The apartment, luminous from large windows protected by wrought-iron bars, comprises 85m2 (about 900 sq. ft.) on the ground floor and lower level of a well maintained 17th-century building just off quai d'Orléans on the south side of Ile Saint-Louis. The décor is characterized by warm colors, polished wood finishes, marble bathrooms, a working fireplace and a full array of modern amenities. Adding to the cozy ambiance are fine decorative touches such as antique oak floors, hand-painted closets and custom-made leaded-glass windows created by Parisian artisans.

The main level of the apartment, on the ground floor, measures about 50m2 (about 538 sq. ft.) and includes the foyer, living room, open-plan kitchen, master bedroom and bathroom. The living room, which is compact but not cramped, has a lovely upholstered sofa in a sleigh frame of polished wood, a Louis XV-style armchair and coffee table. For entertaining the room can comfortably accommodate four people.

In the living room two tall windows with double-pane glass look onto rue Boutarel. Sheer curtains and specially crafted triple-ply drapes assure total privacy. The drapes may be opened or closed at will, and as the sheer curtains are mounted just above eye level they do not obstruct the flow of natural light through the upper part of the windows. Rue Boutarel is a small street that attracts little pedestrian activity and virtually no motor traffic, and occupants are rarely troubled by exterior noise save the daily passing of the trash collectors, who help keep Paris one of the cleanest cities in the world.

Serious cooks will enjoy the fully equipped kitchen, which has new appliances, polished granite countertops, a stone floor and fine custom-built wood cabinets. The dishwasher and refrigerator are cleverly concealed behind wood doors. The copper-lined cookware is of professional quality, and the crockery and stemware of a pleasing modern design. Appliances include a four-burner halogen cooktop, conventional oven and in-wall microwave oven, toaster, coffeemaker and food processor.

For dining there is a wood table with glass top adjacent to the bar that separates the kitchen and dining room. The table is perfect for three, and can accommodate four when moved away from the wall.

The master bedroom has a 140cm (55" across) double bed with a firm mattress and duvet. There are bedside tables with reading lamps, and a long built-in closet whose beautifully hand-painted doors match both the head- and foot-boards. The commodious master bathroom, appointed with brass fixtures and illuminated by overhead recessed lighting, has a glass stall shower with a wide-diameter shower head. There is no bathtub. The vanity counter is a rust-colored marble, and the floors, warmed in winter by a sub-floor heating system, are of unpolished white stone.

A circular wood staircase leads from the living-dining room down to a large room with hardwood floors, stone walls and a vaulted ceiling. This room, which does not receive natural light, is brilliantly illuminated with wall sconces and other fixtures. With its hardwood floors, oriental throw rugs and white stone walls, it is a warm and inviting space, and is especially appropriate for watching a film on the VCR, or the late-night news after dinner.

The lower-level room is artfully divided into a seating area with sofa and two armchairs, a bedroom space and a second bath. One wall is lined with closet and shelf space, and another with custom-made wood cabinets, including one panel that folds down to create a desktop. The desk with a phone, electrical outlets and a high-speed internet connection, is an ideal place to set up a laptop computer.

As in the master bedroom, the bed in the downstairs bedroom is a 140cm (55" across) double in a handsome wood frame with a firm mattress. The adjoining bath has a stall shower, and fine marble and tile appointments and overhead lighting similar to the master bath. A door from the bath leads to a laundry room with Bosch washing machine and separate dryer.

Other amenities in this cozy apartment include a television and stereo system with CD player on each level; telephones in the kitchen and both bedrooms and a separate telephone line for the fax machine which can also be used as a printer (the installation disk is made available to guests).

The nearby rue Saint-Louis-en-l'Ile (literally, a walk of thirty seconds) has a full range of specialty food stores, including several bakeries, wine shops, an excellent fromagerie and a butcher that local residents say is one of the best in Paris. For everyday needs there are several small grocery stores. Two Métro stations - Pont Marie on the Right Bank, and Place Maubert on the Left - are within a five to ten-minute walk.

The Ile Saint-Louis is like a little village unto itself, and has virtually every type of commerce for everyday needs. There are several pharmacies, florists and beauty salons, as well as an assortment of cafés and restaurants, bookstores, antique dealers, art galleries, shops offering exquisite modern and antique jewelry, fashion boutiques and the like, virtually all of them with display windows that are little chef-d'oeuvres in themselves.

Supermarket-type stores and open-air markets are within a ten or fifteen-minute walk to either bank. Guests will not want to miss the market (daily except Mondays) on the rue de Buci in the Saint-Germain-des-Prés quartier, a riot of aromas and colors and exotic products, or the lively open-air market every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at Place Maubert in the 5th arrondissement. Several excellent restaurants, including the always wonderful Chez René, Le Vieux Bistrot and Campagne et Provence, are within ten minutes by foot. Even closer is the famed Tour d'Argent on quai de Tournelle, whose illuminated façade and warmly lit windows beckon just across the Seine.