Paris Arrondissement 14

"We stayed in Michèle’s flat for 14 fabulous days in May-June 2016. The apartment was even better than anticipated. 70 square meters is GIANT for a Paris flat. Imagine this: you come through the big doors from Blvd du Temple, cross the quiet and green cobblestone courtyard, and all the windows in front of you on the 1st floor (second American) are part of the flat. The rooms wrap around the courtyard, each room with tall shuttered windows overlooking the leafy courtyard. The décor was very special, from the colors selected for the walls and woodwork, the warm lighting and the rich fabrics, to the endless artwork. I loved the giant poster of the iconic French actress Arletty and the walls of mostly heady books in French. For two women, the layout of the apartment was perfect. One of us had the huge main bedroom with a queen-sized bed, closets, separate washstand, TV. The other had the sweet single bedroom (such a comfy bed) and the connecting tiny study that leads to the balcony. The bedrooms were silent at night, we had such great sleep. The bathroom layout also worked well for two gals traveling together: one room with toilet and sink, the other with spacious shower and sink with big makeup counter. We made coffee in the flat in the morning with croissants from DuPain. And we had martinis in the afternoons on the balcony. I brought a cocktail shaker along in my suitcase, and Michèle’s cupboards were stocked with perfect cocktail glasses! The location – on the upper edge of the Marais and heading into the Oberkampf – was hip and affordable and perfect for returning home in the afternoons to relax in the apt. And there is so much to do in the neighborhood at night that you don’t need to cross Paris again for a fun night out. Fun cafes just a couple streets away: Le Marie Celeste, the Clown Bar, Les Enfants Rouge (Japanese-French), Moroccan couscous in Marché des Enfants Rouges, oysters at 10pm on the terrasse at Chez Jenny, Ober Mama, Maison Plisson, and the creative Greek-modern L’Olivier just downstairs. Right outside metro line 8’s Filles du Calvaire station and the 96 and 65 busses go all across Paris. Our host, Michèle, was really wonderful in accommodating an 8am check-in for my travel partner who arrived sleepy from an international flight. Overall, a perfect location, gorgeous décor, fabulous layout, quiet, secure, with all the amenities one could ask for. I hope to make this beautiful flat my base on future visits to Paris!"