The entryway is pleasant and the elevator works well. The apartment is very cute with separate rooms and lovely glass doors. The outside balcony is such a bonus with a beautiful garden down below.
Although the apartment was relatively clean, I was surprised and disappointed by the lack of normal supplies and small comforts missing from the apartment. There were no trash bags, no laundry soap, no hand soap for the bathroom or kitchen, no extra toilet paper or napkins, and old mismatched utensils. The dishes and glasses were actually dirty and needed washing. There is one small thin pot holder. Most of the pans are chipped and stained and should be thrown out due to health hazards. The coffee maker is temperamental.....works perfectly....then doesn't work.
There was a live band playing in the building and noise until about 3am. The music was good but it made sleeping difficult.
I had the pleasure meeting the owner of the apartment who was very kind. She is trying to have the old bathroom refurbished. Presently, it is an old bathtub with an old shower head. The paint and tile are water damaged and peeling. No real privacy in the shower.
The flat is under management to rent. The host is not the owner. I informed the owner that the apartment was not appropriately stocked for guests. I asked Cecile (host and manager) several times for essentials and I never received anything. I had to buy supplies myself. There are no cleaning supplies to clean sinks or sweep. The old filthy broom was broken and couldn't be used.
I love the apartment but very unhappy with the lack of simple conveniences. The washing machine works but it is difficult to figure out, even in French. No dryer but there is a metal folding rack in the closet to hang clothes.
If you want peace and quiet during the day while school is in session, this is NOT the apartment for you. There is a middle school, with hundreds of students, just below the windows. You hear the school sounds very loudly throughout the day. It is advertised that there is parking below but when I asked to park there, I was told it was already rented.
It's a beautiful little neighborhood. I loved walking around the streets with two patisseries and a market near by. A flower shop on the corner, of course. Great restaurants! I ate at "Dom Vito" three times. I felt completely safe walking all hours of the day.
I was blessed to stay in Lyon for a glorious month. It is a gorgeous city in every way. The French people treated me very well. It was very hard to leave and return to the US.