Our organization's advisory board is composed of a small group of French and American executives in the fashion, cosmetic and home furnishing industries, based in the U.S. and France. For the past few years, the properties were leased exclusively on a long-term basis to international corporations for their executives. Some of the corporations were Arthur Andersen, Elf Aquitaine, Nortel, to name a few. Subsequently, our company decided to revise its strategy and rent from one week to three months maximum, so that its staff would be able to use the properties when needed.

What makes us different from other U.S. based companies? Answer: we represent a group of private luxury property owners in France. We do not work with European rental agencies. What we offer is an opportunity to experience through our rental properties the real lifestyle of the well-to-do Parisians -- an opportunity that is seldom offered to a hotel clientele, even if the hotel is the Plaza Athenee or The Ritz.

BEFORE GOING FURTHER, HOWEVER, WE WANT TO GIVE YOU A WORD OF ADVICE (CAUTION). The rental of an apartment any place in the world can be a perilous situation, and a great source of disappointment – especially when one is renting sight unseen and does not know the town in which one is planning to spend what is meant to be a relaxing, enchanting and fruitful time. Making "blind" choices can result in a misconception of the city you will be visiting and, ultimately, could even spoil your entire stay.

Imagine renting in New York for the first time a "swanky" 2-bedroom apartment (as it was described to you). Located in the "center" of Manhattan, not far from Madison Avenue and Park Avenue. Your imagination starts working; you visualize the beautiful shops on Madison Avenue, and you can see yourself strolling out of the apartment building to a charming place across the street for a mocha latte, fresh pasteries, etc. But what could happen under such circumstances is quite different. In this scenario, you arrive in New York, find yourself in a 4- story, dreary walk-up next to the Port Authority – not a good scene.

Remember the ad and ask yourself: Where is the center of Manhattan? What is a typical New York apartment? Is it a 9 room apartment on 80th Street and Park Avenue or is it a Studio on Avenue B? Is it in the East Village? The wording means nothing. The same goes for Paris. There are hundreds of charming, centrally located apartments offered for rent – many of which are located in the socalled well-known neighborhoods – BASTILLE, MARAIS, 5TH ARRONDISSEMENT, 14th, 15th, which are sometimes offered at exceptionally low rates. Most of them are drab, dreary, and sub-standard in décor and cleanliness.

Neighborhoods are promoted by agencies for the simple reason that it is much more difficult to find an apartment in an upscale neighborhood than it is in a working-class one. LA BASTILLE, for example, has seen the birth of the new opera house, which has given some life to the immediate vicinity. Traditionally, however, the area has been for years classified as an old, poor Paris neighborhood, featuring repair and trade shops, and removed from the real Parisian life. Today, besides a few streets around the Place de la Bastille, the streets and buildings are what they used to be; furthermore, the old repair workshops have been replaced by street vendors selling low end goods. When the real Parisian goes to the Bastille, it is to go to the Opera and a nearby brasserie, and afterwards he/she is happy to return to their safe and plushy neighborhood..

We are always amused to read the ways in which agencies promote apartments in Le Marais district: "charming apartment, centrally located…" Centrally located to us means easy access and freedom of choice. No real French uses the phrase centrally located when speaking of Paris. Nothing is central; every Parisian, if he can afford it, will choose an upscale, secure neighborhood, good transportation and a wide variety of activity. French travel agencies offer French visitors traveling to California, for example, hotels in central downtown Los Angeles. Wouldn’t one rather stay in Beverly Hills and concentrate on the activities on Rodeo Drive or Wilshire Bld.? Paris is an interesting city and tremendously varied. Every area and district offers specific attractions, but one has to discriminate between the area where, for example, one need spend only one or two hours in contrast to the places where one would elect to stay (live) during one’s vacation.

LE MARAIS is a large area which was, and still is, filled mostly with wholesale lingerie and low end ready-to-wear stores, which house a small staff of seamstresses in sewing workshops. The streets are congested with delivery vans, motorcycles and cars. The buildings are small and old and do not offer any comfort. Most are occupied by small workshops and ready-to-wear industry workers. The closest comparison would be the area around Seventh Avenue in Manhattan, between 43rd and 47th streets. The one point of historical interest in the Marais is Place des Vosges, with its beautiful hotel particulier and the Musee Picasso. Rue du Temple, one of the restored old streets, also has much charm. Besides the above, Le Marais, on a whole, is not an area where one would elect to live. It is dead at night; in addition, it is far removed from any sophisticated shopping, theatre, night or cultural life. Most art galleries and museums, for example, are about one-half hour by car. Public transportation at night, however, usually requires a 15 minute walk through deserted streets.