Patrick and Franck's place is spotless, has a great balcony and is well appointed. There are the inevitable pros and cons of being close to the train stations Gare du Nord and Gare du l'Est - very convenient from the train/Eurostar but the neighbourhood itself isn't that great. However, the area of Rue du Faubourg St Denis is very close and is a very quickly gentrifying area with lots of cafes, bars and magasins to explore. Patrick and Franck's book of recommendations points you to some of these, and all those that we tried were fantastic. It is also a quick stroll into the Canal Saint Martin area.