Wake up to the bells of Notre Dame, get dressed and walk a block or two to choose from a good selection cafes, boulangeries, or patisseries in the area for breakfast. If it's Thursday or Sunday, walk 15 minutes to the Bastille Market for trinkets, souvenirs, fresh fruits, or raw oysters. Now head out to the famous sights of Paris -- most of which are within a 20 minute ride on the Metro or bus. All you need is the Navigo Decouvert and you're all set.
Ivo's place is just as he described: "Charming". The loft is small, but comfortable for a family of 4 with two children aged 8 and 11. A full kitchen is provided and all appliances work. With the washer/dryer combo available to us, we were able to pack light, leaving more luggage room for the things we were sure to buy in Paris.
Look out the window to see a small courtyard that affords the tenants a quiet buffer from the numerous pedestrians out enjoying the trendy area that is Marais. What you do hear are the seagulls that are brought in from the ocean by the Seine River and the bells that toll from Notre Dame Cathedral that is within a 20 minute walk from the front gates of the loft.
Compared to the Latin Quarters, which seem to be about the night life and live music, Marais is about shopping. Gucci, Prada, Chanel all have stores here. It is Champs Elysees with less tourists and the BHV across the street from Hotel DeVille is less crowded than Gallery Lafayette. The best of all is that all of these brands are within a 10 minute walk from Ivo's place.
We thoroughly enjoyed our 10 days in Paris and Ivo's place was a big part of it. Having the option to buy some baguettes and groceries to eat at home meant we were able to save a little money instead of eating out for every meal. All in all, it was a small slice of what it is like to really live in Paris.