This is the kind of real estate listing that makes you grind your teeth. In a city where the search for housing already feels like a contact sport, some owners aren't shy about turning a maid's room into a room with a view, at a palace-worthy cost. This situation perfectly illustrates the contradictions of the Parisian market: between luxury and scarcity, rent control and skyrocketing prices.
A postcard-perfect setting sold at a high price
Tucked away on the top floor of a beautiful Haussmannian building on Avenue Victor Hugo, the apartment relies on its surroundings to justify the price: a balcony, a view of the Eiffel Tower, a gym in the building, air conditioning, and a mini-equipped kitchen (fridge, stove, microwave, coffee maker). The listing even goes as far as including sheets and towels. Does this turn a maid's room into a luxury suite? Not so sure.
The big gap with rent control
Problem: in this area, the official rent grid caps at €41.8/m². For 10 m², the maximum price should be around €418 per month. Here, we’re at €170/m²… which is four times more expensive. Even with a "rent supplement" for exceptional services, the gap seems hardly justifiable. The listing mentions a mobility lease, reserved for students and young professionals in training, but that doesn't exempt it from regulations.
Paris isn't alone in the race
While the capital remains the champion of high rental prices, other cities are starting to join in. In Marseille, a 21 m² studio is offered at €1,500 per month (over €70/m²). In Nice, a 20 m² goes up to €1,450 during the peak summer season. This phenomenon goes well beyond the périphérique.
When scarcity fuels excesses
With enormous demand and limited supply, some landlords take advantage of a saturated market to impose their terms. The result? Young tenants, often hurried or unaware of their rights, end up accepting. Meanwhile, rent control seems more like a principle than an actual rule being enforced.