Carams

La musique

February 23: Brooklyn rockers Real Estate, whose albums are consistently rated Best New Music by Pitchfork and the like, will perform at Nouveau Casino.

February 24: Pop-dance producers Simian Mobile Disco,  a British duo that broke off from previous band Simian, will perform a DJ set at La Machine du Moulin Rouge.

Dave Bloom

Les arts

Through February 19: Les Femmes savantes, a favorite amongst Molière’s work and a satirical criticism of the ridiculous préciosité that penetrated 18^th century French salons, is showing at the Théâtre de la Tempête.

Through February 19: Chic! Une grande maison at Cité de l’Architecture et du Patrimoine – a look into the history of Paris architecture, specifically the lovely hôtels particuliers that dot the city. Child friendly.

Through March 15: You may know Maxim’s for its resto and boutique, but they also have an exhibition space and this month “Moi, Sarah Bernhardt” is on show. Bernhardt, often thought of as the world’s first and most famous actress, paved the way for female performers to come. Now you can take a peek into her life and passion.

Matt Mansfield

Through March 25: The Maison Européenne de la Photographie’s current special exhibition showcases Brazilian photography over the past 60 years, portraying the country’s consistent search for identity. Don’t forget to stroll through the permanent collections!

Through April 6: If you have an affinity for LatAm photography, be sure to check out FOTO/GRÁFICA at Le Bal as well, a survey of Latin American photography over the past century.

Jules Morgan

Misc.

Every Friday: La Dernière Goutte, an inviting cave in the 6^th, hosts Le Wine-Down, a free wine tasting with noshes from 5-7:30pm. What better way to end the week and rub elbows with locals?

Through February 14: Traveling to Paris with votre amour for la Saint Valentin? The city will be making personal love notes public for the day, so submit your sentiments to the Mairie de Paris by the 8^th see them posted on signs all over Paris.

For more events in Paris in February, check out these links:

• Secrets of Paris
• Bonjour Paris
• Le Best of Paris

Written by Erin Dahl for the HiP Paris Blog. Looking for a fabulous vacation rental in Paris, London, Provence, or Tuscany? Check out Haven in Paris.

What can I add to this week’s hundreds of tributes to the legendary proprietor of Paris’s Shakespeare and Company bookshop, George Whitman, including one by the writer, Jeanette Winterson?

Why was she impelled to remember him in print? Because, like so many others, she had stayed at Shakespeare and Company. George Whitman started a tradition of hosting writers, most famously members of the Beat generation, and the bookshop’s ‘Tumbleweed Hotel’ is still a place where literary dreamers can exchange a few hours’ work in the shop for a bed on a bench amongst the books of George’s personal open library on the first floor.

When I came to Shakespeare and Company a couple of years ago, it was a while before I actually met George. Already in his mid-90s, he spent his days in the apartment on the top floor.

He still owned the shop downstairs, now run expertly by his daughter Sylvia and her team, its ‘Tumbleweed Hotel’ principles intact.

When they arrive, Tumbleweeds are required to write a brief biography for the shop’s records. Employed by the shop to create stair murals, I decided I would do this later. Anyway I was here to draw, not write. I wasn’t a Tumbleweed.

Was I?

The next time I stayed I didn’t write it either, but I did spend my time writing. I’d do it on the next visit.

Or the next…

The last time I visited the shop in October 2011 , Paris was cold. George had just suffered a stroke and was in hospital, ‘recovering well’. The writers’ room, with its tiny electric radiator, was warm. Under my window, tourists snapped continually; Tumbleweeds lunched at the little round table by the door; drunks gathered at the fountain; a busker turned up and performed Shakespeare’s most famous speeches in rotation. Later on, the drummers took over outside the cathedral.

I stopped writing to eat at the café across the road. The man at the next table was telling his teenage daughter – her first trip to Paris – about how he’d been to one of George’s famous Sunday teas and heard the bookseller relate how he had set off to walk from North to South America but had been forced to turn back in the impassible Central American jungle. He was like a child, the man said. It was like he didn’t understand why he just couldn’t go as far as he wanted to go.

But after opening Le Mistral in 1951, which became Shakespeare and Company in 1964, the traveler largely stayed put in Paris, dying peacefully last Wednesday in his apartment above the shop, two days after his 98th birthday.

I walked back from the café to the bookshop and got back to work.

I wrote. Notre Dame chimed ‘Three Blind Mice’ on the hour: the light went.

I thought about space: Kilometer Zero in front of Notre Dame; Place René Viviani  next to the shop where the 2010 Shakespeare and Company Literary Festival was held – a free event into which the public could wander. That was the last time I had seen George downstairs; wearing an extravagant paisley jacket, he was carried in triumph through the shop on a sofa held shoulder-high by Tumbleweeds.

And then there is that other space, George’s library above the shop, also open to anyone who wants to come in and use it.

I stopped work. Downstairs I heard the rumble of Tumbleweeds pulling the carts of books into the shop as they begun shutting up for the night.

The moon rose over Paris.

All these things I noticed only courtesy of the man upstairs : by staying where he was, Whitman allowed others to travel.

Thank you, George.

Written by Badaude for the HiP Paris Blog. Looking for a fabulous vacation rental in Paris, Provence, or Tuscany? Check out Haven in Paris.

As soon as our timetable lets us go, my husband and I move from our base in Amsterdam to our tiny apartment in Paris.

We’ve lived here in Paris part time for more than 4 years now, but I still discover new places, neighborhoods, and restaurants every single time we go on a stroll. Paris is inexhaustible when it comes to surprising me in any unexpected ways.

My dear friend, stylist, photographer and author Pia Jane Bijkerk, used to live here too, and she wrote a wonderful guide that everyone should have when they go to Paris. It’s a little book that takes you on a tour of Paris’ best shops and ateliers for handmade goods. So that’s right up my alley, of course.

One of the places she lists is Le Petit Atelier de Paris, so of course I went.

I fell in love with the shop instantly. Just standing outside, even the façade is charming. Inside, eyes and hands are drawn to the tables filled with handmade ceramics, all unique pieces. I’d love to work in this atelier in another life — I have secretly always wanted to be a ceramist!

They also organize small exhibits for artists from all over the world, so there is always something new and delightful to discover every time I go.  They also make small, beautifully packaged pieces that are perfect gifts to send off to family and friends. It’s a shame to even open them! Go and have a look for yourself – you won’t regret it.

Le Petit Atelier de Paris, 31 Rue de Montmerency, 75003  Paris, open from Thursday to Saturday from 13:00 – 20:00 hrs.

Related Links:

• To see more from Yvette Van Boven, including her cookbooks, illustrations and info on her restaurant in Amsterdam, check out her website
• Check out Le Petit Atelier’s website here for upcoming exhibits and information on current collections
• View Le Petit Atelier’s most recent items on their blog, here
• Read up on Pia’s fantastic book, Paris Made by Hand, in our 2009 review here.
• Can’t get to Paris to shop at Le Petit Atelier? We think Pia’s Paris Made by Hand book would make a great gift for any francophile…

Written by Yvette Van Boven for the HiP Paris Blog. All images by Patricia, aka, Memi the Rainbow; Patricia is an Italian girl who lives in Paris to study art. She is passionate about hand-carved rubber stamps, photography, and long walks through Paris, her muse; check out her fab home-made gifts at her Etsy shop. Also check out her wonderful blog here. Looking for a fabulous vacation rental in London, Paris, Provence, or Tuscany? Check out Haven in Paris.

You’d think that as a travel photographer who’s endlessly enamored of Paris, finding infinite inspiration for things to shoot in the City of Light would be proverbial cake. Well, you’d be wrong. At least where this Francophile photog is concerned!

My problem with Paris (and what a wonderful challenge to have) is that after so many visits, what was once a mysterious new wonderland to discover and dissect through the lens is now a favorite, intimately familiar old haunt. So when I found myself “stuck” in Paris for two weeks last spring per that little volcanic kerfuffle in Iceland instead of down south in new-to-me Nice, I was actually un peu perturbed.

After settling into the reality that I’d be in Paris awhile — and potentially a really long while if that blasted Eyjafjallajökull didn’t pipe down already, I finally began to relax and reflect on how best to start a fresh relationship with this city I had captured through my lens so many times before. In the end, I don’t know what I was so worried about! With a few simple adjustments to my habitual Paris routines, seeing the city anew was easy.

Even though you’re not in Venice, go ahead and get lost.

Armed with my trusty copy of Michelin’s Paris par Arrondissement, I wandered sans worry. One of the most important things I learned was to take the time to explore and absorb at a leisurely clip – day or night. Rather than defaulting to the subway, the bus became my primary mode of public transportation. Better to survey large, unfamiliar chunks of the city that way, and scout new nooks and crannies to tackle à pied. Similarly, if I did ride the metro, I used it to reach pockets of Paris that I’d never seen or strolled before. It was fantastique.

Get up early, or stay out late.

As on any trip, I set my alarm to rise and shine before the sun and the city. I love doing this and particularly in a place like Paris, both for the dreamy photo opps and for the priceless experience of watching timeless cityscapes come to life. Plus it’s just about the only way you’re going to score some private time with landmarks like La Tour Eiffel. Unless you’re willing to stay out way after dark, which isn’t really my thing, but man — talk about interesting photo opportunities.

Make your own photo scavenger hunt.

Paris is so much more than its famous landmarks, and I had a blast reminding myself of this simple fact. Architectural elements are a favorite focus of my photos, and on this trip I found myself obsessed with collecting as many of the city’s old ornate doors as my camera’s SD card would hold. And if you have a love of street art as I do, Paris is a jackpot; so many stellar examples and such a fun theme to hunt, especially if you hone in on one or two artists. On this trip I discovered the work of Leo & Pipo and enjoyed keeping my eyes peeled for their quirky installations all over town.

Take another look at the landmarks.

I thought about skipping the city’s typically touristed suspects, having enjoyed them already over multiple trips past. In compromise, I picked a few and made a point to see them anew, too. I tried to compose my shots from a variety of vantage points and distances from the subject. Mixing it up this way and folding in additional variations like time of day can make for spectacular shots. A stroll through Paris at either the Golden Hour (the hour just after sunrise and before sunset) or the Blue Hour (also known as twilight, this is the hour just before sunrise or after sundown) can also turn up some brilliant, original light combinations. And one night at the Louvre, I really did see something for the first time — the Mona Lisa!

Related Links:

• Didier Gauducheau, one of Haven in Paris’ favorite photogs, also offers guided photography tours of Paris
• Europa Photogenica also offers photo tours throughout Europe
• Do you have pictures of Paris you’d like to share and maybe see featured on this blog? Check out the HiP Paris flickr group! We would love to hear from you.

Written by Marisa Williams for the HiP Paris Blog. All images by Marisa Williams. Looking for a fabulous vacation rental in Paris, Provence, or Tuscany? Check out Haven in Paris.

The other week, as the famed Musée D’Orsay was about to celebrate a grand re-opening after two years of renovation, museum workers went on strike. The strike ended fairly quickly, but for a few agonizing days disappointed Impressionistas were left wondering how to get their art fix in Paris.

Which brings up a good point. The Musée d’Orsay and the Louvre are not exclusive guardians of the greatest art ever, despite what your guide book tells you. Yeah, yeah, you want to see the Mona Lisa. But why not get out of the big musées and discover places you never knew you wanted to? I mean, you’re in Paris, for God’s sake. You can’t throw a pavé without hitting beautiful pieces of art. They’re not all in museums. They’re in gardens, on bridges, down hidden streets. Art is everywhere. Walk around and stumble upon it.

Sculpture by Dali (Amelia Wells)

Or if you’re looking for a little more structure, here are a few ideas:

Find Monet elsewhere in Paris. If you want to see what inspired all the lily pad umbrellas and tote bags, head over to the Orangerie in the Jardin des Tuileries, renovated a few years ago. The enormity of Monet’s paintings alone is stunning. And just on the edge of Paris, near the Bois de Boulogne is the Musée Marmottan Monet, which houses over 100 works by Monsieur Monet.

Rodin’s “Eve”  (Rachel So)

Ever heard of Rodin? There are more than 130 art museums in Paris. So don’t just pin your trip on the two BIG ones. I was never much of a fan of Picasso until I went to the Musée National Picasso. (Sorry, that one is closed for renovations until 2013). Instead, make it a priority to see museums like ones dedicated to Auguste Rodin or Salvador Dalí, depending on your tastes.

Go to the source. Again, you’re in Paris, where the painters painted and the sculptors sculpted. See what inspired them in and around the city. The village of Montmartre was a practical muse. Splurge on a show at the Moulin Rouge, which inspired Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec in both painting and posters. Climb up to the windmill where Renoir created his famous painting, Dance at Moulin de la Galette. Some say that painting sparked the Impressionist movement (this is still being debated). Take a day trip to Giverny to get a close-up of Monet’s lilies or a 15-minute train ride to Argenteuil, where Monet created some of his most recognizable paintings. Travel a little further to Auvers-sur-Oise to see the church that Van Gogh made famous.

Monet’s Waterlilies at l’Orangerie (LWY)

Home is where the art is. Paris has many notable addresses of famous artists. In one block of Montmartre alone, you can find Van Gogh’s former apartment, the café where he took breakfast each day, and a former studio of Picasso. You can also hop the Métro to Batignolles in the 17^th arrondissement, where Manet and other impressionists captured cafés on canvas. Or if you’re feeling a little wistful, visit one of the big cemeteries, Père-Lachaise or Montparnasse, to see the graves of well-known artistes like Man Ray, Henri Fantin-Latour, Camille Pissarro and Georges Seurat. While Père-Lachaise has a lot of sober, ornate tombstones, Montparnasse may be the most artsy cemetery you’ll ever see.

Think local. Seek out smaller galleries. They’re everywhere and you avoid the lines and the elbowing of the big musées. And even better, most are free. You just may discover some new art that one day will hang in d’Orsay.

View From Montmartre (Nicole Gustin)

You can wait in lines to see the classics hung on walls. Or you can experience the art of Paris as the masters did. And really, why not do both?

Related Links:

• Need another arty fix? I Heart Paris checks out Yayoi Kusama’s retrospective at the Pompidou
• If you’re in Paris this weekend, don’t miss Le Fooding’s extraordinary culinary event, La Cambuse Effervescente. Get your ticket before they run out!
• Once you’re full on art and dinner, how about dessert? Adam Wayda shares his favorite Parisian patisseries

Written by Nicole Gustin for the HiP Paris Blog. Looking for a fabulous vacation rental in Paris, Provence, or Tuscany? Check out Haven in Paris.

It’s 1905 in Paris. Visitors to the Salon d’Automne are outraged. Who is that flamboyant woman with the audaciously colorful hat? Or rather who could have painted such a daring work? Matisse’s Woman with a Hat shocked most viewers. However, it was avidly appreciated, and swiftly purchased, by two new art connoisseurs; Gertrude and Leo Stein, sparking a fabulous legacy of 20th century art patronage and perhaps the greatest collection of Modern art of the era. This collection is currently brought together for the first time in decades in Paris, in a special exhibit at the Grand Palais.

The Stein family, based in San Francisco, first came to Paris in 1878 when the siblings Gertrude, Leo and Michael were still children. This initial visit must have struck a cord, as they each eventually gravitated back to Europe as adults by 1904. Having sold off their family’s holdings back in the U.S., the Steins could live a comfortable bohemian life in Paris and were quickly drawn to collecting art.

The Grand Palais exhibit opens with some fine examples of their earliest acquisitions, several works by late impressionist masters, in particular Renoir and Cezanne, purchased during their first visit to the Salon d’Automne in 1904. These works would not only adorn the walls of the Steins’ respective apartments on rue Madame and rue Fleurus, they would also serve as inspiration for the next generation of young artists who started frequenting the Steins’ Saturday night Salons, lively evenings of conversation and debate over the ensuing new ideas of the modernist movement.

The next year’s Salon d’Automne also featured the more “traditional” artists, however, just as the impressionists had shocked the art world with their innovative works forty years prior, new artists such as the bold Fauves were causing a stir. While it was Gertrude and Leo who purchased Matisse’s aforementioned masterpiece, it was Michael and Sarah who became avid collectors and friends of the artist. Over the next few decades, they almost exclusively focused their collection on his works, many of which are shown here, several displaying the unique bond Matisse had with Michael and Sarah such as the two portraits he made of them and some paintings featuring their son Allan.

Matisse might have been one of the most important leading artists of the turn of the 20th century, however, he was fervently rivaled by another visionary artist; Pablo Picasso – who in turn was greatly supported by Gertrude and Leo. Gertrude first met Picasso in 1906 and they quickly formed a strong, if not turbulent, friendship. The exhibition features a number of wonderful Picassos from their collection, including the imposing Cezanne inspired pre-cubist portrait of Gertrude, but perhaps the most intriguing are eight original sketches and studies for Picasso’s first cubist work Les Demoiselles d’Avignon (1907), tightly displayed together on one wall, just as they might have been hung on the walls rue Fleurus.

Gertrude considered herself not merely as a patron of artists, but rather as their equal, a literary modernist, gaining inspiration for her writing from their new concepts on composition as she was developing into one of the most reputed American female writers. After WWI, Gertrude’s rue de Fleurus salon reflected her increasing interest in writing, as the artists started being replaced by the Lost Generation writers.

The end of the exhibit shows her appreciation for newer artists such as Juan Gris, then Francis Picabia and Balthus. This feels like a slightly weak closure to the amazing artistic odyssey of the Steins, who helped shape the direction of art history. Overall, the exhibit, is an exciting way to take an artistic trip back in time to one of the most creative moments in modern history … and then experience a little bit of bohemian Paris yourself, wandering the streets of the Left Bank or Montmartre in the footsteps of the Steins, Picasso, Matisse and Hemmingway.

Context Travel is arranging small group and private visits of the exhibit led by modern art historians. For more information and dates click here.

Written by Lily Heise from Context Travel for the HiP Paris Blog. All images courtesy of the Grand Palais. Looking for a fabulous vacation rental in Paris, Provence, or Tuscany? Check out our website Haven in Paris.

I’m a museum junky. I love nothing more than passing a day wandering through endless corridors of art and antiquities, but after a few hours standing on hard marble, I’m usually in need of cold drinks and some serious snacks. Unfortunately, most museums suffer from what I like to call “Disneyland Dining”, overpriced, poor-quality food with limited options, usually served cafeteria style.  And that’s not the worst of it! With food in hand and nowhere to sit, hungry patrons usually have to stalk fellow diners to snag a (very dirty) table the second someone stands up – not exactly my idea of fun.

Café Richlieu-Angelina at the Louvre

There are, thankfully, a few exceptions to the rule. Lucky for me, they can also be found in some of Paris’ best museums. Delicious, well-prepared meals in beautifully decorated (and often historic) dining rooms; impeccable service and (gasp) clean tables… heaven!

Here are four of my favorites:

The Richelieu-Angelina Café at the Louvre:
You can find this little oasis right next to the entrance to the Napoleon III apartments. The white and grey interior is usually offset with huge bouquets of beautiful fresh flowers, contributing to the serene atmosphere. All of the Angelina favorites are on the menu, including gourmet salads and sandwiches. My favorite snack is a glass of wine, the cheese plate, and one of their decadent deserts. In the winter, I always order the famous hot chocolate to sip as I gaze at the fabulous view of the famous glass pyramid.

Musée d’Orsay (yellowmo) and the Café at the Jacquemart-André (umami88)

Le Café Jacquemart-André at the Musee Jacquemart-Andre:

I always have a hard time deciding whether to sit in the gilt dining room or on the grand terrace overlooking the small, walled garden at this special little museum. I usually order one of their salads leaden with gourmet toppings along with a decadent dessert (which rival those of Laduree in my opinion; the citron meringue tart is to die for). The Sunday brunch is a great option too.

Les Ombres at Quai Branly (Hotels Paris Rive Gauche, Guillaume Sautereau)

Les Ombres at the Musee Quai Branly:
This café is one of those serious, fine dining restaurants that caters to the movers and shakers of the Parisian business world. Suits abound here, but the hint of stuffiness and high prices are easy to overlook once you catch a glimpse of the amazing view of the Eiffel Tower from the glass ceiling dining room and the huge rooftop terrace. The food is always delicious and well executed, but the bonus dessert plate of mini treats you get with your bill wins my heart (and makes the expensive check a little easier to swallow)

Les Ombres at Quai Branly (Hotels Paris Rive Gauche)

Restaurant at the Musee D’Orsay:
Sure, there’s a cafeteria upstairs, but you won’t regret allowing yourself to be transported in this stunning dining room, complete with crystal chandeliers and sumptuous ceiling frescos. The main menu is traditionally French, but the chef always adds some specials inspired by the museum’s temporary exhibits.
What about you? If you know of any great places to eat before or after a museum visit, please let us know in the comments below!

Dining room at the Musée d’Orsay (yellowmo)

Related Links:

• For more Arty Eats, check out Amy Thomas top Paris museum restaurants here
• Amy also has a nice roundup of Paris street art
• The NY Times also found some great places to eat in Paris museums.
• Looking for more things to do in Paris? My Mélange has a great compact guide to her favorite Paris haunts

Written by Ariel Kocourek for the Hip Paris Blog. For our amazing rentals in Paris, Provence & Tuscany check out our website Haven in Paris.

Parisian shops devoted entirely to a single specialty (like olive oil, honey, or communist literature) are considered obvious fixtures in an urban landscape where commercial efficiency is, if anything, an afterthought. So, when my roommate Winnie showed me a place on our street specializing in piñatas, of all things, my only thought was, “Of course. Naturally.” It was, incidentally, just across the street from our radical left-wing bookstore.

Winnie, a journalist, was covering the shop in a story with an unusual social twist. The piñatas, it turns out, are made by prisoners.

The story behind La Piñata, located at 25, rue des Vinaigriers and within view of Canal St. Martin, is a series of fortunate and curious accidents. The Columbian-born owner, Elena Farah, discovered piñata-making while searching for useful employment as a newcomer to Paris in the 80s. Thinking she could bake cakes for children’s birthday parties, she approached a few party shops only to find that while cakes were readily available, piñatas were not. So she set to work.

With the help of a how-to book, Elena began experimenting with the colorful ornaments at home, selling them to a few shops around the city. In 2002, she won a business plan competition and was able to open her atelier at rue des Vinaigriers, where today she keeps shop with one assistant.

Five years ago, inspired by a story on a radio program, Elena began her prison workshop with the help of a business student who was apprenticing with her at the time. As demand for piñatas is limited in Paris, only a few inmates can work with her each year. They spend the better part of the workweek building their piñatas independently, and she visits the prisons every week to deliver materials and check progress. These visits, she says, are very special to her.

Through the workshops, the inmates are able to experience once again (or for the first time) the act of creation, as Elena says, something that makes the apprenticeships so valuable to them.

I find it both strange and beautiful that the feathery strawberries, lions, and Easter eggs floating beneath the ceilings of La Piñata were born in the confines of a prison cell. As a current law student, I am reminded on a daily basis how dehumanizing criminal justice systems can be and how difficult they are to change. When I see a splash of real progress brought by something as seemingly inconsequential as a piñata shop, I am amazed and encouraged.

When I see this happen in Paris, my only thought is, “Of course. Naturally.”

La Piñata is open Tuesday to Saturday from 11h to 19h and Sundays from 15h to 19h. Piñatas are priced starting at 40 Euros.

La Pinata
25, rue des Vinaigriers
Paris 10eme
Tel: 01 40 35 01 45
Email: lapinataparis@yahoo.fr
Website: http://lapinata.fr/

Related Links:

• While in the neighborhood, why not check out Le Verre Volé or Petit Usagi?
• The Do It In Paris guide to the Canal St Martin
• Vintage Shopping by the Canal St Martin

Written by Sara Rahman  for the HiP Paris Blog. All photos by Julien Hausherr; Contact:julienhausherr@hotmail.fr. Looking for a fabulous vacation rental in Paris, Provence, or Tuscany? Check out Haven in Paris.

There are so many tours to choose from in Paris… Whether you want to be whisked off on your adventure by bike, boat, balloon, Segway or foot (I have yet to find a horseback tour, but I’m sure someone, somewhere is cooking one up), a tour exists to help make that dream come true.

Having that many options at your fingertips can be overwhelming. That’s why we make it our duty here at Haven in Paris to scour the city tirelessly for the very best tours to recommend to our clients. I’ve been lucky enough to meet more than my fair share and have compiled a list of four of my favorites, chosen because they are so original, in depth and because the people behind them are amazing characters themselves!

Musée D’Orsay (Manolo Blanco)

Time Travelers Tours

Sara Towle’s “Time Travelers Tour” StoryApp (downloadable to the iPhone) is one of the most original Paris tours I’ve experienced. This labor of love started out as a book geared towards children and has evolved into an fully interactive, fact-filled, historical adventure through Paris. The first tour in the series, “Beware of Madame la Guillotine”, reveals the stories behind the landmarks and personalities associated with the French Revolution. It’s perfect for adults and children alike (I had a great day out following the tour with my husband)!

You can download the Time Travelers Tour App for your iPhone here or here.

French perfume and a lovely hotel particulier - Bee.girl; Meredith Tucker

Chris Lomon – Secret Paris Shopping and Walking Tours

Chris specializes in bespoke walking and shopping tours of Paris. His love for the city and natural curiosity for everything it has to offer is evident. He’s practically an encyclopedia of addresses and historical facts and has a special knack for uncovering hidden gems and unlocking closed doors. During our tour, I mentioned my passion for architecture, and Chris promptly sweet-talked his way into a 17^th century Hotel Particulier nearby, which now houses government offices so I could take a peek at the amazing courtyard and marvel at a special floating stone staircase (he also filled me in on the sordid history of the hotel’s original owner, most intriguing!)

Contact Chris directly here

Gwenael Piaser

Context Travel

The wonderful people at Context Travel are the experts when it comes to in-depth tours in almost any category. Their guides are often graduate students or experts in their field, and their tours are distillations that will inform and expand your knowledge of art, history, architecture, food and wine. An evening spent on their “Musee D’Orsay and Paris in the 19^th Century” tour has forever changed the way I look at the art and artists of that era. Not only did I learn about the life and times of the epoch, I was also taught how to examine the works and give context to their creation. Now I walk through the museum with a smile on my face and the satisfaction that I know so much about the masterpieces housed in those hallowed galleries.

Contact Context Travel directly here

Juliette Satidi

Progressio – French Niche Fragrances Perfume Testing

Ok, this is more of a lesson than a tour, but since you get to visit some of the most exclusive perfume houses in Paris (and because it so darn fun), I thought I’d add it to my list of favorites. Progressio’s resident expert, Teresa, gives you a full history of the French perfume industry and the basics of scent construction before putting your nose to the test through a heavenly perfume “sampling.” There is also a short language lesson, which teaches you the French phrases and words that will have you shopping for perfume like a local.  My favorite parts though, were the visits to the specialty perfume houses of Paris. These beautiful little boutiques are filled with formulas so well crafted, they are like liquid works of art, and because many of the fragrances are only sold in these boutiques (you can’t find them anywhere else), they’re almost as rare!

Contact Progressio directly here

What about you? Do you know of any great tour services, or original ways to experience everything Paris has to offer?

Related Links

• For more recommended Paris service providers (tours, chauffeurs, concierge, massage, yoga…) check out Haven in Paris’ recommendations here
• Looking for a personal shopper, we love Linda Harrad and Lilye (Shopping by Lilye)
• For friendly Paris bike and segway tours with English-speaking guides, check out Fat Tire Bike Tours

Written by Ariel for the Hip Paris Blog. All photos by Michael Tucker. For our amazing rentals in Paris, Provence & Tuscany check out our website Haven in Paris.

Art and food. Food and art. Of course the two dance deliciously together in the City of Light. But with this past year’s additions of the Gilles & Boissier-designed eateries inside the contemporary auction house Artcurial and the Mini Palais within the landmark Grand Palais, Paris’ art scenes are crossing over into prime dining destinations. Here are five top-notch spots to sample when you’re as hungry for good food as you are for fine art.

Tokyo Eat at Palais de Tokyo

Tokyo Eat and terrace (Justine Robinett)

This versatile restaurant inside the contemporary art museum is a favorite haunt of Parisian hipsters. That’s because, with its super-sized dining room, UFO-shaped lanterns and colorful mid-century furniture, it’s cool without trying too hard. The food and ambiance are also atypically refreshing. Open non-stop from noon until 1 in the morning, you might opt for a freshly squeezed carrot-ginger juice in the morning, a lunch of inventive coconut and pineapple ravioli, or a standard steak with plump frites at any hour. It’s great for solo dining as well as big crews.

13, avenue du President Wilson, 16eme, 01 47 20 00 29. Open every day except Monday, from noon until 1 a.m.

Mini-Palais at the Grand Palais

Mini Palais and the terrace at the Palais de Tokyo (Justine Robinett)

With a menu created by Michelin-starred chef Eric Frechon and overseen by executive chef Stéphane d’Aboville, dining in this elegant, lofty restaurant—designed in neutral colors like an artist’s atelier—goes way beyond your typical museum offerings. It starts with a warm brioche that’s as decadent as a southern popover, and then moves on to just about anything you’re craving. The roast chicken is generous and succulent, the cabillaud is delicately poached in ginger and lemongrass, and the burger is topped with foie gras, bien sur. Get there before autumn descends to take advantage of the magnificent outdoor terrace, with its grand imperial columns, mosaic floors and sheltered views of the Petit Palais.

3, avenue Winston Churchill (enter on the Seine side), 8eme, 01 42 56 42 42. Open daily from noon until midnight.

Café Artcurial

Café Artcurial

Imagine having a solarium in the chichi eighth arrondissement, where a fleet of modelesque waistaff outfitted in black briskly trot around to bring you burrata salads, salmon tartares and desserts from the stellar tea salon Les Deux Abeilles. Voila, welcome to Café Artcurial. Tucked in the back of  the contemporary auction house, Artcurial, the black and white, sun-filled dining area of this buzzy café is a hit with the fashion crowd as much as regular ladies who lunch.

7, rond-point des Champs-Elysées, 8eme, 01 42 99 20 20. Open Monday – Saturday, from 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Café Suedois

Cake from Café Suédois (Justine Robinett)

If you want a break from French flavors, envelope yourself in the calming Scandinavian vibe of the Swedish Institute of Paris. The cultural center’s café, located in the heart of the Marais, offers classic Swedish fare, from freshly baked “kanelbullar,” or cinnamon rolls, to open-face meatball sandwiches on hearty black bread and smoked salmon. When it’s warm outside, a seat in the cobblestone courtyard can’t be beat.

11, rue Payenne, 3eme, 01 44 78 80 11. Open Tuesday – Sunday, 12 – 6 p.m.

Tokyo Eats Bar and Café Suédois (Justine Robinett)

Le Saut de Loup at the Musée des Arts Decoratifs

While there’s ample seating inside Le Saut de Loup’s dining room, eating there would miss the most beautiful aspect of the Musée’s restaurant: the views from the terrace. Sit facing south to bask in the Louvre’s Carousel Gardens. Face westward and it’s the Jadin des Tuileries as far as the eye can see. Look east, and see I.M. Pei’s shimmering pyramid. There are sculptures in the park, the Eiffel Tower peeking over the rooftops, and the brilliant Paris sky above. And the food isn’t so bad either. Enjoy anything from a light and tasty king crab salad with avocado and mango to “le vrai cheeseburger” to a hearty pork chop with mashed potatoes.

107, rue de Rivoli, 1er, 01 42 25 49 55. Open daily from noon until 2 a.m.

Mini Palais (Vincent Krieger)

Related Links:

• For more art & eat options you could stop by this exhibit at the Pompidou museum before indulging in gastronomy with a view at Le Georges
• Or check out the Fra Angelico and the Masters of light exhibit at the Musée Jacquemart-André, then have some tea in the gorgeous dining room
• Had enough art? Recover and take in the panoramic view at the 7th bar at the Terrass hotel in Montmartre

Written by Amy Thomas for the HiP Paris Blog. Looking for a fabulous vacation rental in Paris, Provence, or Tuscany? Check out Haven in Paris.