The apartment was lovely and Stephanie was a friendly and refined host. First, the neighborhood is one of the most fascinating in Lyon. it is on a plateau overlooking the city in an area in the process of gentrification. Unlike the shopping streets in the downtown area, the stores are there for up-and-coming Lyonais families and there are even some of the old-fashioned stores still hanging in there (the odd hardware store, for example). Then, there is the unique architecture, the traboules (passageways) for the textile artisans, etc. Then, there is the wonderful monumental stairway, lined with shops and cafes, that brings you down quickly to central Lyon. Et cetera, et cetera.

Stephanie's apartment is right in tune with the neighborhood. It is light and airy and filled with artifacts that reflect Stephanie's good taste and openness. From the moment you walk into the apartment, you know that someone very interesting lives here and that this is really her home. Not a stich of Ikea; these are chosen pieces, crowned by a sterling six-foot Yamaha grand and lots of sheet music (and good books and CDs) to go with it.

As for friendliness, Stephanie went out to dinner with us shortly after our arrival. She introduced us to a friend of hers who invited us to a small, local electronic music concert that was excellent and thought-provoking. Later, Stephanie arranged free tickets to the Marivaux play she is the lead set designer for at a national theater company. After the performance, she introduced us to some of the actors (we wanted to talk to all of them but we were too shy; they were so good!) and we had drinks in the bar. Stephanie's conversation is as interesting and delightful as her gem of an apartment.

I could go on writing for pages of the wonderful hospitality Stephanie showed us in our one-month stay in Lyon. Thank you truly, Stephanie, for helping to make our stay in Lyon both memorable and enjoyable. Hope to see you again one day.