Sadly, my sejours in France came to an end yesterday (although the business class flight I upgraded to with miles brought me home in comfort and style). But the humid, grey day outside and the pate sitting patiently on our counter top tells me I’m still on the other side of the world. People are riding their bikes for the fourth of July weekend outside our home and all I hear are shouts in French; just now I could have sworn a group of excited boys riding by were saying, “Mais tu es con! Vas y, vas y!”

It can’t be so, but I’ll let it be so for now. Just lengthen out the sounds, tastes, smells of that place that brings me, every time to my knees. I thought this trip that perhaps I’d exaggerated Paris’ appeal; “maybe I’ve changed?” I thought. Or perhaps the city has become just another “western” place–Americanized and bland. It’s true that Paris has more amenities than it used to; it’s true it’s cleaner; I also read that the nightlife has been tamed with new city ordinances. But what remains is France’s reputation for excellent food (I had the best meals I’ve ever had in Paris this trip), public spaces where you can watch and be watched beneath a canape of trees, and now, an extensive public bike rental system that (if it accepts your credit card, it didn’t accept mine) allows anyone to enjoy a ride through the city. Also, maybe I was just incredibly lucky or in a great mood which was returned to me in kind, but the French have never been nicer than they seemed this trip. I only met one gruff fellow at a cafe in St. Germain, otherwise everyone went above and beyond to provide excellent service and helpfulness.

Here are my recommendations from this trip:

-Apostrophe Hotel; part of the Tablet group: Hidden gem in Paris in the upscale Left Bank. Walking distance to cafes and shopping. As I wrote on the Trip Advisor review, the hotel brings class and modern amenities to the Parisian hotel experience, without sacrificing charm or culture.  I would stay there in a heart beat again.

-Stephane Martine: Fabulous but unpretentious restaurant in the 15th arrondissement: It took us forever to get here from Roissy, nearly 1.5 hours in Paris traffic, but the restaurant was everything I’d hoped for–Intimate, not wrought with tourists, low key yet with excellent food and a diverse menu (from fois gras to lamb to fish). I had the mussels as an appetizer (best I’ve ever had) and the cornish game hen as a main course. The wine (can’t remember which one!) was also excellent.

-Restaurant on top of the Centre George Pompidou: This was much better than I’d expected and a great place to take in the city while getting a good meal. I had the duck it was excellent and the service was also surprisingly pleasant.

Advertisement