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Paris, the city I know best.

Haussmann apartments with magnificent common areas, hôtels particuliers with gardens, charming pieds-à-terre: in Paris, my network is ready for you, so you can buy or sell with complete peace of mind.

Portrait of Leonor de la Serna
My perspective

Eight years at the heart of Paris real estate.

I lived in Paris for eight years, where I led a team of real estate agents covering the 1st, 2nd, 8th and 17th arrondissements. I also worked in the Marais, and guided many sales on the islands and in the 6th and 7th. Central Paris is the city I know best, and where my network is strongest.

I have worked with French and international clients alike: French expats coming home, international buyers looking for a pied-à-terre, investors, families wishing to own a piece of Paris to pass on. With many Parisian agents, our ties today go far beyond work.

Paris is one of the most visited cities in the world, and yet some streets keep a deeply Parisian spirit. Its culture still fascinates me: I need to come back at least once a quarter, and I will keep spending a lot of time there.

Where to live in Paris

Central Paris, neighbourhood by neighbourhood.

My network covers all of central Paris, and each neighbourhood has its own character, pace and clientele. In Paris, it is the rarity of the property and the address that sets the price: in the 7th, on the islands or on Place des Vosges, it can reach €40,000 per square metre, and sometimes more. A high floor with a balcony also adds real value to an apartment. Here is how I see the neighbourhoods I am asked about most.

Left Bank

Saint-Germain-des-Prés and the 7th

Legendary galleries, bookshops and cafés in Saint-Germain, hôtels particuliers and grand apartments in the Faubourg Saint-Germain, Eiffel Tower views in the 7th. Parisian elegance at its most classic.

Ideal for: character apartments, hôtels particuliers, art de vivre.

Along the Seine

The islands

Île Saint-Louis and Île de la Cité: a village in the middle of the Seine, period apartments on the quays, unique river views. Very rare properties, often sold without a public listing.

Ideal for: Seine views, historic charm, rarity.

Historic Paris

The Marais

17th-century hôtels particuliers, Place des Vosges, galleries and designer boutiques: a lively neighbourhood full of character, with beautiful period apartments, exposed beams and cobbled courtyards.

Ideal for: character, neighbourhood life, period apartments.

Prestige

The Golden Triangle and the 8th

Avenue Montaigne, grand Haussmann boulevards, Parc Monceau: the most prestigious addresses on the Right Bank, with very large apartments and majestic common areas.

Ideal for: large apartments, prestige addresses.

The heart of Paris

The 1st and 2nd

Palais-Royal, the Tuileries Garden, rue Saint-Honoré: living at the centre of everything, between the Louvre and the Opéra. An ideal address for an exceptional pied-à-terre.

Ideal for: pieds-à-terre, central location.

Residential elegance

The 16th

Quiet tree-lined avenues, large Haussmann apartments and 1930s buildings, the Bois de Boulogne and renowned schools: a residential, family Paris with understated elegance.

Ideal for: families, large apartments, calm.

Around Parc Monceau

The 17th

Around the park and the Plaine Monceau: beautiful Haussmann buildings, large family apartments and a peaceful neighbourhood life, minutes from the Golden Triangle.

Ideal for: families, Haussmann apartments, neighbourhood life.

Between the Opéra and Montmartre

The 9th and the 18th

Nouvelle Athènes, Saint-Georges and rue des Martyrs in the 9th, Montmartre's cobbled lanes, the Abbesses and avenue Junot in the 18th: a Paris with a village, creative and bohemian spirit, with 19th-century hôtels particuliers, artists' houses and spectacular views over the city. Upper floors with balconies, and the rare houses with gardens, are especially sought after.

Ideal for: charm, village spirit, views, bohemian atmosphere.

Before you buy

What every buyer should know in Paris.

Paris is an exceptional market, with its own codes and constraints. Knowing them from the start helps you buy at the right price, without unpleasant surprises.

I.

Terraces and gardens are truly rare

Paris is a city of apartments. Compared with London or Brussels, a home with a terrace or garden, let alone an hôtel particulier with a garden, is extremely rare. These properties are often sold off-market.

II.

Lifts and air conditioning

Highly sought after by American and Middle Eastern buyers, they cannot be taken for granted in period buildings. Lifts are sometimes small or missing, and installing air conditioning often requires the co-owners' approval and compliance with planning rules. Best to anticipate.

III.

The building matters as much as the apartment

Common areas, service charges, works voted or ahead such as a façade restoration: the minutes of co-owners' meetings say a lot about a building. Read them before committing.

IV.

Choose your notaire well

The notaire plays a central role in France, far beyond the signing. Buyers can appoint their own, alongside the seller's, at no extra cost: a good notaire is a real adviser for your estate planning.

V.

Timeline and costs

After signing the compromis de vente, the buyer has 10 days to withdraw, then the sale completes at the notaire around three months later. For resale property in Paris, purchase costs come to roughly 7.5 to 8% of the price.

VI.

Short-term rentals

Paris strictly regulates short-term lets: a maximum of 90 nights a year for a main residence, and a change-of-use authorisation, hard to obtain, for a second home. For an investment, a standard rental is often the safer choice.

This information is indicative and may change. It does not replace advice from a notaire or tax adviser.

Do you have a project in Paris?

Buying or selling, pied-à-terre or family apartment: let's talk. I will call you personally within 24 business hours, and introduce you to the agent best suited to your project.