An alternative tale of two cities

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Back in the year 2008, there were at least two people who were working on an internet concept for renting out one's own home to travelers. One of these persons was Brian Chesky, founder of Airbnb in San Francisco. The other was Carsten Sprotte, founder of Paris-Sharing.com in Paris. By 2015, Airbnb had become a household name throughout the world. Paris-Sharing.com became known (and appreciated) by a few hundred travelers and Parisian hosts. It also became known to the city of Paris, who outlawed its activity, perceived as a threat to the local housing supply. Whatever remained of Paris-Sharing.com was wiped out by the Covid travel restrictions in 2020. 

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As the founder of Paris-Sharing.com, it was sad to see everything I had tirelessly worked for over a decade disappear like a sandcastle. But there are worse things that can happen, and for every end, there is a new beginning. 

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In June 2021 I created Exquisite France. Where before I helped tourists find a place to stay, now I help anglophone francophiles find a place "to remain". My work has become more permanent, and more invested in personal relationships, but always motivated by a desire to share French culture.

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I am grateful to all hosts, guests, investors, and partners who gave Paris-Sharing a chance, lending pebbles to David against Goliath, so to speak. If you are a previous guest hoping to return to a given apartment, you may still find it offered for rent on GuestReady.com.  Note that if you plan to stay in Paris for over a month, it is still possible to rent an apartment and comply with rental regulations. 

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If you require anything related to Paris-Sharing.com,

please write to bookings@paris-sharing.com