The perfect Paris pad? Here’s how to find it
You won’t find a flat-packed table or futon at these French pied-à-terres.
Exploring Residence Palestro, one of Pied A Terre’s short-term rental apartments in the heart of Paris, is like walking onto a Nouvelle Vague film set.
Each nook and enclave introduces new characters; a moody pair of Gae Aulenti wall lamps, a crowd of vibrant mid-century Rodney Kinsman dining chairs and a custom-made city guide all work together to create a seamless design plot as intriguing as a Jean-Luc Godard movie.
For co-founder Andrea Bokobsa, curating a Pied A Terre residence bears many similarities to the art of filmmaking. “To bring a new residence to life we assemble a team who has a clear understanding of the Pied A Terre values and aesthetics,” he explains. “Our team acts as the producer, figuring out what’s the story and how we want it to be told.” The architect then directs, helping to bring the team’s vision to life.
While the explosion of Airbnb rentals has given visitors a welcome alternative to chain hotels, many of the eclectic and artfully styled homes that peppered the hosting site in its early days are now hard to find among the swathes of basic lodgings catering to travellers wanting a no-frills stay.
Enter Pied A Terre, a collection of architecturally designed Parisian residences exuding the same effortless savoir-faire as the city’s inhabitants, with the consistency and quality expected from a top hotel. Every residence is designed by a different architect and furnished with a mix of vintage finds and custom made pieces, ensuring each guest’s experience is as unique as the space itself.
It’s a delicate dance between comfort and creativity, according to Bokobsa, a Parisian native who spent a decade cutting his architectural teeth in the Big Apple. It’s this experience, Bokobsa says, which gave him the perspective he needed to see exactly what was missing in Paris’ short-term rental market: residences which convey a strong aesthetic without sacrificing hotel-style creature comforts.
“For anyone who has lived away from the city they grew up in, the distance makes you both fall in love with your hometown even more while also being equally critical of the advances you think it needs to take for its own benefit,” he says. Location is a crucial element for Bokobsa and his team, who search for residential and mixed-use properties in Paris’ most dynamic neighbourhoods to give guests a truly immersive experience in the French city.
“Your neighbour is going to be a real local, who might be able to offer you an off-the-beaten-track suggestion, not another tourist,” he notes. “We want our guests to pick up on the energy of those that live in the area all year round. This, as well as the originality of our spaces, sets us apart from hotels.”
There are no afterthoughts in any Pied A Terre property. Each room is meticulously curated and styled, from the Joan Miro lithograph and metal Elliott Barnes lamps in Residence Tuileries to the retro Italian spaghetti stools and reupholstered 19th century Bergère armchair in Residence Saint Honore.
“Luxury is best felt when there is a match between material, furniture, and art but also the ease, freedom, and discovery in which it is experienced,” Bokobsa explains. “We want to make people feel comfortable enough to get the most from their stay.”
There are currently four properties in the company’s portfolio, with another seven to be added in the coming months, each designed in collaboration with a different architect. While Paris’ Left Bank is the company’s current focus, with such a unique offering it won’t be long before the demand for Pied A Terre residences stretches beyond the City of Light.