Paris in the winter?

I went to Paris last November. I knew it wasn't the best season to experience the city, and it would probably be cold and rainy, but the cheap plane ticket was very tempting, and after all there is so much to do in Paris even when the weather is not helping!
 

Place de la Concorde in the winter

As you may know already, travelling in low season is a mixed bag. For example, it was an excellent idea in terms of the queues and the number of tourists on the street. As a matter of fact, I have been told that trying to enter Basilique du Sacré Coeur can be rather frustrating. In November, however, I entered the church without queuing and there were very few people inside it. It was the same for Notre Dame and Sainte Chappelle. I managed to enter 3 times  in Notre Dame  de Paris (it's free of charge) and climbed to the towers only the third time. The towers have different opening times from the rest of church, and the entrance is located somewhere else. I took me a while to find it out!



View from one of the gargoyles in the towers of Notre Dame



It was an even better idea for the colours: in November there were still some autumn colours to enjoy, especially at Jardins des Tuileries. I didn't find the downcast sky particularly off-putting, but on the contrary it offered opportunities for countless strange pictures.
 

Autumn leaves and the banks of the Seine



Jardin des Tuileries after the rain

While the Christmas lights were not up on the Champs Elysées, Galeries LaFayette were all ready for the Christmas season! There were lots of kids marvelling at the animations in the shop windows, and hundreds of tourists wandering the shopping mall just to get a glimpse of the huge Christmas tree. I am not a fun of luxury goods, so I didn't buy anything in Galeries LaFayette, but I had a good time taking pictures of the main hall.

Christmas decorations at Galeries La Fayette

Shop windows at Galeries LaFayette

Going to Paris in November was a bad idea for one of the trips I was looking forward to, that to Versailles. Versailles in November was almost deserted (except from the hall of mirrors, where everybody seemed to congregate!), but I agree that it's a good thing. Nobody wants to share the view of carefully planned gardens with a million loud tourists who don't know a thing about French history, right? Going to Versailles win winter as nonetheless a disappointing experience: many fountains were closed, the statues in the garden mostly covered, and my friends and I inadvertently chose the coldest day to be there. Walking through the gardens was tiring, even though the colours were beautiful, and after visiting the Grand Trianon, we were too cold, so we gave up and decided not to visit Hameau de la Reine, which I wanted to see very badly.
 

Main Fountain at Versailles

Grand Trianon, Versailles

Montmartre was almost devoid of tourists, and there were no artists at the bottom of the Basilique du Sacré Coeur. I loved Montmartre, and it was in fact one of my favourite neighbourhoods of Paris, but I am sure that it will be even more picturesque when it's bustling with life, but maybe not too much, as too many people will spoil the atmosphere. I loved that the area still feels like a village in the countryside, rather than a  neighbourhood in one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world.

Basilique du Sacré Coeur

Sketch artist in Montmartre

Walking in the footsteps of Toulouse-Lautrec and Renoir, two of my favourite French painters, was thrilling. I went in search of the two surviving winding mills in the area, and when I arrived in front of the Moulin de la Galette, site of the famous guinguette (a typical drinking establishment of the past) portrayed by Renoir in the famous painting, I could not help but snap a picture and wonder how Montmartre might have been back then.
 



Moulin de la Galette, Monmartre

 

 



While museums were full of people, the streets were free to wander and Parisians were definitely the majority almost everywhere. In conclusion, there are certainly good reasons to go to Paris in November, but I'm willing to try this city in every season!

 

Tour Eiffel and the clouds

 

Museums in Paris aren't just museums

Whether you are a fan of French impressionism or whether you don't care for paintings and rush to the Egyptian section of major museums, Paris holds something for you, that's for sure! And even if museums bore you to death, you can still admire their astonishing architecture, or eat in one of their hyper-chic (and expensive) cafés.

 

During my last stay in Paris I visited several museums. I bought the Paris Museum Pass, with which I saved about 20€ on my entrance fees. The entrance to Versailles alone costs 18€! This card is not cheap (56€), but it allows you to enter almost every museum and church in Paris and in its surroundings - including Versailles and the Louvre - during 4 consecutive days. There is also a 2-day version of this card (42€). There was a price change from January 2014, so I'm reporting the new prices. If you intend to see lots of museums, and if you are worried about the queues, this card may really help you. With it you make the investment at the beginning of your 4 days, and after that you won't have to think whether to enter or not that museum you just passed by: if you have time, why not? It's free for you, and if you don't like it, you can quickly exit and go on with your tour of the city.

Sainte Chapelle, one of the many attractions included in the Paris Museum Pass

I suggest that you visit one big museum per day and spend the rest of day exploring the streets of Paris, perhaps visiting a church or having a long lunch, savouring some French food with a glass of wine on the side.

 

1) Musée du Louvre. The most famous of Parisian museums is hosted in a former royal palace of French kings. As a matter of fact, before Versailles was built, this was the residence of the kings and queens of France. This is by itself an excellent reason to visit the Louvre! Moreover, the famous Louvre pyramids (there are four, one big and three smaller), although built only a few years ago, in 1989, have become a symbol of Paris.



The famous Louvre pyramid seen from the Tuileries garden

Don't miss the beautiful light of the sunset near the pyramids. I really need to work more on my photography skills, because I couldn't capture the light well enough, but I still cherish the experience of that Parisian sunset. Admission is 12€: not too much considering the amount of famous and astonishing stuff you can see in here. The big hall from where you can access the wings of this huge museum will leave you speechless. Apart from that, you can see the medieval foundations, you can admire the rooms of Napoleon III and, of course, see the Monna Lisa and many other important paintings.

Louvre Pyramid after sunset

One day is not even enough to see it all, and even with the plan, I got lost. Endless stairs, corridors, wings and elevators frustrated me, but you'll be rewarded when you'll see that painting or artefact that you have been dreaming of for years. In my experience, I wanted to see Vermeer's paintings, but I just couldn't find them! Every time I thought I was in the right wing of the right floor and in the right corridor I was wrong! To save a few euros, exit the museum for lunch: the food inside is pricey and you can always re-enter because a ticket for the Louvre is valid for the day. A good option is a Korean restaurant in Rue Sainte-Anne.

Just remember that in front of the most famous things - like the Monna Lisa or the Venus of Milo - there are many tourists taking pictures, making the experience less pleasant and somehow ruining the link you should have with the artefact. This is for instance a picture of said situation in front of Monna Lisa, on a not-so-crowded November day. I can't imagine what's the situation like in July and August! You can't get near the painting, which is really small, and all the rest of the room gets ignored. Just in front of Monna Lisa, for instance, there is "The Wedding at Cana" by Veronese.

People taking pictures of Monna Lisa

My picture of the Venus of Milo almost comically became a picture of a girl having her picture taken in front of the famous statue. It's a cool picture anyway, and it explains how little one-to-one "talk" you can have with the artefacts at the Louvre.

Girl having her picture taken in front of the Venus of Milo

A little delight during my visit was seeing this painter trying to reproduce "The Virgin of the Rocks" by Leonardo da Vinci. I've never seen a real painter, with canvas and palette, in any other museum in the world, have you?
 

Painting the Virgin of the Rocks by Leonardo

 

2) Musée d'Orsay. This museum was built inside a train station, when the railtracks here became obsolete for the newer trains France had in mind. The setting is spectacular: you'll peer at the UNESCO-listed banks of the Seine from behind giant clocks, eat in designer restaurants, see world-class exhibitions disposed in a perfect way, making for excellent photo opportunities.

Musée d'Orsay, big golden clock

 

Eating at Musée d'Orsay

This is the building that fascinates me the most of the three, and it hosts some of the artists I love, including Renoir and Degas. I also discovered new artists, and it was easier to skip the sections I wasn't interested in. Admission price is 9€, but remember that young people aged 18-25 from EU countries enter most museums in Paris for free!

Looking out of one of the giant clocks

 

3) Centre Pompidou. The building, designed by Renzo Piano and other famous architects, juts out of the urban landscape with all its colourful tubes and, in spite of the fact that it was frowned upon at first, it is now a favourite among both Parisians and tourists. The disposition of the main exhibition might be a bit confusing, but if you're into contemporary art and installations, this is the place to go. Centre Pompidou is a cultural centre, with a library, a bookshop, minor art exhibitions and cafés.

Centre Pompidou

 

Centre Pompidou

Centre Pompidou

Do you like museums? Which museum would you like to see best if you find yourself in Paris?

4 reasons why I am head over heels in love with Paris

The architecture blew me away. The impeccable style of the elegant buildings, the astonishing and perfect symmetries of Notre-Dame de Paris and Sainte Chapelle, as well as the general harmony of most of the city: in Paris it is hard to find buildings that clash one against the other. I loved the sloping roofs and the elegant railings in the buildings of central Paris, but also the stained windows of Gothic churches and the innovative architecture of some of the most famous museums, such as the Musée d'Orsay and the Louvre.

 

The Louvre building seen from the Tuileries gardens

Four affordable and exciting meals in Paris

I knew that eating in Paris would be a heavenly experience, but I was worried that it would be a nightmare for my wallet. Instead, I found out that eating out in Paris is not particularly expensive for European standards, especially if you choose a menu instead of ordering à la carte. Of course you should avoid rushing inside the first restaurant you see, and as in most other touristic places, it's better to read the menu before entering. Here are four places I discovered during my recent trip to la ville lumière. Some of them don't serve traditional French food at all, but as you probably know  in Paris it's almost easier to find a Japanese restaurant than a traditional bistro. My French friends, for example, seemed to have an endless list of ethnic restaurants to try.

1) Café Divan  (Rue de la Roquette)

I discovered this place thanks to my French friends, who have been living in Paris for a couple of years, and knew the neighbourhood quite well. It is close to Place de la Bastille, in a road full of restaurants and pubs called Rue de la Roquette. The menu here is not particularly French: salads, burgers and bagels have the upper hand on poulet roti and soupe d'onion. I have been dreaming about bagels since my last visit to London (I know a place in Columbia Road), but the only place I know that serves them in Italy is in Florence, which I haven't visited in almost one year!  My favourite bagel is the classic one, with salmon and cream cheese. The restaurant was full and there was a very nice atmosphere, with music playing and a bustle of people talking and sampling the gorgeous food.

Bagel at Café Divan

 

2) L'As du Fallafel (Rue de Rosiers)

This legendary place is recommended by Lonely Planet and by various bloggers, as well as being rumoured to be one of Lenny Kravitz's favourite restaurants in Paris (but then, dozens of places are said to be his favourite in the city he loves so much!). It is located in Rue des Rosiers, a nice and quaint street in the heart of the Pletlz, the Jewish quartier, in the Marais. There is a long queue for lunch, but if you order take-away at the the hole-in-the-wall (à emporter in French) the service is very fast. The falafel sandwich cost me only €5.5 and it was huge as well as delicious. The felafels were to die for, and so were the aubergines and the sauces they generously put in it. I wouldn't hesitate to come back if I found myself in the area again.
 

Crowd in front of L'As du Fallafel

3) Café des Deux Moulins (Rue Lepic)

This is the café/brasserie where Amélie Poulain works in the movie. It is in Montmartre, in rue Lepic, very close to the Moulin Rouge. It is not as touristic as you may think, and it is only slightly more expensive than other places nearby. A formule, which in Paris means you can choose main dish + appetizer or main dish + dessert, comes at €14.90. As it often happens in Paris, I ordered something with a very long name, and what arrived was a pork steak with roasted potatoes. They have a poster of Amélie signed by Audrey Tautou, and of course they serve the famous crème brulée. Clients love to take pictures of themselves in front of the poster!



The Amélie poster

4) Guibine (rue Saint-Anne)

This Korean restaurant is perfect for a break from your long visit to the Louvre. It is located in rue Saint-Anne, half-way between Musée du Louvre and Opéra. This street, once at the heart of gay Paris, is now famous for its Japanese and Korean restaurants. Guibine offers delicious barbecued beef served with plenty of little Korean-style side dishes like the infamous and spicy kimchi, bean sprouts, algae, papaya and so on, washed down with the ubiquitous rice of course. The express menu adds their mouth-watering dumplings as an entrée, all for €12.90. You also get a coffee or an ice-cream at the end of the meal. Your stomach will be ready for another couple of hours at the Louvre at the end of the hearty meal!

 



Korean bakery in Rue Saint-Anne



A visit to the Opéra Garnier in Paris

I'd like to start my posts on my recent trip to Paris with one of the least obvious among my visits, that to the fascinating Palais Garnier, also known as the Opéra. Paris has two opera houses, the other one being Opéra Bastille, but this is the most interesting from a historical and artistic point of view. It is situated at the end of Avenue de l'Opéra (which starts outside the Louvre), and there is a special metro station dedicated to it, called Opéra. It is curious that the venue is now used primarily for ballet, rather than for opera, for which it was expressly designed in the 19th century.

The opera house seen from the busy street in front of it