FINDING A ROOF OVER YOUR HEAD FOR A LONGER PERIOD |
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Foyers de Jeunes Travailleurs If you have found a job in France and are aged between 18 and 25 you can ask to be
housed in one of these residences. At least one exists in every large town. For the price
you have to pay, you get a room (sometimes to yourself, sometimes shared) and meals. In
addition, these residences usually organise clubs, discussion groups, athletic and
cultural activities. Don't be surprised if you can't get in, though, as some of these
residences have a waiting list several months long. The best idea is to apply before you
leave your country, by writing to the Director of the Residence you prefer. Prices range
from 2 000 to 3 000 Francs a month. This includes room, breakfast and half-board.
If you want information or to find out how to apply, contact a youth information centre (CIJ) or one of the national associations to which these residences belong:
12, avenue du Général de Gaulle
94307 Vincennes Cedex
Tél : 01 41 74 81 00
University Halls of ResidenceIf you are studying at a university or another higher education institution in France, you have the right to a room in a university hall of residence. You must apply in the January prior to the academic year for which you are enrolled. Twelve to fifteen per cent of these rooms are reserved for foreign students, particularly those on scholarships. The monthly rent varies from 700 to 1500 Francs, depending on the region.
Contact one of the Centres Régionaux des Oeuvres Universitaires (CROUS) (see Studying section) to get application papers (dossier d'admission).
If you are a student in the Paris area you can try to find a room in the International Cité Universitaire for the university of Paris. You will only be eligible if your country is represented at the international Cité Universitaire. Your chances will be better, however, if you are enrolled in the second stage (deuxième cycle) of higher education.
For information, contact:
Private Student Residences (Foyers d'Etudiants)These student residences managed by private associations seem to be preferred by
students. The advice is the same again in this case: reserve a place for yourself several
months before leaving your own country, by writing to one of the following associations
which manage these residences:
You can get a list of organisations which provide accommodation from youth information
centres (CIJs).
Renting a Room in a
Private HomeSometimes people living in flats which are too big for them rent out one of their
bedrooms. This arrangement can save you money (rents run between 1,000 and 2,000 Francs
according to amenities), but you have to take other things into consideration. Rules can
sometimes be very strict and even positively inhibiting. Everything depends on your
personality and lifestyle and those of the person you are renting from. In any event, if
you do choose this type of accommodation make sure you both clearly agree on how much your
rent is (will there be any extras?) and find out exactly what the rules of the house are.
Sometimes you find ads on display at the CROUS offices, or else you may come across
some in the classified section of youth information centres (CIJs) and the various
newspapers.
Lodgings as an
Au PairIn exchange for a few hours of work every day (baby sitting, light housework, etc.) the
family employing you will provide you with a room of your own or a room adjoining their
apartment. There are associations which put you in contact with families. Click here for more informations.
Renting a RoomIt's very difficult to find a room or an apartment to rent in the big cities.
Newspaper AdsDifferent newspapers such as Le Figaro, France-Soir and Libération publish
advertisements for places to rent. Ninety per cent of these are placed by estate agents,
however, and so your chances of finding advertisements from private individuals are slim.
You will find private people advertising, however, in some weekly publications which
specialise in transactions between individuals. The three main ones, Particulier à
Particulier, Sans Intermédiaire and Locations et Ventes appear on the newspaper stalls
each Thursday. Don't forget to keep an eye on the “freebie” papers as well.
Estate AgentsNaturally, you should go the rounds of estate agents. But before committing yourself to anything, make sure that the estate agent is properly registered (he should have a carte professionnelle) and have authority (mandat d'autorisation) signed by the owner of the place you want to rent. You might be further reassured if the estate agent is a member of a trade association (syndicat professionnel) such as the Fédération Nationale des Agents Immobiliers (FNAIM), the Syndicat National des Professionnels Immobiliers (SNPI) or the Fédération Franáaise des Professionnels Immobiliers et Commerciaux (FFPIC), although this is not mandatory.
If you do sign a contract, it will be for a three-year lease (le bail) which can be renewed, which you are allowed to end at any time as long as you give three months' notice to the owner (or the estate agent) by registered post (lettre recommandée). Don't be surprised if the estate agent asks you for evidence of your income just as you are about to sign the contract. Don't be surprised either if the estate agent charges you a commission equal to half a month's rent. This is completely legal. You will also have to put down a deposit (une caution) equal to two months' rent, which you get back when you leave.
Don't forget that, in addition to the rent itself, you quite often have to pay other charges (a levy for maintenance of the building, collective electricity charges and sometimes heating costs). Make sure you ask exactly how much this comes to so that there are no unpleasant surprises on the way.
If you find yourself in dispute with your landlord or estate agent, associations set up
to defend the interests of tenants may be able to help you. Contact one of the national
federations below and they will tell you how to get in touch with your local committee:
Student Associations
In some university towns you can become a member of a student association which
provides rooms or studio flats to its members in exchange for the membership fee. You
should be quite clear that you must be a student to benefit from this service and that,
unless you are lucky, this is not likely to be the miraculous solution to your
accommodation problems either. Yet again, there are many more students than available
rooms, but here are the addresses:
Paris Area
Outside Paris
European association for student and youth (This only serves the town where it is located)
For the cities of Marseilles, Pau, Lille, Saint-Dié et Nantes, contact :
Swaps Exchanging houses or apartments is a very inexpensive way of finding accommodation because all you have to pay is a few Francs for membership of a specialist association. Not bad, eh? If your home is unoccupied when you leave, what you do is exchange with somebody in France who wants to go on holiday to your country while you are away. In exchange, you use the house or apartment of the French person here in France for the fortnight or month of your stay here.
Try contacting the following organisations:
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 Last update : 01/12/96
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Foyers de Jeunes Travailleurs 
