For millions of French people, finding an apartment to rent has become hell. Competition from Airbnb, the exit from the thermal sieve park, rent control and, in Paris, the Olympic Games, are siphoning off supply.
“Applying for a rental is like throwing a bottle into the sea,” says Constance, who is currently living in a hotel room paid for by her company, while waiting to find something better. The scene is now common in the capital and large university towns, particularly during the start of the student year.