Host - Julien wasn't in France when we were there, but organised a friend to meet us at the apartment. Julien was extremely helpful via emails and his friend was lovely and very welcoming to us upon arrival and supportive throughout our stay.
Neighbourhood - great. Plenty of restaurants and shops nearby, also near Maraichers and Buzenval train stations. We also walked to the cinema (some movies are shown in English with French subtitles), which is a further station away, Nation. We felt safe here and were able to get around easily.
Place - GREAT. Much bigger than I expected form the photos. Totally in love with this apartment. Clean. Safe. The 5 flights of stairs are more than mdd up for by the view. It has everything you could possibly need to cook at home and take care of laundry and logistics. Great wifi. Very comfortable bed. The piano is beautiful, and after 3 weeks of travelling without our instruments it was a sight for sore eyes. Shower had plenty of hot water. CAVIAT - if you can't handle stairs, this apartment may not be for you.