Apartment search tips
Decoding French apartment listings
“Imm pdt, 2p en rdc, cuis éq, 1550 cc” – anyone looking for an apartment in France quickly runs into cryptic abbreviations. This glossary explains the most common abbreviations and phrases in French apartment listings.
Apartment listings are everywhere. Countless ads appear around the world every day, promoting apartments in New York, Tokyo, Berlin and elsewhere. France is no exception – and the Paris housing market in particular is fiercely competitive.
Listings are posted on various portals such as Seloger.com or Pap.fr and are often hard to understand at first, especially if your French isn't very good yet. That's why I present some common abbreviations and phrases below – many of which are only too happy to “dress up” the true condition of an apartment a little.
A fairly typical apartment listing might look like this:
Sample listing
“Appt avec balc, dans imm pdt, 2p en rdc, vue impr, cuis éq, 1 ch av rgt, WC sép, pkg, 1550 cc”
What does pdt mean? Or rdc, and above all cc? It's actually quite easy to understand once you crack the code. In the following glossary, I explain the most important abbreviations for understanding French apartment listings.
Glossary: How to read apartment listings in France & Paris
This list doesn't claim to be complete, but it covers many common abbreviations.
A
al — à louer (for rent)
amén — aménagé (furnished/fitted) or aménageable (can be converted)
appt — appartement (apartment)
asc — ascenseur (elevator)
av — avec (with) or à vendre (for sale)
anc — ancien (older building, often in need of renovation)
apd — à partir de (from a certain date)
B
balc — balcon (balcony)
beg — bon état général (good overall condition, but plan for painting or similar)
bur — bureau (office)
bcp — beaucoup (a lot)
C
cc — charges comprises (utilities and service charges included), less often “commission comprise” (agency commission included)
ch / chbre — chambre (bedroom)
chauff — chauffage (heating)
chem — cheminée (fireplace; often purely decorative today)
cpt — comprenant (including)
cv — centre-ville (city center)
cont — contemporain (contemporary)
cuis éq — cuisine équipée (kitchen with appliances)
D
dble — double (double)
dg — dépôt de garantie (security deposit)
dig — digicode (door code at the building entrance)
dpe — diagnostic de performance énergétique (energy performance certificate)
dup — duplex (two-level apartment)
disp — disponible (available)
E
et / etg — étage (floor)
éq — équipé (equipped)
ext — extérieur (outside/exterior)
F
F2/3/4 — indicates the number of rooms
fai — frais d'agence inclus (agency fee included)
fn — frais de notaire (notary fees)
G
gge — garage (garage)
gren — grenier (attic)
grd — grand (large)
H
hc — hors charges (excluding utilities and service charges)
hsp / ht pld — hauteur sous plafond (ceiling height)
I
imm — immeuble (building)
ind — indépendant (separate; e.g. bathroom and toilet are often separate)
int — intérieur (inside/interior)
J
jard — jardin (garden; rather rare in Paris)
M
mais — maison (house)
mezz — mezzanine (mezzanine)
N
nd — non disponible (not available)
nég — négociable (negotiable)
O
ouv — ouvert (open, e.g. an open kitchen)
P
pche — proche (close; often refers to the surroundings)
pk / pkg — parking (parking space)
pisc — piscine (pool)
poss — possibilité (possibility)
pp — plain-pied (single-level / at ground level)
pqt — parquet (hardwood floor)
pdt — pierre de taille (exterior walls of dressed stone)
plac / plcd — placard (built-in closet)
pft ét — parfait état (perfect condition)
prox — proximité (proximity; often referring to the surroundings)
R
rdc — rez-de-chaussée (first floor / ground floor)
rdj — rez-de-jardin (ground floor facing the garden)
rén — rénové (renovated)
réf — référence (listing reference number)
rgt — rangement (storage space)
S
sam — salle à manger (dining room)
sdb / sb — salle de bains (bathroom with a tub)
sdd — salle de douche (room with a shower)
sde / se — salle d'eau (washroom, with at least a sink)
séj — séjour (living/dining room)
sép — séparé (separate)
sh — surface habitable (living space; important with sloped ceilings)
ss — sans (without)
s-s — sous-sol (basement)
T
tbe — très bon état (very good condition)
terr / tess — terrasse (terrace)
travx / tvx — travaux (renovation work)
tt — tout (all / total)
U
us — us-américaine (refers to an open-plan kitchen)
V
vit / vtr — vitrage (glazing; look for “double vitrage” if possible)
vis — visite (viewing)
vue impr — vue imprenable (unobstructed view)
More phrases you'll come across in your apartment search
To attract potential tenants, some listings are embellished with phrases meant to dress up reality a little. These include, for example:
- un adorable appartement — “an adorable apartment”: don't expect much space
- un quartier animé — “a lively neighborhood”: expect it to be on the noisy side
- idéal étudiant — “ideal for students”: often a tiny studio, quite possibly on the 6th floor with no elevator
- un appartement à rafraîchir — “an apartment in need of refreshing”: expect major work
- un appartement avec du potentiel — “an apartment with potential”: same here, high costs included
- un logement atypique — “an unusual home”: e.g. with an unconventional layout or split over two levels
In short, the apartment search is an adventure – sometimes easier, sometimes more stressful. At viewings, pay attention to what matters most to you, and especially to small details such as washing machine connections in the kitchen or bathroom. Don't hesitate to ask whether the apartment heats up in summer, watch out for musty smells that point to dampness, take a look at the windows and run the water briefly to get an impression of the general condition.
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I wish you every success with your apartment search in France – and I'm happy to support you personally.