Renting offices in Paris: the guide

1. Work out the size

Plan for your headcount in two or three years, not just today. Allow 10 to 15 m² per person in general, including meeting rooms, reception and shared areas. A team of 20 therefore usually looks for 200 to 300 m². Remote work and hot-desking can reduce this, as long as you keep enough meeting rooms for office days.

2. Build the budget

Office rents in Paris are quoted per m² per year, excluding VAT and service charges. To get the real cost, add the building’s service charges, property tax and the Île-de-France office tax, which are often passed on to the tenant, plus the security deposit and fit-out. On our listings, the monthly rent is already worked out for you.

3. Choose the right lease

• 3/6/9 commercial lease: nine years minimum, normally with the option to leave every three years. For premises used only as offices, the lease can rule out this option.
• Short-term lease (bail dérogatoire): three years at most, to try out an area or a new way of working.
• Sublease: taking over offices vacated by another company, with the landlord’s consent.
• Coworking: shared desks or private offices within a coworking centre. Services and commitment periods depend on the offer and are confirmed with ALC.

4. Choose the area

Start with where your teams live and where your clients are. Being close to a mainline station or a metro hub often matters more than the arrondissement itself. Every listing shows the stations within walking distance, and you can also search by drawing an area on the map.

• Offices: Central Business District
• Offices: Paris Centre
• Offices: Left Bank
• Offices: East Paris
• Offices: North Paris

5. The steps

1. Define your needs: headcount, size, budget, move-in date, preferred areas.
2. Visit a shortlist of offices, then keep two or three.
3. Send a letter of intent with your terms (rent, rent-free period, length, works).
4. Negotiate, review the draft lease, sign.
5. Fit out, then move in. Allow three to six months in total.