We stayed in Marie-Jose's lovely home for four nights, and could not have asked for a more gracious, accommodating host, or a better location in Paris. She took our reservation at the last minute, thankfully, because we were tired of staying in hotels. Her cute, stylishly appointed apartment on Île Saint-Louis overlooks the Seine and Pont Marie, which provides a relaxing and entertaining ambiance day and night. During the day, we didn't spend too much time there though, because there is so much to do in Paris! And Marie-Jose's apartment is in such a great location, very close to the Metro, and walking distance to a number of great neighborhoods like Le Marais, and must-see attractions, like Notre Dame and the most famous bookstore in the world, Shakespeare and Company. Marie-Jose let us borrow her deck of "Walking Tours of Paris" cards which came in very handy a few times! We used a couple when we spent the day at the Louvre and Tuileries Garden, and when we went to Les Puces, the famous Parisian flea markets in Montmartre.
Marie-Jose offered us anything in her kitchen and fridge to eat if we liked, which was very generous, but there are so many great cafes and restaurants in her neighborhood that rather than cook, we splurged on eating out the whole time! French onion soup at Berthillon on the other side of the little island was delicious, almost as delicious as their famous ice cream and sorbet. We also had amazing pita sandwiches, steak and lamb, and the best broccoli we've ever eaten at a tiny restaurant called Miznon in Le Marais, which had been recommended to us in lieu of L'A du Falafel, which seemed touristy and the lines were really long! We trusted their suggestion and were glad we did! Miznon was incredibly busy and at first it was confusing, but the staff was really accommodating, and the food was delicious! Also, be sure to visit Michel Kalifa, owner of a boutique traiteur in Le Marais just down the street from Miznon. His buttery, fluffy bagels caught our eye as we were walking by, and we ended up spending the better part of an hour in his shop tasting cheese and drinking wine and chatting with him and two other patrons who recommended Miznon. All of these places and so much more are mere minutes walking from Marie-Jose's apartment! I wish we had stayed there for a few more days, and gotten to explore that area even better. Maybe next time! Cheers!!!