Finding a restaurant in Paris is never hard, but trying to find a good restaurant is perhaps a little more of a challenge. Being the most tourist-frequented spot in the world means that restaurant owners can afford to be slack, as there will never cease to be a supply of new and unaware clients. Thankfully, however, for every lazy restaurateur in Paris, there is a fabulous, innovative one. Going to a great restaurant absolutely compliments a day’s outing, but there are also establishments in Paris which can be the outing themselves. Here are a few of the more eccentric places which will offer you more than just a meal, guaranteed.
In the 4th Arrondissement, just around the corner from the Pompidou Centre is a joint called Dans Le Noir. Dinner here is really just that. The dining room is pitch black, and guests are asked to surrender anything that could generate light- watches, cell phones and so on- at the door way. You can literally see nothing. While this might be disconcerting to begin with for you, it has absolutely no bearing on the staff, who are all blind. They will guide you to your table (and anywhere else you may need to go during your meal) bring you your food and help you experience their world for the duration of your meal. The idea of Dans Le Noir is both to help sighted people understand the day to day existence of a blind person, and to heighten (or at least alter) the diner’s perception of the food they are eating. Without sight, the food becomes more fragrant, more powerfully spiced; more present. The diners often believe the meals are made up of far more complex ingredients than they actually are, simply because they focus on the act of tasting so carefully. Dans Le Noir is open Monday to Saturday for lunch and dinner and Sunday for Brunch; cheekily, Tuesday night is singles night- a true blind date!
If you are more interested in audible rather than visual (or lack thereof) stimulation, try
Bel Canto, also in the 4th Arrondissement. Here, dinner is as dramatic as an opera- complete with opera singing waiters. Dressed to the nines, the waiters will perform their standard duties, and suddenly burst into eccentric, elegant song. Not so much service with a smile as service with a serenade, Bel Canto is an absolute must, particularly if you are a fan of Italian food. Importantly, Bel Canto’s staff are all students from Parisian music schools, so you don’t need to worry about being forced to endure metro-quality performances! The restaurant is open every night from 8pm.
If you have children with you who are less than charmed with the idea of dinner ‘en famille,’ a good idea is to take them to La Maison Nicolas Flamel. Found in the 3rd Arrondissement, the building is the oldest in Paris, and belonged to the famous alchemist. A real person, the kids will be interested because Nicolas features in none less than Harry Potter as the inventor of the Philosopher’s Stone. It is always fun to find the links between history and story, and there is no doubt that Nicolas did TRY to create such a product…..his success is perhaps less certain. The food is very traditional French food at a reasonable price, particularly at lunch time, when you can get a ‘formule du midi’ for 18.50euros.
So whether you are after heightened taste-sensation, dinner and a show or a little bit of magic, dining in Paris can adapt to your needs. But don’t stop here, the left bank has some real gems to offer also, which I will explore and divulge at a later date….
Dans Le Noir- 51 Rue Quincampoix, 75004.
Tel. 01 42 77 98 04
Bel Canto- 72 Quai de L’Hotel de Ville, 75004.
Tel. 01 42 78 30 18
Maison Nicolas Flamel- 51, rue de Montmorency 75003.
Tel. 01 42 71 77 78
Saturday 6 September 2008
Hotel or Apartment? The Eternal question.
Paris is a city of plenty, and if you are only visiting for a short period of time, dealing with what is on offer takes some serious planning. Before even considering the museums, the transport, the restaurants or the shows, one has to make the all important decision of where one is going to stay.
Having somewhere relaxing, comfortable and central is essential to optimising your time, and maintaining your sanity while dashing around the City of Lights. For people who are past their backpacking years, there are two main choices; staying in a hotel, or renting an apartment . Which you choose can have a huge influence upon your stay.
Staying in a hotel seems, all things considered, the easy option. You can be sure of the quality, especially if staying in a well known chain; you know that your bed will be made each day, and that the room will stay clean. There is always going to be breakfast ready when you want it, and the front desk will (hopefully) be able to answer any questions you may have about the city. If you are only planning on staying a few days, and plan to spend all your time (including every meal) out and about, I think hotels are the way to go.
For a longer visit, however, hotels can be a bit, well, sterile. The fact that you are just a small cog in a big machine becomes all too obvious, and when you are spending some serious time in one place, it is nice to be able to feel more at home. Staying in an apartment is perfect in this situation. You can take time out, stay in for an evening, and, most importantly, have more than one room to call your own! It is certainly very nice to snuggle down on a sofa with a glass of yummy French wine and a platter of cheese after a day at the Louvre, rather than having to put on your glad rags and head out to once again choose from (and decode) a foreign menu!
Price-wise, it really depends what sort of hotel or apartment you would be after. If you are a party of 4, it is almost guaranteed that a (nice) apartment will be a site cheaper than a hotel- when I first moved to Paris on the skin of my teeth my three friends and I actually discovered renting an apartment was even cheaper than a youth hostel! Apartments also cut costs in a number of ways- cooking, laundry, entertainment. Obviously, there is a far higher degree of ‘do it yourself’ when staying in a home, but that is what makes it so much more homely, right?
Service is certainly something hotels pride themselves on, and they really are great at it. Having teams of people at your disposition to suggest activities or spots to visit can really help you, if you aren’t sure where to start. The only downside I have experienced in that area is that the teams of people mean that you are never assisted by the same person twice. If you want something specially catered (a private art tour perhaps, or a cooking course, wine tasting?) things become a lot more complicated. Most apartment rental companies are equipped with a one-man concierge service, who can sort things out for you from beginning to end. The personal touch, cheesy as it may sound, goes a long way.
But in my opinion, the best thing about staying in an apartment is the location. If renting someone’s home, you will be in an area of Paris which is not directly on the tourist map. Being a small city nothing is very far away, but staying in a quartier with its own special ambiance gives you a more real, valid and thrilling impression of the French capital.
So when the choice to visit Paris has been made, take some serious time to consider what you would like to get out of your stay- how many people are coming? Are you all going to want to do the same things? Will you want to eat out every night? Where in the city would you like to be? Hotels are certainly reliable, but apartments allow you an opportunity to live like a Parisian, even if only for a week.
Having somewhere relaxing, comfortable and central is essential to optimising your time, and maintaining your sanity while dashing around the City of Lights. For people who are past their backpacking years, there are two main choices; staying in a hotel, or renting an apartment . Which you choose can have a huge influence upon your stay.
Staying in a hotel seems, all things considered, the easy option. You can be sure of the quality, especially if staying in a well known chain; you know that your bed will be made each day, and that the room will stay clean. There is always going to be breakfast ready when you want it, and the front desk will (hopefully) be able to answer any questions you may have about the city. If you are only planning on staying a few days, and plan to spend all your time (including every meal) out and about, I think hotels are the way to go.
For a longer visit, however, hotels can be a bit, well, sterile. The fact that you are just a small cog in a big machine becomes all too obvious, and when you are spending some serious time in one place, it is nice to be able to feel more at home. Staying in an apartment is perfect in this situation. You can take time out, stay in for an evening, and, most importantly, have more than one room to call your own! It is certainly very nice to snuggle down on a sofa with a glass of yummy French wine and a platter of cheese after a day at the Louvre, rather than having to put on your glad rags and head out to once again choose from (and decode) a foreign menu!
Price-wise, it really depends what sort of hotel or apartment you would be after. If you are a party of 4, it is almost guaranteed that a (nice) apartment will be a site cheaper than a hotel- when I first moved to Paris on the skin of my teeth my three friends and I actually discovered renting an apartment was even cheaper than a youth hostel! Apartments also cut costs in a number of ways- cooking, laundry, entertainment. Obviously, there is a far higher degree of ‘do it yourself’ when staying in a home, but that is what makes it so much more homely, right?
Service is certainly something hotels pride themselves on, and they really are great at it. Having teams of people at your disposition to suggest activities or spots to visit can really help you, if you aren’t sure where to start. The only downside I have experienced in that area is that the teams of people mean that you are never assisted by the same person twice. If you want something specially catered (a private art tour perhaps, or a cooking course, wine tasting?) things become a lot more complicated. Most apartment rental companies are equipped with a one-man concierge service, who can sort things out for you from beginning to end. The personal touch, cheesy as it may sound, goes a long way.
But in my opinion, the best thing about staying in an apartment is the location. If renting someone’s home, you will be in an area of Paris which is not directly on the tourist map. Being a small city nothing is very far away, but staying in a quartier with its own special ambiance gives you a more real, valid and thrilling impression of the French capital.
So when the choice to visit Paris has been made, take some serious time to consider what you would like to get out of your stay- how many people are coming? Are you all going to want to do the same things? Will you want to eat out every night? Where in the city would you like to be? Hotels are certainly reliable, but apartments allow you an opportunity to live like a Parisian, even if only for a week.
Shopping...the true Parisian pass time.
Shopping is something Paris is renowned for, and rightly so. There are endless options of fantastic places to shop, especially if you have time to wander further afield than the Champs Elysées. In fact, I think that the best shopping Paris has to offer comes in the form of small, local boutiques featuring unique French brands rather than the big glitzy shops of international labels. Obviously, there are shops like this all over Paris, but when you are pressed for time it’s a good idea to head to an area where you can find a mixture of things in a small geographical area- this leaves more time for trying things on!
A top area is undoubtedly the Marais in the III Arrondissement, particularly Rue Francs Bourgeois. On this charming narrow street which epitomises Parisian architecture, you can find a nice mix of clothing stores, gift stores, jewellery stores, make up stores, shoe stores and then some! American Retro, near the Rue des Archives end of the road is aimed at the younger generation, but upstairs they have some simple but elegant casual pieces. Further down the road is my favourite, Les Petites, a French label that has something for everyone, and uses breath taking fabrics and colours. Be sure to look in both shops (they are next door to each other) as they do stock different things. On the corner of Rue du Temple and Rue Francs Bourgeois there is a Paul & Joe sister and man which, although not French, is certainly worth a look.
If you are after gifts, there is a Muji on this street too (again, 2 shops next door to each other with different stock) and if you haven't been into one of these before, you must go, just to be wowed by the simple yet useful designs. The beanbags, as strange as this may sound, are a whole new world
Makeup shops, mainly big chains, abound towards the end of Francs Bourgeois; Mac, Body Shop and Occitane are all within a stones throw of one another.
If you find yourself on the left bank of the Seine, around Saint Germain, it becomes clear pretty quickly that you are in shopping heaven. Though sometimes rather expensive, the shops here are irresistible, and there are certainly some more affordable things on offer. On Boulevard Saint Germain, there is a Shu Uemura makeup store; the staff are very helpful so go in, it's not as scary as it looks! If you turn down Boulevard Raspail, you will come across a series of lovely shoe shops, my favourite being Jonak, a chain store with gorgeous stock. The designs are simple yet wonderful, and the prices are so reasonable that you can buy two pairs of shoes without feeling guilty!
If you head west from here, you can stroll up Rue Grenelle, a veritable treasure trove. The street features two designers from the famous Antwerp 6, making it more like visiting art galleries than commercial centres, so absolutely worth a peak. Sonya Rykiel's shoes are out of this world, but the most fascinating store has to be Martin Margiela. A small white awning is all that mark the entrance to the shop, so keep your eyes peeled. Inside the white continues, right down to the staff who all don white lab coats. The clothes, while not necessarily something you would wear every day, are beautifully designed and made. The men’s section is particularly impressive.
Rue Saint Honore, a big long street which runs parallel to Rue de Rivoli, is an absolute must. There is everything you could imagine, and some. The pick of the bunch is the Colette store, on the corner of Rue du 29 Juillet. This shop, which sells clothes upstairs, coffee and lunch downstairs and everything else on the main floor is like stepping into a magazine. Don't miss out on the spray on makeup, or the mix-to-taste perfume counters!
If you are after smaller things, like gifts and jewellery, a great spot is the Passage du Grand Cerf, just down from Rue Montorgueil in the II Arrondissement. This passage, which is all glamorous art deco, is at its most stunning in winter time when it is decorated with fairy lights and a red carpet- don't forget the camera! Each little shop in the passage has something unique to offer, so take your time wandering around.
The list could really go on and on, Paris shopping is truly limitless! These are certainly some good places to get you started though, and if you are a real shop-a-holic, you can always get a personal guide to cater to your every need!
A top area is undoubtedly the Marais in the III Arrondissement, particularly Rue Francs Bourgeois. On this charming narrow street which epitomises Parisian architecture, you can find a nice mix of clothing stores, gift stores, jewellery stores, make up stores, shoe stores and then some! American Retro, near the Rue des Archives end of the road is aimed at the younger generation, but upstairs they have some simple but elegant casual pieces. Further down the road is my favourite, Les Petites, a French label that has something for everyone, and uses breath taking fabrics and colours. Be sure to look in both shops (they are next door to each other) as they do stock different things. On the corner of Rue du Temple and Rue Francs Bourgeois there is a Paul & Joe sister and man which, although not French, is certainly worth a look.
If you are after gifts, there is a Muji on this street too (again, 2 shops next door to each other with different stock) and if you haven't been into one of these before, you must go, just to be wowed by the simple yet useful designs. The beanbags, as strange as this may sound, are a whole new world
Makeup shops, mainly big chains, abound towards the end of Francs Bourgeois; Mac, Body Shop and Occitane are all within a stones throw of one another.
If you find yourself on the left bank of the Seine, around Saint Germain, it becomes clear pretty quickly that you are in shopping heaven. Though sometimes rather expensive, the shops here are irresistible, and there are certainly some more affordable things on offer. On Boulevard Saint Germain, there is a Shu Uemura makeup store; the staff are very helpful so go in, it's not as scary as it looks! If you turn down Boulevard Raspail, you will come across a series of lovely shoe shops, my favourite being Jonak, a chain store with gorgeous stock. The designs are simple yet wonderful, and the prices are so reasonable that you can buy two pairs of shoes without feeling guilty!
If you head west from here, you can stroll up Rue Grenelle, a veritable treasure trove. The street features two designers from the famous Antwerp 6, making it more like visiting art galleries than commercial centres, so absolutely worth a peak. Sonya Rykiel's shoes are out of this world, but the most fascinating store has to be Martin Margiela. A small white awning is all that mark the entrance to the shop, so keep your eyes peeled. Inside the white continues, right down to the staff who all don white lab coats. The clothes, while not necessarily something you would wear every day, are beautifully designed and made. The men’s section is particularly impressive.
Rue Saint Honore, a big long street which runs parallel to Rue de Rivoli, is an absolute must. There is everything you could imagine, and some. The pick of the bunch is the Colette store, on the corner of Rue du 29 Juillet. This shop, which sells clothes upstairs, coffee and lunch downstairs and everything else on the main floor is like stepping into a magazine. Don't miss out on the spray on makeup, or the mix-to-taste perfume counters!
If you are after smaller things, like gifts and jewellery, a great spot is the Passage du Grand Cerf, just down from Rue Montorgueil in the II Arrondissement. This passage, which is all glamorous art deco, is at its most stunning in winter time when it is decorated with fairy lights and a red carpet- don't forget the camera! Each little shop in the passage has something unique to offer, so take your time wandering around.
The list could really go on and on, Paris shopping is truly limitless! These are certainly some good places to get you started though, and if you are a real shop-a-holic, you can always get a personal guide to cater to your every need!
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