Little Miss in Paris

“Paris is always a good idea” – Audrey Hepburn

Last weekend was spent in possibly the prettiest place in the world – Paris. If you want to escape everyday life for a couple of days, head to the French capital for all things crossiant, macaroon and coffee-filled.

In the city of love there are so many things to do it’s impossible to cover off in one blog post – but here is a few ideas of  how to while away the days in Paris…

Weather permitting, a walk along the Seine cannot be beaten.

We were lucky enough this weekend to have some sunshine, the first of the year, so we ensured we sat and sunned ourselves with a stop off at the Jardins du Tuileries on one of the handy free deck chairs littered around the garden.

Following this, a quick walk away on Rue du Rivoli it was time for a hot chocolate and macaroon pick-me-up courtesy of Angelina’s. One of the most delectable little places in the whole of Paris, Angelina’s is old-school parisian charm on acid – it’s perfection. Famous for it’s Chocolat Chaud, we ordered to see what all the fuss was about. Well…it was easy to see why it’s gained its reputation. Thick but not too thick, rich and flavoursome without being sickly and served with an obnoxious dollop of fresh cream *sigh*. C’est parfait.

Following our little hot choc pitstop, I got distracted by the adorable shop on the way out and couldn’t walk away without a token to take away. Plumping for the world famous chocolate bottled to sup away at home in Notting Hill, we also purchased a tin of the homemade Angelina’s blend of tea to add to my rapidly growing tea collection.

Next up, it was time for a Shakespeare and Company bookshop fix. So, this now-famous bookshop has made it’s name thanks to the influx of its inclusion in the guide books BUT it really is great. Still run by local and loyal Parisians, it somehow keeps it charm. You might even be lucky and get invited upstairs for a book party…

I picked up a little bargain in Gertrude Stein’s Paris (review coming shortly) and oohed and ahh-ed over the beautifully curated selection of reads. Even found this little gem to remind me of home for all of 3 euros 🙂

Nearby to the bookshop, you can head to the Ile Saint Louis just off Notre Dame for the best Bretagne crepes and authentic cider.

After a quick nip back to the hotel and change, it was supper time. Thanks to Trip Advisor and the boy’s thorough research, we found ourselves in deepest Le Marais district at a tiny restaurant with an unassuming entrance called Restaurant L’Ange 20.

The day’s menu was brought to us on a chalk board with a choice of either 2 courses for a very reasonable 22 euro or three courses for 28 euro. Obviously we plumped for three (rude not to) and sat back to enjoy an incredibly delicious meal filled with foie gras pate and fresh bread, duck cooked two ways and slow cooked lamb cooked for 7 hours, followed by pear and gooey hot chocolate dessert – all washed down with a couple of carafes of vin rouge. Couldn’t recommend this teeny little local restaurant enough if you are looking for a tasty meal off the beaten track.

Stuffed to the brim but still having left room for a cocktail, it was next to Hotel Du Crillion where we had been promised we’d have the best cocktail of our lives. We weren’t disappointed.

Hands down, the Rose du Crillion cocktail is the best drink I have ever had. It tasted like a fresh summer day, and the alcohol in it wasn’t even detected but must have been strong as following this, we headed home to hit the sack before another day of exploring in the French capital.

Sunday mornings call for only one thing in Paris – digesting Saturday night’s antics over breakfast at Cafe de Flore. Frequented by all the famous artists of the 20th Century including Hemingway and Fitzgerald, the cafe is situated in the Saint Germain du Pres area.

Following breakfast and fantastic people watching, you can wander round the area looking into the shops, bookstores and macaroon sellers for a good few hours. Just remember that in Paris on a Sunday, nothing happens until midday so don’t leave the hotel too early as everything will be closed.

With the weather turning colder and our feet in need of a rest, we headed to the Rue Saint Honore area to oogle all of the fabulous designer windows, home to the likes of Chanel, Hermes and Dior and popped into the Hotel Costes (fashion week’s favourite) for a chocolat chaud and to snack on assorted nuts.

The smell of this perfect little Parisian hotel was too good – it’s infused into every room and I categorically had to somehow bottle this to take back to my little one-bed home in Notting Hill. After practising out my French on the model-like waitress, I was told the hotel handily sold a range of scented candles so off I toddled to the ‘shop’ and purchased this beautiful smell which is now in my own little home.

All in all, a delightful sejourn away from the craziness of London life.

We will no doubt be back so keep checking back from a Little Miss in Paris Part Deux. Have you visited any other great parts of Paris?

LMNH x