Olivia, student at ACCORD French Language School, gives you her advice for finding your student accommodation in Paris:

Finding accommodation in any big city can be a long and difficult process, especially if you are a student… In this blog, I will share my tips and tricks for finding a comfortable and well-located apartment in Paris!

I have been living here for just over two months while participating in the Work Experience Programme at ACCORD, and I managed to find a flat-share located only ten minutes from the school.

  • I found my flat on a popular flat-share website called Chez Nestor. I would really recommend this site to students as it is very easy to navigate. Everything was extremely straightforward, it almost felt like I was just booking a hotel room!
  • You are able to browse available rooms by arrondissement at varying prices.
  • All the flats on Chez Nestor are shared by multiple people. For example, my flat has four bedrooms so I share with a French girl, a French boy and an Italian girl. This was a great way to get to know other students when I first arrived in Paris. We share a bathroom and kitchen, but the bedrooms still feel very private.
  • I pay my rent each month via the Chez Nestor.
  • If you have any problems concerning your student accommodation in Paris, it is easy to contact an agent online to help amend this.
  • Chez Nestor also operates in Bordeaux, Lille, Lyon, Montpellier and Toulouse.

Finding your student accommodation in Paris: It is also important to consider which area of Paris you would like to live in. My flat is situated in the 15th arrondissement. I really enjoy living here as there are lots of shops, restaurants and bars. The area feels very safe and is well connected to the rest of Paris by metro and bus. The area has great views of the Eiffel Tower, and it only takes me ten minutes to walk to ACCORD each morning.

Many travel guides recommend that tourists or study-abroad students avoid the following areas when searching for accommodation:

  • The 10th arrondissement, near Gare du Nord and Gare de l’Est – although this area is generally safe during the day, at night it can feel a bit uncomfortable, especially if you are not a native French speaker.
  • The 18th arrondissement – although this district is home to the popular Montmartre, certain areas can feel unsafe.
  • The 19th arrondissement – this is another district which is a great place to visit during the day, but is perhaps to be avoided at night.

You shouldn’t worry too much about feeling unsafe when moving to Paris. Generally, I have always felt safe and comfortable! However, I would recommend finding a flat in an area which you are able to feel confident in.

Overall, finding a student accommodation in Paris may seem like a daunting process, but it can easily be done if you know where to look. Paris is a big city, so there are plenty of available apartments for students. My main piece of advice would be to look for flat-shares rather than living alone. Moving abroad can be scary, so it is nice to share the experience with other young people who can support you.

Olivia – June 2024