We love the neighbourhood and we were excited about how Matt allowed us into his home, it felt like a treasure hunt. I realized however that I'm not so comfortable staying in cellar rooms with restricted fresh air supply. The room is accessible via a narrow noisy staircase, so no sneaking off to the toilet quietly at night. The access is via another bedroom, the room is lacking a door to shut to make it feel more private. The Bassin de la Villete is a must visit when coming to Paris. We loved the Parc e la Villette which we visited on Matt's recommendation.