De tout et de rien

jeudi 31 mai 2012

Best Shopping

First of all, I am not a shopping expert. At all. But here are some of the tips I’ve picked up over the past ten months.

1. Haussmann Boulevard, Galeries Lafayette and Printemps – These twin galleries are probably the two great shopping centers in Paris. Printemps is slightly more upscale and better-organized, but Lafayette is worth a visit simply to see the central hall, which soars six stories to the painted dome roof. Printemps also tends to have fun window decorations, especially before Christmas.

2. Rue de Rennes – Stretching from the Tour Montparnasse to Saint-Germain-des-Prés, this long avenue has a nice mix of chain stores—Zara, H&M, Etam, Benetton—and smaller boutiques. An especially great bet for shoe-shoppers.

Chanel. Otherwise known as "don't bother unless you
make at least six figures a year."

3. Rue de Rivoli – You will find many of the same stores on Rivoli as on Rennes (and I will always take Rennes over Rivoli). That being said, the location of Rivoli, which borders the Louvre and the Tuileries gardens on one side and the arcades on the other, cannot be beat. Also the location of the celebrated Angelina’s, home of Paris’s most famous hot chocolate.

4. Vavin – a short street near the Luxembourg gardens, they have invariably beautiful shoes, cute little boutiques, and absurdly adorable (and absurdly expensive) children’s clothing.

5. Saint-Germain-des-Prés – You would never know that this Left Bank street was once the heart of literary and artistic Paris from the roaring 20s to the 60s. Nowadays, everything is all upscale, including the cafés where Hemingway and the like came to write: Les Deux Magots and Café de Flore.

Hermès in winter.

6. Rue Faubourg Saint-Honoré – This street exemplifies the benefits of “window shopping.” Every major French designer has a store on or near this road. Check out the Hermès windows, which are always fun to see.

7. Place Vendôme – Here be diamonds. Enough said. Also pop over to Rue Cambron to see the original Chanel store.

8. Antiques – For anyone looking for antiques, there are a variety of options. Paris is packed with antique stores, none more expensive than those bordering the Seine on the Left Bank. But some shops are much more affordable, and there are also rotating marchés specializing in crafts and furniture. Edgar Quinnet in the 14th hosts them regularly. Or, for something more out-of-the-way…

9. Clignancourt – Set in an admittedly more sketchy area of the city, north of Montmarte, this is the flea market in Paris. Enormous, sprawling, encompassing all manner of goods and food, it also has a large covered market in the center with beautiful antiques and old goods.

Clignancourt Antiques

Clignancourt again.

Best Châteaux

I love châteaux. I really do. Say what you will about their former residents (and a lot has certainly been said), but for history buffs, there is nothing like a good château. Where else can you walk through the sites of dastardly deeds, dangerous liaisons, and, yes, famous historical moments, all at one time?

Fontainebleau

The famous horseshoe staircase

1. Fontainebleau – This gem deserves to be known to a wider—that is to say, non-French—public. Fontainebleau is Versailles without the nauseating amounts of gilding, or the summer crowds. It also has the distinction, to all history buffs out there, of being the site of Napoleon’s abdication. The gardens are far less extensive than those of Versailles, but it’s hard to imagine a nicer place for a picnic than beside one of the château’s many ponds and waterways. Be sure to check out Diana’s Garden, with its famous peeing dog fountain. Also, make time to see the town of Fontainebleau, which is packed with cute eateries and shops.

Who said the Renaissance didn't
have a sense of humor?

2. Vaux-le-Vicomte – Between this château and Chenonceau (see below), I have a hard time choosing a favorite. Vaux-le-Vicomte was built by a minister of Louis XIV, who, upon seeing this beautiful residence, became mad with jealousy, threw the minister in prison on charges of embezzling funds, and started building Versailles (using the same architect, landscape designer, and painter). Vaux is not enormous and is still being restored, but I find it particularly beautiful. The gardens, in particular, may be the loveliest I’ve seen in France. A must, if you have extra time in the Paris area.

3. Chenonceau – Chenonceau is known as the “château of women,” which already puts it in my good graces (no pun intended). Quite a few of these women were the kings’ mistresses, and they seem to have done pretty well for themselves; Chenonceau has possibly the most picturesque setting of all French châteaux, hanging suspended over a river. The grounds also include gardens, a farm, and a tearoom in the old orangery. Small, but stunning.

Stunning, right? (photo credit Google Images)

4. Chambord – Chambord is located in the middle of nowhere, so don’t be surprised if you spend an hour driving through picturesque fields and forests before you even get a glimpse of the château. When you do, however, the moment is magic: Chambord—massive, white, and topped with countless spires—looks like every fairytale castle you ever dream of. The inside is quite plain, in comparison to the later château, but the whole thing has a charm all the same. And the view from the rooftop is incomparable.

The fairytale castle.

Oh, very well.

5. Versailles – I have a grudge against Versailles. I admit it. The poor thing probably doesn’t deserve my scorn, and has already been through quite enough without my antipathy. But the crowds. And the gold. So much gold. I recommend whizzing through the main château and running for the gardens. Tiny by comparison, but far prettier, the two Trianons give visitors a glimpse of the monarchs’ personal lives, when they managed to escape the pomp and circumstance of Versailles. And the Queen’s Hamlet, while a somewhat horrifying aristocratic vision of peasant life, is a little country paradise.

mercredi 30 mai 2012

Best Churches and Cathedrals

Does this really require explanation?

A short, but excellent list.

1. Notre Dame – Of course. A beautiful example of gothic architecture (although you’ll find much more impressive ones at Chartres and Reims). Sadly, most of the stained glass is not original, but the rose windows are a impressive as ever. They occasionally have Gregorian-style concerts, and the acoustics are invariably stunning. Don’t be intimidated by the long line, it never takes more than 15 minutes to get in. For your own enjoyment, avoid at prime visiting hours.

2. Saint-Étienne – Right next to the Pantheon, this church has, in my opinion, one of the most beautiful exteriors in Paris. Not necessarily worth a trip, but if you are in the area, definitely pop over.

Saint-Etienne (photo credit: Google Images)

3. Saint-Sulpice – I mostly picked this church because it is quite different from the typical French style. Located right off Rue de Rennes, Saint-Sulpice is soaring, white, and columned, and has a wide square with a huge lion fountain in front. Beautiful at all times, in all weathers.

4. Sainte-Chapelle – My baby. I have lost track of how many times I have visited Sainte-Chapelle (possibly ten), but I am still blown away every time. This is also one of those places where I give as little explanation as possible to newcomers. But if you love (or even moderately like) stained glass, this is a must.

Best Museums

Oh, God. Where do you even start? Well, here goes.

1. Louvre – Yes, I did include the Louvre. With some qualifications. First, the best time to go is always Wednesday or Friday night, when the museum stays open late. You will have less of an urge to throttle all the tourists ogling the Mona Lisa. Second, if you simply cannot make it at night, use the Porte des Lions entrance, as you will avoid the worst crowds. Third, do a quick sweep through the Grande Galérie area and then leave. Take your map, pick one or two areas, and run away as fast as you can. Some of my particular favorite sections are the Northern Renaissance (Rembrandt, Vermeer, die Hooch, etc.) and ancient Mesopotamia (Hammurabi’s Code is only slightly less exciting than the Syrian city gates they have partially reconstructed in the basement). Also take a look at the ceilings in the oldest sections of the museum, which are masterpieces in and of themselves.

Orsay at sunset

2. Musée d’Orsay – Another art behemoth, and for good reason. Orsay encompasses most of the 19^th century, when French art was at its height. This means doing constant double-takes, as you realize that, yes, that is that painting you studied in elementary school. Oh, and that one, too. And that one, too. The top floor houses the most famous pieces, for those who have a lower museum pain threshold (or want a lovely view of the center of Paris). But there are some real gems not nearly as well known, particularly the Symbolists.

3. L’Orangerie – one of my absolutely favorites, this can be done either with Orsay (you can purchase a “passeport” that will get you into both museums), or as an alternative. It is located in the old orangery of the Tuileries gardens, right next to Place de la Concorde (hence its fantastic view of the Seine, the Louvre, the Champs Elysées, and the Eiffel Tower). One of its main advantages is its size, which manages to squeeze a hundred years of French art into a very tiny space. The real draw, though, are the eight enormous Monet Water Lilies on the upper level. I’m still convinced the meaning of life is hidden somewhere in their watery depths.

Detail of Water Lilies

4. Rodin – Also known as the “outdoor museum,” the Rodin sculpture garden is stunningly beautiful in any weather. While pieces like the iconic Thinker and The Gates of Hell are enough to warrant a visit, consider coming on a sunny afternoon and having tea at the garden café.

6. Quai Branly – I adore Quai Branly, in all its trippy, sometimes questionably-politically-correct glory. Completely different from anything else you will see in Paris, Quai Branly’s claim to fame (other than the plants growing on the side of the building) is its collection of art and artifacts from Africa, Asia, the South Pacific, and parts of the Americas. It’s not always foreigner-friendly in its labeling, but most of the objects speak for themselves. A fantastic option for children and adults with short museum attention spans.

Courtyard of Cluny! See, isn't it adorable?

7. Cluny – My actual favorite museum. I rarely bring visitors here, mostly because by the time we’ve made it through the “incontournables” they never want to see another piece of art again. But for anyone who likes medieval art, this is a must. Nestled into the Latin Quarter near Notre Dame, Cluny is housed in a beautiful old abbey, complete with a lovely little garden, and features an extraordinary collection of cathedral architecture and tapestries. The main draws are the six Lady and the Unicorn tapestries, which for me are the medieval counterparts of Monet’s Water Lilies. The museum also hosts glorious medieval music concerts, although these have to be reserved in advance.

Series: Best of

La Tour Eiffel (again, because it's
just so pretty!)

I have been planning a “Best of” series since I started this blog, eight months ago. Throughout this blog, I have tried to pick subjects that a little off the beaten path: the bits of Paris that will only warrant a footnote in a guidebook, or will be forgotten entirely. But there is a time and a place for the best that Paris has to offer, and I am certainly not the first person to discover them.

Full disclosure: there is still a lot that I am leaving out. Some things, because every single travel guide already has them and why waste the time? Others, because despite living here for nine months (nine productive months, I’ll have you know), there is just so much of Paris that I have never experienced. Particularly food, because if I wanted to make an inventory of the best eateries in Paris, then you really would have to roll me home.

In short, this is a “Best of” that encapsulates my Paris experience, in its limited and extremely personal way. And that’s not a bad place to start.

Best Parks

Garden strolling in Luxembourg

1. Jardin du Luxembourg – My first, and favorite, Parisian garden. A friend of mine described it as a smorgasbord of everything they could possibly squeeze into one place: statues, fountains, playgrounds, cafés and food stands, tennis and bocce courts, and concert gazebos for the summer months. My friend didn’t, I think, approve of this business. But for me, Luxembourg is the ticking heart of Paris, and the place that always reminds me to (literally) stop and smell the roses.

2. Parc de Montsouris – In the far south of the city, almost touching the periphery, is Paris’ main English-style park. Instead of the severely flat and symmetrical style of French parks, Montsouris is all rolling slopes and hidden walkways. The prettiest part is the east side, where beautiful steps cut up the side of the hill through the trees.

3. Le Musée d’Albert-Kahn – see http://detoutetderienaparis.blogspot.fr/2011/10/fall-days-in-paris.html.

In the Jardin des Plantes

4. Jardin des Plantes – Built at the end of the 18^th century, Jardin des Plantes is just the place for anyone who ever liked science. Bordered by the Evolution, the Paleontology, the Mineralogy, and the Entomology museums, it is the main botanical garden in France, and also contains the city menagerie. I always feel like I am walking through Paris in the age of Darwin. The garden is also conveniently located across the street from the Mosquée de Paris (see Food).

5. Place des Vosges – This square in the heart of the Marais is probably the most beautiful in Paris, and the former residence of some of France’s most illustrious writers, including Victor Hugo, Colette, and Madame de Sévigné. Many of the surrounding buildings have art galleries and restaurants on the ground floor, and it’s just a lovely spot of green after a day of touring the city.

Paris, je t'aime.

6. Champs des Mars – The iconic Eiffel Tower lawn, this is one Parisian experience visitors cannot miss. Bring a picnic, a guitar if you have one, and plan to do absolutely nothing for the next few hours.

7. Square Rictus – The most, ahem, controversial choice on this list (if favorite parks can be considered controversial). This square is right outside the metro stop Abbesses, where you would get out to visit Montmarte. It’s a tiny, playground area, with very little in it. The main to reason to make a stop is the famous “I Love You” wall (I named it that; if may have an actual name), made out of 612 squares of black ceramic, across which is written “I love you” in just about any language you can think of. A wonderful space to rest your feet and feel in touch with the world.