Location is usually described as a particular commune or
arrondissement (in Paris) and sometimes gives a locally known area within
that commune.
Eg: Paris 17ème – quartier levis is the Levis area of the 17th
arrondissement and St germain en laye – Prefecture is the sub prefecture
area of Saint Germain en Laye. They will sometimes give a metro/RER station
or some landmark for reference.
Size – Apartments are described by their surface area
in square metres and/or the number of rooms. This can be misleading. There
are laws governing how square metres should be measured and it should relate
only to the living areas. This means that only the dining room, bedrooms,
and sitting rooms should be included in the calcualtion, but not hallways,
cloakrooms etc . Therefore you may view 3 properties of 100m2, which seem
completely different in actual over all size as a result of spaces not included
in the measure stated.
Number of rooms only relates to the living areas (reception and bedrooms) it generally does not include kitchens, bathrooms, hallways, attics, cellars etc.
Price – The advertised price needs to be double checked – it is almost always a monthly rent that is advertised but you need to verify whether it includes charges or not (charges comprises or cc) and what those charges cover. Occasionally the agency fees will also be stated in the advertisements.
Here is a glossary of terms to help you decipher the advertisements
Année – Year (immeuble année 70 – 1970’s building)
Appartement – Apartment
Arborée – lots of trees/green space
Ascenseur – Lift, elevator
Avec – With
Baie fenêtre - Bay windows
Balcons – Balcony
Bâtiment – Building
Bien distribué – Well laid out
Bon état - Good condition
Bonne exposition – Good aspect
Buanderie – Wash house/laundry room/utilities room
Calme - Quiet
Carreau – Floor tiles
Carrelage - Tiles
Cave – Cellar
Chambre – Bedroom
Chambres des bonnes - Small independent rooms often with shared water facilities
Charmant - Charming
Chauffage au sol - Under floor heating
Chauffage au gaz - Gas heating
Chauffage collectif – Heating controlled by the building
Chauffage électrique - Electric heating
Chauffage individuel – Individual heating (as opposed to heating from
the building)
Cheminée – Chimney
Clair – Light and airy
Coin cuisine – Corner kitchen
Comprenant – Comprising of
Compris(es)– Included
Concierge - Caretaker
Couloir - Corridor
Cour - Courtyard
Cuisine - Kitchen
Cuisine ammenagé – Kitchen with cupboards but no equipment or
white goods
Cuisine Equipé – Fully equipped kitchen (usually only found in
furnished rentals)
Dépot de garantie - Deposit
Deux pas – Very close
Digicode – Security coded entry
Disponible le – Available from
Double exposition – Double aspect
Double vitrage – Double-glazing
Duplex – On two levels (floors)
Eau chaude par cumulus électrique – Hot water from electric
water tank
Ensoleillé – Sunny
Entrée - Entrance hall
Escalier – Staircase
Étages – Floors with in the building (ground floor, 1st floor,
2nd floor, etc)
Évier- Kitchen sink
Exposée – Facing (north/south/east/west – nord/sud/est/ouest)
Fonctionnelle – Functional/practical
Four – Oven
Frais d’agence - Agency Fees
Garage intérieur – Internal Garage (i.e. in the building)
Gardien (ienne) – Guardian
Grand standing – Luxury
Honoraires – Fees (usually agents fees)
Hôtel particulier - Mansion
Immeuble – Building
Impeccable – Immaculate
Interphone - Interphone
Jardin privatif – Private garden
Lambrissé - Panelled
Lavabo – Wash basin
Loft – Open plan apartment (not necessary in the attic)
Logement – Lodgings/accommodation
Loyer - Rent
Luminosité – Naturally well lit
Maison – House
Maison de ville – Town house
Maison individuelle – Detached house
Maison jumelle – Semi detached house
Maison mitoyennes - Semi detached house
Mansarde - Attic (room with a sloping roof)
Moquette - Carpet
Moulures – Plaster mouldings and decorative finishes
Meublé - Furnished
Mobilier et installations – Furniture and fittings
Mois - Month
Murs - Walls
Niveaux – Levels
Nombreux - Numerous
Orientée – Facing (north/south/east/west – nord/sud/est/ouest)
Palier - Landing
Papier Peint – Wall Paper
Parking – Designated parking place
Parquet – Wooden floor
Peinture - Paint
Penderie – Closet (hanging storage)
Pièces – Rooms (only applies to living areas, not kitchens, bathrooms,
halls etc
Pierre de taille – Haussmann style buildings/ cut stone
Placard - Cupboards/wardrobes
Plaque électrique – Electric hob
Plaques de cuisson - Hob
Plafond – Ceiling
Plancher – Floor
Porte blindée – Security door (required by most insurance company)
Porte vitrée- French window
Premier étage – Floor above the ground floor (ground floor =
Rez-de-chaussée)
Près – Near
Privatif - Private
Proche – Near
Proximité - Close by
Rangements – Storage (cupboards/wardrobes)
Refait à neuf – recently redecorated
Repeint - repainted
Rez-de-chaussée - Ground floor
Rue privée – Private road
Sans - Without
Salle à manger – Dinning room
Salle de bain - Bathroom
Salle de douche – Shower room
Salle d'eau – shower room
Salon – Lounge/ living room
Séjour – Living room
Sol – Floor within the apartment or house
Soleil assure – good sun light
Sous-sol – Underground/Basement
Style moderne – Modern style
Studio – one room apartment
Sur – on
Tapisserie - Wallpaper
Tout confort moderne – All the mod-cons
Verdoyant – Green space
Vide - Unfurnished
Vestibule – Hall
Villa – detached house
Vue degage – Clear view
Vues – Views
WC – WC
