Florence's apartment is a comfortable and centrally located spot in the St. Germain district of Paris. A true two bedroom, it's spacious by Parisian standards and located on a lively street lined with cafes and shops. The apartment is located on the third floor of an elevator building, just a couple blocks from a metro stop.
Things we loved about the apartment and Florence:
- Location could not be beat, and it was very easy to just walk across the Seine to the Right Bank
- Grocery store and produce market downstairs/around the corner
- Well-populated, safe area. My husband left the apartment at 3 AM to go watch the NBA Finals at a bar and said that he felt totally safe walking around at that hour
- Stayed quite cool on hot days--the living room windows get great indirect light throughout the day, but the temperatures stayed comfortable despite no air conditioning (no one has AC in Paris)
- Building had an elevator
- Florence was incredibly communicative and very accommodating. She truly worked to match our travel schedule in terms of check-in and the key hand-off, and gave us very detailed instructions ahead of time.
- Nicely decorated: the vibe of the apartment decor was "minimalist, sophisticated intellectual." The living room is lined with books and is quite cozy, with a fireplace and comfortable seating. The bedrooms are fairly sparse and the kitchen is fully stocked with dinnerware and basics such as cooking oil, salt, etc. There is no formal dining area, but there were floor cushions so that the coffee table could double as an eating surface.
Things to know:
- The street noise can be quite loud--lots of chatter and live music at night. We loved it, as we went to sleep fairly late each night and enjoyed the lively energy it brought. However, if you're a light sleeper, I could see this being annoying.
- The elevator is very small (as is the case everywhere in Paris) but I mention this in case anyone is traveling with a wheelchair--am skeptical that could fit.
We were traveling with a three-year-old, and this was the perfect spot for several reasons:
- One bed was a mattress on the floor, which was perfect (from a safety perspective) for a young child that tends to roll around in her sleep sometimes
- The bathroom had an elevated bathtub, which makes giving a child a bath much easier on your back
- We were within walking distance to several parks, including the Luxembourg Gardens. I would not necessarily categorize the apartment as "baby-proof," but the somewhat minimalist decor prevented any mishaps with a fairly well-behaved toddler.