Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
facing the courtyard or many people using the
courtyard as an access, then voices and footfall can
also be bothersome too. Noise ricochets up those high
stone walls.
Concierges. If possible get into a building that features
an old-style live-in French concierge or
gardienne
(caretaker). She will probably be Portuguese, and very
helpful in every way but speaking English. She guards
against overl owing garbage, handles mail delivery
and special notices, shows in servicemen and often
holds an extra set of your keys, in case you lose yours.
She can also offer a delicious spice to your life, with
off the gossip, politics and protocol invaluable to the
newcomer.
Mail services. If your building hasn't got a concierge,
your mailbox will be lined up inside the doorway.
Make sure yours is locked. Often they are not big
enough for magazines and your subscriptions will
be left in a common trough, where they might
disappear. Mail tampering is a problem in Paris,
so arrange for a locking mailbox big enough for all
your mail.
Charges (Deposits and Fees). You will have to pay two
months' rent in advance, if you are working through a
standard French agency, and usually a fee to the agent,
as well. Make sure you get all the papers stating what
you have paid and what you are due back at the end
of the lease.
Red tape. France is built on a mountain of bureaucracy.
It works, and some of it is quite sensible. But speed is
not the primary consideration. As with everything in
France, be patient. Finding an apartment and renting
it takes time and good connections (
see the
'
System D'
in
Chapter 3: Stereoptypes and Beyond—The Public
French
on page 35).
Search WWH ::
Custom Search