I had never been to the Bastille area before I took this apartment. I can admit now, that I was a little worried about it. This isn't where I envisioned myself living. But I was desperate for an apartment in order to get my visa, so..............
I don't think I could have asked for a better location. My apartment is right on the round-about of the Place de la Bastille. It's a very central location and so many things are an easy walk. I can walk to Notre Dame and the Left Bank in about 15 minutes, and walk to the Place de la Concorde in about 30 minutes. The Marais, which is a wonderful quarter, is just a 3 minute walk from the apartment. Now when I walk around the city, I can't imagine myself being anywhere else.
And the metro station is right outside the front door of the building!
There is so much activity in the square below the apartment that I am never nervous coming home, even in the dark. And then there are the doors............
There are two locked doors before you even get to the elevator..........
You need a code for this door.
The guardienne (supervisor) lives on site. And she is very nice to me. She's always helpful, interested in what I'm doing here, and she talks in very rapid French and doesn't seem to care when I just nod and smile.
She lives in a cabin, in the court in the middle of the building........behind the garbage cans.
I'm very thankful for the elevator every time I come home with a bunch of groceries. I live on the 6th French floor, which is the 7th floor for us. I've walked it, but wouldn't want to have to walk it every time. The elevator is small, maximum three people and even that is tight (Although Nicholas and Courtney Anne were once in it with another couple from this floor. Courney told me they were quite close). Twice we've hit the alarm button and had to talk to the French Otis Elevator lady, and several times we've had purses or bags stuck in the door.
The apartment itself is very secure. In the four months I've lived here I have never been scared. I think that is because of the locks on the door.
The apartment is small, but not that small. When I was looking at it online, in Oak Harbor, and I told Rick the square footage, he said it was about the size of our bedroom. It's bigger than that!
I love that there are terraces. I've spent lots of time sitting on the terrace and peering at all of the activity and traffic below. I never get tired of that!
It's fascinating...........even at night!
And the view from the apartment is outstanding!
There are several things I really appreciate about this apartment...............
I love that they use every possible space for storage!
Love the bathtub..............
This little whisk is terrific! I want one just like it for home.............
I have a love/hate relationship with the hot water. It is very HOT! I love it because I feel like everything gets sterilized when I clean with it, but I have been burned more times than I can count.
And I'm not so crazy about this table with the beam (which Rick said is only for decor - it's not load bearing) going through the table. It makes it difficult to have a conversation around the table.
But the owners are quite nice and patient when the bank messes up my wire transfers of the rent.
I feel quite lucky that I fell into this apartment.
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