The second arrondissement, one of Paris' most enjoyable quartiers, is too often overlooked by tourists unaware of its tidy neighborhoods and august public buildings, among them the former Bibliothèque Nationale and, in immediately adjacent arrondissements, Palais Royal, Opéra Garnier and Banque de France. Métro riders at the Bourse station emerge onto the Place de la Bourse and the majestic main building of the French stock exchange, its Ionic columns drawing the eye irresistibly upward. Opposite the stock exchange on rue Vivienne is one of our favorite bistros, the always jolly Le Vaudeville, where bon vivants from all over Paris consume enormous quantities of oysters and chilled Sancerre.

Strolling north along rue Vivienne one finds countless opportunities for losing oneself in thought by gazing at clever displays in shop windows, reading the many historic markers in this neighborhood, or just people-watching.

A turn to the right and one is in the rue Saint-Marc, approaching the grand door of number 7. Up three flights of stairs, graced by decorative plants at each landing, is the entry door to a 56 m2 (600 sq. ft.) apartment of great charm, luminous and cheerfully furnished in a refreshing contemporary style. Soggy umbrellas and sunhats alike may be left in the small tiled foyer. There is a guest lavatory for a quick tidy-up before making a grand entrance into the living room, where thick wall-to-wall carpeting in a pale color welcomes feet tired from a long day of Paris sightseeing.

The smooth stone walls and thick ceiling beams of this pleasant apartment radiate antiquity. In a decorative style increasingly common in fine Paris apartments, the ambiance of old-world solidity is complemented by the clean modern lines of the furniture.

A small sofa and two armchairs define the living room area, which flows into a dining area where four guests can be seated comfortably at a table of wicker and dark polished woods. One wall of the living room is comprised of shelves that surround a massive cabinet, all in wood of a rich cherry hue. This attractive piece hides a surprise benefit to this one-bedroom apartment - a 140 cm (55" across) fold-down bed, of good quality and suitable for a child or overnight guest.

The kitchen, tiled in white with copper accents, is equipped with everything needed to prepare meals of any size or complexity,. Appliances include a four-burner stove (two gas, two electric), wall oven, dishwasher, undercounter refrigerator and combination washing machine and dryer. A window looks out on rue Saint Marc, and there is a small table for breakfast or an impromptu meal at any time of day.

The spacious bedroom repeats the theme of stone and beams and bright white walls found in the living-dining room. There is a queen-sized bed with twin bedside tables with reading lamps. The walk-in closet is an organizational dream, with multiple shelves and hanging spaces, as well as room for the iron and ironing board. The ensuite bath, brightly tiled in blue and white, has an antique pedestal sink, large tub with an overhead shower, and WC.

From the guest lavatory in the foyer to the stereo in the living room, the television in the bedroom (with cable reception, including CNN and BBC) and the full stereo system and cleverly concealed bed in the living room, the owners of this apartment have thought of everything a couple or small family could want or need. And the Bourse quartier is wonderful for someone experiencing Paris for the first time. It is near all the sights, yet is a friendly neighborhood that has not become blasé from hordes of tourists. What better place to know the local grocer, be recognized at the boulangerie, and to live à la parisienne?