Apartment for rent in Poitiers, France
Light-filled, airy one bedroom with large living room / dining room and complete kitchen for rent in Medieval, architecturally intact city of Poitiers, France. 1 1/2 hours south-west of Paris by train ( TGV), 1 hour east of the Atlantic coast and La Rochelle, in a mild, sun-filled area where fig trees,and kiwi thrive. The apartment is in the center of this city of 125,000, 35 000 of whom are students. It is culturally rich -- theatre, concerts and festivals of all sorts, an Ecole des Beaux arts, galleries, and of course the countless beautifully intact churches. There is a richly varied fresh-market 5 days a week, a book fair once a week, the "mediateque" is open to all, and the narrow streets are wonderfully inviting, leading easily to shopping of all sorts, and obviating the need for a car. The city itself is a pleasure to explore, and perhaps because it is not overrun with tourists, the French here are cordial, open, interested in the traveler, and willing to engage in conversation, especially if you can speak a little bit of French. As by and large they have trouble speaking English/ American, they appreciate your meeting them half way.
Charges for the one-bedroom apartment in 2013 are as follows: In summer, 90 Euro a night ( min 3 nights) 600 Euro for the first week, 2000 euro for a month. It is on the 5th floor of a large modern apartment house ( with elevator) which, however, is on the outside in keeping with all of the old architecture of the city. The bedroom has a double bed, and the living room, a couch that sleeps two more. So, two couples can comfortably share this flat. There is, in addition, a single small mattress that can be used for a child. Included in rent are heating, electricity, internet, Tv, phone. If interested, please e mail me at marcia.slatkin9@gmail.com. Thank you!
Note: there are superb and inexpensive restaurants right on rue Carnot (i.e. L'Absinth) where you can get a gourmet main dish at lunchtime for 9 Euro, and a dessert for 2 euro more. Cook breakfast and dinner at home, buy a bottle of wine and some cheese, and feel magnificent!
Please note that Poitiers is one of the great centers of Romanesque architecture in Europe. We have many world-class churches (Notre Dame, Ste. Radegonde, and a Cathedral dating from, and the oldest Baptestry in all of France. Note that we have lovely green spaces: A botanic garden that is both extensive and beautiful, ad Blossac park with a fmall zoo and formal as well as meandering gardens. There is an exciting farmer's market 5 days a week near Notre Dame Cathedral, and another huge Sunday market in the eastern part of the city. And of course there is elegant shopping in the arcade at the heart of the city where brand-name stores display their ware. The city is totally walkable, and its ancient streets, marvelously intact and revealing 300 years of architecture, streets like Grande Rue, invite exploration.
In addition to the apartment, and when possible included in the rental, is access to a small piece of land on the Clain River. The land has a small cottage on it, a large walnut tree, and a garden where we worked for 10 hours each week last summer, and grew all our vegetables! It offers direct access to the river, although we don't own a boat, and a chance to picnic in a private place and to leave picnic equipment in a secure area. One reaches the land by walking for 25 minutes through large, beautiful Blossac park (which has a zoo in addition to formal gardens) down to the property. Even if direct access to our place is impractical at the time of your rental, the trip down past it is... unique, exciting, and offers riverfront picnics. This adds variety to the rental, and a rural component to the urban base.
www.marciaslatkin.com
A view of the kitchen. It is generously appointed.
