I am happy to say that this is our second stay at Françoise’s wonderful home. Last summer we spent two weeks here and fell in love with the house, its location, and with our hosts Françoise and Jean Paul, who epitomize hospitality and graciousness.
First, you will be living in an actual local neighborhood where you can get up and walk around the corner to an excellent boulangerie for delicious bread and pastries. The neighborhood has many unexpected pleasures, including a very good vegetarian restaurant at the end of the street. You are very near the cool Butte aux Cailles area, with more wonderful restaurants, shopping, and a public swimming pool. We had an extended stay, and so we enjoyed becoming regulars at several of the local neighborhood restaurants and shops. Monoprix and a big Carrefour are easy walking distance, and Françoise has been kind enough to leave a shopping trolley for your use when you buy groceries. When we didn’t eat out, we used the well-equipped kitchen to make meals at home – trying out our French cooking skills and latest recipes.
Overall, the situation of Françoise’s home is superb: the neighborhood is quiet, but a Metro Station is very close, in addition to many bus lines for easy access to anywhere you want to go in Paris. The house is easy walking distance from the lovely Parc Montsouris, which was a perfect place to walk our dogs (on leash and off the lawns, s’il vous plait). We became acquainted with some of the friendly local dog-walkers and restauranteurs, so we felt at home all the more. Paris is not a sprawling city like Los Angeles or Berlin, so we even walked with our dogs to Parc Bercy, Place Denfert-Rochereau, and the Parc de Vincennes, all of which have areas where dogs are allowed to run off-leash. Finally, since Françoise’s neighborhood is away from tourist crowds, it is amazingly quiet.
We especially loved having the garden space. After a long day exploring the City of Light, you return to a peaceful home where you can sit outdoors in complete privacy and enjoy a glass of wine.
Françoise’s place is perfect for family groups. There is ample room to relax, with four bedrooms. Many shelves of interesting books (many in English) provide options for reading at the end of the day. There is also a laundry room, with washing machine and clotheslines.
Françoise and Jean-Paul are outstanding hosts! They greeted us with coffee and fresh croissants, and a bottle of champagne. They left a notebook with lots of practical advice, and are available by phone or email for questions. This year we have been fortunate to stay longer than last year and now feel like we have found our Paris home away from home. If you want to experience what it’s like to live in Paris as a local, Françoise’s home is perfect.