Parc des Buttes Chaumont (Celine NYC)

If you’re in Paris in summer, you’ll pretty quickly realize that as soon as the sun starts to glimmer, Parisians grind into picnic gear. However, despite informal appearances, there is a complex and unspoken code of conduct to be adhered to in order to avoid unforgivable picnic faux pas.

Do dress appropriately.

It is important to give the air of not trying very hard. For girls: a categorical ‘no’ to heels and look-at-me makeup.  For guys: forget smart suits or bling sportswear, it’s all about skinny jeans and scarves. Subtle colour and pattern coordination are à la mode. Hats highly recommended.

Gail Tang

Do arrive late.

It is useless to turn up anywhere near the appointed picnic hour. It is best to saunter up several hours in, give a slightly (don’t overdo it) apologetic smile, whilst simultaneously giving the impression that your diary is over-spilling with très fun engagements and that the organiser should therefore be delighted that you’ve managed to squeeze them in.

Karigee

Do invite lots of friends.

The concept of ‘the more the merrier’ is de rigueur. Whereas the biting winter winds keep Parisians at home or drives them (penguin-style) into crowded, sweaty bars, the warm summer weather democratizes social gatherings, which are known to take on gigantesque proportions!

Do not buy ready-made sandwiches.

It is unacceptable to pop to the supermarket and pick up a long-life cellophane-encased creation that deigns to call itself a ‘sandwich’. A fresh baguette, some cheese and charcuterie are the bare minimum.

A delicious french picnic (Scorbs)

Do prepare elaborate dishes.

I.E., quiches & salads. Always present the dish while mumbling something along the lines of, ‘Didn’t have much time, just a little something I threw together…’ As with the dress code, it is important to make it all seem oh-so effortless.

Do experiment with people-meeting techniques

Concoct a (mildly) plausible excuse to approach the targeted stranger(s) and casually wander over. I suggest ‘The forgotten corkscrew’, ‘The over-inquisitive dog*’ or ‘The do-you-have-any-spare glasses’ scenarios, but your imagination is the limit! Although Parisians usually frown upon general interactions with strangers, come summer, icy propriety starts to melt – well, just a little.

*Please note that bringing a dog to culinary gatherings is not considered unhygienic or inappropriate.

Canal Saint Martin, typical picnic supplies (Thatgirl; Matthew Kebbekus)

Do choose the right location.

Here’s the lowdown on some of my favorite places to picnic:

- Buttes Chaumont, 19ème (Plus: largest park in Paris with trees, waterfalls & a lake. Minus: hilly and thus lots of potential for spillage & bottle rolling).

- La Seine (Plus: picture postcard setting. Minus: loud tourists on boats, the occasional wandering bum.)

- Canal St Martin, 10ème (Plus: Trendy hotspot, great people-watching, plentiful surrounding bars for après-picnic festivities. Minus: very little grass, quiet or room to spread a blanket/do acrobatics).

Presta

Further afield (well, beyond the safe confines of the 20 arrondissements):

- Bois de Vicennes (Plus: huge and green with lots of trees, 2,458 acres to be precise – that’s 3 times bigger than Central Park & 4 times bigger than Hyde Park. Minus: Far away from the center of it all (in Parisian terms) and beaucoup de getting-lost opportunities).

- Bois de Boulogne (Plus: same as above, although a little bit smaller with its (still very) respectable 2,090 acres. Minus, doubles up as Paris’s red light district at night!)

With these tips, we hope you’ll have everything you need to be a smashing pique-nique success. The best of luck and bon appétit!

Joe Shlabotnik

Related Links:

• In other Paris news, Kim from I Heart Paris writes about soon-to-be-fully-booked resto Au Passage. Get there now!
• Had enough food? Carams has some gorgeous pics of Paris Plage
• Parisien Salon also has a shortlist of cool events happening in Paris in August

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

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

Fancy loitering—Place des Vosges. It was love at first sight the moment I discovered this astoundingly beautiful 17th-century square, tucked away in the heart of the bustling Marais. Benches surround the perimeter, but there are swaths of grass where local families and neighborhood cool kids lounge after school and on weekends.

Place des Vosges – Geneviève Sandifer

Super-cool loitering—Palais de Tokyo. On nice evenings, this contemporary art museum’s laid-back terrace is my hands-down favorite spot to take over a table, break out a bottle of wine (buy one at the café inside or bring your own), and scope out the skater kids who practice tricks on the steps down below. Don’t be surprised if you spot an undercover celebrity at the table next to you… famous people like to loiter, too.

Civilized loitering—Parc Monceau. Located in the swanky residential area of the 8th arrondissement, this park will make you feel as though you’ve slipped back into a more refined age. Pack a picnic, pick a bench and start scheming about ways to one day buy one of the six private residences that open onto the park.

Bohemian loitering—Pont des Arts. During the spring and summer, this pedestrian bridge buzzes with artists and musicians who come to paint, take photos, play music, and just sort of emit artsy vibes. It’s an ideal place to mix it up with other (slightly tipsy) Paris dwellers as you catch the sunset over the Seine.

“Outdoorsy” loitering: Parc des Buttes-Chaumont. Belleville’s biggest park might be man-made, but it still feels like the “wildest” place in Paris. Install yourself at the edge of the lake and soak up the neighborhood’s relaxed vibe.

Fontaine des Medicis – Tory Hoen

Super-secret loitering: Fontaine des Médicis. For the record, I can’t believe I’m giving this one up, since I consider it to be my own ultra-private hangout in Paris. But I suppose I can share, as long as we don’t show up on the same day. It’s tucked away in the quiet northeastern corner of the Jardin du Luxembourg. Grab one of the chairs lining the long reflecting pool and watch the resident ducks do their thing. I’m convinced that time stands still here—it’s the ultimate urban escape.

For other ideas, check out:

• Gridskipper’s Guide to Outdoor Drinking Spots
• Little Brown Pen’s series of black and white loitering shots
• Tory Hoen loiters at a chateau

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.

Garden of Cluny Museum – Erica Berman  (Erica’s favorite secret Paris lounge spot)

Photo Erica Berman

Text Jen Holup
Open the infamous little red “Plan de Paris” to a map of any arrondissement, and you will be presented with pleasant green shapes on every page.  Full of green spaces to discover, Paris is a veritable urban jungle.

Many of Paris’ parks are well-tred territory, beloved by both locals and tourists alike. Luxembourg Gardens is a welcome rest-stop on a journey through the bustling Latin Quarter to Montparnasse. the Champs de Mars and Jardin des Tuileries offer grandiose promenades among the city’s most impressive monuments.  Yet, more than once, after packing a picnic and a book for an afternoon in the park, I have found one of the endearing “pelouse au repos” signs gracing the lawn, informing me (albeit in the charming French way) that the grass was “resting,” and thus unfit for human contact.  So, where does one retreat for a picnic in the City of Lights while our flora friends recuperate?

Bois de Vincennes: Since Louis XV, these 995 acres have been open to public enjoyment.  The lovely thing about parks in Paris is that they are so much more than a series of well-landscaped paths for an afternoon stroll.  Bois de Vincennes offers distractions for all interests.  This forest on the eastern edge of the city has so much to offer, I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it even for a rainy day.  Enter the forest from Porte Dorée (Metro Ligne 8), where you will be greeted by Paris’ only Aquarium.  A short walk away is the Zoo (closed for renovations until 2012), the Cité de l’Histoire de l’Immigration, and a bonafide Buddhist monastery offering courses in meditation, yoga, and Eastern practices several days a week.

During the summer, the Pelouse de Reuilly comes alive with carnival activity.  To truly escape the city for a spell, Vincennes offers two pleasant lakes: Lac Daumesnil and Lac des Minimes.  Bird-watchers will delight in the informative placards identifying (in French) the lakes’ waterfowl.  A trip to the Ferme Georges Villa, a small-scale farm, and a hippodrome.

Parc des Buttes-Chaumont: Truly, the only setback of this unique park is its unfortunate location on the feeble Metro Ligne 7-bis—a 7-stop affair that will likely require at least two transfers from any major hub.  Take a taxi, if you must, but don’t miss this peaceful oasis in the 19th, offering spectacular views of Paris.  Ideal for lounging on a spring or summer day.

Bois de Boulogne: Alighting at the art-deco Metropolitain at Porte Dauphine evokes the early twentieth century Paris of Proust, where gentleman courted ladies along the wooded avenues to Longchamp races or the ritzy suburbs of Neuilly and Boulogne.
(Perfectly safe during daylight hours, but do exercise caution in any public park at night: the area becomes an infamous red-light district after dark).