Isabelle's apartment is exceptionally clean, peaceful, safe, convenient, and comfortable. The building is well-maintained. The neighborhood is interesting to explore and I felt safe doing so. I stayed for 6 weeks, during which time it became my little home. For 3 weeks of that a friend stayed with me without trouble. We are Alaskan, and unaccustomed to the hum and constraints of urban life. This apartment was great for us.

By Paris standards it is quite spacious. I would call it spacious for one, good for a couples with a kid, and easy for relaxed friends. I was pleasantly surprised at how quiet it was. I was delighted to discover that in the afternoon one can faintly hear an excellent concert pianist practicing somewhere in the neighborhood.

Everything you could want is steps from the door, including grocery, farmer markets, pharmacy, laundry (the one downstairs seems to have closed, but there are others nearby) post office, metro, taxi stand, busses, cafes, bakeries, and the like. There is even a Hammam a couple of blocks away if you feel the need for an even more profoundly cross-cultural experience. If you don't feel like going far, you don't have to. If you feel like roaming, it is easy, and the apartment is a secure place to leave your belongings. If you stay awhile, you may find that you will develop personal relationships with some of the local venders. I did, and I find I am already missing my dairy guy, my cider couple, and the young man in the post office with excellent English!

While there is a tv with some English language channels, I took advantage of the free wifi to obtain what news and music I wanted by listening to NPR on my computer. I had a few issues with email, but it was clear that the problem related to my small local provider back home, not Isabelle's provider. Should you have an email issue, I suggest calling your local provider (Isabelle has free phone to the US). Mine had to told that the French router was not a spammer every 10 days.

The size of the elevator may be a surprise to most Americans. Personally, I did not know it was possible to make them that tiny. It is retrofitted into the center of a historic staircase, which dictates the size. I saw several others like it. This is apparently typical for such a building, should the owners decide to put one in at all.

Isabelle and her husband Gilles are helpful, charming and delightful people. One of my few regrets related to this trip was that I did not have the opportunity to get to know them better. However, thanks to them I now have a yearning for Nexpresso since I had to leave the machine behind in the apartment where I found it. :-)

Bottom line, I would love to stay there again.