Country Bumpkin Lane in Paris

Okay, so that’s not its real name, but they should just call this place what it really is– a countryside paradise in the heart of Paris. A zippy ten minutes from the Eiffel Tower on my mobilette and I had putt-putted my way to Pernety in the 14th arrondissement, a very family-orientated neighbourhood with lots…

HOW TO DO PARIS LIKE A LOCAL

… and pretending like you really give a – okay okay fine, some people do, I get it. But instead of browsing dead people’s art (hope I’m not coming across as insensitive to the art world or anything), why not take advantage of the fact that hey, you’re alive, and probably capable of being creative…

Paris is Removing its Iconic Kiosks. So What Will Become of Them?

I woke up one morning in Paris, headed to the boulangerie, when I noticed a strange new structure had been installed on the sidewalk overnight. It took me a moment to figure out what it was. One of those self-cleaning public toilets? A construction crew’s cabin for yet another roadwork about to begin? And then…

The Last Makers of the Parisian Café Chair

Stepping inside Maison Gatti is like entering Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory for Francophiles and furniture connoisseurs alike. Nestled in the Parisian commune of Fontainebleau, the atelier is the last of its kind — and one of the few surviving sources for authentic Parisian bistro chairs. As such, Gatti has become the guardian of a long-standing…

The Lost Floating Pools of Paris

Once upon a time, the banks of the river Seine were lined with giant floating swimming pools. In the 19th century, one could take swimming lessons next to the Pont Neuf and in the 1970s, sunbathe topless on the upper deck of the Piscine Deligny, which was moored in the 7th arrondissement right in front…

Why the Newspaper Kiosks in Paris are so Important

Paris’ 150 year-old newspaper kiosk could be considered one of the most “charming” little features of its urban landscape. A nostalgic reminder of simpler and more romantic times, largely unchanged over the years since they first appeared in 1857 during Baron Haussmann’s renovation of Paris. Just like London’s iconic red telephone booth, the Parisian kiosk…

Did the Rooftop Bees of Notre Dame Survive?

It took me several days to think of the bees. After the smoke had cleared and the heartbreak settled in, I remembered: they kept beehives up there. So you might be wondering too: were the honeybees spared from the fire that ravaged Notre Dame and left the world in disbelief on that black Monday evening…

Thoughts for Our Lady of France

I wish I had taken your picture a thousand more times, my beautiful neighbour. For all the history lovers, architecture lovers (who feel that buildings have souls), Paris lovers: we are all no doubt feeling the same helplessness and sadness for Notre Dame. I think of the artisans who have spent the last decade tirelessly…

10 Romantic Things to Do in Paris (OTHER than Love-Locking on a Bridge)

So you might have heard about our famous “love-locking” bridges in Paris giving way under the strain of thousands of padlocks, calling for authorities to block the practice with preventative barriers. It’s a tradition which has fast become a total and utter tourist cliché. The sheer amount of padlocks simply shows that there’s nothing unique about it. So while the love-locking bridges…

The Vault

13 Paris Cafés, an Ode to the Sidewalk Culture I’ll Never Give Up

Today I normally post you my weekly “13 Things I Found on the Internet” from Paris, and just as I always have, I will. But on this Monday I also wanted to pay tribute in my own small way, to the events of Friday, November 13th which happened in the city I call home. Above, Café…

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