Yu’s apartment is in a wonderful location! It’s a “real neighborhood” with a lively market (where I got the best raspberries I’ve had in a long time!) and yet the apartment itself is quiet, with a pleasing view of rooftops. I enjoyed exploring “my” neighborhood, the shops on Faubourg Saint-Antoine, the quirky Rue de Lappe, walking along the beautiful Coulée Verte, and my walk to the “village de Charonne” (along Rue de Charonne to the Rue Saint-Blaise and environs). It’s easy to get anywhere in/around Paris from her place as the metro and a few convenient bus lines (69, 86, 87) are nearby, as well as the Gare de Lyon/RER.
The apartment itself was small (although not that small for Paris!) but perfect for one person, and had just about anything you could need! The bed was very comfortable and the linens and towels were of good quality (I don’t know, that matters to me!). It was clean, cute, and really well organized (Yu makes very good use of wall space). I usually had my breakfast and sometimes one other meal at home so one thing I missed was having a small table (like a bistro table) to sit at. Also, I tend to stay up late at night and the lighting wasn’t great for reading or even for doing dishes at night, but that probably won’t be a problem for most people! The neighbors who I would run into going in and out of the apartment building were all very friendly, as were the people downstairs at the Boucherie.
I will admit the stairs were tiring (but if you’re in shape—unlike me!—you should have no problem) and I needed to make sure I had everything with me before going out so I wouldn’t have to make an extra trip up and down the stairs. Advice on the apartment door lock: turn the key all the way to the left (counter-clockwise) and then turn it just a bit more—with two hands if necessary—to open the door. I had a hard time the first time, but no problem after that once I realized how it “worked.”
Yu herself was great at responding to emails, giving advice, being generally helpful, and even though I didn’t meet her, I got the impression she’s a very nice and interesting person! I’m really glad I chose her apartment to stay in and would do it again if I am in Paris!