Our Paris apartment had both positive and negative aspects. Good news first. Sonia met us, she was charming, speaks multiple languages, and has a strong command of English. The apartment is large and bright. The bedroom is away from the street and quiet. Important for us, the bed and the shower are good, and the elevator was reliable. The building has a perfect location just half-a-block off of Rue Montorgueil, which is a very happening area. There was quick access to a superb green grocer, fishmonger, butcher, and multiple cheese shops, bakeries, and wine shops. There are also three supermarkets nearby. The
restaurants in the area are numerous and bustling. It is a delightful
French neighborhood! The new Forum Mall is an easy three-block walk. Many museums and tourist sights are within walking distance, which was very advantageous during a subway strike. When the Metro was running, there are three lines close by.

Now the not-so-good news. The apartment was not ready for us when we arrived; wet sheets and towels were hung about the living room and took over two days to dry. What the photographs of this apartment do not show is its worn condition. We were told the deferred maintenance was the result of our host suffering health problems. The deadbolt on the door did not function. The toilet screeched an agonizing howl after flushing. The toilet seat was loose. The bathroom heater did not work. Four of the five vanity lights were burned out. Many standard items such as a toaster and a spatula were missing from the kitchen. Our host was not responsive. After a week, Sonia's daughter Maggie, also charming, came by to loan us her toaster, and replace light bulbs. She could not correct the erratic internet access. We were without it most of our three-week stay, thus making reservations,
determining what events were happening, and planning for day trips out of Paris, very difficult. We had to rely on a nearby Starbucks for internet access. So why did we stay three weeks? As our hostess told us, we should consider the glass half full, rather than half empty. We decided the positives of the neighborhood outweighed the negatives of the apartment.