June 8, 2010 by My Melange
Guest Blogger, Laura, from the super cool blog My Mélange has shared her favorite organic hotspots in the city of lights. With more and more need to pay attention to the environment, we thank My Mélange for sharing these wonderful organic markets, restaurants and shops for us to explore. Let us know your Paris organic favorites to add to the list. Thanks!
These days it’s all about going green, natural, organic, or anything else that is friendly to the environment (and to our bodies). When you’re home, it’s easy to support local farms through farmers’ markets or buy organic goods from the supermarket, but traveling internationally could pose a threat to your health-conscious lifestyle and eating habits…unless you know where to go to find organic products and eco-friendly services.
In 2009, with the help of President Nicholas Sarkozy, Paris became proactive in supporting organic agriculture. The government cut subsidies given to large farms and redirected the financial aid to smaller organic and family owned farms. Paris has been the center of these organic or biologique (or bio) changes and boasts a number of successful organic and natural supermarkets, bakeries, restaurants, wine shops, and even hotels.
For those of you lucky enough to rent an apartment and enjoy an extended stay in The City of Light, grocery shopping is a must. Biocoop and Naturalia are two organic supermarkets in the Paris region. Continue Reading »
Posted in Food, Green, Parisian Living | 6 Comments »
April 23, 2010 by Tory Hoen
View from Pont des Arts – Erica Berman
It seems somewhat unnecessary to write a post of this nature, given that any part of Paris could be considered an ideal place to loiter. A blind-folded novice could be dropped in any corner of this city and, after a few minutes of wandering, would have no trouble finding a scenic spot in which to spend a few hours. There are almost too many places to park oneself for a morning or afternoon (or, hey, a whole day), which is why I’ve come up with a list of a few standouts that I return to again and again.
Note: I’m assuming that the city’s big gardens (Jardin du Luxembourg, the Tuileries, Bois de Boulogne, and the Bois de Vincennes) are givens. You can’t go wrong at any of them, but as a semi-pro loiterer, I prefer to venture off the beaten path.
Chilled-out loitering—Canal St. Martin. Paris’ low-key canal stretches from Place de la République all the way towards the northern border of the city. People from all walks of life—hipsters, families, total weirdos—hang out along the Canal’s cobbled banks, picnicking and reveling until the wee hours of the night.
Canal St Martin – Erica Berman
Continue Reading »
Posted in Green, Parisian Living | 3 Comments »
March 3, 2010 by Tory Hoen
Erica Berman
Ah, life in Paris. One day, the city is invaded by the cat-walking, champagne-sipping Jet Set; and the next, it is overrun with guys dressed up as life-sized vegetables (literally). Yes, the Salon International de l’Agriculture is here, and eco-friendly agriculturists and the gourmands who love them are in town to partake in the year’s biggest agricultural extravaganza. In thinking about it, this week strikes quite a nice equilibrium for those of us who can appreciate both a killer stiletto and a tub of artisanal foie gras. After all, isn’t balance what life is all about? Continue Reading »
Posted in Events, Green | 1 Comment »
December 10, 2009 by Haven in Paris
Looking to “green” your holiday shopping list? Guest blogger Emma Haberman shares some insight about this weekend’s “Noel en Bio” holiday fair, December 11-13 in the Marais.
Text by Emma Haberman
Once upon a time, recycling presents meant re-gifting those unwanted tube socks that weren’t on your wish list. No longer! This year in Paris, Christmas will be greener than ever, thanks to the Noël en Bio holiday fair. The highly anticipated exposition will take place in the Marais this weekend, just in time for holiday shopping (and coinciding with the much-discussed Copenhagen Climate Conference). Continue Reading »
Posted in Green, Shopping | No Comments »
December 9, 2009 by Haven in Paris
David Lebovitz, one of our favorite food bloggers, has written a great account of the “Community Supported Agriculture” (CSA) scene in Paris…
Photo: David Lebovitz
Text by David Lebovitz
About a year ago, I was having supper in a friend’s apartment and everything we ate was simple, and tasted really good. He’d lived on a farm near Toulouse for many years, where he worked for one of France’s agricultural organizations. Now he lives in Paris and I was surprised when he told me that the onions we were eating on the tart he’d made were from a panier, or a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) box. Continue Reading »
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November 19, 2009 by Tory Hoen
Photo: Telegraph.co.uk
Despite its name, the Slow Food movement is gaining momentum, and the new Euro Gusto event is proof that the Slow philosophy—“good, clean and fair”—is here to stay. Euro Gusto, which will take place from November 27-30 in the Loire Valley in the city of Tours, France, will bring together hundreds of artisanal food producers, chefs, students, journalists, families and foodies from all over Europe to celebrate the continent’s culinary traditions and contemporary flavors. If all goes well, Euro Gusto will be repeated every two years to bring the community together, to explore traditions and trends in food, and to feed the Slow Food movement.
Old school French guys. Photo: Getty Images
The event will include:
- French and European food markets featuring artisanal products from hundreds of producers who abide by the basic Slow Food principles
- The Slow Food Sentinels Market that features rare food products that are currently threatened by extinction (although not if the Slow Food community has anything to say about it)
- Taste Education Workshops where visitors can sample products and learn about production methods
- Oenothèque Wine Bar where visitors can taste hundreds of different European wines by the glass
- Children’s Discovery Area that will host events for children to explore the fun of food and learn about the tenets of Slow Food
The event will take place in Tours’ Exposition Park from November 27-30, from 10am-10pm everyday (except November 30, when the event closes at 6pm). Entry into the event is 5€ (but free for those under 16, students, and members of Slow Food).
For more information or for details about attending the event, click here.
Tours is just a short day or weekend trip from Paris! For information on how to get there, click here.
Euro Gusto 2009. 153 avenue de Grammont, 37000, Tours, France. Tel. +33 (0)2 47 64 24 38. Contact: info@eurogusto.org
Slow Food Movement
All Photos courtesy of Slow Food
Written by Tory Hoen for the HiP Paris Blog. Looking for a fabulous vacation rental in Paris, Provence, or Tuscany? Check out Haven in Paris.
Posted in Events, Green | No Comments »
November 18, 2009 by Genevieve Sandifer
The 27th International Festival for Environmental Film runs from November 18 – 24 at La Pagode, the left bank’s famed artsy cinema house. Thirty-six countries are represented with 104 films, so there should be something to suit every eco-leaning movie lover’s taste. The HiP Paris crew has selected a few highlights that will be screened in English.
Continue Reading »
Posted in Arts, Events, Green | No Comments »
October 16, 2009 by Erica Berman
Uninspired by the usual Monoprix, Franprix, ED, and Carrefour supermarkets in Montmartre, none of which thrill me or encourage me to buy much of anything (I prefer the small market shops on rue des Abbesses and Lepic), I was intrigued to see a new supermarket, Le Marché des Gastronomes, open its doors right across from my very own metro, Pigalle.
As soon as possible I headed on over. Continue Reading »
Posted in Food, Green, Parisian Living | 4 Comments »
October 5, 2009 by Erica Berman
Fall is here, and with that the harvest. There is no good reason that Paris dwellers need forego the delights of eating the bountiful produce found within easy reach of the city of lights. Wanting to remain local and support the neighboring economy and help reduce the negative impact on our planet of carting in food from faraway lands, I set off to find fresh produce locally grown and home delivered. A friend of mine introduced me to Le Haut du Panier and I decided to find out what it was all about. Continue Reading »
Posted in Green, Parisian Living | 2 Comments »
September 16, 2009 by Tory Hoen
Just as the weather varies by season in Paris, so do our appetites. In spring when the city starts to heat up, we forgo bottles of deep red Cahors for glasses of rosé, we swap gateau au chocolat for seasonal fruit tarts and refreshing sorbet, and we scour local markets for the fresh fruits and vegetables that we’ve been dreaming of all winter. The city’s best restaurants shift with us, adjusting their menus seasonally (if not daily). Super Nature, one of Paris’ hottest new organic restaurants, is among those that abide by a “what’s fresh is best” policy. Continue Reading »
Posted in Food, Green, Restaurant Reviews | 2 Comments »
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Erica Berman
Little Brown Pen
