Arts et Metiers

On the edge of the Marais by rue Montorgueil, this spacious apartment is tucked back into the courtyard of a quiet building on a tranquil street. The flat is a virtually silent space, free from the street noise of surrounding Paris. This 68 square metre flat is organized to have 2 separate sleeping areas, making it a 2 bedroom. Upon entering, there is a lounge, containing two single beds and a wall of cupboards for storing clothing and luggage. 

This first room is separated from the double living area by a large sliding door - when open, the spaces are joined to make a large, sunny, loft-like space. When closed, the entry becomes a separate room for reading or sleeping. The double living and dining area runs the length of the apartment and is illuminated by a wall of windows on one side. The first lounge area is furnished with a sofabed for two people. There are also two Napoleon-style armchairs, and TV, DVD, and wireless high-speed internet. 

The dining area is surrounded by leather dining chairs for six people. There is also a large leather sofa here so ideal to have some space to yourself if needed! Proceeding through the flat, the quirky nature of Marais buildings is revealed by a series of doorways and stairs. Many of the apartments in this area are recuperated from several different spaces in old buildings with thick, crooked walls, myriad steps up and down and tilting floors being the norm.

In the main level of the apartment, a step down from the dining area takes you to the newly renovated kitchen. It is fully equipped with large refrigerator, four-burner induction stove, oven, dishwasher, kettle, coffee pot, and more.

The corridor beside the kitchen, accessed by a step down from the dining area, leads first to a large bathroom with a double sink vanity, toilet, walk-in shower and combination washer-dryer. Continuing down the corridor, you reach the main bedroom with a queen-sized bed, a chest of drawers and two bedside tables.

The Montorgueil district is centred around rue Montorgueil, a primarily pedestrian street that is a "rue des commercants" - or shopping street par excellence. 

This street is packed with plenty of shops any Parisian (or visitor) could want - greengrocers, butchers, fishmongers, bakeries (including Stohrer, a bakery and patisserie dating from 1730) flower shops, chocolate shops, wine stores, and even a few gelato shops. The street serves as an artery running from Les Halles Park (originally home to the largest central market in Paris but converted in the 1960's to a park and underground shopping mall, complete with cinemas) north to rue Reaumur. Restaurants and cafes abound, as well as the scores of boutiques in the surrounding streets.

The area has become a haven for young designers, evident in the small boutiques scattered throughout, but larg clothing stores remain as well, centred around rue Etienne Marcel, which runs toward Place des Victoires, a 5-minute walk away. An often missed treasure across the street from the apartment is the Passage des Grands Cerfs, one of Paris's many enclosed passages - a glass-roofed passageway lined with shops and boutiques. True to the neighbourhood, this passage contains several funky clothing stores, a restaurant, and a few galleries and furniture stores.