Jean-Luc is a great guy. He tries to be nice and lived in the same building when we were there.
+++ Location is 150% perfect. 150 meters to Place Vendome to the west and 300 meters to the Louvre to the east.
++ Apartment is relatively large and family of four fit nicely (living room with a couch plus three bedrooms - master bedroom is an attic, one standard room with a bed and kid's place have bunk beds on two levels).
++ The building is 300 years old and you live on 6th floor with elevator going to 5th. Apartment is full of owner's stuff about travels and books – great fun for kids to understand how Parisians live and feel the culture and time.
++ Apartment has all modern amenities (washer, dryer, microwave etc. except air conditioner, which is not really necessary).
- - Old bed linen and pillows.
- No toilet paper.
- Host speaks good English but not perfect. Try to avoid phone and write to him clearly with plain phrases.
--- We were attacked first night with mosquitos. Apparently it is a new problem in Paris due to global warming. These insects were never a problem in Paris, at least in the center of the city. Jean Luc tried his best and bright us Raid plug-in anti-mosquito system and life became tolerable with 90% of problem resolved. By the way we went for 2 days to tour Loire Valley castles and had same problem there. And people also said that it is new problem for Tour.
And bring your own stuff like band-aids and cure for sores. After walking sand, gravel, cobbles, asphalt, parque for hours and hours in Paris some of you will have problems with feet.