Exploring all the luxury, rococo detailing, and zinc rooftops of the types of apartments you can find in the city of Paris.
Paris (pronounced pa-hee, of course), is a city of contrasts. In terms of apartments, some lucky few get to experience Paris and its high ceilings, chevron floors, patina zinc roofs and peaks of the glimmering Eiffel tower, whilst others are scammed thousands for a chambre de bonne with a toilet right next to the kitchen sink. Disparity at its finest.
Besides the rockier options the city offers, the real estate market in Paris is trendy and exclusive. In 2022, a large American resident influx is making luxury property pricing skyrocket, with an increase of about 9% compared to previous years – courtesy of a strong dollar market.
Whether you’re hopping onto the real estate market or purely curious (we don’t blame you), here are the three types of luxury properties you’re likely to find in the Parisian housing market right now.
The Rococo Property
Rococo marks the height of French flamboyance. It dates back to 1715, pushing away the heavier baroque and introducing a more hedonistic aesthetic. Soft colours, flowery motifs and a whole load of debauchery started appearing, and can still be seen in some of Paris’ most precious properties.
The result are apartments that look straight out of the 18th century, now decorated with more minimalist interior design to counteract the maximalist wall decorations and gold detailing. Elsewhere they risk appearing cheap; post-modernist attempts are bringing back some old European glory, but not in Paris, home to these Versace-like residences.
The Private Patio Apartment
Many Parisian real estate, particularly in the most modern quartiers, are built around an enveloping courtyard. In the high-end of the market, these tend to be private amenities for luckier apartment owners, often offering a heavenly inward-looking oasis.
Mainly present in more modern properties, these are true hidden Parisian gems, which is often reflected in their pricing. If apartment courtyards aren’t possible, you’ll often find other flats with rooftops, which happens to be a Parisian favourite for city-light watching.
The Architectural Gem
Perhaps some of the most interesting real estate in Paris are the apartments with strong architectural features. From arched ceilings, to loft conversions or even unexpected church conversions, the Parisian architecture scene offers strong imaginative living alternatives, which grant this kind of properties a special twist.
Valuable beyond their architectural features, these apartments may not shine in historical value, but instead glimmer with clever design choices. Preferred by the adventurous few, they often appeal to a design-knowledgeable buyer.