There are two sorts of apartment for rent Paris: furnished and non-furnished one. And now you have to think over which kind of it you really need. Look at the problem from a few points. If you would like to stay here for several months it is better for you to rent a furnished apartment, because it will relieve your headache about purchasing different things in your new home and you will be free to install yourself in a new place of living. However, if the duration is rather long, even several years, unfurnished accommodation may be much more economic, as you may furnish your apartment relying on your funds, easily from a second hand market, and may sell them off while dwelling Paris to somebody else.
Two means of home renting subsist in Paris. They are the “do-it-yourself” way and the “agency” way, but choosing the second one you will have to pay some additional money for rent to the company facilities. There are no other propositions for Paris apartment.
Of course, the agency way is much simpler. The only thing you have to do is to identify the English speaking company that will have employees with that minimum English to understand what type of apartment you need. First of all you are to find in yellow pages the part “immobiliers” (French translation for real estate) and then phone in the companies that you will observe there. The first phrase of yours must be 'Bonjour, parlez vous anglais?' ('Bojho, parley voo angley'), it means “Good day, do you speak English”. If there will be a reply “Sure”, you are welcome to speak on the topic. You have to bear in mind that the payment for Paris short term apartments may be from one month term to a full month.
The “do-it-yourself” way may be also so easy one as the way with the assistance of an agency. Only here you will be preserving quite a great amount of funds. The main problem here is in the case that you should converse with landlords. Here, you require an assistance of somebody who is local resident here, it can be either one of your friends or a person that you have met on the internet, for example. If you don't have such a person you will have to find an English speaking landlord that will certainly decrease the number of the apartments that you will call on, but do not be afraid you will find such persons. And the main advantage that you will have is that French landlords are willing to give the apartments for native English speakers.
You may begin your search from the place that is named the “American church of Paris”. This is the place where you will find a lot of English speaking persons and other English resources. Take a magazine “FUSAC” that may be seen near the main gateway of the church. (It is the greatest English speaking source for Englishmen and Americans in Paris). And the best way to get short term rentals Paris is to look at the web.