#9flats.com

I visited a lovely apartment located just outside the city limits, but not for long. The town of Montrouge, bordering Paris just south of the city, will soon be connected by metro via line 4, bringing the people of Montrouge directly to the heart of Paris and by extension its sites. I met with Kathleen in her lovely apartment located off a small street in a new building. As I entered Kathleen excused herself for being in her pyjamas and offered me something to drink. As I waited for my glass of orange juice I noticed her lovely cat laying on the couch, he looked fairly lazy and cute; I guess what you would expect in a cat.

I peaked around the apartment and unlike a few apartments that I’ve visited in the past this one was one that the host actually lived in. The walls covered with pictures and other personal items and the kitchen well decorated with her personal taste in sweets. This definitely made it cozy and comfortable. She explained that there was also a parking spot in the building for anyone coming by car and that a German couple that had stayed there recently was quite delighted about it.

The little terrace was very nice as well and she told me how on sunny or warm days she likes to eat out on there. Although it had just rained when I visited, it was indeed quiet and I could picture a couple eating their morning breakfast on this nice terrace.

To see more about this apartment check it out on 9flats.com:

 http://www.9flats.com/places/92191-apartment-paris-jean_moulin_porte_dorleans

I visited an interesting apartment last week, not knowing what to make of it exactly. I arrived at a place in the 18th arrondissement on assignment for 9flats.com and met with Donatien the host . The apartment is located in an old charming building along a side street. Situated in a small alleyway that helps keep the noise away from the nearby Gare du Nord train station. The apartment has a view on the building’s large courtyard decorated with plants lying on cobblestones.

  Donatien shares a one-bedroom apartment with his brother and nephew. I had seen the pictures and was left perplexed because there were two three-bed bunk beds next to each other in the bedroom. In theory the apartment has six beds but they managed to seal one bed off in order to use it as a hanger for their clothes. This type of sleeping situation was unusual, but when I got the chance to talk to Donatien for a few minutes over a glass of Orangina things became clearer. Donatien’s family used to come to visit fairly often, and in being a large family it was easier to have these bunk beds to save space. Smart move considering how expensive the square meter is in Paris.

As I took the pictures and spoke to Donatien, his brother and nephew sat quietly preoccupied with their own business. I felt like a guest who occupied one of the two beds they were renting out. I felt like this was a hostel only cleaner and the people nicer, belonging to the same family. When coming to this place I sensed that the beds were for fortunate travelers and not just a good deal.

To check this place out on 9flats.com click on the link below:

 http://www.9flats.com/places/92716-apartment-paris-goutte_dor_chateau_rouge

I’ve currently been working as a ‘Scout’ for 9flats.com in addition to my video production and photography. The job includes visiting apartments, taking pictures, writing reviews and blogging. I pack my camera gear, jump on my bike and go. I usually visit apartments that are located within the Parisian walls but every once in while I get a chance to put a few extra kilometers on my bike. This was the case last week when I got to ride my bike to le Bourget Airport in Paris in the town of le Blanc Mesnil.

I started using Strava since May of this year when I started taking my riding more seriously. Since then I’ve logged over 1300 kilometers on my old bike Peggy (1982 Peugeot road bike). With this heightened interest I decided to continue this blog and log my different trips and visits around Paris, Europe hopefully and different parts of the world eventually.

The following two Strava entries are far from being my best, but to hear more about my visit to Le Blanc Mesnil check out the link below:

I’ve currently been working as a ‘Scout’ for 9flats.com in addition to my video production and photography. The job includes visiting apartments, taking pictures, writing reviews and blogging. I pack my camera gear, jump on my bike and go. I usually visit apartments that are located within the Parisian walls but every once in while I get a chance to put a few extra kilometers on my bike. This was the case last week when I got to ride my bike to le Bourget Airport in Paris in the town of le Blanc Mesnil.

I started using Strava since May of this year when I started taking my riding more seriously. Since then I’ve logged over 1300 kilometers on my old bike Peggy (1982 Peugeot road bike). With this heightened interest I decided to continue this blog and log my different trips and visits around Paris, Europe hopefully and different parts of the world eventually.

The following two Strava entries are far from being my best, but to hear more about my visit to Le Blanc Mesnil check out the link below:

I stumbled out last Friday on a visit that was a bit farther than I expected, at least by bike that is. The rain didn’t help as I made my way past the Le Bourget airport and to Visha’s house. Visha is renting a room in her aunt’s house through 9flats.com. One of the children is off to South America to study for a year while the other is off to Sciences Po (one of France’s top schools), leaving the nest a bit empty.

  As I entered I met with Visha who welcomed me in a very hospitable manner offering me coffee and small talk to warm me up. We spoke a bit about the place, notably how her uncle had built the house himself. She showed me the room that was warm and comfortable including a terrace, Tv and enough room to fit suitcases and of course hang clothes.

I snapped away and then made it to the bathroom where a full size bath and shower were waiting for me. The whole room was just as big as the bedroom. But the most impressive element remained the amount of light that entered the room due to the glass ceiling. Flooding the room with light even on a dark cloudy day is quite enjoyable especially while taking a bath.

When I was done taking the pictures I stepped into the hallway I overheard Visha and her cousin debating about what to get rid of and what to keep in terms of her school items. I had just peered into the family life in this house. Visha ended up laughing it off and taking me downstairs showing me one of the perks of the place: the sauna. Visha told me how they planned to add a Turkish bath. I wouldn’t mind staying here if I was visiting le Bourget.

On my way out she realized that I was on my bike and offered to drive me back part of the way. I refused because of the trouble and the simple fact that I got there by back and I was determined to get back that way. But, she insisted and was even willing to switch cars in order to accommodate my bike. I politely declined and she wished me good luck and to be careful, as she drove off , I felt like I had been treated like a member of the family.  

To check out this place on 9flats.com:

http://www.9flats.com/places/92110-bed_and_breakfast

I went on an apartment visit this week that left me with a smile. I visited a delightful, luminous, and not to mention cozy apartment in Montmartre.

Stephane came down to the front door of the building to let me in - and was surprised that I was on time.

Instead of meeting with Claudine, the apartment’s owner, I met with her son Stephane, who manages the place. We walked in and he offered me coffee. We chatted a bit about the apartment and the wonderful views as he showed me around the place, which has just been completely renovated. Everything from the windows, to the espresso machine, to the dishwasher was brand new. Each room in the apartment has a view of either the Sacré Coeur, the Eiffel Tower or the whole city. Views like this in Paris are only really visible from the 18th arrondissement, and a 270˚ view makes this one stand out.

Stephane has lived in Montmartre for over 15 years and knows the right places to go. Across the street is a nice brunch place, and the bakery next door is one of Stephane’s favorites. Besides the food, there is also rue Lepic nearby, the Sacré Coeur and the Montmartre Cemetery (Truffaut, Stendhal, Offenbach and Degas are buried there).

As I started taking the pictures and made my way around the apartment, Stephane’s dog Zion (named after a song by Lauren Hill) followed me around and liked to stare up right at the lens. Some dogs like the spotlight, I guess.

The low sound of jazz seeped throughout the different rooms, amplifying the stillness and overall comfort of this place. I felt like I could easily make myself a cup of tea, grab a book and borough on the living-room sofa, pausing between chapters to take in the view.

In the bathroom there’s a steam shower, a form of modern Turkish bath, that may have helped push the apartment onto my favorites list.

Finally, comfort and lifestyle are two key elements of Stephane’s apartment.  

To reserve Stéphane's apartment check out the link below:

http://www.9flats.com/places/91808-apartment-paris-montmartre

Check out these other great hosts on 9flats.com:

http://www.9flats.com/users/samuel-c-0

http://www.9flats.com/users/sylvia-a-0

http://www.9flats.com/users/carmen-and-jos-l

Me neither up until last February when I was given a lovely Valentine’s day/Birthday surprise from my girlfriend! Arriving in from Brussels, were we stayed our first night, we made our way to a lovely apartment situated right outside the old city limits. The apartment was rented on 9flats.com. If you like Belgian beer then Bruges is definitely the place to go, we tried out some of the local beers in a place called Bierbrasserie Cambrinus, that vowed to have over 400 bottled beers. The beers were delicious and the variety incredible, whether they were dark or light they all had very distinct flavors and aromas. Bruges holds its own beer festival every year (unfortunately we missed it very by little). I’ve gone to Munich’s Oktoberfest three years in a row this looks like a much smaller and more convivial event where people drink half pints instead of Steins. Apparently there is more than one beer festival per month in Belgium, this means that I’ll definitely be back soon enough!

  After a long day of walking around the city and local beer drinking, we made it to the apartment. Cookies and tea were waiting for us in the apartment along with a hand written list of places to go and especially places to eat Moules Frites (mussels and fries, one of Belgium’s most customary dishes.) We ended our lovely last moments in Bruges with a few rounds of Amaretto that Alexander, our host, had strategically placed on our nightstand, nice touch Alexander.

For further information about the place we stayed and our wonderful host check out:http://www.9flats.com/places/8787-house-bruges-kristus_koning

I ended up making a short video of our trip to Belgium, take a look at it below!