Finding somewhere to live in Paris for 6 months

[madeindevon2]

Can anyone offer any advise as to finding accommodation in Paris. My DSD starts job in Paris in September and is struggling to find somewhere to live. Flat share, lodging with a family even? She is currently 2nd year at University of Durham studying languages.
any help or advise would be fantastic!
thanks in advance...

I'm a student in Paris at the moment - some friends have used this which is a bit like gumtree : they've had mixed results, one has had a dreadful landlady, the others have been ok. Agency fees are high if you go through them :another friend used this agency and raves about them, but she is paying a LOT of money and agency fees are 12% which is crazy. I used this company and they have been amazing : sorted out the contract, contacted the phone company when I was being double charged. I liked that it was more secure than going to an individual landlord, but no high overheads like you get with an agency.

Other than that, the best way seems to be to turn up in Paris, stay in a hotel for a while, rack up a huge bill and get to flat open-houses. If you PM me I can offer you some advice from what my friends have experienced, but I would really advise against it if you can - it works out to be pretty much as expensive as other ways if you factor in hotel bills.

Try FUSAC - it's a magazine called France USA Contacts and it's been around for years and years. Basically small ads including accommodation and home shares. I've found apartments through it, but would recommend a flat share if she can find someone she clicks with, as you get a whole social life along with it (and it's cheaper!)

thanks v much for your replies.

Go to the American church and see the noticeboard or yes the FUSAC. In my time, that was always "best" crowd for flat sharing.

Try St Michaels Anglican church as well.

Does she need to be in Paris itself? If not my DHs grandmother is out on the RER A and has lots of space, even just as a temporary solution. She's a lovely old lady but gets a bit lonely rattling around her huge house.

If we're there I'll happily put her up until she finds somewhere but I don't yet know whether we're relocating or not yet.

What sort of job is your DSD going to be doing? Would she have some spare time for childcare or not? She will get better accommodation in a nicer area if she can babysit/do some childcare in return for a studio/chambre de bonne.