Many newcomers to Paris assume they will rent a furnished flat, because it is simple. Others prefer or need an unfurnished one: a longer stay, a family, more space for the same budget, or the wish to settle for good. In French this is a location vide, an “empty” rental.
Before you search, here is what “unfurnished” means in law, how it changes your lease, and what to organise before you arrive.
What “unfurnished” means
A flat is called vide when the landlord provides no furniture. Some landlords leave a few pieces. Note one rule from ANIL: a rental counts as unfurnished if the flat does not contain all the furniture and equipment that the law requires for a furnished lease (source: ANIL). In a furnished lease, a list of furniture set by regulation must be provided.
How the lease differs
These are the main differences, taken from the same ANIL page:
- Length. An unfurnished lease lasts at least three years if the landlord is an individual, and six years if the landlord is a company. A furnished lease lasts at least one year.
- Your notice. You can leave at any time. In an unfurnished flat the notice is three months in principle, reduced to one month in a high-demand area (zone tendue) or in certain professional or personal situations. In a furnished flat it is one month. Paris is listed among the high-demand communes on Service-Public.
- The landlord’s notice. The landlord must wait for the end of the lease and give six months’ notice for an unfurnished flat (three months for a furnished one), with a legitimate reason.
- The deposit. The maximum is one month’s rent excluding charges for an unfurnished flat, and two months for a furnished one.
If your stay in Paris is short (one to ten months), there is also the bail mobilité, a short contract for professional mobility or studies (same ANIL page). It is a different contract.
What it means for a newcomer
These points come from my own experience with clients, not from the law:
- You furnish it. Plan the purchase and the delivery before your move-in date, not after. A flat with no bed on arrival is stressful.
- Check what is really there. What counts as “equipped” varies from one listing to another, for example a kitchen. The condition report (état des lieux) and the listing should describe it. Ask before you visit.
- Allow time. The length of a search depends on the property market, not on you. Start early.
How I work on an unfurnished search
- I search with you based on your budget, the neighbourhood and the layout, and I visit and pre-select flats.
- I check the lease and the condition report with you, in English.
- After the signature, I handle the installation: electricity, internet, the practical set-up of the flat, and the people who deliver and assemble.
A simple checklist
- Confirm with the listing that the flat is unfurnished and what the kitchen and bathroom include.
- Check the length of the lease and your notice period.
- Check the deposit: no more than one month excluding charges.
- Plan furniture and delivery before the move-in date.
- Read the condition report carefully on the day of entry.
Rules summarised from ANIL and Service-Public pages consulted in October 2026. They can change; check the current text.
Looking for an unfurnished flat in Paris? Book a free 30-minute call and tell me what you need.