AA CITY GUIDE: PARIS

I love Paris – j’adore. It’s a beautiful city, especially in winter I find. I could walk around for hours exploring the little alleyways and side streets, sipping coffees (well maybe not the coffee its not so good in France) and soaking in the atmosphere. I’m particularly fond because they’re so dog friendly, so I love going with the M’s to cafes, restaurants little stores – I just need Eurostar to accept dogs and then I would go every other weekend!

pt4j4bgspmw-anthony-delanoixPhoto: Anthony Delanoix

I love the Latin Quarter’s crooked cobbled little streets, the limestone buildings, nattily dressed locals and the numerous cafés that line every neighbourhood. Oh and I love love love the numerous bridges cris-crossing the Seine. Every time I’m there I seem to discover something new, whether it’s a breathtaking new view of the city from the Sacre Coeur, our favourite new boutique hotel or an incredible old pastel shop that feels like an apothecary meets Picasso’s studio (and which actually helped me to develop my paint range).

hf4ap1-ef40-john-townerPhoto: John Towner

It would be impossible to list everything to see, eat, drink and discover, but here are my top three things to do if you happen to be in town:

paris-by-mouth
Paris by Mouth is a foodie website which offers 3 hour tours of Paris’s many culinary delights. Along the way you’ll stop at half a dozen or so places with historical and cultural info bits thrown in which is really interesting. You’ll stop at Poilane a famous bakery which has been making sourdough from its wood burning oven for 83 years, you’ll amble into Le Marche Covert, a foodie market where locals buy seasonal produce like saucisson, milk, veggies and also sweet treats from patisseries and famous spots like La Durée and Pierre Hermé for amazing cakes and pastries. The tour is about €95 and well worth it in my book. You’ll come away titillated, inspired and very, very full.

marais-merci

I love this little area, it’s probably my favourite district of Paris. You’ll find lots of small little independent stores and restaurants in little cobbled streets with the Place des Vosges at the end – the oldest and coolest square in Paris. AND of course there is Merci. Home of cool fashion, vintage and cutting-edge interiors mingled together, and the most enchanting café reading room. In an age of online shopping this is one store that is definitely worth making the trip to experience in person. I can not rave enough – definitely one of my all-time favourite shopping destinations.

vanves

Porte de Vanvas is the location of the sweetest and cutest flea market in the whole of Paris in the depths of the 14th arrondissement. Shaded by a canopy of leafy trees you’ll find suitcases jammed with art and books, furniture, rugs, candlesticks. I’ve scoured so many gems from here over the years! Get there when it opens (around 8 I think) as it gets super busy.

And voila! I hope that helps guide you round some of the most beautiful parts of Paris. Please let me know your recommendations too, I’m always curious! I’ll be making a flying trip in a few weeks for biz, so will try to squeeze some spare time into my schedule if at all pos. Also I’m thinking of maybe making a few regular city guides, highlighting all the best things to see/eat/shop around the globe – obviously with a very AA slant. What do you think? Is this the sort of thing you guys would like to see more of – yay or nay? I’m all ears! Have a fab Tuesday everyone.

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