Martine's apartment is very quiet (maybe the high floor helped), but the Bastille/Marais/Left Bank are only a few metro stops or a 30-40 min walk, and the the Gare de Lyon is a 15-20 mins walk, convenient for TGVs to the south. It's a little out of the thick of things, but it's interesting to see how regular people live, especially if you've been there before—there was a street market around the corner one day (Thurs or Fri, can't remember) where the locals buy meat, fish, cheeses, household goods. The apartment room is a good size for Paris, very clean and bright, and the private bathroom (no shower —Euro style hand held shower in bath) is outside off the hallway. We were served a typical french breakfast—good coffee, juice, excellent baguette with butter and jams, plain yoghurt. Martine is a very unobtrusive presence, and was very accommodating and helpful regarding the keys, delayed flights, information, etc. Overall a very pleasant stay, and very good value.