As Long As La Tour Eiffel Sparkles Like Diamonds
The first time you landed in Paris, driving into the city from Charles de Gaulle in your taxi, and in the distance you saw La Grande Dame, didn’t your heart just start to rev and tears come into your eyes? Or is that just ol’ sentimental me?
Then, I remember wanting nothing more than having a view of the Eiffel Tower from my window and dreaming about some luscious apartment in a Haussmannian “pierre-de-taille” (cut stone) building somewhere near the Champs de Mars where we’d walk our dog and play with the kids.
Well, that never came to pass for me, but there are tens of thousands of Parisians who managed to accomplish that — who live or work in the 7th arrondissement, enjoy the pleasures of (what I think) is Paris’ most elegant neighborhood, and who not only have the Champ de Mars for a jog or a picnic, but also have all the other luxuries of the 7th — the wonderfully animated market street of rue Cler, the expanse of the Esplanade des Invalides, the sculpture garden of the Musée Rodin and the upper floors of the Musée d’Orsay where you’ll find the Renoirs, Dégas, Van Goghs, Monets, Cezannes…, Le Bon Marché Grande Epicerie with every delicacy known to man, the government institutions such as the Assemblée Nationale and Ecole Militaire to remind us of France’s ideas of “Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité.”
Some of my most favorite restaurants are in the 7th…LE PETIT NIÇOIS for the best grilled fish, Paella, and Bouillabaisse in Paris at 10, rue Amélie…AU PIED DE FOUET, a tiny old-fashioned bistrot with a pigeon-hole rack for regular customers’ napkins at 43, rue de Babylone…LA FONTAINE DE MARS, that has the best Boudin Noir with crispy sautéed apples in Paris, checkered table cloths, lace curtains and friendly staff at 129, rue Saint Dominique…and LA CIGALE, the soufflé specialist with the sexiest dishes to come out of a kitchen in the city at 11bis, rue Chomel.
The 7th rivals the 6th as Paris’ most expensive neighborhoods. The Chambre de Notaires will tell you that the average price per square meter is 5,846 euros, but you won’t find anything you’d want to live in for much under 7,000 euros. But, I don’t envision this neighborhood ever getting less expensive — not as long as La Tour Eiffel sparkles like diamonds every evening or Johnny Hallyday holds his concerts there or fireworks are launched from the quai Branly every New Year’s Eve.
And living there with that view of brilliant engineering that started as a mere World’s Fair symbol-turned World landmark, would, in fact, be a dream come true.
A la prochaine…
Adrian Leeds
Editor, Parler Paris
E-mail: [email protected]
P.S. We offer you three picks from the 7th arrondissement that are for sale as I write. Jocelyn Carnegie has all the details, so be sure to write him at [email protected]
P.P.S. Americans who wish to register to vote absentee ballot can do so
this weekend in three different locations Frid
ay, Saturday and Sunday. Visit http://www.fr.democratsabroad.org/events.php#647 for the details.
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PARIS 7th RUE VANEAU
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Near Square Boucicaut in the 7th arrondissement, this 54m2 apartment has two bedrooms and a living room with an open kitchen, bathroom and separate WC. Totally renovated and on the 2nd floor. Large cellar.
Gas central heating.
Asking Price: 367,500 Euros
Serious inquiries email: 12-2-04_Rue_Vaneau
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PARIS 7th UNIVERSITE
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50m2 apartment on rue de l’Université. 2-bedrooms – one large and one small. Lovely views. Good condition.
Asking Price: 381,000 Euros
Serious inquiries email: 12-2-04_University
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PARIS 7th BEAUNE
————————————-Renovated 50m2 on rue de Beaune between St-Germain-des-Prés/Rue du Bac and the Seine. Duplex layout with a mezzanine. 3rd floor with an interior staircase. Living room with open kitchen, 1 bedroom, 2nd bedroom on mezzanine, bathroom. Electric central heating.
Asking Price: 407,800 Euros
Serious inquiries email: 12-2-04_Beaune
To read more, click the links below.