Archives for “Relaxing” tag

There is a walk I like the most in Paris, it is the one from Bastille, the site of the former prison took by the people of Paris in 1789, to the City Hall (Hotel de Ville of Paris) by passing through the quarter of Le Marais. This quarter is called the marsh because it was a real swamp at the beginning of the IXth century before being used as pasture in the XIIth century.

So, from Bastille, you can easily walk on the Beaumarchais Boulevard, and then turn left on the Rue du Pas de la Mule and arrive at the Place des Vosges, the most beautiful place in Paris. Passing by the art galleries, you reach on your left the Rue de Turenne, where you will find lots of clothes shops, with prices you never imagine in Paris. Indeed, there are lots of manufacturers in this district of Paris.

At number 41 in the same street, there is the Bernard Garbo Shop, that you have to know if you are looking for suits at € 150 or very trendy shirts at € 95 for 3. The prices are quite low because they are manufactured and they sell the same merchandise to other shops.

On sale, you can take € 50 off on every suits or jackets (but not on shirts or ties). Go there if you want to mix a wonderful promenade with fashionable shopping all around (see also Rue des Francs Bourgeois just nearby!

L’Atelier des Sens is a place where you can learn how to cook! Of course, you can try it by yourself to meet new friends, or to organize an “almost perfect dinner” where the guests are invited … to cook their meal!

Located in the 11th district of Paris, near Bastille, this place is quite nice and at the end of a beautiful courtyard. I’ve been there a few times, and I’ve learned both French and Brazilian recipes. You can choose your theme on the website before booking a lesson, so you can try a lot of geographical meals.

What I find very interesting in this place is that you have a chef just for you for 3 hours (the Brazilian evening lasted 5 hours, because everybody enjoyed the Caïpirinha). You can make, with no more than 12 people, dishes you’d never imagined making, and finally you’ll share a meal with lots of funny guys with some good wines!

There are plenty of formulas you can go for, and you can even organize a bachelor party, a child’s birthday, or do a lesson in English. To encourage you to continue to cook, you can take your apron back home!

Hopefully you’ll try it and enjoy it like I did!

The beauty of the meandering River Seine captivated the Impressionists whilst Amélie Poulain chose to set free her beloved goldfish in the picturesque Canal St Martin. Paris isn’t short of famous waterways but the little known Canal de L’Ourcq isn’t one of them. And that’s exactly why I love it.

This lesser known stretch of water technically begins over 100km away from Paris near the small village of Troesnes. However if you follow the canal all the way to the city; which I have to admit I haven’t done (yet!), you’ll find it eventually enters Paris when it joins with the Canal Saint-Martin to form le Bassin de la Villette, Paris’s largest artificial lake.

Paris is an unquestionably beautiful city but even the proudest Parisien would have to admit that all those quaint narrow streets can make you feel a bit claustrophobic after a while. A lazy stroll or relaxing cycle along the wide banks of Canal de L’Ourcq is the perfect remedy for those in search of a little breathing space.

Le Parc des Buttes Chaumont is without a doubt my favourite Parisien park. No matter the season it’s always a lovely spot to escape to for a bit of nature and a break from city life.

A lot of Paris’ other parks are either quite tiny in size or take on a more formal French garden style but Buttes Chaumont has nothing in common with other Paris green spots. It’s large, on a hill and wonderfully wild. In Autumn the view from the hill over the top of the lake is particularly spectacular as the trees take on a mixture of different red and orange tones. The island in the middle of the lake with it’s fairytale-style turret viewpoint has to be visited too, from here you’ll get a brilliant vista over Paris, you can even spy the Sacre Coeur in Montmartre in the distance.

Down in the lower valley of the park you can explore caves with huge waterfalls and rockpools. Children (and adults!) can also enjoy a traditional French puppet theatre and other quaint children’s attractions. If all that exploration leaves you a bit tired you can always stop for a drink or snack in the park bars and cafés too, the Rosa Bonheur bar comes particularly recommended, it’s become a really trendy hang-out in recent years and is open until the small hours in warmer months.

Spring is a lovely time in Paris; more sun means longer days and also marks the return of a new season of ‘vide greniers‘. Vide greniers are small flea markets, the term translates loosely as ‘empty attic’. They’re the Parisian version of a car boot sale and one of my favourite weekend activities, especially on a clear, sunny day. Whether you want to pick up a bargain or two, practice your French with the locals or just do some people watching, an afternoon spent perusing the local stalls is always an enjoyable experience. 

Vide greniers are normally on a smaller, more intimate scale than the large professional flea markets such as Marché de Saint-Oeun and Marché aux Puces de la Porte de Vanves. You’ll see different kinds of stall-holders; families, enterprising children, students, and they’re selling everything and anything. You want to buy a microscope? Or an ancient mobile phone charger? Some new shoes or a china dog? This is the place to come! 

The website vide-greniers.org lists vide greniers across France, pick department 75 to see the listings for Paris. And if you’re in town in June the vide grenier on the 2nd will be one of the bigger events with around 400 stands, a great introduction to this fun Parisian past-time!