A friend of mine went to Paris for a few days and asked me for some recommendations. I was delighted to share some of my favourite places with her and put together an itinerary for her.
Matinée parisienne, Paris 2014 - Copyrights @ Estelle Morali-Silver
When I was a teenager, I was lucky enough to visit Paris often. My cousin was studying at the École des Beaux-Arts, and she would take me around the city, introducing me to beautiful places and acting as my personal guide through its galleries and museums. I still visit Paris regularly, and there is always something new to discover: a museum, a restaurant, a bookshop or a pâtisserie.
Even when I am at home, Paris is never very far away. I return to it through books, music and films, and each one offers a different way of seeing the city.
Musée de l’Orangerie, Copyrights © Estelle Morali-Silver
Last time I went, for example, I visited the Musée de l'Orangerie. The museum is famous for Monet's Nymphéas (Water Lilies), but it is also home to the Jean Walter and Paul Guillaume collection, with works by artists including Renoir, Cézanne, Matisse, Picasso and Modigliani.
Before you go to Paris, get into the Parisian mood!
Read La Cantatrice chauve and La Leçon
Written by Eugène Ionesco, La Cantatrice chauve (The Bald Soprano) and La Leçon (The Lesson) are two of the best-known examples of the Theatre of the Absurd. Both have been performed at the Théâtre de la Huchette in Paris for decades, where they form part of a remarkable theatrical tradition.
If you are learning French, reading the plays beforehand will help you follow the dialogue and appreciate their wonderfully strange humour.
La Cantatrice chauve in particular has no conventional plot: the characters are eccentric, the conversations become increasingly absurd, and language itself seems to lose its usual logic. It is wonderfully funny.
Watch French Films
There are plenty of films that will put you in the mood for Paris. You could watch Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain (Amélie), Paris, je t'aime, La Môme, Eiffel or even Midnight in Paris. Each film offers a different vision of the city, from the romantic and whimsical to the historical and dreamlike.
Listen to Famous French Singers
Music is another wonderful way to get a feel for Paris before you arrive. Serge Gainsbourg's Le Poinçonneur des Lilas, Édith Piaf's Sous le ciel de Paris and Charles Trenet's Ménilmontant are all closely associated with the city and its history.
Listen to the lyrics as well as the music. Even if you don't understand every word, you may recognise some of the places and images you will encounter during your day in Paris.
French Lessons
And, of course, a little French practice before your trip can make you feel much more confident when ordering a coffee, asking for directions or chatting to people you meet along the way.
Why not take a few online French lessons before your trip and arrive in Paris ready to use your French?
You are now in Paris.
Your Parisian day begins. I have put together an itinerary that takes you from sculpture and gardens to French food, architecture, shopping, painting and theatre. It is a fairly full day, so feel free to adapt it to your own pace. The idea is not to see everything, but to enjoy a few different sides of Paris along the way.
1. Visit the Musée Zadkine
Start your day at the Musée Zadkine, a small and intimate museum in the heart of Saint-Germain-des-Prés.
The sculptor Ossip Zadkine and his wife, the painter Valentine Prax, lived and worked here from 1928 until Zadkine's death in 1967. The house, studio and garden offer a glimpse into their lives and work, and the peaceful setting makes this a lovely place to begin your day.
Look out for Rebecca ou La Grande Porteuse d'eau, one of Zadkine's sculptures from 1927.
Rebecca ou La Grande porteuse d'eau by Ossip Zadkine (1927)
2. Walk through the Jardin du Luxembourg
From the Musée Zadkine, make your way towards the beautiful Jardin du Luxembourg.
The gardens were created in 1612 at the request of Marie de Medici and were inspired by the Boboli Gardens in Florence. Take your time wandering among the trees, statues and flowerbeds before continuing your journey through Paris.
If you are travelling with children, don't miss the traditional toy sailboats on the large basin. Children of all ages can rent one and sail it across the water.
For a small fee, children (big or small) can rent a toy sailboat from this man and sail it in the grand basin.
© Estelle Morali-Silver
3. Stop for lunch
By now, you will probably be ready for lunch. Head to Le Choupinet, a modern Parisian brasserie at 58 Boulevard Saint-Michel, right opposite the Jardin du Luxembourg.
It is a lovely spot to stop for a traditional French meal before continuing your afternoon. The menu features brasserie classics as well as dishes from the rotisserie, with plenty of choice for different tastes.
If the weather is fine, you can sit on the terrace and watch Paris go by. After all, there are few better places to enjoy lunch than on the Left Bank, just a stone's throw from the Jardin du Luxembourg.
4. Visit the Église Saint-Sulpice
After lunch, head towards the Église Saint-Sulpice.
Saint-Sulpice is one of the largest churches in Paris and is particularly famous for its magnificent organ, built by Aristide Cavaillé-Coll, as well as the paintings by Eugène Delacroix in the Chapel of the Holy Angels.
Take a moment to look at the details of the building and its artwork. It is also a wonderful place to pause and escape the bustle of the surrounding streets.
The famous pipe organ was constructed by Aristide Cavaillé-Coll in 1862.
5. Treat yourself to something sweet
No day in Paris would be complete without a pâtisserie stop.
When I first wrote this article, I recommended Christophe Michalak, whose creations included a millefeuille with vanilla, tonka and caramel.
Whatever you choose, this is your excuse to stop for something sweet before continuing your afternoon.
6. Explore Saint-Germain-des-Prés
You are now in one of the most famous neighbourhoods of Paris: Saint-Germain-des-Prés.
Take a leisurely walk along Rue de Rennes, Rue de Sèvres and Boulevard Saint-Germain. Browse the shops, bookshops and cafés, and simply enjoy the atmosphere.
Don't rush. Some of the pleasure of Paris comes from wandering without a particular destination.
7. Discover the musée Delacroix
Earlier in the day, you saw Delacroix's paintings inside Saint-Sulpice. Now you can discover more about the artist at the Musée Eugène Delacroix.
The museum occupies Delacroix's final home and studio. He moved here in 1857, partly because of its proximity to Saint-Sulpice, where he was working on his monumental paintings for the Chapel of the Holy Angels.
The house and garden provide a much more intimate perspective on the artist than a conventional gallery. Take time to look around the studio and enjoy the peaceful garden.
The beautiful house of Delacroix and its garden.
© Estelle Morali-Silver
8. Wander around the Île de la Cité
As evening approaches, make your way towards the Île de la Cité.
Before your theatre performance, take some time to wander through the historic heart of Paris. You don't need a particular destination: cross the bridges, explore the narrow streets and enjoy the views along the Seine.
This is also a good opportunity to slow down before the final part of your day.
9. Spend the evening at le théâtre de la Huchette
It's 7 p.m. and time for the theatre.
Head to the Théâtre de la Huchette, a tiny and much-loved theatre in the Latin Quarter. This is where you will see Ionesco's La Cantatrice chauve and La Leçon, which you hopefully read before coming to Paris.
The theatre has been presenting these two plays for decades, making it a particularly Parisian way to end the cultural part of your day.
10. Finish with galettes and crêpes
And finally, you have earned dinner.
What better way to finish your day than with a traditional French crêpe or galette? When I first wrote this article, I recommended La Crêperie de la Petite Bouclerie on Rue de la Harpe. If you are particularly hungry, I also suggested Le Petit Châtelet on Rue de la Bûcherie.
After a long day of walking, art, food and theatre, sit back, order a galette or a crêpe, and enjoy one last taste of Paris.
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