All Paris missionaries live in apartment buildings. This isn't so bad, considering that around 45% of French live in apartments. The quality
of the apartments has improved in recent years, principally from a concern that missionaries in substandard apartments tended to treat them accordingly. Rent is paid centrally by the mission office.
Missionaries cook for themselves and do their own wash; the days of the housemaid stopped in the late 1960's. Accordingly, all apartments have hot and cold running water, stoves, refrigerators, and washing machines.
A missionary's apartment building will probably have a lock on the outside door, as well as an intercom system, like most French apartment buildings. Most missionaries store their bicycles in a garage or basement-like space called a cave (pronounced kahv). In the interest of security, it's best to always lock your bike, even inside the cave.
Most apartments are wallpapered, not painted. All apartments have a minitel computerized phone directory.
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