I had a lovely two weeks at Bruno's beautiful apartment. He was a wonderful host providing lots of great tips on how to make the most of a stay in Paris as well as just the right amount of constructive criticism on my French (he was kind enough to give me ample opportunity to practise even though he enjoys speaking English very much:-) A splendid cook and an open and interesting conversationalist I wholeheartedly recommend him as a roommate:-)
Ménilmontant is a wonderfully diverse and lively area: great cafés and bars just downstairs, food from around the world a five minute walk away and a great base to explore the rest of Paris from. The view from the balcony across the roofs of Paris is well worth the steep steps and is only rivalled by the panoramic view of the city from above Parc Belleville, which is a stone's throw away. For anyone interested in seeing Paris beyond the islands this is THE place.