It Must Be Nice

Your taste of life in Paris and France
ParlerParis.com
Wednesday, August 31, 2011 • Paris, France

• Printer Friendly • Parler Paris Blog
• Community Calendar • Recommend to Friends
• Don't miss a single issue of Parler Paris! "Whitelist" Parler Paris by adding "info@adrianleeds.com" to your address book.

---

Celebrate "La Rentrée" September 3rd with a pizza lunch!

Parler Parlor French-English Conversation Group

Join us, September 3rd to celebrate La Rentrée and enjoy a pizza lunch, plus memberships will be on special sale that day!

LA RENTREE PIZZA PARTY
Saturday, September 3, 2011 at 11 a.m.
Lutèce Langue
23, boulevard de Sébastopol (at the corner of rue de la Reynie), 1st arrondissement
10 euros per person

Special Rentrée Membership Offer:

12 sessions for the price of a 10 session card
24 sessions for the price of a 20 session card
7 months for the price of a 6-month membership

Practice Your French...or English. Parler Parlor meets three times a week -- come as often as you like!

For further details, visit Parler Parlor

---

Parler Paris "Paroles"

We love to get your comments on our Nouvellettre® so from now on in each issue, we'll publish one featured comment of note about the past Parler Paris Nouvellettre®! To make your voice heard (and we do read them all!), please send your comments to info@adrianleeds.com

To read past issues, visit readpastissues.html

 

 

---

Dear Parler Paris Reader,

Later this morning I'm headed to Nice once again -- this time to be with a client who is purchasing the apartment adjacent to mine on rue Masséna.

There was one large apartment that had been divided into two -- mine being the smaller one -- a large studio that will be made into a one-bedroom to sleep up to four. The other side is twice the size -- a two-bedroom, two-bath (to sleep up to six). There is one main entrance on the floor, then second doors lead to each apartment. Each apartment has a balcony -- mine is on the pedestrian street and the other faces the back street with lovely views.

Of course, this makes for an ideal situation for both of us. The apartments will be rentable separately or as one unit for a family or friends traveling together. Our "Mosaiiste," Véronique Husson, is joining us in order to meet with the contractor and plan for the renovation and tile work in both apartments. Together, she and I are planning a trip to Leroy Merlin (pronounced "luh-wah-mare-lehn) in the north of Nice on Thursday to choose the materials for the apartments.

Leroy Merlin (http://www.leroymerlin.fr/) is France's answer to Home Depot. There are dozens of them all over France and provide one-stop shopping for the DIYer as well as for all the professional contractors. In fact, LM puts Home Depot to shame for their expansive inventory of building materials. It is here we go FIRST and where we can count on low prices. Then, if it doesn't exist or the quality is lacking, we might go elsewhere, but it's definitely THE place to start.

In Paris Leroy Merlin is next to the Centre Pompidou on the north side on rue Rambuteau and while the entrance is unassuming and small, the store is immense, on four levels, sprawling both above and underground. It rivals the "sous sol" (basement) of the "BHV" (Bazar de l'Hôtel de Ville, http://www.bhv.fr/) in that, it, unlike the BHV, DOES sell kitchen sinks (you know the old joke, "everything, but the kitchen sink?").

 

These stores become your friends when you set out to create your French abode, along with Ikea (furnishings), Darty (appliances), Habitat (furnishings) and the like... With all the renovation with which I have been involved, they are more like old pals whose strengths and weaknesses I have come to know well and appreciate. Between Leroy Merlin, Ikea and Darty, with a little help from a few others, we should be able to completely renovate and furnish both apartments.

If all goes well, our client will sign the "Compromis de Vente" (pre-sale agreement) on Friday before we head back to Paris and we will have the plans laid for the renovation and decoration work with an eye on the end of the year for both apartments to be rentable. As with all of our apartments, they will each be luxurious to the max and equipped with EVERYTHING one might need or desire for a perfect home-away-from-home on the Riviera, including beach chairs and mats. You can also bet that there will be a BIG bathtub in both apartments (for long languid bubbly baths)...and air-conditioning to stay cool all summer long.

Here is what you can expect from the apartments (not to mention Véronique's beautiful artistry tile work throughout):

* Ideal location in the Carré d'Or of Central Nice, about 200 meters from the beach, surrounded by transportation, great shopping, lots of restaurants, car rental agencies, etc...
* Digicode entry system
* 3rd floor, European (4th floor American)
* Lovely balcony with French doors, table and seating for two
* Bright, south facing windows overlooking a pedestrian shopping street
* Living/dining/kitchen: High-end sofa that easily converts to a comfortable double bed
* Dining table and chairs for service up to six
* American-style open fully-equipped kitchen
* Refrigerator
* 2 or 4-burner electric stovetop
* Microwave oven or multi-function oven
* A complete array of kitchenware (all cooking utensils, dinner and tableware, serving pieces)
* Press-style coffee maker
* Espresso maker
* Electric tea kettle
* Toaster or toaster oven
* One-bedroom apartment: queen-size bed that splits into twins
* Two-bedroom apartment: two queen-size beds that split into twins
* Large built in closets
* Bathroom with tub/shower and second en-suite bathroom with shower in the two-bedroom apartment
* Plenty of bed linens, hand, bath and kitchen towels
* Washing machine with dryer
* Hair dryer, iron and ironing board
* DVD player
* Flat screen color TV with cable channels, including BBC World, CNN International and Aljazeera International
* Private telephone line with answering machine
* Free long distance telephone service to 100 countries, including US and Canada
* Free WiFi Internet access
* Books and guidebooks in English
* Manual with instructions for appliances/electronics provided
* Electricity, heat, telephone and Internet included
* Parking garage close by for those traveling with a car
* Non-smoking
* No pets allowed

Now that we're making Nice our second home to Paris, it seems that lots of friends want to come visit, so if you're interested in checking out what Nice has to offer sometime next year, then maybe you will want to book your stay now (!) and either fly directly to Nice (into Nice's International airport) or make Nice an add-on to a stay in Paris.

To learn more, contact John at apartments@adrianleeds.com, who can provide you with availability and rates for your stay.

Adrian Leeds
Editor, Parler Paris

Share this article with a friend...
Respond to Adrian

 

 

 

 

P.S. Tomorrow in French Property Insider, we'll be talking about the new tax reforms in France that will affect investors. If you are not already subscribed, it's free and easy. Just enter your name and email address in the form on the left panel of any page of our new Web sites…and you'll be receiving French Property Insider 50 Thursdays of every year…filled with lots of important information about property in France.

P.P.S. Saturday we'll celebrating the return of Parler Parlor with LA RENTREE PIZZA PARTY! Don't miss it! Scroll down for more information or visit Parler Parlor

---

Free Residential Property Investing Seminar

Tuesday, October 11, 2011 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Join Adrian Leeds and other property professionals at this free international event for investors wishing to learn more about France’s dynamic property market. Speakers include experienced, independent property investors from France and around the world. Come to network with key players in the property industry and keep up-to-date with changes in the market. The event will run from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., followed by drinks nearby.

BNP Paribas Investment Partners
Auditorium (level -1
14 rue Bergère, 75009, Paris

For more information and to reserve your spot, contact: justine.trueman@bnpparibas.com

---

France: The Owner’s Manual

France always makes sense! It is one of the most beautiful countries in the world, immersed in culture and tradition, with a good climate and unspoiled countryside, as well as excellent health care and affordable real estate. It’s not surprising that France is the world’s favorite destination, receiving in excess of 82 million overseas visitors each year. This edition is updated and edited by Adrian Leeds and Schuyler Hoffman. If you’ve ever aspired to living or investing in this beautiful and desirable country, France: The Owner’s Manual will provide you with all the information you need to turn your dreams into reality. Get Your Copy Today!

---

PARLER PARIS APARTMENTS

Welcome to your home in Paris. Home is how you will feel in a private apartment in Paris that has the "seal of approval" from Parler Paris Apartments and me, Adrian Leeds.

Enjoy the crisp and comfortable fall season, a glorious time to enjoy Paris, when there is so much to see and do!

The apartments are booking up fast, so reserve today!

Visit Parler Paris Apartments: Parler Paris Apartments to view our full selection or email: apartments@adrianleeds.com for more information.

---

Own a Piece of Paris. Fractional ownership is the hottest way to own your piece of Paris simply, easily and inexpensively! Here is one of our newest offerings available through French Property Fractional:

 

Le Notre Dame

The Ile de la Cité is where life in Paris began centuries ago, centered around one of the world's most important cathedrals, Notre Dame. Just a few steps away is this old-world elegant studio apartment with windows providing a perfect and beautiful view of "Our Lady.".

For more information on this and other fractional ownership properties now available, orto learn how you can design your own property, visit French Property Fractional.

To learn more about "What is Fractional Property Ownership?," click here: frenchproperty.adrianleeds.com

And to get the free "Paris, France Property Market Report," click here:
frenchproperty.adrianleeds.com

---

Book your FREE personal consultation with Adrian Leeds!

If you would like to consider having your own "pied-à-terre" for your pleasure and profit, guests of any one of our luxurious Parler Paris Apartments can take advantage of a FREE one-hour consultation with Adrian Leeds while you're enjoying the apartment in the City of Light. It's our way of saying "thank you" to our community!

Visit: ParlerParisApartments.com to book your stay and for more information or email Adrian at: adrian@adrianleeds.com