You won't find a better place in Paris, a better host, or a better price. Juliette was warm, kind, and accessible throughout our visit. She was waiting on the sidewalk when our taxi arrived. The place is located on the northern backside of the Montmartre butte, two blocks below the Lamarck metro station. Just when you exit the station, you will see Le Refuge bistro. It became our home away from home. The staff were wonderful. If you go in, tell them “Hulk” sent you. (Their nickname for me.)
The amazing thing about Juliette’s location? In the two blocks you descend from the metro, you will find a Paris untouched by tourists, even though Sacre Coeur is just the other side of the butte. If you go north a few blocks from the apartment to the corner of Rue Ordener and Rue Duhesme, you will find a very nice local market street on Duhesme that runs into Rue du Poteau. Daily produce, delicious boucheries, and some good cafes. Also, Le Café de la Poste, a few blocks down from the apartment on the corner of Rue Marcadet and Rue Damremont, has a splendid petit dejeuner for 7 euro: coffee drink or hot chocolate, orange juice, croissant, half baguette, butter, and a very good raspberry jam. Nice people.
Juliette’s apartment is spacious. The bed is tres, tres comfy, and it is beside a wall of windows that opens onto an unobstructed view of Paris from the seventh floor. The living area has the same arrangement. There, sitting at the dining table, you can look upon the same view through French doors or step out onto the balcony to enjoy a glass of wine amid the ample seating there. The kitchen is well equipped, also with a view of Paris from the windows at the sink. The bathroom had a roomy shower with an optional rainwater overhead or hose attachment. There is a washing machine in the bathroom, which means you can only pack a change of clothes and still do fine. The elevator was fast and very reliable. We never had to wait more than a few seconds. Within a radius of three blocks, the neighborhood is very safe throughout the day and during the night. Both of us are in our 70s, and we often walked the streets quite late—1 and 2 am—and never felt even a whiff of danger. The locals are very friendly, always smiling and greeting you with a sunny “bonjour!” (That last worries me a little. I lived in Paris 40 years ago, and Parisians were quick and curt on the street back then even if you spoke French. I did then; I don’t now. Yet, I found them small-town friendly in Juliette’s neighborhood.)
Juliette stayed in touch during our stay of one month and always made us feel welcome. She grew up just a few blocks away, and the apartment belonged to her mother. The neighborhood, the place, and the host create a last and lonely chance to experience Paris as it once was.