Fans of French cinema will not want to miss the opportunity to stay here. Walking through the door off of the Rue du Faubourg St-Martin feels like walking into a scene from the classic films “L’Hôtel du nord” or “Le jour se lève.” The difference is that once you get into the apartment, you will find modern conveniences--back in Jean Gabin’s day, these buildings did not have showers or private bathrooms, but this apartment does! The location is everything that one hopes for in Paris: there are two metro stations nearby, and you will find a boulangerie (bakery) and a fromagerie (cheese shop) within less than a half block, as well as a Franprix (a supermarket chain) almost next door. The Canal St. Martin is two blocks away, I believe--visit the bridge where the famous “atmosphère” scene in Hôtel du nord was filmed, and soak up the Amélie vibes. Additionally, this arrondissement contains such Parisian oddities as the smallest house in Paris (on the rue du Château d’eau--Airbnb won’t let me put the address), and the Carré St-Lazare has been everything from a leprosarium (I’m not sure if that’s the right word) to a Revolution-era prison. During the war, it was the seat of Resistance activities, including strikes and sabotage at factories that were ordered to produce gear for the German army. Jewish Resistants were particularly active here early in the war, at one point killing a German army officer in the Barbès-Rochechouart metro station.