Unforgettable Paris Sightseeing & Five Wonders that Will Steal Your Heart
By: Patricia
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By: Tara Bradford Tara is a writer; photographer and an adventure-seeker! Follow her incredible work and adventures here: http://tarabradfordphotography.com Blog:http://www.tarabradford.com Twitter:http://twitter.com/TaraBradford
During ten years in Paris, I've come to appreciate many of the city's myriad delights. These are the places I often take visitors:
The Secret Brocante
PhotoBy Boccacino Until now, I've deliberately kept this brocante a secret, reserved only for the locals. Hands down, on a weekday, it's THE place to find unique treasures for reasonable prices. You can make an afternoon of it, first with a delicious lunch cooked by the chef - who also owns the brocante! Afterwards, you can browse to your heart's content for unique treasures for reasonable prices. But you'll have to search among the dust-covered stacks of old photograph albums and books, porcelain tea sets and worn tapestries to find a gem. After all, isn't the hunt part of the fun?
Passy Brocante 24-26 rue de Passy Paris Metro: La Muette
Open 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. - 7 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday Musee des Arts DecoratifsIf you're a design lover like me, head to the Musee des Arts Decoratifs on rue de Rivoli (opposite the Louvre). This small museum is full of gorgeous furniture, art, crafts and decorative interiors, each rich with history. After seeing a wrought iron candelabra in one of the Musee's beautiful period rooms, months later I found a tabletop model of the same design at a brocante just west of Paris. Turns out my candlestick - like the one in the museum - is 17th-century and worth a mint! The museum also has a fantastic bookshop, with design and art books from around the world. And the gift shop features everything from silver jewelry to handbags to felt hats to porcelain to smooth sculptures, hand-crafted by modern artists, but inspired by centuries past.
PhotoBy dalbera 107 rue de Rivoli Paris Metro: Palais Royale, Musee de Louvre, Tuileries
Hippodrome de Longchamp
Europe's thoroughbred racehorses - and their wealthy owners, including the Aga Khan - come here to watch champion racehorses make their mark. In the spring and fall, races are run on Thursday and Sunday afternoons. On the first Sunday of October, Longchamp pulls out all the stops. Thousands of racing enthusiasts convene for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. Ladies and gentlemen alike wear beautiful clothes and elegant hats, while jockeys, trainers and racehorse owners hope for a win. Pony rides and other games are available for children. The horse races are a bargain, with even the Prix de l'Arc festivities priced at just 8 euros per ticket. But a glass of champagne will set you back 12 euros or more.
The grounds around Longchamp are also worth a stroll for the ivy-covered stone windmill and a manicured moat, edged by rows of flowers. Across the road, the manmade waterfall Les Cascades tumbles into a natural pond. The popular attraction - especially in summer months, when a cooling walk beneath the splashing waterfall helps beat the heat- is opposite the Belle Epoch restaurant Les Cascades. Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor hosted their wedding reception here and it's still a preferred location for special events, as well as for Sunday brunch.
Route des Tribunes Bois de Boulogne Paris Metro: Boulogne Jean-Jaures
Harry's New York BarA favourite haunt of writers such as Jean-Paul Sartre and Ernest Hemingway and other notables (including Marlene Dietrich and Clint Eastwood), this English-speaking bar is the home of the original Bloody Mary. Since 1921, it's been serving copious amounts of the spicy concoction, along with the usual whisky, cocktails, wine and champagne to locals and expatriates alike. Harry's also features live musical entertainment. Don't miss it for late-night Parisien ambiance, glamour and mellow jazz.
5 rue Danou Paris Metro: Opera
Institut du Monde Arab (Institute of the Arab World)
This modern wonder earned French genius Jean Nouvel the Pritiker Prize for Architecture. The building's glass exterior panels, many featuring Islamic symbols, open and shut like a camera lens, as the light shifts. The Institute features various exhibitions of art and historically-significant antiques from the Arab World. The Institute also maintains a well-stocked library, a children's media center, a cafe and tea room, a book shop and gift shop offering items directly from the Arab World (no made in China tourist souvenirs here). Construction of a sleek new exhibition hall is underway.
1, rue des Fosses Saint-Bernard Place Mohamed V Paris Metro: Jussieu, Cardinal Lemoine or Sully-Morland |
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