Helene's place was great! I was a solo traveler there for 5 days and Helene's place was perfect for me. It had a working kitchen, close to supermarkets, had a working heater (since it was winter), and comfortable bed and bathroom. It's located just above a couple of cute restaurants and wine bars. It's about a 5 min walk to the metro and only 15-20 min walk to the Gare du Nord. You can hear neighbors walking up and down the stairs and the walls are thin but it was never a problem and never when I was sleeping. I had arrived much earlier than check in and Helene was able to accommodate me and set up a lockbox for me to check in early which was so helpful. Definitely recommend if you need a place to stay, away from the tourists, close to great restaurants and still experience the charm of Paris!