From life in tiny apartments to surviving the heatwave in Paris – this week’s La Belle Vie newsletter offers an essential starting point for eating, talking, drinking, and living like a local.
La Belle Vie is our regular look at the real culture of France – from language to cuisine, manners to films. This newsletter is published weekly and you can receive it directly to your inbox, by going to your newsletter preferences in “My account”.
Hello readers,
We’re currently going through a heatwave, or canicule, as the French would say. It is scorching hot outside here in Paris and it’s no secret the city is not built for this sort of weather as AC is not very common here.
Thankfully, I live in an apartment in the back of a courtyard, shielded from the sun. Cons? I don’t get much sunlight, or any for that matter. Pros? It stays quite cool during hot summer days. But I feel for those living on top floors of apartment buildings, especially if they are exposed directly to the sun.
Eat well and close shutters: The French government advice for surviving a heatwave
One of my friends from the US studied in Paris for a couple of years. He lived in a tiny 11-square-metre apartment — the legal minimum – on the eighth floor of an old building. Needless to say, climbing all those stairs was already exhausting, and doing it in temperatures above 30C made it even worse. To top it off, the toilets were shared and located in the hallway, while the shower was squeezed into the kitchen.
What made his stay worth it, in my opinion? His direct view of the Eiffel Tower and the fact that his landlord had installed an AC unit. I guess he figured he would have more luck renting his small place with that added factor. In the summertime, a few of us (as many as we could fit) would cram in his small space and cool off for as long as we could.
This is the reality for many students in Paris trying to get by on a limited housing budget. It’s common to find people living in chambres de bonnes – former maids’ quarters tucked away on the top floor of old apartment buildings, which have since been converted into tiny studios.
VIDEO: Is this really the ‘smallest apartment in Paris’?
When I first moved to Paris on my own, I considered myself lucky to find an apartment that felt reasonably spacious. Even though 19 square metres is still tiny, at least I don’t have to share a toilet with my neighbours.
Most of my friends in the capital live in similarly sized apartments, unless they’re sharing with a partner. Still, I feel fortunate to already be living in a city as beautiful as Paris, so for now the lack of space feels almost like a rite of passage.
And as rents continue to rise in many of the capital’s trendier arrondissements, more and more people are choosing to live on the outskirts of Paris instead.
6 of the best apps to rent a house or apartment in France
When the TV show Emily in Paris first came out, my reaction was probably the same as most Parisians’: how unrealistic that the main character could afford a two-bedroom apartment right in the heart of the 5th arrondissement, with, on top of that, an incredibly handsome neighbour.
My own neighbour is a 22-year-old sports journalist who throws a few too many parties and screams a little too loudly every time there’s a football match on.
Despite the tiny apartments and noisy neighbours, living in Paris often feels like stepping into a film. Especially in the evening, when the traffic eases, and the city lights begin to glow. The beautiful monuments, hidden cobbled streets, bustling café terraces, the scent of fresh bread and the colourful market stalls all make me feel a little like Amélie Poulain.
The 10 best things about Paris that the movies never show
Last weekend, I visited the southern city of Montpellier with a few friends from Paris. By the end of the trip, although we all agreed that the city was wonderful, we still found ourselves saying that Paris remained our favourite place to live.
There was one thing, though, that almost convinced me otherwise: the proximity to the sea. Being able to reach the beach in under an hour by bike, tram or car felt like a luxury. It certainly made the heatwave far more bearable.
I know you can now swim in the Seine in Paris, but I still haven’t managed to try it. For the longest time, I saw the river as far too dirty for swimming of any kind. That certainly feels like an irrational thought, especially after the Olympic Games and all the efforts made by the Paris mayor to clean it up. Who knows? Maybe this heatwave will finally convince me to take the plunge.
Everything you need to know about swimming in the Seine in summer 2026
