As Paris, Paris cruises through it's ninth printing, and we enjoy the company on our private walking tours of more and more of its (smart, savvy, curious) readers, the time has come to share a handful of our favorite spots, some of the places that make Paris, Paris — which is what the book (and our tours) is all about.
The Luxembourg: Sit, Stroll, Sip Coffee nearby
It’s easy to guess why the Luxembourg Garden is my favorite park in town. That’s saying a lot in this city of fabulous gardens. Where else can you see George Sand, Charles Baudelaire and Frédéric Chopin – not to mention Alfred de Musset and Henri Murger of “La Bohème – striking poses as if resurrected from the dead?
Mossy sculptures of my Romantic idols lurk amid the greenery of the garden’s meandering paths. I like to pay homage to them several times a week. Even after 26 years of living in Paris it’s a learning experience.
In Paris, Paris: Journey into the City of Light the chapter about the Luxembourg Garden explores how Parisians – and visitors – often spend entire days lounging here. Watching ducks in a pool—or lovers sitting by the Médicis Fountain—can be as instructive as reading reams of history.
Before or after a stroll I clock in at Café Rostand facing the park, to sip strong coffee and read the local papers. The coffee is not great but the atmosphere is. You can hear the ticks from the big round clock hanging from the ceiling: there’s no Wi-Fi, no corporate spiel, and no rush. The service is totally Parisian and un-subservient.
Come back soon for Part Two: Discovering the Blvd Richard-Lenoir open market, Café de l’Industrie and Canal St-Martin.
Read the whole 5-piece discovery series in one big bite on Sweet Leisure, a fun travel blog by Susan Katzman
Be First to Comment