Colette is merveilleuse. She was equally comfortable, prompt and clear in her English communications with my partner and encouraging of my attempts to dialogue in French. She made sure we were oriented to the apartment and various eateries in the neighborhood, provided us with orange juice and postcards of her own architectural drawings, then allowed us jet-lagged 60-year-olds to settle in and refresh. She checked in via text periodically during our week-long stay, and promptly popped by one evening, at our request, when we couldn't figure out how to navigate the TV. The neighborhood had an abundance of bakeries, restaurants, and food markets - d'Aligre and Bastille - and grocery chains - Monoprix, Franprix - so we easily ate in, with takeout or cooking, when desired. Colette even provided us with a Monoprix membership card so we could access discounts. Transportation is also convenient, with metro and bus lines, a short walk away. The neighborhood felt safe, quiet, and less tourist-dense. I've visited Paris in years past, always staying in the Latin Quarter, but was very happy to have chosen Colette's Bastille apartment for our stay.