Paris’s cheapest accommodations are disappearing, as tiny attic rooms originally built more than two centuries ago to house servants become increasingly unlivable amid worsening heatwaves.
Why the Rooms Are a Problem
A 2024 study by the urban planning agency Paris Atelier of Urbanism (APUR) found that top-floor rooms without proper solar protection can reach indoor temperatures up to 10 degrees Celsius hotter than outside, thanks to heat-absorbing rooftops and poor ventilation.
Who Relied on Them
These small rooms have long served as one of the last-resort affordable housing options in central Paris, popular with students and young travelers willing to trade space and comfort for a cheap place to stay in the heart of the city.
What Happens Next
As extreme heat events become more frequent, this traditional low-cost housing option is at risk of disappearing from the city’s rental market entirely.
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