Our Paris Journey: Full Recap

My mother and I are nonetheless buzzing from our Paris journey final week — it was her second time visiting since she lived there 4 many years in the past, and town was even lovelier than she’d remembered. Right here’s a recap of the place we stayed, ate and walked in case you’re planning a visit (or simply wanderlusting, as one does), and naturally please add your insights within the feedback…

My mother arrived barely later within the week, so for the primary few days, my buddy Claire and her eight-year-old daughter Elle had been my journey companions. We rented a two-bedroom within the Marais, with wood beams and large home windows. Our place was splurgy, however you can even discover fairly spots within the space for lower than $175/evening, together with a stunning walk-up, a sunny flat and a comfortable studio; or you may hire a personal room in somebody’s residence — like this and this — which I’ve finished a number of occasions earlier than, together with in San Francisco this previous December and it has at all times labored out properly. (Simply be certain that to verify for constructive evaluations!)

The primary day, we took a looooong lovely stroll alone the Seine. Paris is such a stunning metropolis, it’s such a deal with to simply ramble and soak it up. We additionally went to the Tuileries, the place Elle jumped on the cool in-ground trampolines (and I started recognizing Rivedroite baggage, haha).

At evening, we had dinner with Claire’s good buddy Cassi, who has lived in Paris for many years. She introduced us to Le Sq. Trousseau, a neighborhood bistro proper throughout from a small park. We sat all the way down to radishes and butter on the desk, then shared escargots and cheeseburgers with comté. We performed tic tac toe on the brown paper tablecloth when the children bought stressed, however everybody was thrilled when the chocolate mousse arrived — it was decadently wealthy but by some means gentle?

The subsequent day, we wandered across the Marais, which has nice boutiques, together with Papier Tigre, St. James, Ailleurs, Bonton, Rendez-Vous, and — one neighborhood over — Landline. The dependable crowdpleaser is Merci, a three-story boutique with garments, house decor, magnificence, and items. How cool are the fruit and vegetable candles? In addition they had scorching canine candles and grapes cleaning soap (in the event you, like me, get weirdly delighted by food-shaped issues).

We then strolled over to L’As Du Fallafel. Their signature sandwich — silky eggplant and crispy falafel with cucumber, cabbage, and tomato tucked right into a heat pita, then doused with tahini — has a cult following; the road took 20 minutes however was price it. That mentioned, some CoJ readers and David Lebovitz insist that Maoz and Miznon are even higher, however we didn’t have time to verify, so possibly we must always all return and do a style check. #falafelwars

The Marais is vigorous and enjoyable and buzzy, and we had a good time.

After a pair days, my mother arrived!!! We moved to a three-bedroom residence throughout the river, within the sixth. (Different fairly spots within the space: an enthralling studio, a candy rooftop residence, and a well-reviewed non-public room.) The household who lived there had kids, so the residence was crammed with board video games, toys, books and magazines, which is at all times a deal with. The constructing additionally had a terrifyingly small elevator, which, evidently, I didn’t take.

(Nonetheless, it was not as small because the elevator final time I went!!!)

My mother was shockingly not drained regardless of not having the ability to sleep on the in a single day flight, so we headed to the Luxembourg Gardens, one of the crucial magical locations in Paris. You may chill out on inexperienced chairs across the fountain and hearken to folks chatting and birds chirping and really feel the solar in your face.

Elle rented a ship to push round with a stick (if it floats farther into the fountain, you simply look ahead to the wind to push it again), and I beloved this picture of preteen boys subsequent to very-much-an-eight-year-old!

We then walked over to the close by Marin Montagut retailer, which enchanted us with baguette pens and illustrated tea towels. (How cute is the dude who owns it?)

That evening, we handled ourselves to an old-school gourmand French dinner at Allard, full with a mustardy cucumber salad, crusty bread and butter, frog legs, and duck with inexperienced olives. VERY scrumptious.

One bonus of touring with a bit of lady is having somebody who’s equally enthusiastic about lipsticks and reminds you to reapply!

The subsequent day, my mother and I walked a couple of blocks to…

…the Musée Rodin, the place we noticed the well-known Kiss and, in fact, the Thinker. I beloved what Rodin mentioned about him: “What makes my Thinker suppose is that he thinks not solely together with his mind, together with his knitted forehead, his distended nostrils and compressed lips, however with each muscle of his arms, again, and legs, together with his clenched fist and gripping toes.” The toes! Watch out, they could break your coronary heart.

Since one great a part of holidays is the flexibility to do relax and do completely nothing, we had a picnic dinner at house one night and watched The Fugitive. (As Lindy West mentioned — unironically — in her good e book Shit Really, “Objectively, there’s just one good film, and it’s The Fugitive.”)

However one restaurant we reserved method forward of time: Mokonuts, a gem of a spot within the eleventh, run by a pair with two daughters. They’re open just for lunch as a result of they head house at 5 p.m. to be with their youngsters — “whereas this could be uncommon in New York or Los Angeles, it’s radical in Paris,” says the NYTimes. The meal was seasonal, imaginative and completely pleasant — the only finest chunk we had in Paris (all of us agreed) was the labneh above, with olive oil, za’atar and lettuce, with gentle bread.

On our final morning, my mother and I walked to the legendary cheese store, Barthélemy. Run by Nicole Barthélemy — a cheesemonger from an extended line of cheesemongers — the shop smells gloriously pungent and options cheeses of all shapes, milks and sizes. You would possibly as properly spin in a circle and level; you may’t go flawed.

Our last evening, we took a ship journey with Inexperienced River Cruises, which had been really helpful by CoJ readers (thanks!). We introduced cheese and bread and grapes, they usually served chilly white wine, and we embarked down the Seine previous Notre Dame and Jardin des Plantes and the Eiffel Tower. What a method to finish the journey. My mother was in heaven, and the night — and complete week — felt like a present.

Since I at all times love seeing what folks deliver house from holidays, right here was my haul, haha. (Pasta blocks and a child’s gown from Bonton, a baby’s striped sweater from Petit Bateau, cleaning soap from Merci, a mug and baguette pens from Marin Montagut, sweets from Alain Ducasse, and little toys from Landline.)

A number of different Paris spots we love, however aren’t pictured: Chez Janou for SUCH a enjoyable dinner spot (make a reservation over the cellphone or present up earlier than they open at 7 p.m.); Benchy for very cool sandwiches; Dreamin Man for excellent espresso and a laid-back scene; Free Persephone for great massages and manicure/pedicures; the Bourse de Commerce-Pinault Assortment for art work; and the enduring sights just like the Louvre, Musée D’Orsay and Eiffel Tower.

Thanks a lot for studying! I promise I’ll cease speaking about Paris now lol. Please share your recs beneath, in the event you’d like…

P.S. 12 readers share their solo journey images, and what’s your #1 journey tip?