Lyon was incredible, we actually preferred it to Paris as a city - so interesting & easy to explore. Marie's beautiful apartment was the perfect base, it's in a very central & safe area, and the apartment itself is full of natural light, spacious, well equipped, very clean but not at all sterile. Every day we enjoyed breakfast in the open plan kitchen/lounge and looked forward to coming 'home' to relax at the end of the busy days. The roof top views straight onto some of the city landmarks are like artworks in themselves, complementing Marie's stylish interior. The interior looks beautiful but is also interesting & personal, which makes it feel like staying at a stylish friend's apartment. In very easy walking distance to central Lyon's sights, great eateries & cute, interesting shops as well as the markets.
Downsides? Not many. No parking but this is common to most city apartments. There is a paid underground park across the nearby Place des Terreaux or try hunting for a spot in the many street parks around.