Between traveling for work and typing my little fingers off to finish my book, I’ve found it incredibly challenging to concentrate in recent weeks. Three of my neighborhoods have begun major construction on their apartments which means my bursts of attention are punctuated by drilling, hammering and a handful of other interventions I lack the vocabulary to describe. The news reminds me that the world is dangerous and the American political apparatus is completely malfunctioning and the weather, while gorgeous, is unseasonably warm making the idea of window shopping and strolling through leafy parks a much more appealing idea than sitting at my computer.
In moments like these, I know what I need. A break from routine, time away from my comfortable surroundings and the million-and-one distractions that lay at arm’s reach. So I packed a bag and I went across town to the picture-perfect 7th arrondissement where children skipping home from school in full-bellied laughter would be the loudest sound I’d hear. I stayed in a Paris Perfect apartment rental, a home-away-from-home (only better: it had a giant bathtub!) with to-die-for views and a calm I’m rarely able to fashion for myself in the 11th arrondissement.
At first I thought it was strange to stay in a fetishized version of Paris while writing about precisely the opposite — the real Paris. But in a way, feeling like a tourist in a neutral space without as many built-in distractions (save for the Eiffel Tower just outside the window), was a boon for productivity. I caught up on my reading in the bathtub, I wrote on the couch, I took walks, snapped photos and watched as families started and ended their days together. And it felt amazing.
Not only that, I realized that I could now confidently recommend the neighborhood and the rental service to readers and family for their next visits.
Where would you go in Paris to recharge your batteries?
Learn more about apartment rentals in Paris:
Website: Paris Perfect
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Twitter: @ParisPerfect
This is actually a great idea to get away but still be home in your very own town… 🙂
p.s. i think what you meant were you had 3 of your neighbours who started working on their respective aparments and not neighbourhoods…:)