Manuel met us at the gate, greeted us warmly, and showed us his place. He was charming, and obviously proud of the apartment, and with good reason: the place was stunning. It was clean, well appointed—we felt immediately at home—and set back from the street so it’s very quiet. The layout was nice, with the kitchen and living room separated from the bathroom and bedroom. The patio garden, though, was the best part of the whole experience. We sat out there in the evenings after a long day of exploring Paris, enjoying a glass of wine with some good French cheese and fresh bread from just around the corner.
The area is really great, too. It’s not at all touristy so you feel like you’re in Paris, as opposed to being in the middle of the tourist district. Even though the area is authentic, everyone in the restaurants and stores was friendly and spoke English well enough for us to communicate. There are lots of wonderful restaurants and cafés nearby not to mention boulangeries and patisseries on practically every block (don’t miss the croissants at Blé Sucré a couple of blocks away — easily the best I’ve ever had).
All in all, this is a truly exceptional place to stay. Don’t miss it!