This charming apartment, decorated in warm, woody tones and furnished with antiques and good-quality reproductions, is literally in the heart of Paris - on the Ile St.-Louis in the middle of the Seine River, a two-minute walk from both the Right and Left Banks. It is a stone's throw from its sister island, the Ile de la Cité, where the Paris cityscape is anchored by the towering cathedral of Notre Dame. Nearby are shops and boutiques of all descriptions, a plethora of cafés and some of the best-known bistros in Paris.
The apartment is on the first (French) floor of a well-maintained building almost directly in the center of the Ile Saint-Louis. There is no elevator, meaning there is one flight of stairs to climb. With its high ceilings, polished parquet floors overlaid by richly colored oriental rugs, exposed beam ceiling and harmonious blend of furniture, the apartment offers offers 18th-century charm with modern comforts for a small family or group of couples.
Nearly 100m2 (a little over 1,000 sq. ft) in area, the apartment is comprised of a large living room with dining area, an open plan kitchen and two large, quiet bedrooms that are in the rear of the apartment and thus insulated from street noise. One bedroom has a queen-sized bed in a lovely antique frame, and the other a double bed that can also be made up as two twin beds. Down a short hallway from the bedrooms is a full bath with wall-mounted shower. The WC is separate.
Living room furnishings include a handsome sofa (which can convert to a double sofabed) with colorful throw pillows, two upholstered armchairs grouped around a coffee table, a large antique armoire and - more for decorative then musical purpose - an upright piano from the Napoléon III era. In the dining area, illuminated by a brass chandelier, is a wooden table with chairs for four and a beautiful marble-topped table with a large gilded mirror over it. Elegant floor-to-ceiling drapes frame two huge windows that overlook the rue des Deux Ponts, and on the walls are tastefully chosen period prints and other ornamentation. The overall atmosphere is one of warmth, comfort and intimacy.
The American-style kitchen, which is open to the living and dining room, is modern and well equipped, with an electric stove and oven, microwave, dishwasher, refrigerator and washing machine. There is an array of utensils adequate for all but the most sophisticated cooking needs, and glassware, cutlery and and dishes for up to six.
Other amenities include color cable television with CNN reception, a stereo system with CD player and telephone. For guests' enjoyment there is also a small collection of books in English.
The building is secured by a digicode system and intercom between the front door and apartment. Guests are greeted by an English-speaking person who introduces them to the apartment and provides suggestions on restaurants and sightseeing. The Métro station Pont-Marie is a two-minute walk away. In the other direction, toward the Left Bank, the much-celebrated restaurant La Tour d'Argent - which seems to fluctuate perpetually between being the darling or the damned of restaurant critics the world over - is about a five-minute stroll.
Page