Saint Germain-Odeon Apartment in Paris

If you do not see the 13 digit registration number, you may not have accommodations when you reach Paris. Do you feel lucky?

Even with a registration number, this is clearly not someone’s primary residence, very likely rented for more than 120 days a year, and is unquestionably, in my mind, an illegal rental. If you are concerned about the risks, I would avoid it. If you do not care about the legalities and the socioeconomic impact of illegal apartment rentals, it is very appealing.

When are you going? The airless loft bedroom with no AC would be a deal breaker for me. Also the stairs to the loft. Are they those teeny treads over the box group? And no hand rail? The third floor in France is the 4th in US. Do you all want to do this climb maybe a couple of times a day?

Most certainly this is illegal. Look at the calendar. Your decision about whether or not to rent illegally, of course.

It's so difficult to get the full picture with these Airbnb listings. This apartment has been remodel for tourists: miniscule studio-style cooking facility in the combined living-dining area but max number of sleeping quarters. Salons facing the street made into bedrooms--streetside bedrooms are deal breakers for me. In addition to crowded areas under the roof, I'd check to see if one or more of those toilets were chemical or grinder toilets. Bringing water to the loft is one thing, but many people put grinder toilets instead of a sewer line. Grinder or chemical toilets are deal breakers, too.

I stayed in a place in Catania with a grinder toilet. It made a lot of noise. It would have been a problem if I hadn't been traveling alone. As it was, there was no one to wake me up by using the toilet at night. In that particular room, using the wash basin triggered the grinding mechanism, too.

A long time ago, a person told me two things that have proven to be very useful to me for vacation rentals. His rules were:
1. never get a loft bedroom, and
2. never rent a place that does not have enough dining chairs for your entire party.
This apartment is 0 for 2 so would be a no for me separate and apart from any legality issues.

I will say that it appears to be a non-compliant listing because it has no registration number. I guess it could be one of the 300 or so places listed at https://opendata.paris.fr/explore/dataset/registre-des-autorisations-de-changement-dusage-pour-les-meubles/table/?refine.arrondissement=75005&refine.arrondissement=75006&disjunctive.arrondissement. But you can't tell because you do not have the address. As has been said many times on this forum, the risk is that the apartment could be pulled from the rental market right before you get to Paris. But, there is always a risk that you might lose your accommodations -- I mean I once got a phone call from my hotel in Paris saying that no rooms would not be available when I was on my way to the airport to fly to Paris. That hotel found a replacement hotel for me that was ready by the time I arrived but the point is that no accommodation is guaranteed because stuff happens. That being said, looking for substitute accommodations at the last minute in Paris is a heck of a lot easier for one or two people than it is for seven so a group of seven has concerns that maybe a couple do not have and should act accordingly. Have you Googled the company?

Thanks for your replies. You gave me much to think about as we find our accomodations...a lot that I had never considered. This Airbnb property is off my list! I feel like you saved me from disaster!
I'll search with more awareness now.

WOW! It looks like a gorgeous place with 70 reviews! Just the kind of place I'd love to rent! Who would know it was a possible illegal rental unless you got the real scoop from people on this forum, right?

Does the same go for other areas in France, or just Paris? I've booked two VRBO's - one in Provence and one in Dordogne. Should I be concerned?

Susan and Monte, the restrictions discussed in this thread apply to Paris. Read this for a general overview for France that gives information on the places you need to be concerned about. https://www.morningcroissant.com/help/regulations-for-short-term-rentals-in-france-114

CokaLa--some of us have rented a lot of frogs before finding our princely apartments. That's how we know to look at windows, what floor, street or courtyard side, and I've had a neighborhood waking us by using a grinder toilet in the middle of the night, as well as one that backed up in an apartment I was renting--due to the previous renter's carelessness. So just feel free to share what you find and we'll take a look.

I also say find an apartment with a proper registration number.
And a bit of advice that I was given re: toilets.
Flush the toilet as soon as you check in to your hotel room or rental.
That way if there's a problem, you'll know you didn't plug it!