an apartment in Paris?

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The little flower shop

Louis Vuitton Center

Biking the Bois

Why you

should visit

Paris in Spring

The Living Room - I added the fabric and Paris Pillows

The Master bedroom

The guest room/office

Across the street a Boulangerie, Bikes and Bank

Rothschild Park and Chateau

The Billancourt Town Hall

For 2 months in the spring of 2019, a time before Covid and when Notre Dame sadly ignited during my stay, I took an apartment in Paris. Kind of...

​I had visited Paris many times, but always traveling to or from somewhere for a week or so. I wanted to experience a bit of daily life, settle in and brush up my French. I was researching my book about Daisy Polk, so the perfect excuse to stay for a month+.  Originally I had reserved a two story flat in the Rue de Levis 17th Arr., but that fell through at the last moment, and I found a modern 2 bedroom apartment in Boulogne Billancourt with a large outdoor balcony and real elevator. Unheard of in my price point. Booked! (see the red heart on map)

Why I would stay in Boulogne again
Technically not Paris but a separate village that retained its independence when other villages were joining the City, it is served by two Metro lines which makes coming and going to anywhere in Paris a breeze. Actually better than many locales inside the center that are only served by one line. This upscale residential village neighbors the 16th Arr. of Paris proper (where I usually love to stay). That village ambiance is what I (and my guests) loved about Boulogne Billancourt. AND ... the bus or train to Versailles is a 20 minute ride from the front door. What's not to love? 

The trade-off for "modern" was charm, but not comfort. I've stayed in the walk-ups and squeezed my bags into elevators that were hardly bigger than a dumbwaiter. I never stay at big hotels, so if this was the compromise, I was pleased. And a quick fun shopping day in the tissue (fabric) shops below Sacre Coeur (I go there everytime ... talk about eye candy!), and I had some pillow covers and a few yards of fabric to cozy-the-place up. 

We also enjoyed bike riding (rental bikes across the street!), being so near the Seine, fantastic shopping and boulangeries, easy acccess to the Bois de Boulogne park, the Roland-Garros stadium (FrenchOpen), the Edmond-de-Rothschild park, and the new Louis Vuitton Center. For daily living, I could walk to every store and discovered a delightful nursery around the corner. So charming, I always took guests there to take pictures. 

​Would I stay in Boulogne Billancourt again? Absolutely.

Rue de Levis

Rue de Silly Boulogne Billancourt