If you're considering purchasing an apartment in Paris from America, Asia, or another location and have browsed Paris real estate listings, you've likely noticed mentions of a "concierge" or "gardien" in the building. This might make you wonder about the duties of a "concierge." Let's explore this further.
🥐 The duties of the concierge
Initially, the concierge and their legendary lodge was to Parisians what yellow taxis are to New York City: an iconic figure, an integral part of the heritage.
A true conscience and "eye of Moscow" of a building, the concierge oversees, informs, guides, alerts, repairs, cleans... The concierge provides a permanent reception service for tenants or owners in a lodge located at the entrance of the building. The concierge may work full or part-time.
The concierge is:
the main point of contact for residents and is generally the first to be informed of issues related to building maintenance (e.g., water leak, power outage) or proper use of common areas (such as clutter on a landing, for example). In this way, they contribute to the life and atmosphere of the building.
ensures the maintenance of the building
receives packages and passes them on to their recipients.
guides employees from gas, water, or electricity companies who come to carry out repairs or readings.
monitors the building and its surroundings, ensure safety
🥐 The concierge throughout time
It was in the 18th century that the role of the concierge began to take on its modern meaning. In the background, there was the rise of townhouses, private residences, and "mansions with avenues."
With the increase in inhabitants and the risks associated with the constant movement between homes, shops, and workshops multiplying in Paris, the role of the concierge spread from 1830 to more working-class neighborhoods and to the new 'rental buildings' that housed affluent tenants. Already at that time, the duties piled up for the concierge: maintaining cleanliness, managing the building, resolving disputes between tenants and between owners and tenants.
Their presence was often regarded as a guarantee of safety and order, a well-maintained building is one where the apartments are more attractive.
In 1892, La loge, Organe officiel des Concierges de Paris et de la Seine reported 200,000 people working in this role, either alone or as a couple.
🥐 🇫🇷 The concierge and the lodge: a disappearing legend
After World War II, with the need to build cheaply and to save money, concierges
slowly were considered too expensive compared to the cost of installing mailboxes or hiring an outside company for cleaning.
Also, concierges were often ridiculed in literature and regularly mistreated in the media.
Over time, concierges and their legendary lodges have gradually disappeared. In less than 20 years, their numbers have decreased by 25% in Paris and its surroundings. A thousand concierges are lost each year in Paris and the Paris region. The main culprits: cleaning companies, the rise of part-time contracts, and... the concierges themselves, sometimes seen by their peers as too "dilettante." Not long ago, concierges were in vogue. Now they've been replaced by digicodes... Indeed, according to statistics, the role of the concierge is close to becoming obsolete.
Today, there are nearly 60,000 concierges in Paris and the surrounding region, compared to over 70,000 in 1984. A slow but certain erosion.
And with concierges disappearing, their legendary lodges are often transformed into bikes or strollers storage rooms.
🥐 🇫🇷 Happy property hunting, may your French real estate journey be as smooth as a buttery croissant! 🥐 🇫🇷
As always, I love to read your comments and answer your questions.
Tomette Paris® is a Registered Trademark in France. INPI certificate number 24 5023079 dated 21 January, 2024.
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