Warm Sunday @ the "Champs de Mars"

The weather was beautiful this WE and of course ... I had to go and have a pic nic ! I chose to go the Champs de Mars as I always love the atmosphere over there. Of course it is often crowded but i can't get enough of this wonderful view.

I took a bike (Velib') from home (Batignolles) and then crossed Paris to gain the 7e arrondissement. It's only a 30 mins easy ride and you get to see & enjoy great sight seing as you go though Place de La concorde , the "Invalides" and of course "Ecole Militaire".
We then enjoyed a great pic nic with friends where every one brought food to share - We did a very French Pic nic with camember, saucisson, andouille and red wine.

Let's hope summer will hang in Paris for a while ! ..

Parties on the Seine

I wanted to share with you how great it was to party on the Seine .. even for a parisian. Parties on the Seine are not only for tourists .. not at all. It's always amazing to be inside a boat or on the roof when the weather permis, look around and discover Paris from an other angle. It also offers a very different atmosphere. We often organise or go to parties on "Peniches" whether they are @ the Eiffel Tower or Notre Dame or further east , around the new Biblioteque Francois Miterrand.

Some of them do not move away from the shore but its stills offer a very different party and some of them do move around .. I went on one for 2004 new year's eve and it was amazing to move along the Seine, looking at all Paris monuments with of course ... a glass of champagne :-)

But the best i have to say ... was my own wedding! We rented a peniche which offer a superb wooden deck : "L'Equité" , this one does not move but was posted in front of Notre Dame so the view was just enchanting. We were a party of 50 and had lunch and then hanged out on the deck for the afternoon. It was stunning.

So i strongly recommend you try to attend to one of these parties when you get to Paris - Private parties or not you will enjoy them !

10 places for a sweet tooth in Paris

Here i wish to share with you my favorite places to have "tea time" or just to taste a delicious sweet something. Some are well known like La Durée but yet UNMISSABLE and some are more known only by insiders ... any how, you should try them ... please let me know your favorites !!


1-Ladurée "salon de thé" - tea time, macarons, marvellous pastries (16 rue Royale or 75 av. des champs Elysées, 75008)
2- Jean Paul Hévin - divine chocolate store (231 rue St Honoré, 75001)
3- La Maison du chocolat - divine chocolate store (225 rue St Honoré, 75001)
4- Angelina "salon de thé" - amazing hot beverages (226 rue de Rivoli, 75001)
5- Pierre Hermé "Patisserie" - amazing macarons and pastries (72 rue Bonaparte, 75006)
6- Carette "Salon de thé" - great macarons (4 pl Trocadéro et 11 Novembre, 75016)
7- Fauchon - great everything (place de la madeleine, 75008)
8-Dalloyau "salon de thé " - 63 rue de Grenelle, 75007
9- Gourmandises de Nathalie - old style sweets/candie store (63 Bd des Invalides, 75007)
10- Fouquet - Chocolates (22 rue Francois 1er, 75008)

10 Chocolate Fevers in Paris

Chocolate ...what's best ?? Paris hides some unbeleivable chocolate treasures, and here are my 10 favorites. The profiteroles are amazing, the choux are served without the chocolate which you get all creamy in a separate little hot jar : you can poor as much as you want.


1- Chocolate profiteroles @ restaurant "Boeuf sur le toit", 75006
2- Hot Chocolate "Africain" @ "Angelina" coffee shop, 75001
3- Chocolate melting cake @ "Les Editeurs" restaurant, 75006
4- Hot Crepes with Nutella (sold every where in the street)
5- Chocolate macaron @ la Durée
6 - Chocolate "tartelette" @ Jean-Paul Hévin, 75015
7 - Flowers, Spices, Citruses chocolates @ Richart, 75007
8 - Chocolate tiramisu @ "Swann & Vincent" restaurant, 75015 or 75011
9 - Chocolate ice cream @ Bertillon
10 - Iced Chocolate Macaron @ Dalloyau

10 things to eat in Paris ...

Ohhhhh you should definitely try these .. these are my favourite foods in Paris - of course there are much more great stuff to eat here but lets start with some top 10 to get going.

SWEET :
1- Orange Flower or Licorice Macaron at Ladurée (all are incredible)
2- Grand Marnier souffle @ "Aux Lyonnais" restaurant
3- Bertillon sorbets & ice creams (blood orange and mango are amazing)
4- Gauffres & Crepes ... and hot chesnuts - sold in the street every where (the chesnuts in winter only)
5- "Barbe à Papa" sold in parcs like "Parc Monceau" or "Bois de Boulogne"

SAVORY :
1- Any cheese @ the AMAZING cheese store of 2 rue Lourmel, 75015
2- Foie gras @ "aux éditeurs" restaurant, 75006
3- Goat cheese & tomato "croustillant" @ restaurant "le ZO", 75008
4- Seafood plateau @ "La Coupole" restaurant, 750016
5- Beef "Entrecôte" (amazing sauce)& french fries @ le "relais de venise" restaurant

10 spots to have "Pic Nic"

When the sun comes out in Paris, every body goes out for a pic nic - whether on week nights or week ends ... people rush out with baguette, wine and cheese and hang out until late.
This is a great way to meet frenchies as we all love pic nics.

Don't hesitate to talk and meet us in one of these beautiful sites :

1- Pelouse de Breteuil (without tourists, avenue de Breteuil) - 7e
2- Champs de Mars (crowded but fun, in front of the Eiffel Tower) - 7e
3- Pelouse des Invalides (breathtaking : between the Pont d'Alexandre III & the Invalides)-7e
4- Parc Monceau (calm and discreet) - 8e
5- Pont des arts (bridge, trendy @ night, where you see île de la cité on one side and Eiffel Tower/the Louvres on the other)
6- Versailles (in the Castle parc, free and enchanting)
7- Canal St Martin (watery ... , no grass) -11e
8- Parc André Citroen (big parc, lots of space) - 15e
9- Buttes Chaumont (great views) -19e
10- Jardin des Batignolles (new, skate parc available)- 17e

Great "terrasses" in town : Bistrot des Dames

Just behind the Place de Clichy and in the Batignolles neighborhood is the marvellous terrasse/garden of the "Bistrot des dames" ...
At first sight you won't see it as it's carefully hidden on the other side of the street, but if you step inside, that you cross the restaurant and go down a few steps ... you will discover a peaceful and green little heaven.

Some "garden style tables" in the middle of trees and plants and here you go for a refreshing Mojito followed by a typical french meal with foie gras, bulots & ailoi (seafood with garlic mayo), duck magret, scallops and of course ... creme brulée.

Food is not the BEST in town but very acceptable for such a lovely little garden in Paris.

You have to know that you can not book a table and that this little heaven is very often packed so i suggest you go early around 7.30 / 8.00 pm and relax with an "aperitif" before ordering your food.

If you fancy some drinks around the corner afterwards you can chill out on the terasse of the "cello" bar facing the square des Batignolles or at the LUSH pub next door if it's too cold .

Enjoy !

BISTROT DES DAMES
18, rue des Dames
75017 PARIS
Métro : Place de Clichy
tel : 01 45 22 13 42

Art Event in Paris METRO (tube/subway) : FREE!!

From July to Sept. artists like : Matali Crasset, Jean-Charles de Castelbajac, Cacharel, Pierre Alivon, Catherine Bénas, Fifi Chachnil, Coco Jobard, Philippe Model and the couture house : Féraud will display curious wallpapers on the LINE 14 of the Paris tube/subway.

They will then display these wallpapers in the contempory art show room : "Première Station" (at "Palais Royal-Musée du Louvre" tube/subway station

At the end of this exhibit some original & signed wallpaers will be sold on auction (by the auction house : Cornette in St Cyr near Versailles).

All benefits will be givend to the "Mécénat Chirurgie Cardiaque" association.

Fairtrade giant partners with Paris "Prêt-à-Porter" trade show

Max Havelaar (Fairtrade association that creates and sales fair trade cotton and food/tea/coffee ..) will be the official partner of the "Prêt-à-Porter" (ready-to-wear) trade show in Paris in September (6 to 9). The association will show all the advantages that offers the fair trade cotton regarding quality and environment respect.


Max Havelaar will explain to everyone visiting the show the benefits of FAIR TADE COTTON (in terms of quality & protecting the environment)

3 brands will be presenting their "FAIR TRADE cotton" collection and 2 specific "corners" will giude you through the pleasure and well being of FAIR TRADE :

A "cocooning" corner within the trade show will welcome the visitor in a cosy fairtrade cotton atmosphere : lounge music, "fair trade cotton" duvet cover & pillows where you can relax .. all this in a fresh vegetal decor.

In this "cocooning" corner you will be able to follow the "life" of a fair trade cotton seed and to understand all benefits of "fair trade cotton".

The "beauty" corner will also allow you to try "fair trade cotton" make up removers and fair trade beauty products.

Christian Lacroix : new hotel design

The "Bellechasse" hotel has just re-opened on July 20th. Rooms designed by Christian Lacroix. It offers 34 rooms where Christian Lacroix explores 7 different universes, from modern sleek to Baroque dark and cozy.

As Chrsitian Lacroix likes to say : "It offers a travel within a travel"

This real "haute couture" hotel offers "unusual luxury" and has a typical "Rive Gauche" chic atmosphere. It is ideally situated : next to the Orsay museum and the St Germain Boulevard.

Please drop by .. even if its just to have a quick glance at these unique designs.

You can always pretend that your rich uncle is going to come and visit you soon and that you wish to see the rooms before advising him to come here ;-)

Hotel Le Bellechasse
8 rue de Bellechasse
75007 Paris

info@lebellechasse.com

01 45 50 22 31

10 tips about Paris

1- People do speak english ! dont worry ...
2- Museums are closed on Tuesdays
3- Taxis are HARD to find (always have a number to call with you)
4- Most shops are closed on Mondays and Sundays
5- The only place where you can shop on Sundays is the neighborhood called "the Marais"
6- Late night shopping is Thursday (closes at 09:00 pm)
7- The only place where shops are open till midnight : the Champs Elysées
8- Tips are not compulsory : leave one only if you are happy with the service you got
9- You can still smoke in restaurants, bars, nightclubs
10- Versailles is only 30 mins away

Welcome to Paris

I am happy to welcome you to my new blog where, as a real parisienne having lived both in the USA & the UK, I wish to share the PARIS I LOVE with travellers that wish to know more about Paris .... not just the classic tourist guides infos.

Please follow me in the discovery of a new Unvovered Paris where every street reaveals a secret.

I will guide you to my favourite places, restaurants and bars and will share with you all I know and love about this romantic yet exciting and edgy city!

I will also of course let you know all about the current hot stuff happening here, new shops, trends etc.

Paris is all yours ...