48 Hours in Paris
Anthony Bourdain (Chef, Broadcaster, Parts Unknown & No Reservations) said of Paris -' ‘Walk a little, get lost a bit, eat, catch a breakfast buzz, have a nap, try and have sex if you can, just not with a mime. Eat again. Lounge around drinking coffee. Maybe read a book. Drink some wine, walk around a bit more, eat, repeat. See? It’s easy.’ Add in browsing independent boutiques, a turn through Le Bon Marche, a peek in one of the grand designers’ showroom and a potter through a weekend brocante and it doesn’t get better for me.
If you have only a couple of days or if it is your first time, keep your itinerary short and loose and your area small. The 6th and 7th arrondissements are perfect, sweet little boutique hotels, fairytale perfect streets lined with bistros, achingly gorgeous Parisienne fashion and flanked by the Seine and Luxembourg Gardens at either ends north south and by one of my favourite streets Rue de Seine and the Musée d'Orsay and Les Invalides east to west - easily navigable on foot and a beautiful taste of the City of Lights. Keep the map in your pocket and wander, you’ll find me on the terrace at La Palette looking up Rue de Seine.
If you need a little more of a plan, use Rue Bonaparte and Rue Jacob as your compass. Traveling with littlies, give them a run around Luxembourg Gardens first - the playground is wonderful and has toilets which is worth the entry fee in itself and at weekends they can sail a boat on the pond or ride a pony, whilst you visit the current exhibition at the gallery. After a cafe en terrasse at Café de la Mairie, keep an eye out for the priests arriving in their robes at the Church of Saint Sulpice opposite, potter up Rue Bonaparte, across Boulevard St Germain, past the famous Abbaye Saint Germain des Pres and Café Flore, across Rue Jacob toward the Seine. Stop for a browse, coffee and a people watch wherever catches your eye and with a bit of luck, by the time you have arrived at the river you will have a treasure or two tucked under your arm. Standing at the Seine, you are just a hop, skip and a jump away from the Tuileries, the Louvre, Rue St Honoré, Palais Royal and gorgeous Galerie Vivienne. The Palais Royal is a fabulous mid flâneur place to let restless little legs run, climb or jump off their sillies before shopping or sitting down to eat (grab a takeaway coffee at Cafe Kitsuné and a seat on a bench to wait). Stroll back down to the 6th via beautiful Rue du Bac, peeking in at Deyrolle and darling Café Varenne, maybe the Rodin Museum, and onto Le Bon Marche (do not miss the Grand Epicerie next door), settle in for an apero at Freddy’s, Maison Sauvage or Bar du Marche on Rue de Buci and watch the passing parade before finishing off your day at Semilla or Aux Près for supper. It’s a beautiful, manageable loop and with a couple of treats for children and finishing for dinner back where you started, keeps everyone happy. On day two, revisit your favourites from day one, spend longer en terrasse watching the world go by and add in a long wander along the Seine to visit the Eiffel Tower.
xxSara
Stay
Hôtel Récaimier - bijoux gem for couples and families alike, two rooms can be combined to make a fabulous family suite with views across Saint Sulpice. No Restaurant, but Café de la Mairie just across the square has service continu for coffee, petite dej through to supper.
Relais Christine - utterly charming, superb location, the duplex suites are great for families with one child or two petite ones who are still in the share the sofa bed when traveling stage.
Eat
La Palette
Café Varenne
Semilla
Aux Prés
Le Comptoir du Relais
Café Flore
Beaupassage
Shop
Le Bon Marché
Repetto - the best handmade ballet flats
Soeur
Marin Montagut
Hermès - the Rue de Severes store has amazing architecture
Officine Buly
Alix D Reynis
Sezane
Place Furstenbug
Astier de Villante
Le Chocolate Alain Ducasse
