Vacation rental apartment in Paris

We have used VRBO several times, with good success. But this has always been for a stay greater than 1 week. You do not say how long you are planning to stay in Paris, which might affect which agency you choose. Peter

We have used both AirBnb and VRBO in Paris and in other cities, towns and the countryside. So far, our experiences have been great. The availability of each has been greatly reduced in the past few years resulting in higher prices, but very likely still lower than you would pay for two or three hotel rooms.
I only book apartments that have many reviews; a washer and living space for gathering in the evening, etc. In the summer, it must have air conditioning.

We are renting through VRBO in Palermo, with two full bathrooms, this December and AirBnb in Paris this coming January . Both have washing machines, and the one in Paris also has a dryer--a real bonus.
Back after 14 years! Good for you. Also, what is FHE?

What is FHE?

FHE= first hand experience? Just a guess. Personally, I think the post-text world has overdone abbreviations (nothing personal, Lee), but being what my kids call a grammar Nazi, I lament the use of real words. LOL has morphed into a monster, alas! I do use IMHO, LOL, etc. very lightly when I have to text, but when using a keyboard on my laptop or Chromebook, I prefer to write and read words. Just my 80-year old persona being difficult!
(And this is not to discourage anyone here from using whatever abbreviations they choose to use.)
There, mes deux centimes! LOL!

I hope Kim will confirm, but it is my understanding that Paris, like some other European cities, has placed restrictions on owner-direct rentals to protect locals from inflated housing costs. Generally these limitations require the property owner to have a permit or license to rent out their property for short stays. If that is the case in Paris, you need to confirm that the apartment you book has such a license or permit.

Here is one explanation, dated August of 2024:

https://www.theupperkey.com/post/the-rules-and-regulations-of-short-term-letting-in-paris

Thanks everyone. Just to backfill, we plan only a 5-day stay (4 nights) in Paris.

I've seen some other services, perfectparisrentals, parisattitude, parisvacationapartments, etc. and wondered whether any of these or others were perhaps favored by the Parisian apartment listers. Although it makes sense that AirBnB and VRBO dominate due to their exposure.

Yes, FHE = first hand experience. Apologies for the web-speak! Generally I'm not a fan of initialisms, but some of these are handy short hand. Perhaps mes deux centimes should be added on this board as MDC... ;-)

I remember reading years ago about a ban or some such on private apartment rentals in Paris. I'll check out that link, thank you, and for the tip on checking for a permit.

We have stayed in some AirBnb/VRBO apartments that the owner actually lived in but not at the time that we were there. One shared her time between Philly and Paris. Another in Lyon also lived in two different countries. I almost didn't leave that one--the Italian espresso machine was KA (kick-ass). I wear only linen or cotton in the summer and this guy had a whole room dedicated to an ironing system I have never seen in my life--hose attached to a water reservoir for, again, KA steam ironing and a clothes steamer like those in dry cleaners. You can tell that they actually live there because their clothes are in other closets as are their toiletries. Some also have locked kitchen cabinets, etc. These aren't just apartment rentals--they live there. The owner of the one we'll be staying at in Paris in January is a videographer who is away weeks/months at a time. You also have the option of renting a room while he's there. Reviews say that he has his own items there. My experience is that those apartments have higher-end appliances and more of them (such as a clothes dryer) for the owners' own comfort, just as we do in our homes.
It would be a benefit if AirBnb/VRBO had a filter to select an apartment that the owner actually resided in but not at the time of renting--I don't like to contribute to higher housing costs.

You can try looking on Booking.com. The advantage there is that you will see a variety of accommodations, plus you can specify (it is actually required) the ages of the kids and number of rooms you want at the property. The other main advantage is that they show you the exact location, via the map function, of the property, (to the building not a vague area). They are also more tolerant of short term rentals, and are much easier to work with than some of the other platforms. They are popular in Europe, so you will have hundreds, maybe thousands of options.

As others said, Paris is becoming stricter regarding short term rentals, I can't attest the extent that Booking polices permits and licensing, but probably similar with any platform.