15 49.0138 8.38624 both 0 bullet 0 4000 1 0 horizontal https://www.messynessychic.com 300 4000

Category / My Secret Paris

The Man who Lives in a Paris Bridge

I pass the Pont Louis Philippe most days, whizzing by on a scooter along the banks of the Seine. At the foot of the last arch on the right bank, there is a door that has been mystifying me for a while now, because it appears that someone lives there… On the most recent occasion…

They Built a Life-Sized Stunt Double of Paris

Remember when French authorities built a miniature version of Paris to save the city from Nazi bomb-fire? Well, it wouldn’t be the last time the City of Lights required a stunt double. The second time, however, was under much cheerier circumstances: the filming of the Leos Carax’s cult ’90s French film, Les Amants du Pont-Neuf. Initially, Carax…

The Nazi Bunker Sitting Under a Paris Train Station

Unbeknownst to the thousands of passengers that pass through the station each day, right under their feet, between platforms 2 and 3 at the Gare de l’Est (East Train Station) lies an old concrete World War II bomb shelter. One of the busiest stations in the heart of Paris, the 19th century terminal is hiding a 120m²…

Why Paris’ Greatest Art Nouveau Metro Stop Is No More

No one does nostalgia better than Parisians, who just seem to have a real knack for sprinkling eccentric, liveable history into their everyday routine. Case in point? Those luscious Art Nouveau metro stops, or “dragonflies” as they were dubbed by locals at the time of their construction in the 1900s. The green, arabesque forms were…

The Little Paris Beekeeping School

Paris as you know, is like a jewel box, hiding endless little gems; another of which I’m going to share with you today, nestled in the iconic Jardin du Luxembourg. Begin by finding the south west entrance to the gardens on Rue d’Assas, near Hemingway’s old stomping grounds, and turn right into the fruit orchard…

Parisian Pads You Can Borrow for an Epic Party

So I heard Paris is cracking down on Airbnb landlords again. The city is officially making it mandatory for landlords to register their lodgings with city hall before listing it to vacationers online, as well as imposing a 120-day limit to rent their properties. For French entrepreneurs trying to make the most out of their…

Metro Makeovers for the Abandoned Stations of Paris

Anyone who wants to make a swimming pool out of an abandoned metro station neglected for 75 years, has definitely got my attention. The ghosts of the Parisian underground could soon be resurrected if city voters play their cards right in the upcoming mayoral elections. Promising candidate, Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet, who would become the first female to…

Adopt a Seat at the Paris Opera

Imagine having your name engraved in a seat at the mythical Opera Garnier in Paris, the theatre that inspired The Phantom of the Opera and has hosted some of the world’s most iconic bottoms in its red velvet chairs. After hearing about the opportunity to adopt one, I’ve spent my morning wondering how to make…

Don’t be a Tourist in Paris, the Movie Trailer

For anyone out there who doesn’t do Facebook, Instagram or newsletters and just like to come straight to my little corner of the web for your goods, you might not have seen this: my first ever book “Don’t be a Tourist in Paris” comes with its very own movie trailer. Never hurts to be prepared for…

10 Clues to Unlock Paris

You should have seen the MessyNessy office today, because boy, was it living up to its messy name (get a behind the scenes look here on Insta stories). It was pretty ironic since the goal was to shoot my new book, surrounded by ‘things organised neatly’. So that’s what you’re about to see: ten very tidy portraits of…

NEWER POSTS 1 … 15 16 17 … 19 OLDER POSTS