Our first 2 hotels were in the 9th, so I spent some time wandering the 9th and Montmartre. The Rue des Martyrs is a gluttons dream, with a million gorgeous bakeries, ice cream shops, and restaurants. Perfect for exploring.
We stayed in each hotel for 2 days, (sandwiched between Germany and Belgium) and this time was also spent working without a lot of time for exploration. The morning my vacation started, I woke up dreadfully early to a pouring rain, and gleefully went out in it to shoot film photos (still to be developed) and to experience a wet, dreary Paris with less people! It was divine, though I was soaked to the bone. I ducked into Rose Bakery to dry off for a moment, and had a religious experience with the most lemony sweet slice of lemon cake and a (perfectly) unsweetened cup of chocolat chaud. While I sat and read, families had their breakfasts, Paris woke up, and the rain drummed down outside. So. Perfect. So, after a week of stress, my time to myself was off to a nice start. My first OMG, I’M IN PARIS morning.
The night before, I’d zigged and zagged my way up to Sacré Coeur, past the funicula, up one million steps, past dozens of darling wee boutiques. I ended up feeling like passing out from the heat, and had to stop and just admire Sacré Coeur from afar, resting & then weaving my way back down random little side streets. I wish I had more time to explore this area. And endless amounts of money, to shop. Sigh. I’m still having Parisian sticker-shock.
Chandeliers in the morning, through the rain.
One of the prettiest stained glass pieces I’ve ever seen.
See
Sacré Coeur
35 Rue du Chevalier de La Barre
Musee des la Vie Romantiques
16, rue Chaptal
Eat
Rose Bakery
46 rue des Martyrs
A la Mere de Famille
35 rue du Faubourg Montmartre
The best ice cream I have ever eaten, and I eat a LOT of ice cream. Also, one of (or the?) oldest confiserie in Paris. It’s probably good that it was so baking hot in Paris or I would have tried to bring home baskets full of chocolate.
Green Pizz
8, rue Cadet
Healthy, delicious individual pizzas.
Hôtel Amour
8, Rue Navarin
Great food, and the back courtyard is ideal on a hot day.
Au Grain de Folie
24 rue La Vieuville
Charmingly decorated vegetarian restaurant.
Caramella
47 rue des Martyrs
Stay
9 Hotel
14, rue Papillon
Hotel Pulitzer
23, rue du Faubourg Montmartre
i was just reading this morning that carole lombard was addicted to ice cream cones & i thought of you.
if my mother were around today i would be emailing her this entry with a “YOU MUST READ THIS!!!!!!” all in bold. she was infatuated with paris and wanted to explore it one day and this entry just gives me goosebumps. i cannot wait to see how your film photos turn out. that stained glass is so gorgeous there is a lump in my throat, i cannot get over these shots. this is just what i needed this afternoon.
oh yes, it looks as though you had Paris all to yourself. ha! imagine that!
I think your entries about your trip are so indicative of every travel experience (I’ve had, at least). My boyfriend is immune to culture shock, and rarely understands why I have to melt down due to tiredness and DAS (Dumb American Syndrome) about 2 days in. When your feet are killing you and you can’t find a friendly face and you are lost and hot…..well you offer great solutions to these problems without denying them. Thank you. Iced Rose and your own book! (Also I may have to get a fancy phone with GPS. EVRY walk I take seems to be a Situationist one, ha ha)
Welcome home….
Such beautiful pictures. I love Paris so, so much. I’ll have to remember some of the amazing places you visited (like that confiserie! amazing!) for the next time I go!
Your pictures are so lovely! The chandelier through the rain, perfect.
Oh my heavens – these are so perfect and beautiful and happy-making!
I want it all – but especially I want to see what those pretty tins
in the candy-shop window are! I’ve got the pretty tin lust-fever!
this whole post has my heart sighing with hopes and dreams of being there someday.
actually, i have been to paris (as well as germany and belguim) when i was about eleven years old. i went on a european tour with my mom, her best friend and her best friend’s brother. it was quite the experience but it feels (and is!) like a lifetime ago…
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Have a fabulous weekend! xo
For someone who’s favourite colour is blue, that hydrotherapie shop looks like the sort of place I might like to live in, lol. Maybe someday
Thanks for sharing!