PARIS and ME

The City of Lights is one of my favorite cities in the world. I’m not saying that because I’m French, I actually used to not like it. Yes you read it right! I found Paris boring and preferred London. Well, I changed my mind about 10 years ago when I started traveling to Paris frequently for work. It made me really appreciate what Paris has to offer. Nowadays, I stop over in Paris on my way to visit my family. I go there at least once a year.

Back in the days when I worked in London, I came to Paris often for Business. The hotel I chose for my very first business trip was on the Left Bank (Rive Gauche) in the 7th arrondissement at the border of the 6th arrondissement (Saint-Germain-des-Prés). It’s how I discovered the neighborhood and fell in love with it. I love the history of Saint-Germain-des-Prés and his writers, artists and painters who made it famous, Hemingway’s “A Moveable Feast” (Paris est une fête). The art galleries, the design stores, this “je ne sais quoi” who truly makes me feel home and I’m not from there.

I’ve been staying in the 6th/7th arrondissement at the same hotel since then. Well the first hotel I stayed for many years, sadly closed a couple years ago. So I had to find another one and it has become my new home when in Paris. I highly recommend it: Hotel du Danube.

My Parisian Routine C’est Ici! (It’s here):

• My morning starts with a breakfast at Le Pré aux Clercs or Café de l’Empire (6th & 7th arrondissement). I don’t feel I’m in Paris until I enjoy a tea and croissant at a table outside or by the window while looking at the Parisians in the street.

• I cross the river an go see the Pyramids at the Louvre, followed by a walk in the Jardin des Tuileries (Tuileries Garden). That’s my absolute favorite spot in Paris. I keep walking to Place de la Concorde. Sometimes I skip Place de la Concorde and go wander in the courtyard and garden of Palais Royal. It’s behind the Louvre by the famous Theater: La Comédie-Française. Did you know, that’s the world’s longest established national theater? It was founded by Louis XIV to compete with the Italian Comedy, which enjoyed great popularity in the 16th Century. The theater regularly hosted classical French plays by Moliere, Racine, Corneille and others. I mean don’t you agree that Paris has such a fascinating rich history?! Back to my walk itineraries, I like to go see the famous art installation: Les Colonnes de Buren in the inner courtyard of Palais Royal (the black and white columns).

• Another favorite walk itinerary of mine is to walk along the Seine River from my hotel in the 6th arrondissement to Esplanade du Trocadéro. I walk along Quai Voltaire, Quai d’Orsay and Quai Branly, then I cross the Pont D’Iena Bridge to admire the view on the Eiffel Tower from the Esplanade du Trocadéro. From there I walk on Avenue du Président Wilson to Palais de Tokyo. I like this huge Art Deco building dedicated to modern and contemporary Art. There is a beautiful terrace, where you can enjoy an aperitif while taking in the serene view of the Fountain, the Seine river and the Eiffel Tower on the background. The Yves Saint Laurent Museum is near by too. I recommend walking on Rue de l'Université and Avenue Rapp to take great shots of the Eiffel Tower.

• Lunch Time: I like to grab a baguette sandwich and olive bread at Boulangerie Paul (Bakery) or Boulangerie Eric Kayser. It’s yummy and quick, so that I can keep going and do my shopping!

• Afternoon is for shopping and Paris is the absolute dream place for this! I go to my favorite concept store: Merci. I like to check their selection in design, decor and fashion. It’s located in Le Marais (4th arrondissement), where you can find lots of nice boutiques, cafés and restaurants. You can also stop at the Place des Vosges for a picture in front of the fountain. I like to walk from Merci store to the Rue des Francs-Bourgeois and smell the new candle fragrances at the Diptyque store. I love their candles and buy them when in Paris (it’s cheaper). If you love tea as much as I do, I recommend stopping at the Kusmi Tea and Marriage Frères stores near by at Rue des Rosiers and Rue du Bourg Tibourg. Another street I love is Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré to shop French Luxury Brands. My shopping adventures end with a visit to my two favorite department stores in Paris: La Samaritaine (1st arrondissement) and Le Bon Marché (7th arrondissement).

• Dinner Time: I head over to my favorite Brasserie in the 7th arrondissement: Le Saint-Germain, Rue du Bac. You will find me at a table on their terrasse enjoying a Bavette Steak Frites with a glass of red wine. This is my dinner ritual when in Paris. The Bavette Steak is my favorite beef meat cut. It comes from the belly of the beef and has an amazing texture. It’s not easy to find it in the US, so I’m having it each time I’m in Paris. On other nights I will head to Golfe de Naples (6th arrondissement) to eat a pizza. I miss eating the authentic handmade Italian pizza baked in a wood-fired brick oven. Their pizzas are authentic and so good. Another place I go is Crêperie Le Dauphin on Place Dauphine to eat savory Crêpes (the French thin pancakes). It’s an intimate spot located on a very pretty square, where you can sit, eat, and enjoy the Parisian charm. It’s on Ile de la Cité , one of the two natural islands in the river Seine in the middle of Paris. It’s where the city was founded, back when Paris was called Lutetia until the 5th century. The island, home of Notre de Dame de Paris Cathedral, is connected by Pont Neuf Bridge, which is another great landmark full of rich history in Paris.

I hope I’ve inspired you to visit Paris or give it another try!

Favorite Addresses:

HOTELS:

• Hotel du Danube www.hoteldanube.fr/en

• Hotel d’Angleterre www.hotel-dangleterre.com

• Hotel Verneuil hotel-verneuil

• The Hoxton thehoxton.com/paris

RESTAURANTS:

• Le Pré aux Clercs (For coffee and croissant - 6th arrondissement), 30 rue Bonaparte

• Le Golfe de Naples (Pizzeria - 6th arrondissement), 5 Rue de Montfaucon

• Ralph’s Restaurant (6th arrondissement), 173 Boulevard Saint-Germain

• Marcello (6th arrondissement), 8 Rue Mabillon

• Cafe de l’Empire (7th arrondissement), 17 Rue du Bac

• Le Saint-Germain ((Brasserie - 7th arrondissement), 62 Rue du Bac

• Le Dauphin (Crêperie - Île de la Cité), 20 Place Dauphine 

• Yasube or Michi for sushis on Rue Sainte-Anne in the 1st/2nd arrondissement(Japanese food haven in Paris. It's not a surprise that this street is called the Little Tokyo.)

EXPERIENCES:

• Galerie Dior (Museum of legendary fashion house Dior - 8th arrondissement), 11 Rue François 1er

• Afternoon Tea at Angelina Paris (1st arrondissement), 226 Rue de Rivoli

• La Patisserie du Meurice by Cedric Grolet (Bakery by Famous French Pastry Chef - 1st arrondissement), 6 Rue de Castiglione

• Perruche (Rooftop restaurant in the Printemps Haussmann department store - 9th arrondissement), 9 Rue du Havre (Printemps de l’Homme, Floor 9) 

• Loulou Paris (Tables in the Tuileries Garden - 1st arrondissement), 107 Rue de Rivoli

• Girafe Restaurant (Front row view on the Eiffel Tower - 16th arrondissement), 1 Place du Trocadéro 

• Le Grand Colbert (Brasserie - 2nd arrondissement), 2 Rue Vivienne 

• Party at Les Bains Paris (Roxo restaurant & famous nightclub - 3rd arrondissement), 7 Rue du Bourg l'Abbé

• Les Puces de Saint-Ouen (Paris Flea Market), 140 Rue des Rosiers, 93400 Saint-Ouen

DEPARTMENT STORES:

• La Samaritaine www.dfs.com/en/samaritaine

• Le Bon Marché www.24s.com/en-us/le-bon-marche