streets are lined with artists and museums, and, if that’s not enough, this arrondissement is chock full of hip and happening watering holes, making bar hopping in Montmartre an effortless and enjoyable experience. While the area’s popularity may have resulted in some overly-priced tourist traps, we’ve compiled a list of our most adored drinking hot-spots. So book an apartment in Montmartre, take the worry out of your planning, and head to one of these bars for a drinking experience with a difference. Café la Fourmi, 74 rue des Martyrs This trendy little gem is one of those places that’s hard to find, but impossible to forget. The unassuming front entrance, on Rue de Martyrs, is a dead giveaway that this is not your usual tourist trap. Furnished with eccentric wood paneling, Café la Fourmi is the favored watering hole of local painters, musicians and artists in general. It’s a hip and chilled out joint, just perfect for an after-show drink (or two). Sancerre, 35 Rue des ...

Renowned for its ‘authentic’ and eclectic ambiance, the trendy Parisian area of Le Marais is the meeting point of the city’s most talented artists and ardent philosophers. But this is not exactly a recent phenomenon...Le Marais was once a mecca for some of the most rebellious intellectuals of the 18th century. Indeed, this area is considered the birthplace of the Enlightenment period and quite possibly the very inception of the French Revolution. What is perhaps a little puzzling, is realizing that Le Marais was also the residential area for the city’s aristocracy. In fact, what makes walking the streets in this area so enjoyable, is the fact that it is so intensely packed with some of the most grandiose buildings in the whole of France. Castles and mansions, once belonging to the French elite, are now some of the most visited museums and hotels in the whole country. Curiously enough, it is this very opulence which instigated, and angered, the great philosophers at the time: Voltaire, Rousseau and Montesquieu among many others. Perhaps it was the very proximity of the obvious social inequality which provided infinite fuel for their quarreling ways. Les Philosophes loved to congregate in local cafés and debate for days ...