29 November 2017
Three Days in Paris
Back when it was cold in mid-January, I revisited the City of Light - Paris. Paris is always going to be a place that I love, the neoclassical, French Renaissance, the Classical Revival, and flamboyant style of the reign of Napoleon III; the Belle Époque, and the Art Nouveau style all merged into one city. Walking along the pebbled streets of Montmartre, sipping fine wine and tasting French cheese, laughing away in a wine bar packed with the French office workers after late hours. What's not to like about Paris?
However, it is true that navigating around the culturally and culinarily city of Paris can be overwhelming. Where do I start? You may ask. The best way I'd say and I am sure travelling chef Anthony Bourdain would agree is that in order to experience the best of Parisian life, you must slowly digest your day. I'll be giving some tips on how to survive Paris & what the top attractions and best restaurants there are. OH! Why of course, I could never forget, the patisseries.
We stayed at Hotel L'Antoine, a cute little boutique four-star hotel nestled in the heart of Bastille, within few minutes walk from Le Marais. Just a few minutes from the Ledru-Rollin Station on food. Nestled in the heart of picturesque Paris, Hotel L'Antoine is on the site of a former 17th-century convent. Although that many of Le Marais's traditional cabinet maker's workshops have made way for the new fashion design boutiques, the area is still full of lively restaurants, wine bars and boutiques in this one of the most revolutionary parts of the city. Walk along the numerous cobblestone passageways and discovering some of Paris's most gorgeous inner courtyards, discover the hidden alleys and dead-ends of rue du Faubourg Saint-Antoine, one of the oldest street in Paris. Hotel L'Antoine is the perfect base for anyone wanting to immerse themselves in this capital city of culture and history.
Best way to discover Paris is to walk, strolling along the Seine and be awed by the sounds and the sights. Walking helps to discover the things would never when you take the transport, passing by some of the famous bridges in Paris, such as the Petit Pont and the Pont des Art as well as the Sainte-Chapelle church, the gorgeous stained glass windows provide picturesque purple illumination in the late evenings.
We stayed in a classic room, the interior was designed by Christian Lacroix. One of the cutest and trendiest hotels that I have stayed at in Paris. Rooms were perfect for a little city break, get a complimentary breakfast when you book with them online directly from their website! I did not hesitate and I asked for room service every day, giving me a relaxing morning with my French breakfast in bed while I source for places to explore and things to do during the chilly French winter day.
Chloe's Tip: make the most of your time in Paris and walk around the city. Purchase 10 single ticket when you arrive in Paris instead of purchasing a 24-hour ticket, its cheaper and you get to see more of the city!
Of course, you have to go see the Arch de Triomphe and walk along the Champs Élysées. Perhaps do a little shopping, go to Sephora and maybe just do little window shopping outside Louis Vuitton. Head towards the east and towards Jardin des Tuileries, 17th-century formal garden dotted with statues, including 18 bronzes by Maillol. Nearby, you can visit Musee Du Louvre and also cross the river to my favourite museum of all time, Musee D'Orsay. Grab a steaming hot chocolate to go from Angelina Paris near the Tuileries gardens, one of the best places in Paris for patisserie which prides themselves over sophistication and indulgence Sit in the park with a Tarte Citron or an Eclair Chocolat whilst sipping the "African" hot chocolate is composed of three carefully selected kinds of African cocoa from Niger, Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire. Alternatively, visit Café de Flore located St Germain, listed as one of Timeout's recommendation for best hot chocolate in Paris. It is also one of the oldest coffeehouses in Paris. Georges Bataille, Robert Desnos, Léon-Paul Fargue, Raymond Queneau were all regulars, and so was Pablo Picasso.
Chloe's Tip: Instead of going up the Eiffel Tower, why not visit the top of Galeries Lafayette or Tour Montparnasse for a better view of Paris?
Now, for the best things in Paris, the food. Couple of places that I personally recommend would be Bouillon Chartier located on the 9th arrondissement. Chartier is over 100 years old and still in the very prime of life. The restaurant is dear to native Parisians, it is also loved by tourist and also, me. The dishes are traditional but with a wide range of choices at incredible prices. Try the leeks vinaigrette, a pate or some escargots for starters; meat or fish (or veggies) cooked to perfection come next. The meals at Bouillon Chartier are authentic and the mains are around €10. The look of the restaurant might be intimidating but certainly has a great Parisian feel to it.
After a fine meal, why not head towards for a few drinks. Numerous wine bars located in the heart of this breathtaking city. It was Paris Cocktail week when we visited, I managed to grab myself a couple of Cocktail week passes and did some research on the best cocktail bar for us to visit. Immediately Little Red Door caught our eyes.
“Wonderful drinks in a cool setting brimming with a quirky take on Parisian style, every cocktail lover should visit Little Red Door at least once.” – Sandrae Lawrence from The Cocktail Lovers
Named as one of the 50 world's best cocktail bars in 2015, I HAD to visit this place. You'll have to be prepared to queue outside this venue, so bring a large coat and some company. I can tell you confidently that everything will be worth it. Cocktails come served in attractive vintage glass wear and the atmosphere of the place makes it amenable to an evening of lingering and sampling, though it gets altogether livelier on weekends. The bar's menu is not actually quite anything that you could imagine, few artists around drew how they felt after a drink, they drew the feeling and you choose what you want to "feel" essentially. Expressing flavour via art with a menu built around local artists’ original works. “The image draws you in and your imagination is the garnish,” says Remy Savage as he told The Cocktail Lovers.
“We approached 45 people with artistic sensibilities – not just painters but musicians, photographers and glassblowers. Some were chosen because they fitted the specific drink, others because they clashed,” he then added. The artists, all very well respected in their respective fields were asked to taste the drink – either in the bar or as some of them live outside Paris – in Russia and Hong Kong in a couple of cases, in the comfort of their homes. “We sent the drink in a sous vide bag along with glassware, lighting instructions and a playlist to create the atmosphere,” Savage continues. “No one was told what was in the cocktail, they were asked to create something based on the mood and what it evoked.” I agree, its fun and exciting. I ended up one with smoked banana and absinthe. Suited my mood that very evening.
Chloe's Tip: If you're looking for cocktails. on the cheaper side, head to Le Crocodile happy hour 6-10pm. Added an extra gummy crocodile with every cocktail purchased.
However, it is true that navigating around the culturally and culinarily city of Paris can be overwhelming. Where do I start? You may ask. The best way I'd say and I am sure travelling chef Anthony Bourdain would agree is that in order to experience the best of Parisian life, you must slowly digest your day. I'll be giving some tips on how to survive Paris & what the top attractions and best restaurants there are. OH! Why of course, I could never forget, the patisseries.
We stayed at Hotel L'Antoine, a cute little boutique four-star hotel nestled in the heart of Bastille, within few minutes walk from Le Marais. Just a few minutes from the Ledru-Rollin Station on food. Nestled in the heart of picturesque Paris, Hotel L'Antoine is on the site of a former 17th-century convent. Although that many of Le Marais's traditional cabinet maker's workshops have made way for the new fashion design boutiques, the area is still full of lively restaurants, wine bars and boutiques in this one of the most revolutionary parts of the city. Walk along the numerous cobblestone passageways and discovering some of Paris's most gorgeous inner courtyards, discover the hidden alleys and dead-ends of rue du Faubourg Saint-Antoine, one of the oldest street in Paris. Hotel L'Antoine is the perfect base for anyone wanting to immerse themselves in this capital city of culture and history.
Best way to discover Paris is to walk, strolling along the Seine and be awed by the sounds and the sights. Walking helps to discover the things would never when you take the transport, passing by some of the famous bridges in Paris, such as the Petit Pont and the Pont des Art as well as the Sainte-Chapelle church, the gorgeous stained glass windows provide picturesque purple illumination in the late evenings.
We stayed in a classic room, the interior was designed by Christian Lacroix. One of the cutest and trendiest hotels that I have stayed at in Paris. Rooms were perfect for a little city break, get a complimentary breakfast when you book with them online directly from their website! I did not hesitate and I asked for room service every day, giving me a relaxing morning with my French breakfast in bed while I source for places to explore and things to do during the chilly French winter day.
Chloe's Tip: make the most of your time in Paris and walk around the city. Purchase 10 single ticket when you arrive in Paris instead of purchasing a 24-hour ticket, its cheaper and you get to see more of the city!
Chloe's Tip: Instead of going up the Eiffel Tower, why not visit the top of Galeries Lafayette or Tour Montparnasse for a better view of Paris?
After a fine meal, why not head towards for a few drinks. Numerous wine bars located in the heart of this breathtaking city. It was Paris Cocktail week when we visited, I managed to grab myself a couple of Cocktail week passes and did some research on the best cocktail bar for us to visit. Immediately Little Red Door caught our eyes.
“Wonderful drinks in a cool setting brimming with a quirky take on Parisian style, every cocktail lover should visit Little Red Door at least once.” – Sandrae Lawrence from The Cocktail Lovers
“We approached 45 people with artistic sensibilities – not just painters but musicians, photographers and glassblowers. Some were chosen because they fitted the specific drink, others because they clashed,” he then added. The artists, all very well respected in their respective fields were asked to taste the drink – either in the bar or as some of them live outside Paris – in Russia and Hong Kong in a couple of cases, in the comfort of their homes. “We sent the drink in a sous vide bag along with glassware, lighting instructions and a playlist to create the atmosphere,” Savage continues. “No one was told what was in the cocktail, they were asked to create something based on the mood and what it evoked.” I agree, its fun and exciting. I ended up one with smoked banana and absinthe. Suited my mood that very evening.
Chloe's Tip: If you're looking for cocktails. on the cheaper side, head to Le Crocodile happy hour 6-10pm. Added an extra gummy crocodile with every cocktail purchased.
Bonus: Visit Deyrolle, Deyrolle is a is a fantastic taxidermy shop that's been open since 1831. The shop is situated in a two-storey building, with several rooms full of tons of exotic and majestic animals. It was founded 177 years ago by Jean-Baptiste Deyrolle, a well-known entomologist, Deyrolle has been a natural history emporium with the look and feel of a museum, but the best part is, you can purchase some of the items there! However, they wouldn't allow photography, otherwise I'll be snapping tons of cool taxidermy and show it to you all!
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