Look to the Sky

Look to the Sky: Île-de-France

Look again, this isn't New York. Although with the large central skylight, the open loft-style layout and the abundance of exposed brickwork, you could be forgiven for thinking you were on the other side of the Atlantic. Instead, you're in Le Marais. Rather suitably for one of the artsier neighbourhoods in the French capital, it's a stylish home, with industrial-chic touches such as the kitchen's benches and the parquet flooring offset by sleek bathrooms and a few unexpected decorations — the mirror artwork in one of the bedrooms, for starters. If this cool interior has put you in the mood to go gallery-hopping, you couldn't be in a better place to do just that. You can be ascending the glass escalators of Centre Pompidou in under five minutes' walk from your front door, and there are a further four small galleries that can be reached in under three. Magnifique.


Home truths:
*This apartment is on the ground floor but there are three small steps to reach the front door
*At full capacity, there's room for six guests if two sleep on the sofa-bed in the living area, although the sunlight from the skylight might make it difficult to sleep in the mornings
*The only window in this home is the skylight
*Checkout is conducted in person by a greeter who will collect the keys and carry out an inventory
*Storage space is limited in the bedrooms
*You won't find a manual or handbook for this home, but your host should be on hand if you have any issues