Irène and Christoph are genial hosts. They enjoy meeting people from around the world and it shows. They will go out of their way to make your stay comfortable.
Prior to our arrival, Irène communicated with us as often as we needed to help with trip details, even looking up public transportation routes for some of our work-related destinations. When she generously offered to pick us up from the airport, I was a little incredulous but gratefully accepted (not a straight shot to their place from the airport if you’re using public transportation). Christoph and their daughter picked us up--I thoroughly enjoyed the 15 minute conversation we had on our ride home.
Once we arrived and were settling in, Irène popped in with some fruit, a box of toys for my son, and some swiss francs (!), in case we hadn’t had a chance to exchange currency—awfully thoughtful, wouldn’t you say?
The photos of their unit accurately represent the space. Beautifully appointed, and light-filled even on a dreary, rainy day. If you are a germaphobe like me, this space will sing to you: oh so clean and uncluttered. The no-shoes policy keeps the floors spotless and they provide slippers to wear indoors.
Irène has compiled a detailed booklet with a lot of helpful information, maps etc. A practical note: There is a bakery close by (Pause Gourmande), but if you need gluten-free or dairy-free options, you will need to go further. One option is to take the 43 bus from Route de La-Chapelle (direction Loëx-Hôpital) to the La Praille shopping centre—there’s a COOP grocery store there where you can buy provisions. The tpg office at Bachet (a ~10 min walk NW on Route de La-Chapelle towards the junction) is a good place to stop in if you need to get your bearings—they can help out with bus tickets and other info.
My son was effusive about staying here—he wanted to move in. Irène left something for him in the mailbox as a parting gift: a bag of swiss chocolates to take home.
This was our first AirBnB experience. I have a feeling this isn't the norm, but what a great introduction it was.