View of Rear Apartment Building through the Courtyard (with Neighbor's Cat)
Location: Paris Arrondissement 18, Paris, Ile-de-France (Paris Area), France, Europe (Off Place des Abbesses - Amelie's Neighborhood) View Map
Accommodations: Apartment, 2 Bedrooms + Other (See Description), 1 Bath (Sleeps 4)
Keywords: Apartment
The Apartment:
Walk straight through the entry hall of this old Nineteenth Century building, past the concierge’s door and you emerge into a sunny oasis of tranquility: an expansive courtyard with tall trees, flowering gardens, benches and, here and there, table and chairs. The apartment is in the back building (B), one flight up.
In 2005 it was completely renovated, but with fidelity to its original charm. The old hardwood floorboards were taken up to level the floor, which was on a serious slant, then carefully replaced. The "Prussian," the old ceramic wood-burning stove that once helped heat the apartment, was polished and left in place. New windows were installed, but they are indistinguishable from the neighbors’. But the flat was also modernized.
The old kitchen became a state-of-the-art tiled bathroom, with twin sinks, deep tub with shower, separate shower stall and heated towel rack. The kitchen was placed in the former bathroom and opened up into the séjour, the combined living room-dining room, making an American style great room (cuisine américaine). The kitchen appliances are all new (see list); the backsplash is finished with the same Paris Métro tiles as the bathroom. Light floods in through tall windows from two exposures.
Both comfortable bedrooms have a wall of closets, plus new bedding with lots of extra blankets and pillows. The furniture throughout is a mix of the brand new (beds and sofa) and the antique (big mirror in entry, dining table and chairs, night tables, secretary.) Colorful rugs and framed artwork enhance a very Parisian, very homey atmosphere.
Complete the feeling with some wonderful music from the CD collection, from the old (Edith Piaf, Jacques Brel, Barbara, Django Rhinehart) to the contemporary (Gypsy Kings, Francis Cabrel, Raul Barboza, and Keith Jarrett’s Paris Concert).
The Neighborhood:
If the ideal is to be on a quiet street (let alone in a courtyard building!) in the middle of a vibrant neighborhood, then rue Houdon is the place to be. Just a block long*, the street provides a sort of side entrance to old Montmartre. At the bottom of the hill is the busy Place Pigalle, with its Métro station, bus stops, taxi stands, and late-night shops and clubs.
At the top of the street is the storybook Place des Abbesses, which boasts an original Hector Guimard Métro station, a classic Paris kiosk, a Wallace fountain and a children’s carousel, not to mention a vest-pocket park all in flower, an unusual brick church (St. Jean de Montmartre), and the start of the climb up to the Sacré-Coeur basilica. Nearby, in the Café St. Jean, there is live jazz on Monday and Thursday nights. We are in Amélie’s quartier, for those who saw the film. The Marché de la Butte, the picturesque produce shop where she hung out, is right off the Place des Abbesses.
Down the street is the rue Lepic, Montmartre’s best market street. Just off Abbesses in the other direction is the rue des Martyrs, another famous neighborhood market street. If you want to steep in a Paris experience, you can’t do better: prize-winning, artisanal boulangeries and pâtisseries, flower shops, cafés, restaurants, boutiques, bookstores, cheese shops, wine stores, all in endless supply. And the specialized: a few blocks away, at the foot of the butte, is Paris’s fabrics district, including Dreyfus, six floors of every imaginable material, color and design. The neighborhood is also full of guitar stores, for some reason.
Down a side street off Houdon is a modest atelier where a master craftsman makes harpsichords. Bring your most comfortable walking shoes. You will walk everywhere in Paris, but if you stay in the neighborhood you won’t run out of things to discover.
*Bonus track: Just on our little block-long rue Houdon are found the following: a café at each end of the street (one with jazz), an antique store, a music store (mainly guitars), two local-designer women’s clothing boutiques, a designer children's clothing store, a beauty salon (male and female), two restaurants (Indian and Thai ), a little grocery store and, across the street from no. 14, the neighborhood école maternelle (public pre-school). The ATM is around the corner.
Transportation to other parts of Paris could not be easier, with two major Métro lines (2 and 12) and multiple bus stops a minute or two away on foot.
Vacation Rental Features
- Amenities
- Washer
- Dryer
- Linens Provided
- Beds
- Queen Bed
- Double Bed
- Entertainment
- Cable/Satellite TV
- DVD
- CD Player
- Music Library
- Kitchen
- Full Kitchen
- Cooking Utensils Provided
- Refrigerator
- Dishwasher
- Microwave
- Communications
- Telephone
- Free Long Distance : Can call for free to land-lines AND cell phones in the US and Canada and also free to land-lines only in the UK and most of Western Europe.
- WiFi (Wireless Internet)
- Other Amenities
- Queen Bed, Full Bed, Antique Ceramic Fireplace/Heater, High-Speed Internet with Wi-Fi, TV with Cable, DVD (Multi-zone), CD/Stereo, Fully equipped Kitchen with Range and Oven, Full-Size Refrigerator, Toaster, Washing Machine/Dryer Combo, New Bathroom with Deep Bathtub, Separate Shower, Twin Bathroom Sinks, Hair Dryer, Heated Towel Rack, No Smoking!
- Suitability
- No Pets Allowed
- Smoking Not Allowed
- Activities
- Shopping
- Live Theatre
- Restaurants
- Cinemas/Movie Theaters
- Museums
Rate Details (In Euros)
Weekly Rates .. €1200/week (3 nights minimum) .. extra nights pro-rated.
Discounts for Longer Stays.
Note: Until confirmed, rates are subject to change without notice.
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Credit Cards Accepted:
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Map & Owner's Profile
Property Photos
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- View of Rear Apartment Building through the Courtyard (with Neighbor's Cat) - Paris, france Apartment Rental
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- Entry Hall - Paris, france Apartment Rental
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- Living Room (Séjour) looks out on Courtyard - Paris, france Apartment Rental
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- Wide view of Séjour
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- Fully Equipped New Kitchen
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- Extendable Dining Table
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- Another View of the Séjour (Living Room)
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- Master Bedroom
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- Second Bedroom with Antique Ceramic Heater
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- New Bathroom with 2 Sinks, 2 Showers, Big Soaking Tub, Heated Towel Bar
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- Separate W.C.
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- Street Entrance next to Chez Grisette Bistro
Traveler Reviews (5)
Guest: Brendan C.
(-)
Date of Stay: 07/13/06
Review Submitted: 07/13/06
I spent a month at 14 rue Houdon on a business trip to Paris. The apartment is comfortable, quiet, and convieniently located in a great neighborhood. The apartment is not directly on the street making a surprisingly quiet stay in a bustling neighborhood. The place is fully equipped with laundry and all the kitchen supplies you could want, making an extended visit much easier. Having wireless internet was very nice as well. The management of the apartment was great - Lauren Greenwald responded quickly to minor problems I had with the mailbox and the cable TV. Montmartre is a wonderful neighborhood. I enjoyed having the "3rd best baguettes in Paris" less than a block away. Other excellent bakeries and restaurants abound, and there are gorgeous views of the city from the nearby Butte de Montmartre. There are two grocery stores within a couple of blocks. The apartment is very close to two metro lines and a 15 minute walk to Gare du Nord, making the rest of Paris quickly accessible. I commuted to either Denfert-Rochereau or to Orsay (a suburb of Paris) nearly every day, and it was quite easy and fast. Thanks! -Brendan
Recommended for:
Guest: Peter and Katharine W.
(-)
Date of Stay: 05/23/06
Review Submitted: 05/23/06
Location, location, location! The cozy apartment at 14 rue Houdon has it all…charm, modern conveniences, tranquility, and a superb situation for either a short or an extended visit to Paris. Located at the base of Butte Montmartre, it is a 2 minute walk to the Metro, 2 minutes to a veritable cornucopia of wonderful food and wine shops at Marche Lepic, 2 minutes from more restaurants and bistros than one can begin to catalog, and a short jaunt up to the Sacre Couer which offers the best view of Paris at any time of the day or night. The surrounding neighborhood is bursting with character and asks to be explored at leisure. The apartment is one floor up off of a quiet courtyard…a big plus in Paris. Everything is new and tasteful, shining and efficient, light and airy. My wife and I could have stayed a much longer time without feeling cramped. As it was, 14 rue Houdon quickly became our home away from home. It had everything we needed and more. We eagerly look forward to returning for our next visit.
Recommended for:
Guest: Chris and Sally A.
(-)
Date of Stay: 05/03/06
Review Submitted: 05/03/06
We found the apartment at 14 rue Houdon comforting as soon as we walked through the front door. The apartment is furnished and decorated in a style that makes it feel like home and we were able to slip comfortably into it immediately. While provided with absolutely everything, there is an absence of cluttered spaces and ample cupboard/wardrobe space in both bedrooms and the bathroom allowed us to easily make it "ours" for our short stay. The beds are both firm and comfortable and the bedrooms spacious. The bathroom is fantastic; large and clean, with two showers and a bath and double vanity basins. Often it is the bathroom that diminishes a rental apartment, here the reverse is true! The lounge/dining space is not large, but it is certainly more than adequate and comfortable. The kitchen is also small, but equipped superbly with new appliances and designed to operate effectively. We were happy to spend our last few days in Paris at 14 rue Houdon and have fond memories of it.
Recommended for:
Guest: Istv?n S. and family
(-)
Date of Stay: 04/15/06
Review Submitted: 04/15/06
We had a very pleasant stay at Rue Houdon. The apartment was clean and quiet, everything was working fine. We never stayed in an apartment with Internet connection (WiFi), which we used to email friends and plan our programmes in Paris. We really appreciated your support at the time of renting the apartment and your colleague who helped us to solve our parking ticket problem as well.
Recommended for:
Guest: Wendy P.
(-)
Date of Stay: 04/23/02
Review Submitted: 04/23/02
I loved the apartment! So well stocked and appointed. The apartment location was fantastic! Easy to get everywhere. The neighborhood was very safe. My sister and I so enjoyed walking around in Montmatre -- every day we discovered a new spot. By staying in the apartment we had the opportunity to live in Paris rather than experience the city as a tourist living in a hotel. The apartment was spotless when we arrived even though it had only been vacated earlier in the day. Lauren was very professional and extremely helpful and responsive to all of our requests for assistance. Because I was taking the flower course at the Hotel Crillon I had the opportunity to use the metro and to take taxis. Both forms of transportation were relatively inexpensive. We ate well the entire time we were in Paris. However, Chez Grisette was a very big hit -- the food was divine! It was right next door! And, the owners were so lovely and helpful. Please let me know which weeks in the Fall 2006 and Spring 2007 because I am ready to book the apartment again.
Recommended for:
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Vacation Rentals by Owner Listing #98683
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This listing was first published here in 2006.
Date last modified - Friday, February 10, 2012
