Two Very Special Properties Worth Offering…and Therefore Buying!

Most people expect real estate agencies to offer up properties for sale. That’s because that’s what real estate agencies do…except ours. We ARE a licensed real estate agency in France, but we aren’t salespeople—we are Property Consultants. That’s a very different idea because we don’t represent the seller, we represent the buyer and protect the buyer from beginning to end.

The reason I am telling you this is that we will only list properties that we would recommend our clients purchase. If we list the property, then it’s really a very special piece of real estate worth offering up and backing up.

This is the case for the listing on our site headlined “Studio Apartment with Lift in a 14th Century Building!”

11-13 RUE FRANCOIS MIRON, 4TH ARRONDISSEMENT, PARIS

It’s small and not for everyone, but it’s very, very special.

First off, its 15 square meters (161.5 square feet) is beautifully designed and outfitted, missing nothing. If you don’t know what 15 square meters looks and feels like, imagine your bedroom. “The average American bedroom size is about 132 square feet while there are bedrooms much larger than even 144 square feet. The basic guideline to bear in mind while allocating space for a standard bedroom is that it should measure at least 120 square feet to comfortably accommodate a full-size bed.” (Source)

In this case, the apartment has a fully equipped kitchen, a well-laid-out contemporary bathroom with a shower, a large wardrobe, a dining table for two and a sofa bed…although a normal bed could easily be placed there. The apartment is missing nothing, as it even has a washer/dryer and air-conditioning!

The apartment is on the second floor, but has an elevator, one large window overlooking a courtyard, and is located in the heart of Le Marais in the 4th arrondissement, just steps between the Hôtel de Ville and Saint-Paul, making it very convenient and surrounded by great transportation, restaurants, boutiques, groceries and amenities of every kind. The neighborhood is one of the most desirable in the city.

That’s the practical side of the apartment. The emotional side of the apartment is the fact that it’s located in one of the three oldest buildings in the city of Paris dating back to the 14th century! It’s oozing with charm. The beams are exposed showing off its Tudor style. Tour buses and tour groups stop in front to show it off. It’s the constant object of every visitor’s photo collection. Everyone knows it and owning an apartment in this building is a serious coup. That means that it will always maintain its value and grow exponentially, especially once districts one through four become largely pedestrian.

For those considering purchasing property in districts 1 through 4, that’s a smart move. When the streets are closed to traffic, property values will increase immediately as it always does with such positive changes. Life in these districts will become even more agreeable than it is now. The new low-emissions zone in Paris came into force on June 1, 2021. City Hall is continuing its consideration to improve the air quality of the capital aimed at eliminating transit traffic from the central districts.

Here’s a bit of architectural history to consider about rue François Miron: While many streets have undergone profound changes under the Haussmanian works, the rue François Miron has kept its authenticity and its typical medieval charm. This small street in the Marais owes its name to François Miron, provost of the merchants of Paris from 1604 to 1609. Under the Ancien Régime, the provost of the merchants of Paris was in charge of the city’s supplies, public works, and tax assessment and had jurisdiction over the river trade. He was elected every two years and his role was therefore similar to that of a Mayor of Paris. Nicknamed “the Father of the People,” François Miron was notably responsible for the façade of the old Hôtel de Ville, which was burned during the Commune.

The medieval atmosphere can be felt before even taking this road. As an appetizer, the sumptuous Saint-Gervais-Saint-Protais church stands before the curious and lovers of architecture. At numbers 11 and 13 (in which this apartment is located), you come face to face with two medieval-style houses. The original half-timbering is still visible, thanks to restoration work carried out in the 1970s. On the façade of the first house, one can read “à l’enseigne du Faucheur.” As for the second house, the sign reads “l’enseigne du Mouton.” Very different from the typical Parisian buildings, these houses make it easier to imagine housing in the Middle Ages. Here, the building is composed of narrow facades, quite high where the wood takes an important role.

The apartment is being offered by the mother-daughter team who have enjoyed it for several years. We represented and sold it to the owner before them. Our Interior Designer, Martine di Mattéo, did the renovation to perfection. I am particularly fond of its brushed gold kitchen! And of course, we have a particular affection for the apartment, the building and the property as important real estate to own in the City of Light.

Asking price: €369,000

Note: The price includes all agency commissions, but does not include notarial taxes and fees.

Learn more about the rue François Miron studio here. To make your offer to purchase it, or visit the property, contact our representative, Luz Diaz, for more information!

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LA BELLE TERRASSE—ONE SHARE AVAILABLE!

We have one re-sale share available at our luxury Fractional Ownership property in the quaint and charming village of Villefranche-sur-Mer called “La Belle Terrasse.” They don’t come up often. This one share, Share Letter I (the next usage dates are August 17- 31), is only on the market because the seller has decided to make Nice and environs a full-time home. She will be purchasing or renting an apartment for herself to live in and therefore no longer needs the share. That happened because during the time she spent in Villefranche at La Belle Terrasse, she fell in love with the Côte d’Azur!

It’s pretty tough NOT to fall in love with the gorgeous and elegant aqua blue coastline, especially when you have the 10 square meter terrace of La Belle Terrasse overlooking what I call the “million dollar view”—of the port and Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat! The owner of this share often writes on their Facebook page.

Here are some of the things she’s written:

“One of the things I love about La Belle Terrasse, aside from the decor and spectacular terrace views, is the availability of public transportation. My last two weeks there I was taking classes at Alliance Française: five minutes to the train, two stops to Nice, eight-minute walk to class. On the way home I would walk to catch the 15 bus back to Octroi. That ride is fantastic, all along the coast. I’m still dreaming of the views from that gorgeous bus ride!”

“I’m supposed to be getting ready for my class and I can’t get over this sunrise!”

Many of the photos here were taken by some of the owners. They post on their Facebook page regularly with beautiful photos and exciting things they have been doing in the area.

The apartment is a spacious one-bedroom on two levels, but can sleep up to four thanks to a comfortable sofa bed in the living room. The kitchen is fully equipped and has the luxury of a floor-to-ceiling window with the same amazing view of the sea and the Cap.

Just off the kitchen on this level is the terrace, which is heated for cooler days, and thanks to a mirrored back wall, you will always have the view regardless of what direction you’re facing. You will spend most of your time here, no doubt!

Down a few steps off the kitchen are the living room/dining room, bedroom and bathroom. The living room has the same great view overlooking the sea, appointed with a sofa bed, table that folds to be smaller or larger, a desk equipped with a printer and a TV. The bathroom is a gorgeous aqua tile and white, with a double sink and a very large shower. The bedroom is particularly spacious, with an enormous closet and overlooking the fountain below at Place Conseil, with a big Fuschia-colored Bougainvillea to brighten the view.

 

The apartment is heaven and so is the location. What’s most amazing, for those who know Villefranche-sur-Mer is that with so many levels, easy access is very important. There are a minimal amount of stairs to the front door of the apartment and it is easily accessed by stretches of flat paths (for easy rolling of your suitcases) from the available parking on both the east and west sides. There’s a flat pathway from the Place du Conseil that takes you directly to the local train station (five minutes by foot) that takes you all along the coast and in the other direction, you can take the same flat street (rue Poilu) with just a few steps to the main parking lot at the entry to Villefranche-sur-Mer (five minutes by foot), so the location is ideal in a town that is normally quite challenging. It’s also just a short walk to the buses on the Basse Corniche, so you don’t need a car in order to explore the entire Riviera.

Asking Price: Share Letter “I” 89,700€

Note: When you purchase a resale share, you will reimburse the seller for a security deposit and reserve funds held on account, as well as a prorata amount of dues already paid, plus pay about $1,000 for the legal work to transfer the share to your name. The seller assumes all the costs of sales commissions. The share is held in a US non-profit mutual benefit corporation and therefore has no transfer in France, nor any taxes to pay.

Learn more about La Belle Terrasse here. To reserve this share, email us.

A la prochaine…