Bonjour ça va ?
I can’t believe this is my 20th issue! What started as a tiny activity to stay sane during the pandemic has somehow grown into a full side hustle. I would never have imagined that it would have opened as many doors as it has—I am so thankful for the support from every one of my readers along the way. At the very least, I hope it’s made your trips to France, either in person or via the bottle shop, more imaginative and more insightful. So merci, merci, merci.
I’ve been thinking a lot about the concept of time, and although this newsletter is not a place for me to offload my existential worries, I have been thinking specifically about how I spend my time in Paris. So I thought, for this 20th issue, I’d share with you 20 of my favourite ways to pass the time in Paris. Not all are entirely novel, not all are off-the-beaten-track but each is in some way personal to me. I’m so sick of seeing tourists on Instagram throw their money at Lou Lou’s and Hotel Costes when there are far better (and cheaper) experiences to be had in the City of Lights. So try one of these out on your next trip to Paris and I hope that it’ll make your stay all that more authentic and all that more worthwhile.
Before I get into it… Writing this newsletter is a labour of pure love so if you enjoy my writing (and are able to) please consider Buying Me a Coffee. It’s a wonderful initiative that allows people to support creatives, like myself, with a small donation at the price of a coffee.
1. Early morning coffee at Le Peloton. I’d say I’m the only person in Paris to wake up at 6 am but the early morning is my time of day—the streets of Paris are empty (except for a few late-night stragglers) and at a complete, halting peace. I head to Le Peloton, an Australian-style café serving top-notch coffee and matcha, which opens at 8 am (the earliest in Paris, that I know of.) It’s just a stone’s throw from the Seine so grab your coffee to go and enjoy in the early morning lumière next to the river. As the name suggests, Le Peloton is a cycling café and they organise really fun English-speaking bike tours of Paris and Versailles
2. Water sports on the Seine and Canal de l’Ourcq. I’ve mentioned previously that I’m an aquaholic and most of my summer is spent seeking out bodies of water. Which is why I was thrilled to discover that they’ve introduced kayaking on the Seine. Now I wouldn’t recommend capsizing for a refresher as the Seine is pretty grimy (as you will see firsthand as you kayak) but it’s still an experience to paddle around Paris. Kayaks are for rent at le Quai des Cérises. If you’re more of a boat person then head up to Canal de l’Ourcq in the north of Paris where you can rent electric boats that fit up to 11 people. Pack a picnic, pack some drinks—and if you rent one for more than 2 hours you can sail all the way out to Pantin.
3. Biologique Recherche. I’m slightly maniacal about skin care: I’ve tried all the French pharmacy products, I’ve destroyed my skin barrier in doing so (less is more!) which is why I now only trust the lovely ladies at Biologique Recherche. There’s something almost clinical about their products and their flagship Ambassade resembles a luxury laboratory but it makes me feel like I’m in the hands of experts. A personalised facial will set you back 120€ but it’s worth every centime. They start with a dermatological assessment and then tailor the facial to your results. My favourite products are the P50 exfoliator (for which they are famous), Masque Vivant (which French women say is their secret to graceful aging. It smells like vegemite), Crème Espoir Vert AR (which has cured my rosacea), and Crème Masque Vernix (as the name suggests it imitates vernix, the protective coating found on a baby in utero, and leaves your skin as soft as a newborn). Most of their products smell absolutely putrid but stick with the stench, it’s worth it.
4. Oysters on Ile Saint Louis. I don’t particularly enjoy oysters, but my partner does and I guess I love the weekend ritual of it. One of our favourite places to go is Poget & De Witte, a tiny oyster bar on Ile Saint Louis where they do a 10€ deal for 6 oysters and a glass of wine. The oysters come direct from their own farm in Brittany so you can be assured they are fresh, and my partner says they are some of the best in Paris. The owner is so friendly and lets us hang out in the sun all day (even me who doesn’t eat his oysters!).
5. Reformation Pilates. A little-known fact is that I’m a trained yoga and Pilates teacher, so I have a pretty discerning judgment when it comes to exercise classes in Paris. I was spoilt for choice in New York (Sky Ting and Good Day were my second homes), but I’ve struggled to find intelligent teachers in Paris. The one studio I go to consistently is Reformation, a reformer Pilates studio. The teachers are knowledgeable and creative, and the studio is beautiful. My favourite teachers are Clara Lew Levy and Julie Chiu, who are Canadian and American respectively—and conveniently teach in English.
6. Tuileries dog park + Rue Saint Anne. I am the proud owner of perhaps the most mignon dog in the world, an abnormally miniature Boston Terrier named Disco. Contrary to popular belief, it’s not easy to have a dog in Paris as there is the constant threat of theft and there are NO DOG PARKS. But canine owners have claimed the front lawn of the Louvre in the Tuileries as a doggy play pen and the police don’t seem to mind (for now). Next to the Tuileries is Rue Saint Anne, a street famous for authentic Japanese food. So, on a sunny weekend we love nothing more than getting sushi to-go and enjoying it in the Tuileries whilst Disco runs amok with other doggos. My favourite places on Rue Saint Anne are Aki Café, Chez Miki, Michi, and Higuma.
7. Folderol. I’m surprised I’ve made it through 20 issues of this newsletter without mentioning one of my top restaurants in Paris, Le Rigmarole. During the pandemic, owners Jess and Robert decided to shut the restaurant and concentrate their talent on a more light-hearted venture: Folderol, an ice-cream and natural wine bar/shop. I think it’s the best ice cream in Paris (even better than Berthillon!)—expect homemade flavours like olive oil and cherry shortcake. The wine selection is also stellar.
8. Café de Flore. I’m a walking cliché, I know, but sometimes there’s nothing I love more than playing tourist at Café de Flore. What I love about Flore is that still some 25% of the clientele are locals of the best variety, real-life Parisian caricatures: well-coiffed women in silly fur coats, men with cigars permanently hanging out of their mouths as they place bets on the races, struggling writers who are willing to pay 5€ for a coffee in the hopes that the ghosts of Georges Bataille and Raymond Queneau might enliven them. If I’m feeling particularly indulgent, I’ll head to Le Relais de l’Entrecôte around the corner after aperitif at Flore for the best steak-frites in Paris.
9. Le Bourget. Le Bourget is the airport for private planes, located just 10 minutes outside of Paris. Although I’m strangely a bit of a plane freak and enjoy watching the ridiculous jet’s take-off, I head out here for Gagosian gallery’s hangar space. Because of the hangar’s size, they are able to show monumental works from the likes of Simon Hantai and Richard Serra which simply can’t fit into their Parisian gallery. I always round out my Bourget Day with a little visit to the Musée de L’Air et de L’Espace. They have old Air France Concordes, military fighter jets, and space rockets that you can clamber inside of. It’s like travelling in space and time.
10. Jeu de Paume. One of my favourite dates with myself is to spend an afternoon at the Jeu de Paume, the photography museum located in the former royal tennis courts at the far end of the Tuileries. There are always three exhibitions at once: one renowned photographer, one contemporary, and one emerging. The museum also hosts a little Japanese café that few people know about and I always stop for a post-show onigiri and ramune and watch the world wander about Les Tuileries.
11. Hemingway Bar. A girl’s gotta get glam from time-to-time and putting on the Ritz every once in a while cures a lot of life’s malaise! I wrote a whole newsletter about the bar because it truly is the place of fairytales, but I will add that you should have a cocktail then pop across Place Vendôme to Charvet, the French high-end tailor and shirtmaker. I live for their slippers and men’s nightshirts which make a great summer cover-up. There’s nothing like a €35 negroni to prepare you for dropping €500 on a shirt, or to ease the guilt of having already done so.
12. L’aperitif at Au Petit Fer à Cheval. It’s tough to find authentic aperitif spots in the southern part of Le Marais where I live (also known as SoMa, South of Marais). Au Petit Fer à Cheval may be the only spot but it’s definitely worth venturing to even if you’re not in the hood. What appears to be a tiny horseshoe bar actually has a whole dining room hidden behind it. I love to plonk myself here on a Saturday afternoon and watch the world go by on Rue Vielle du Temple. Make sure you order the fries—they pride themselves on being one of the only places in Paris that make their frites by hand (as opposed to using frozen fries).
13. Le Progrès. I would be lying to myself if I didn’t add Le Progrès to this list because I’ve probably spent a good 10% of my 12 years spent in Paris at Le Progrès. It’s shocking really because there’s nothing special about it: the food is terrible (fries are most definitely frozen), the wine is terrible, the cocktails are terrible but the ambiance is the best in Paris. The waiters treat you like family, the locals are colourful, and it has the best vantage point for people watching. I just love it—so much so that I featured it in my newsletter on tabacs.
14. Libraire Galignani. I’m one of those strange people who self-soothes by settling in a book shop for a couple of hours, simply stroking the spines and reading the acknowledgment pages. And Libraire Galignani is the perfect place as they have comfy leather armchairs in which you can spend a whole afternoon. Shakespeare and Co is good, yes, but Galignani is even better—it’s the oldest English-speaking bookstore in Paris and is never as absurdly crowded as Shakespeare. Conveniently located on Rue de Rivoli, I’ll pop into Cedric Grolet on my way home for one of his famous fruit creations if I’m really having a treat-myself kind of day.
15. Ofr & Galerie Yvon Lambert. I’m also one of those strange people who still buys magazines. Lots of them. Ofr and Galerie Yvon Lambert are both cultural dens packed to the brim with both old and new art books as well as every art and fashion publication under the sun. Again, I could spend hours spine-stroking and page-flicking here. (And the two are located a stone’s throw from each other). Ofr also has neat line of stationary and I can attest that every ‘cool’ buyer during fashion week uses their notebooks.
16. Monoprix. Yes, the French supermarket chain. But you’ve probably never stopped to check out their clothing or homewares sections. I buy all my cashmere, linens, socks, and underwear here as they are the best in the game (it’s a secret of all chic French women)—and all at very affordable prices. They also regularly do collaborations on homewares with up-and-coming designers so it’s well worth having a peruse.
17. Le Connetable. This is a bit of a wildcard addition as it’s been a long time since I’ve stayed up past midnight. But I think if I were to leave Paris, I’d forgo my beauty sleep just one last time so that I could hang out at Le Connetable in the wee hours of the morning. It’s one of the few places open past 2 am (till 6 am). It’s in no way a club and not really a bar—it more feels like a lot of drunk people crammed into your grandmother’s living room. It’s supposedly a restaurant (though I’ve never seen anyone eat here) and the top floor is full of lace-clothed tables which you can sit at. It’s such a strange place but I have so many fond memories here and I recommend stopping by if you’re in Le Marais after midnight.
18. Sundays at Le Petit Celestin. Every hungover man and his dog eats at Le Petit Celestin for lunch on Sundays. Although the last time I was hungover was my birthday (which was celebrated at Le Petit Celestin), I still head for lunch here almost every weekend as the food is the best of French bistro food, the tunes are all classic hits, and the wait staff are just so relaxed. I’ve spotted a Master of Wine dining at Le Petit Celestin so I can confirm that the wine list is one of the best in the city. Be sure to book in advance as it is full every weekend.
19. The Twenty-Two Club. I featured The Twenty-Two Club in my pick of the hottest restaurant openings in Paris for Gourmet Traveller but I’ll say it again here: it’s the most unique dining experience to be had in Paris. Located in a private apartment overlooking the Palais Royal, the supper club sits exactly twenty-two guests around two communal tables. Diners are encouraged to mingle with the other guests as though at a private dinner party, over the course of a set menu which changes weekly depending on the produce available from the owner’s farm.
20. Vivant Deux. A biased note to end on I’ll admit, but I wouldn’t be still in Paris, writing this newsletter, if Live-In Sommelier didn’t steal my number from the reservation system after my first-time dining at Vivant Deux. There are few other intimate dining experiences like it in Paris: the restaurant only fits 19 or so people and most diners are seated around the kitchen (in fact, request a seat at the bar for your first time there so you can have the full show). The ambiance is always fun, they serve the best wines in the biz, and the food has never, ever disappointed. It’s near impossible to get a reservation there (I’m not the only one who thinks it’s one of the best restaurants in Paris!) but send me an email and I might be able to help you out.
Bon, I’ve shared a lot of my insider tips to Paris, and inadvertently a lot about myself, but it’s the least I can do to say merci for all your support.
A la prochaine!