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IS A BARGAIN HUNTER’S PARADISE

AND SHOPPERS CAN SAVE ON COMFORTABLE LODGINGS, TOO
AT PRIVATELY OWNED RENTAL APARTMENTS

By Madelyn Miller

April in Paris may be the romantic time of chestnuts in blossom, but it is January that is the prime time to visit for those born to shop. Big savings wait, plus extra discounts with shopping cards, and money-saving accommodations in comfortable Paris apartments.

“January is a top month for sales, including d�griffe�—mark downs on designer labels, often those from the previous year’s collections,” advises Virginie Menage, marketing manager of Paris Sejour Reservation, Inc. (PSR), a company specializing in renting privately owned apartments to visitors to Paris. “An apartment serves as the ideal base for making shopping forays into the many shopping districts of Paris. It also means that you can shop for food products too, and have a fully-equipped modern kitchen in which to prepare true Parisian meals.”

After settling in your apartment, the shopping possibilities are endless, from the high-fashion houses along Rue du Faubourg St.-Honor� to bookstalls along the banks of the Seine. Shoppers won’t want to miss the famous department stores, au Printemps and the Galeries Lafayette, with separate buildings for its many specialty departments.

 “Foodies” will want to explore Fauchon, a complex of adjoining shops with food counters as well as a coffee bar, cafeteria, and restaurant that is Mecca for food shoppers. Those who have read Elle, the famous magazine of cutting-edge fashion, may wish to stop at its boutique at 30 Rue St-Sulpice, featuring stylish clothing and home furnishings right off its pages.

As France’s most experienced and most reliable provider of private rental apartments to travelers from North America, PSR offers an inventory of more than 600 apartments. These privately owned, tastefully furnished apartments not only provide comfortable, secure accommodations, but also save money. Rentals range from $100 to $250 for a one-bedroom apartment to $140 to $350 for a two-bedroom unit—a bargain when compared to the escalating cost of hotel accommodations. Three bedroom apartments, especially popular with groups of friends making shopping trips to Paris, start from $300 a night. Minimum-stay requirement is five nights.

While providing total privacy, these rental apartments also offer laundry service, weekly cleaning, and other services of a hotel, including PSR’s own concierge service ready to take care of requests for theater tickets, restaurant reservations, and other services. For those combining shopping and business, is the availability of fax machines, answering machines, and other equipment that can help create an office-away-from-home. Also available is a chauffeur service--for airport pick-ups and other custom transportation needs.

Rentals are in much-sought neighborhoods such as Champs-Elysees, Opera, Latin Quarter, and fashionable Saint-Germain. Listings range from a Left Bank studio to a 16th Arrondissement penthouse.

Anyone planning a trip to Paris can check on availability and inspect apartments at the PSR web site http://www.qconline.com/parispsr>. It includes , floor plans, and descriptions.

Since it was founded in 1985, PSR has welcomed thousands of travelers from around the world (from 77 countries by recent count) that have enjoyed the authentic French experience of living in a private Parisian apartment.

For information contact:
Paris Sejour Reservation, Inc.
645 N. Michigan Ave.  Suite 638
Chicago, IL 60611
312-587-7707
800-582-7274 (toll-free fax)
psrusa@aol.com
http://www.qconline.com/parispsr

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