(Budget Travel) -- Faced with too many visitors, the city of Paris asked its citizens to open their homes as B&Bs. It doesn't get more authentique than that.
A guest room at Marchand House
MARCHAND HOUSE
'Hood: On the Right Bank, in the 3rd arrondissement, home to the Musée Picasso and lots of designer boutiques.
Hosts: Denise and Jean-Luc Marchand. "When my children play the piano, guests love it," says Jean-Luc.
Decor: The timbered house, built in 1609, still has a hook for tying up a horse in front. You'll feel like you're in a period movie walking up the lopsided oak staircase. BudgetTravel.com: See the accommodations
Rooms: Three. Each has a private bathroom and vintage prints on the walls. One room, the Enclos des Templiers, overlooks a tiny courtyard.
Plus: At breakfast, Jean-Luc serves homemade honey with croissants from the local boulangerie.
Minus: The neighborhood can be noisy, especially on the weekend.
Info: 63 rue Charlot, 011-33/1-42-71-83-56, bonne-nuit-paris.com, from $197.
VALADON HOUSE
'Hood: Right Bank, in the 11th arrondissement. The area includes Oberkampf, an artsy neighborhood that has great jazz bars.
Hosts: Anne-Lise and Jean-Baptiste Valadon, an automotive executive.
Don't Miss
Decor: What was once a printmaker's studio is now a cozy home decorated with quirky flea-market finds and big floral paintings.
Rooms: One. Sliding doors lead from the living room to the lone guest room, which is decorated in blues and whites, with built-in bookshelves and recessed lighting.
Plus: Anne-Lise has lived all over Paris, so she knows it well. She'll even book day trips for you.
Minus: There's only one major Métro stop in the area, Nation, and it's about a 10-minute walk away.
Info: 4 passage Guénot, 011-33/1-47-07-28-29, goodmorningparis.fr, from $140.
DEMOURES HOUSE
'Hood: The 16th arrondissement, on the Right Bank near the Eiffel Tower.
Host: France Demoures, a divorced mother of three. "I love helping people," she says, which explains why she keeps baskets stuffed with maps all over the place.
Decor: The postwar building's exterior is nondescript, but the inside feels like grandma's house -- chintz sofas and chairs, bowls of Labeyrie chocolate and photos of France's children on the walls.
Rooms: Two. With heirloom antiques and eclectic furnishings, the larger one is perfect for a small family, with a mini fridge and a queen-size bed.
Plus: France dotes on guests like a long-lost relative, serving tea with cakes each afternoon.
Minus: Neat freaks be warned -- the house can feel a little cluttered to some.
Info: 8 rue des Bauches, 011-33/1-44-06-86-71, chambre-ville.com, from $103.
DESTOM HOUSE
'Hood: Left Bank, in the 5th arrondissement, just down the street from the Panthéon.
Hosts: Anne Sinais and Jean-Luc Destom, who rent half of their apartment.
Decor: The couple's aesthetic is minimalist. The living room walls are bare, and the furniture consists of a linen-covered sofa and a daybed.
Rooms: One. With a private bathroom, a bar constructed of glass bricks in the guest living room, and a separate kitchen, it's like having your own apartment.
Plus: Jean-Luc will pick you up at the airport for about €30.
Minus: You're right by the Sorbonne, so the streets are often packed with students day and night.
Info: 9 rue de la Montagne Ste.-Geneviève, 011-33/1-47-07-28-29, goodmorningparis.fr, from $188.
POTEAUX HOUSE
'Hood: Left Bank, in the 13th arrondissement. The area is known mainly for its sprawling Chinatown, but there are also plenty of trendy restaurants.
Hosts: Michel and Christianne Poteaux. He owns an electronics business; she's a technical writer.
Decor: The three-story building on a quiet cul-de-sac was constructed in 1920 to house workers from an ice factory (hence the Glacière Métro stop). Two terraces have views of the city's southwest.
Rooms: Three. Each was recently renovated and has its own bathroom. The smallest, La Rive Droite, has a private balcony.
Plus: Rooms have flat-screen TVs and iPod docks.
Minus: You might hear guests from the next room (the walls are thin).
Info: villa Daviel, 011-33/6-09-80-47-12, chambredhotedeparis.com, from $110.
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