The Host:
Romain was the consummate host. He was extremely informative and helpful. He has lots of guides available and a personal suggestion book. He provided us with water near the bed on arrival which was fantastic.
The Flat:
It is on the first floor (one flight of small stairs...in Europe the ground floor is noted by 0). There is a light switch at the bottom and top of stairs since the stairwell can be dark. His flat is large by Paris/European standards and the bed is very large and comfortable.! The bathroom is small and only one person can fit at a time but the shower is awesome! Nice big rain head nozzle, great water pressure and very hot water!
Although it is in a lively neighborhood, once you you enter the courtyard it is extremely quiet.
Note: the door can be tricky to get open because of the lock but follow his instructions and you should be fine.
The neighborhood:
Very lively, lots of restaurants, near the mall and very close to 2 metro stops (Chatelet Les Halle's and Etienne Marcel). Easy walk to Norte Dame, Saint Chappelle, Ile de la Cite, The Louvre and Seine river cruises at Pont Neuf. If you need to know where to go via the train, just ask Romain and he will provide the directions.
The police are right down the square and a lot of security is around. We felt safe and didn't have any issues.
Overall I would highly recommend to rent Romain's flat in the 1st Arrondissement.