Relocating to France. How to look for an apartment?

[LimaFoxtrot]

Hello everybody! Even I have been living abroad for a couple of years now but only now decided to join this community of expats Canadians. Hope I will find lots of new friends here.
I am planning to stay in Paris for a year. Now I am looking for a temporarily accommodation for the first few weeks as well as a long term one. What is the most efficient way to find a nice place to live on a quite tight budget? I know! It sounds unreal but I still hope to find some balance between quality and price.
Can somebody share their experience of looking for an apartment? I would also appreciate a contact info of a decent English speaking real estate agent. Thank you!