Fall in Love with Home At First Paris —

Home At First’s Paris Independent Travel: Locations & Lodgings

          Notre Dame Cathedral, viewed from the rooftop terrace of a Home At First apartment in the Latin Quarter of Paris. Probably the world’s ultimate example of 12th century Gothic architecture, Notre Dame lords over the Île de la Cité, one of two islands in the River Seine that have been inhabited since pre-history.

          Heroically re-built over the five years following the catastrophic fire of April, 2019, the resplendent cathedral has resumed its importance as the traditional center of France: culturally, historically, even geographically. Visiting Notre Dame requires only a 5-to-30-minute walk or short métro ride from most of Home At First Paris apartments.

Home At First’s Paris —
location & SAMPLE APARTMENT 

left bank — latin quarter

5th arr. – notre dame view apartment

Nearest métro & RER stop: Saint-Michel Notre Dame — Métro Line 4; RER Lines B & C.

  Located in the Latin Quarter overlooking the River Seine, Home At First‘s Notre Dame View Apartment couples one of the most coveted locations in Paris with one of the city’s most iconic views.

  The 2-story, 2-3 person apartment occupies the 4th and 5th floors above street level. Its decor represents the eclectic style and colors of early 20th century Paris, a time when the Latin Quarter was home to trend-setting artists and designers whose ideas would define “modern”.

  But the unusual design of the apartment’s interior must take a back seat to the apartment’s remarkable furnished upper floor terrace with its fantastic view of the second great landmark of Paris, the magnificent Cathedral of Notre Dame.

• Lower Level: A small (2-3 persons) elevator arrives at the 4th floor hall near the flat’s entry.

          Inside the apartment, the entry hall opens onto the bedroom (king-sized bed comprised of twin beds pushed-together), the full, modern bathroom (with large shower; no tub), a utility room with over/under washer/dryer and a powder room (toilet & basin).

         A wrought-iron, tightly-turned, spiral staircase leads from the entrance hall to the upper floor. The bedroom closet and spacious utility room provide plenty of storage.

• Upper Level: The 11-step spiral staircase arrives at a corner of the 5th floor living room. Comfy, overstuffed sofas and chairs line the walls below a series of framed drawings of plants and ferns. The sofa converts into a single bed for a third person, if need be.

  There is a flat-screen TV, WiFi, and telephone with unlimited dialing. The natural wood floors are of broad planks. A small, complete (oven, stove top, microwave, sink, fridge) kitchen in French country style is tucked under the eaves with a small 4-person dining table.

  An arched set of French doors leads off the kitchen and living room to the furnished exterior terrace (table, chairs, & covered picnic benches).

          It’s eastern exposure  provides an unforgettable view of the River Seine and Notre Dame Cathedral at all times, but especially at sunset. The terrace is a lovely place for meals, snacks, morning coffee, or a glass of wine.

  The apartment is non-smoking, air-conditioned, and heated as needed. The street entry is private — opened by secure code system.

          The nearest grocers, shops, pharmacy, cafés, and restaurants are within 5-minutes walk in the myriad of charming streets and alleyways of the Latin Quarter.

Home At First’s Paris —
location & SAMPLE APARTMENT 

left bank — SAINT GERMAIN

7th ARR. – ST GERMAIN WEST APARTMENT

Nearest métro: Rue du Bac — Métro Line 12

  Home At First‘s tastefully-furnished St Germain West Apartment is as attractive as its location is desirable.

       Located on a quiet side street a half-block from the prestigious Boulevard Saint-Germain, the apartment is a short walk from a wide choice of restaurants, cafés, shops, stores, and very near transit (Métro Line 12 & numerous bus lines).

• Great Museums Nearby: The River Seine at the world-famed Musée d’Orsay art museum is 10-15 minutes walk north. Walking 5 blocks (15 minutes) northeast to and across the Seine on the Pont Royal leads directly to the Louvre, Paris’s other top-class art museum.

• Access & Entry: The 4th floor apartment is reached by a small  (2-3 person capacity) elevator accessed just inside the security-coded front door of the apartment building.

          The apartment entry opens onto a large, wooden-beamed room that serves as a comfortable, salon with areas for dining (for 4 persons), reading (from the extensive library), and writing or computing at the antique secretary.

• Rooms & Capacity: A modern, well-equipped kitchen opens off the salon, as do two bedroom suites, one a double room with a master bathroom (and bathtub) en suite, and the other a single room with a second bathroom (with a shower). Maximum capacity of this 2-bedroom, 2-bathroom flat is 3 persons.

• Decor & Style: The apartment’s decor is — with the exception of its modern black and chrome kitchen — traditional Parisian, with comfortable furnishings, antiques, and paintings and prints.

          The overriding theme is decidedly first-half of the 20th century, with a nod to the 19th century, a style befitting of a flat in the Saint-Germain neighborhood of Paris.

• Excellent Kitchen: Through the French doors the exceptional, gleaming kitchen speaks of the French penchant for cutting-edge cooking, being equipped with large refrigerator-freezer, induction stove top, full oven, dishwasher.

• Accoutrements: The apartment has a large, flat-screen, cable TV, free WiFi and internet, and phone with free calling to the USA.

          Separately controlled in room heating keeps the apartment comfortable during cooler months.

          A laundry closet (washer with clothes lines for hang-drying) is in the hallway by the apartment entry.

• The Neighborhood: Within five-minutes walk of the apartment are a supermarket and several fine restaurants, the Rue du Bac métro stop, 8 bus stops, and a taxi stand ensuring that this delightful flat is very practically situated as a base for exploring Paris.

Home At First’s Paris —
location & SAMPLE APARTMENT 

left bank — SAINT GERMAIN

6th arr. – PLACE DES GALERIES 

Nearest métro — Mabillon: Métro Line 10; Saint-Germain-des-Prés: Métro Line 4

• Latin Quarter Location: Wonderfully located in the collection of narrow Saint Germain streets that have traditionally served artists and patrons with dozens of small, private galleries, the setting of Home At First’s Place des Galeries Apartment exemplifies the Latin Quarter of legend and lore.
• 2 Bedrooms: The 2-4 person, 3rd floor apartment is as traditionally stylish and comfortable as it is well-located.

          Its two bedrooms — each with its own bathroom — sleep up to 4 persons (ages 9 and up — no young children) in the queen-bedded master bedroom and twin-bedded second bedroom.

          Both bedrooms have window views over quiet courtyards, unaffected by any noise that may come from the cafés on neighboring streets.

• Living Room & Library: Most impressive are the apartment’s elegant common rooms.

         Its living room — with two sofas and fireplace — shares space with a delightful library/study with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking a typical Saint Germain street with more pedestrian traffic than automobiles.

• Dining Room & Kitchen: A set of glass-latticed double doors leads to the very useful dining room, its central wooden table set off by room-high, triangular wooden china cabinets filled with antique treasures placed in each corner of the room.

          Adjacent is the small but well-equipped kitchen capable of preparing even sumptuous meals for apartment guests with range, oven, full-sized refrigerator, and dishwasher.

• Accessibility: It is important to note that this lovely apartment is reached only by ascending 2 flights of stairs from the building’s secure, code-operated, ground-floor, private entry door located on a quiet side street.

• Accoutrements: The apartment comes with a flat-screen TV, WiFi, and telephone with unlimited dialing, wood floors, and a laundry area with washer/dryer. The apartment is non-smoking, and heated as needed.

• The Neighborhood: A 5-minute walk in the warren of charming streets and alleyways of the Saint Germain section of Latin Quarter leads to the nearest grocers, shops, pharmacy, as well as numerous cafés and restaurants.

          Saint Germain ranks as a superb location from which to explore Paris independently from your own quality vacation apartment. 

Home At First’s Paris —
location & SAMPLE APARTMENT 

left bank — SAINT GERMAIN

7th ARR. – ORSAY APARTMENT

Nearest transit — Solferino: Métro Line 12;
Musée d’Orsay: RER C

• Delightful, Convenient Neighborhood: Home At First‘s attractive Orsay Apartment is ideally located on the Left Bank within 5-minutes walk of the world-famed Musée d’Orsay art museum.

          Its setting — on a relatively quiet side street a block from the prestigious Boulevard Saint-Germain and two short blocks from the River Seine.

• The Lively Saint Germain: The immediate locale — the northwestern end of the popular and lively Saint Germain neighborhood in the 7th arrondissement (district) in central Paris — is rife with restaurants, cafés, shops, stores, and very near transit (Métro Line 12 & numerous bus lines).

• To the Nearby Right Bank: Walking 10-20 minutes north to and across the Seine on the Passerelle Léopold Sédar Senghor footbridge leads directly to the Tuileries Gardens, bracketed by the Orangerie and the Louvre, Paris’s other superb art museums.

• Access & Entry: The 3rd floor apartment is reached by a grand, carpeted staircase and a small  (2-3 person capacity) elevator accessed just inside the security-coded front door of the Haussmann-era apartment building.

          The apartment entry hall opens into the impressive main room of the apartment.

• The Main Room‘s high ceilings, full-length windows, wainscoting, and decorous crown molding dates this large space as high 19th century.

          The room serves several functions: as a dining area for 4 persons; as a plush living room for reading, TV, and conversation; as a spare bedroom using the comfortable double sofa bed; and as a mini-study for writing or computing at the antique secretary.

• Kitchen, Bedroom, & Bathroom: A modern, well-equipped kitchen (full size fridge, 4-burner electric stove with oven, microwave, dishwasher, and breakfast bar with 2 stools) opens off the great room.

          The comfortable Tempur-Pedic queen bedroom comes beautifully accented with a decorative fireplace. The striking blue-tile bathroom has a tub and shower and a twin-basin vanity.

• Capacity, Decor, & Style: Maximum capacity of this 1-bedroom, 1-bathroom flat is 3 persons.

          The apartment’s decor recalls traditional Parisian from the turn of the 20th century, with comfortable furnishings, wood floors, antiques, and paintings, a style befitting of a flat in the Saint-Germain neighborhood of Paris.

• Accoutrements: The apartment has a large, flat-screen, cable TV, plus free WiFi and internet, and phone with free calling to the USA. Central heating keeps the apartment comfortable during cooler months. There is a washer/dryer, too.

• Excellent Nearby Services: Within five-minutes walk of the apartment you reach a mini-supermarket, a bank, several shops, numerous cafés & restaurants, the Solferino métro stop, 7 bus stops, and a taxi stand.

          This delightful Saint Germain apartment also earns kudos for its location as a base for exploring Paris.