Before describing the apartment let us first tell you a little about Village Royale, or Cité Berryer, its more traditional name, where the apartment is situated.

Cité Berryer, named after the 19th-century lawyer and statesman Pierre-Antoine Berryer, is a pedestrian-only street, roughly 80 meters long and 20 meters wide (a meter is about a yard), that extends between rue Royale and rue Boissy d'Anglais in the 8th arrondissement. Passing through the iron gates at each end of the street is like passing into a private domaine, which indeed Citè Berryer is. On either side are elegant apartment buildings dating from the late 1800s, their impeccably maintained stone façades adorned with the elaborate grillwork typical of Haussmann-era structures. At ground level are chic boutiques and shops with hand-crafted signs in wrought-iron frames. The street, paved in stone and illuminated at night by lanterns, is serene, safe and spotless. Clearly this is one of Paris' most distinguished addresses.

Cité Berryer is also just steps away from the heart-stopping rue du Faubourg St.-Honoré, home to some of the most prestigious couturiers and boutiques in the world: Hermès, Chanel, Christian Dior, Cerruti, Louis Vuitton - the list goes on and on. And how about a little smoked salmon from Hédiard, caviar from Caviar Caspia or foie gras from Fauchon, to be enjoyed with champagne poured into crystal flutes from Baccarat? No problem - they're just a few steps away on the Place de la Madeleine, along with florists, cafés, bookstores, cheese shops, and of course the venerable church after which the square is named, Sainte-Marie Madeleine, an enormous Grecian-style cathedral constructed on the orders of Napoléon as a temple of glory for his conquering armies.

Notwithstanding its upper-class image,the quartier surrounding Cité Berryer is also one of the most enjoyable neighborhoods in Paris for those for whom a purchase at Hermès is a special occasion rather than a daily habit.

We fell in love with the neighborhood during an extended stay years ago in an apartment on rue de Surène, a stone's throw from Place de la Madeleine. We came to know the fishmongers, green grocers, butchers and other merchants in the neighborhood, and were regulars in the many restaurants, cafés, bistros and wine bars that abound around Place de la Madeleine The Seine and Place de la Concorde (Hôtel de Crillon, American Embassy) are a 10-minute walk, and an important Métro hub - Madeleine - is literally steps away. And should you wish to drop in on Président Jacques Chirac, the Elysée Palace is a pleasant stroll of 10 minutes along rue du Faubourg St.-Honoré, where window-shopping les maisons de haute couture is a pastime for tourists and Parisians alike.

Finally, we appreciate the sense of history that seems to lurk around every corner near Cité Berryer. Zola wrote J'Accuse in a café that is now a flower shop on Place de la Madeleine. Proust lived in the neighborhood, as did Stendahl. And should you be fortunate enough to dine at Lucas Carton, one of Paris' 10 Michelin three-star restaurants, pause to reflect that it was in this building on Place de la Madeleine that the famed courtesan fils), to write La Dame aux Camélias, the story behind Verdi's magnificent La Traviata.

The apartment building, which has a brightly illuminated lobby with wood and marble appointments, is near the east (rue Boissy d'Anglais) end of Cité Berryer. The apartment, reached by an elevator from the lobby, has 90 m2 (970 sq. ft.) of living space, and receives plentiful natural light from its southern exposure.

The entry door opens into a comfortable living room attractively furnished with oriental rugs, a sofa and overstuffed chairs, and a few fine antiques. There are parquet floors and long brocade curtains that accent the windows. Just off the living room is a guest lavatory.

The focal point of the living room is the south-facing terrace, which overlooks Cité Berryer and has an angle view of rue Boissy d'Anglais. With its many colorful plants the terrace has the appearance of a small urban garden with just enough space preserved for a few chairs. When the street is closed to pedestrian traffic (after 8:30PM and on Sundays) it is pleasant to relax here and enjoy a place of tranquility in the heart of Paris.

The dining room, carpeted in off-white, has a round table for six guests. The adjacent kitchen, decorated in neutral tones with light wood cabinets and white tile floors, is modern and well equipped. Appliances include a four-burner electric stove, conventional and microwave ovens, dishwasher, American-style two-door refrigerator with icemaker, coffeemaker and toaster. For breakfast there is a small table for two.

The master bedroom, simply but attractively decorated, has wall-to-wall off-white carpeting, a queen-sized bed, television (French channels only) and VCR, and a remarkable antique roll-top desk. French doors open onto a small balcony. Just outside the bedroom is a modern bath with a double vanity, a tub with hand-held shower and a WC.

A wooden circular staircase ascends from the living room to the upper floor of the duplex, where there is a mezzanine sleeping area with twin beds that can be combined to form a king-sized bed. While this space is not closed, the bed is not visible from the living room. As in the master bedroom, the upstairs sleeping area has a closet and twin bedside tables.

On this level is a bathroom identical to the one below except that there is a single basin, and no WC. Guests staying in the loft may use the lavatory off the living room.

This is a bright, comfortable and reasonably spacious property that is ideal for visitors seeking a traditionally furnished Parisian apartment with a modern kitchen and bathrooms and a location convenient to major tourist sites and transportation. It is all the more special for being situated in a neighborhood that is as vibrant with the rhythms of contemporary Paris as it is filled with the ghosts of some of France's greatest Belle Epoque figures. And for a chic address to impress your Parisian friends, it is hard to improve on Cité Berryer.