Typical "lead time" for apartment renting, and typical rent duration

[Sands321]

Hello. We expect to move to France around Dec. 1st and plan to rent a 2- or 3-BR apartment in Paris. We can go over for a apartment-hunting trip anytime before then.

If we went in September, would that be too soon (i.e. only apartments available in the Sep/early Oct timeframe would be available)?

If we went in November, would that be too late (i.e. only apartments available in the Jan/early Feb timeframe would be available)?

I know in other cities (I'm thinking Zurich), it was common to see 90% of the apartments have their lease renewal dates in the fall, meaning that was THE time to move. I am hoping that Paris has a more continuous turnover of apartments for rent.

And one final question: What is the typical rental term? 1 year? Is there a discount for signing a 2-year rent agreement?

[Bevdeforges]

The standard rent term in France is 3 years for residential property. Annual rent increases are built into the lease (often tied to a cost of living index) and you can break the lease by giving the appropriate notice - usually 3 months, but reduced to 1 month under certain circumstances.

I would think that if you came over in late October or early November, you could find apartments available for December 1st - but it has been a while since I helped a friend hunt for apartments and perhaps some of the Paris residents in the forum would have more current information for you.
Cheers,
Bev

[Lelaina]

If you're looking to move there long term and are looking for an unfurnished place, most apartments go very quickly as there aren't enough apartments to meet the demand :-( So September will probably be too soon if you're only moving there in December. In any case, just make sure you have all the paperwork and guarantees required as they do ask for much more paperwork than in the US before you can rent anything.