Treasure Island

Want to travel back in time to seventeenth-century Paris? This 400-year-old apartment might just do the trick. It's a proper step into the past, awash with exposed beams, rustic antiques and vintage oak carved cabinets. From the velvet sofa to the canopy bed, there's a real sense of heritage here that we fell in love with at first sight. Outside, you have two roomy terraces to choose from (one for breakfasts, another for evening cocktails as the sunsets over the rooftops), and there's even a working fireplace for those chilly winter nights. But there's plenty of modern conveniences too, including skylights, a maid service, speakers in every room and a luxe master bathroom with gold finishes. Situated on the Île Saint-Louis – an island in the heart of the Seine considered one of Paris' most desirable postcodes – you're just an eight-minute walk from Notre Dame Cathedral. Utterly romantic and endlessly charming, it's not uncommon to hear accordion music drifting down the streets lined with shops, cafes, restaurants and crêperies. You couldn't hope for a more authentic spot to experience the magic of Paris.

Home truths:
*The apartment is located on the fourth floor of the building and there is no elevator – it’s over a hundred steps to reach the door
* There’s a sofa bed that can sleep one extra person, but it will be a squeeze
* The door to the large terrace is hard to open and does require a bit of brute force
*There’s also a big step up to the second terrace, so be careful coming in and out
*There’s no metro station on the island, but Pont Marie is just a three-minute walk over the bridge