Marcelle is a generous and welcoming host, though her English is limited, and her apartment is spacious, full of quirky decor and equipped with everything you could want or need. It's just a short walk from the Métro station (on a line with trains every couple of minutes that whisk you into the city centre in about 20 minutes) and there's a 24-hour baker's opposite, a supermarket round the corner and various restaurants nearby. (Do walk down the road to the Bois de Vincennes, with its lovely lake and islands.) The only concern for me was that we were taking over someone's home, with all their personal things in it, which felt rather like an intrusion.