An image overlooking the Eiffel Tower and the warm, vibrant colors of Paris in the fall.

What better time to experience the charm of Paris and its many attractions than during autumn?

The sweltering heat of summer is finally giving way to cool, crisp air and a change in the leaves. There’s a sweet melancholy to fall in Paris, something that can only be rendered in person as the city enraptures you by its fiery orange and maroon hues. If you find yourself overwhelmed by the wonder of it all—the distinct smell of the Paris metro, the winding streets decorated with local bakeries, and the guttural cadence of French natives—New York Habitat has the perfect tour guide to accommodate your stay in the City of Lights. Our furnished Paris rentals are conveniently located near the city’s most coveted gastronomy, fashion, and art attractions for a classic immersion in French culture.

Enjoy a cultural mainstay: The French cafe

An image of a popular cafe destination in Paris, France known for its buttery croissants and strong espressos.

Start your day with an espresso at Aux Tours de Notre-Dame, a historical cafe located near one of the world’s most famous cathedrals. (Photo Credit: Moyan Brenn / Wikimedia Commons)

During your stay in Paris, do as the Parisians do and enjoy the refined artform of people watching on the last few warm days of summer. Café de la Paix (between the Boulevard des Capucines and the Place de l’Opéra, 9th Arr.), declared a historic site by the French government in 1975, is a tourist landmark heralded for its architectural grandeur. Known as a former writing hub for novelists like Èmile Zola, this cafe is the perfect spot to indulge your inner philosopher over an espresso. Tourists looking to pay their respects to the Notre-Dame can look at the iconic cathedral from afar this fall at Aux Tours de Notre-Dame (Île de la Cité, 4th Arr.), as the cathedral undergoes dramatic transformation after the unprecedented Notre-Dame fire.

Revel in the remnants of the Roaring Twenties and enjoy a fresh pastry and café crème at Cafe de Flore (on the corner of Boulevard Saint-Germain and Rue Saint-Benoît, 6th Arr.) or Les Deux Magots (Saint-Germain-des-Prés, 6th Arr.), two iconic cafes across from one another known for hosting some of the most influential writers, artists, and musicians of the 1920s: Albert Camu, Ernest Hemingway, Simone de Beauvoir, and Jean Paul-Sartre. Other popular cafes include The Hemingway Bar and Fouquet’s, a cafe that doubles as a restaurant and hotel overlooking the Champs-Elyèes.

Have a sweet tooth? Compliment your coffee pilgrimage by visiting the Salon Du Chocolat, a yearly trade fair hosted in Paris-Porte de Versailles (held between October 30th through November 3rd). Celebrating its 25th birthday in 2019, the festival is a chocolate lover’s paradise on earth and one of the largest gatherings featuring chocolatiers from across the globe. Treat your eyes and palate to a variety of chocolate expressions. Fear not calorie counters; you’ll have plenty of time to walk off your chocolate excursion.

A leisurely stroll through the world’s most famous parks and cemeteries

An image of a famous ferris wheel in Paris near one of the world’s most iconic museums, the Louvre.

In the center of the city stands the Grande Roue de Paris in the Place de la Concorde, ignited by fall hues during autumn. (Photo Credit: Guillaume Baviere / Flickr)

After you’re sufficiently caffeinated, take a stroll through Paris’s biggest park, Jardin des Tuileries, located within the Place de la Concorde on the banks of the River Seine. The iconic park is positioned between the Louvre and Champs-Elyèes Avenue, making this an ideal photo op. A marvel of French-style landscaping, the gardens were formerly royal property to the Tuileries Palace, and the park is home to two museums: Musée d’Orsay and the Jeu de Paume museum.

Speaking of the Louvre, what Paris trip is complete without exploring the renowned district? New York Habitat has several furnished apartment listings available within minutes from the iconic museum. Our 2-bedroom vacation rental in Louvre—equipped with convenient amenities (washer, dryer, full-service kitchen, and vintage accessories) and antique French doors that lead to a balcony overlooking the stunning communities of Châtelet-Les Halles—is an affordable option for those looking to stay in Paris no longer than three weeks. You can closely work with one of New York Habitat’s licensed real estate agents to plan your trip to commemorate Leonardo da Vinci’s 500th Anniversary at the Louvre, celebrating his paintings and 22 drawings—the largest collection of his work in the world. The retrospective is an ode to the “science of painting,” a term coined by da Vinci to illustrate the elusive mystique of capturing the world through brushstrokes.

Image of Paris furnished rental PA-3231 with large French windows, chandeliers, decorative fireplace and red carpet.

Rent this 2-bedroom furnished rental with gold and red accents located near the Louvre, and see what Paris has to offer you. (Rental ID: PA-3231)

And like a da Vinci painting, embrace the wonder of color as you walk through Parc Monceau, created by Phillippe d’Orléans, Duke of Chartres (better known as the cousin of King Louis XVI). The park is a revel of English and German opulence, with historical embellishments like the Egyptian pyramid, one of the last standing follies commissioned by the Duke to engender glamour and amazement in its visitors.

An image of a Paris-based cemetery during the fall season.

Paris is known for its spooky, ethereal cemeteries where some of the world’s most influential artists are buried. (Photo Credit: Guilhem Vellut / Flickr)

The 14th district of Paris is home to the Montparnasse Cemetery, known for its impressive 35,000 graves. A guided tour through the cemetery honors the legacy of famous literary tycoons and artists and provides a quiet, secluded respite from the bustling city streets. The Montmartre Cemetery is also notable for its most visited grave of the late French singer and actress, Dalida. For those backpacking and traveling light through Europe, our 2-bedroom vacation rentals in Montparnasse are in walking distance from beloved local crêperies and the famous Musée du Général Leclerc, known for its splendid collection of sculptures.

View from the living room into the bedroom of Paris apartment PA-2597 with French doors separating the rooms.

This 2-bedroom rental in Montparnasse is a mixture of style and practicality with easy access to public transportation near the city’s most coveted tourist spots. (Rental ID: PA-2597)

With high ceilings and exposed beams, this vacation rental in Montparnasse has an excess of natural light and easy access to the 4, 6, and Regional Express Network (RER) B trains to the Denfert-Rochereau Station for maximum mobility throughout the city. Studio rentals in the 14th district are a great option for those interested in a quaint, affordable neighborhood known for its residential charm, bordering the outskirts of the city’s more prominent tourist attractions.

The music and rhythm of fall festivals

An image of candles burning during a ceremony at the Nuit Blanche arts festival.

Light a candle at Nuit Blanche, an all-night arts festival celebrating the work of international artists. (Photo Credit: Yann Caradec / Flickr)

For art enthusiasts, Paris is similar to New York in its ever-growing relationship with contemporary art. Like distant relatives, both cities have a refined art scene supported by local creatives; our autumn tour of New York is a great companion guide to roaming the boroughs of the diverse metropolis. Nuit Blanche (French for “white night” and colloquially known as “sleepless night”) is an all-night, avant-garde, arts festival that features the work of world-renowned artists exploring the curious boundaries of culture and consumption. Nuit Blanche begins at 7:00 p.m. and ends at 7:00 a.m..

For twelve years, the festival has established itself as an art extravaganza open to the public on the first Saturday of every October. As the perfect autumn activity, the festival is a tribute to the humor and wonder of art and its ability to transform landmarks as dignified and revered as the Eiffel Tower into mischievous conversation pieces.

Marking a cosmopolitan shift in pop culture and the public engagement with contemporary art, Nuit Blanche has inspired similar nighttime art festivals worldwide in cities like Toronto, Montreal, Winnipeg, and European capitals like Brussels, Rome, and Madrid. It’s an excellent festival to plan your French excursion around, and New York Habitat has a variety of rentals located near the main festival streets.

An image of a neon sign where jazz musicians are shown performing their instruments.

Experience Paris’s counterculture through the various textures, colors, rhythms, and moods of jazz. (Photo Credit: Pedro Ribeiro Simões,CC BY 2.0,©)

Music aficionados will find great pleasure in the Jazz Sur Seine Festival during their stay in the city. With over 450 artists, the festival is a musical voyage through the history of jazz and its sonic diaspora. If you’re a cinephile, consider attending the Paris Autumn Festival (Festival d’Automne a Paris), a multidisciplinary arts event held between September and December, featuring film screenings, projections, live dance performances, concerts, and visual art exhibitions. Over fifty events are scheduled in the city. New York Habitat has the perfect tourist map to accompany your Paris bucket list this autumn to ensure you cross everything off of your list.

Our downtown, short-term rentals in Paris are wonderful options for those looking to attend the festival during the fall season and to see the day-to-day living arrangements of French-style apartments. Staying in one of our furnished apartments is one of the best ways to traverse the unique style and culture of Paris and its varying architecture styles compared to its western counterparts.

Image of the living room of Paris apartment PA-1706 with sofa, desk and dining table

Cozy and quaint, this 1-bedroom rental, located in the 14th Arrondissement of Paris, is near the city’s attractions and neighboring community of Alésia. (Rental ID: PA-1706)

Honor your inner whimsical Parisian

An image of Disneyland in Paris during the fall Halloween celebration.

Take a day trip with the family to Disneyland in Paris and experience Disney’s classic characters in person. ( Photo Credit: Clem, CC BY-SA 2.0, ©)

End your fall vacation on a nostalgic note with a family trip to Disneyland to celebrate Halloween in Paris. Experience all of your favorite childhood classics from Mickey Mouse to Ariel as the park is transformed into a family-friendly playground for children and adults alike. With an all-day entry pass, you’ll have access to both the Disneyland Park and Walt Disney Studios Park. Our furnished downtown apartments offer convenient access to the RER, which is one of the fastest, easiest ways to travel to the amusement park. Our beginners guide to Paris’s metro system is a great resource to reference if you’re curious about how to navigate public transportation in the city. If you decide to stay near the RER in one of our rentals, consider renting one of our bed and breakfast listings for an affordable taste of the city’s sprawling entertainment.

So settle into your French fantasy and reclaim your inner “Je nai sais qoui.” As the French do, let bygones be bygones. Let the spark of the evening, the energy of the natives, the last drop of wine, and the last bite of dark chocolate take you further into the heart of France. After all, when you room with New York Habitat, you have the luxury of reveling in the small intricacies that often go unnoticed.