Richard Nahem’s Paris
May 12, 2009
Photos Erica Berman
Like many American ex-pats, Richard Nahem came to Paris to pursue a dream. Upon seeing the city for the first time twenty-five years earlier, he had vowed to live here someday. And after spending twenty years as a chef/caterer in NYC, Richard finally did what many Americans only dream of doing—he packed his bags and hopped a flight.
Since doing so four years ago, he has slowly built the “Eye Prefer Paris” brand, which includes his blog and Paris tour service. For first-time visitors to Paris, Richard’s tours offer a balance of background information and insider tips. His clients range from couples on vacation to packs of traveling girl scouts, and as a result, he customizes each tour to meet his clients’ needs and expectations. Each 3-hour tour costs 175 EUR (for a group of up to 4 people) and focuses on a specific Parisian neighborhood.
Photo Erica Berman taken on an Eye Prefer Paris Tour in 2008!
Last week, I tagged along on one of his tours of the historic Marais, where he led us to a hole-in-the-wall Israeli market, a shop with hand-crafted chocolates, a clothing store where every item is hand-dyed to order, the Jewish district near rue des Rosiers, and the breathtaking Place des Vosges, where we browsed through a quirky music shop full of antique instruments. While I have spent significant time in the Marais, Richard’s tour drew my attention to architecture, hidden courtyards and gardens, shops, and historical facts that I had never before stopped to consider. His familiarity with the neighborhood and its proprietors—many of whom greeted him by name—offered a unique lens through which to interpret the quartier, whose most interesting features are often overshadowed by the recent commercial development.
Photo Courtesy of Richard Nahem
As an ex-pat who came here in pursuit of a dream, Richard enjoys sharing “his” Paris with newcomers to the city. From architecture and history, to shopping and design, to food and local cuisine, Richard’ easy-going attitude and unique perspective ensures that clients will uncover a Paris all their own.
http://www.eyepreferparistours.com
Written by Tory Hoen
After attending Brown University and spending two years in New York, Tory bought a one-way ticket to Paris to pursue her dream of becoming a writer (and of drinking wine at lunch). During her time in the City of Light, she chronicled the euphoric highs and the laughable lows of ex-pat life on her blog, A Moveable Beast. Though she's now based in New York, she travels frequently to Montreal and Brazil, and she'll use just about any excuse to jet to Paris ("I ran out of fleur de sel"). A regular contributor to Hip Paris, Tory also writes for New York Magazine, Time Out New York, and she is a co-author of Gradspot.com's Guide To Life After College.
Website: http://www.toryhoen.com/
Tags: Eye Prefer Paris, Marais, Paris guided tours, Paris sightseeing, Paris tourism, Paris tours, Paris walking tours, Richard Nahem, tory hoen
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