“When spring comes to Paris, the humblest mortal alive must feel that he dwells in paradise.” -Henry Miller
Paris in the spring is such a beautiful time to visit as there is no shortage of beauty throughout the city. Spending the last week of March of Paris was a delightful experience as I got to see so many beautiful things, eat so many great foods and got to visit the city that is one my favorites that I keep returning to over and over. I went to Paris with one of my girlfriends for five days and got to share with her many things that I loved about the French culture. We left on a Monday and arrived to Paris on Tuesday. After dropping our bags off at the hotel we stopped in at a small cafe for a coffee and chocolate croissant to get us going.
After our petite meal we walked over to the Rodin Museum which I had never visited before but was so happy to finally get to for this trip. The museum contains a selection of masterpieces and documents from Auguste Rodin’s collections, which show the richness and diversity of the collections of the Rodin Museum, created in 1919 by the sculptor himself.
The collections of the French sculptor are presented in an eighteenth-century mansion standing at the heart of a French-style garden. Rodin’s donation to the French State in 1916 made it possible to create the Musée Rodin in 1916, and the museum is now one of the most visited in Paris. The splendor of the setting and the beauty of Rodin’s art combine in an extraordinary harmony that makes the Musée Rodin a haven of peace at the heart of the French capital. The estate of Rodin’s museum has the distinctive feature of occupying a location chosen by the artist himself. The Hôtel Biron, a delightful rococo mansion designed by the architect Jean Aubert and built in 1732, was practically abandoned when Rodin discovered it in 1908. He began by renting four ground-floor rooms before taking over the whole building from 1911 onwards, thereby laying the foundations for what would become the Musée Rodin on August 4, 1919.
After the museum we walked around the city and eventually made our way to Rue de Rivoli and visited our first bookstore, Smith & Sons. Offering English books to the French, expats and tourists, this store has become a meeting place for Parisian intellectuals and many others in the Salon de Thé. Decorated in Old English style, this nineteenth-century style of architecture incorporating forms, details and materials found in English vernacular buildings. Ornate bargeboards, a tall decorative chimney as well as leaded windows are incorporated into the shop’s decor. It’s a charming bookshop with two expansive floors and is also France’s largest English bookshop as well. It stocks over seventy-thousand books and more than a thousand titles of newspapers and magazines. It has three decorated rooms with views over the Tuileries. It was a beautiful bookshop to visit for our first day.
After visiting the bookstore, we walked over to Angelina’s and picked up a couple of hot chocolates and pastries and took them over to the Tuileries gardens to sit outside and enjoy.
After our pastries and hot chocolates, we made our way back to the hotel because it was time to check in. We spent the rest of the afternoon unpacking and even took a little nap to help refresh us for the evening.
I knew we would be quite tired come the evening on our first day, so I reserved dinner at the pizza restaurant right next door to us for dinner. And honestly, who doesn’t love a good pizza after a long day?
After dinner we walked over to the Eiffel Tower since it was a quick walk from where we were because one should always see the Eiffel Tower sparkle at least once while they are in Paris.
For the second day we started our day off at Cafede Flor where I got an omelet with a side salad. Cafe de Flor is a popular place to eat in Paris and I knew that since it wasn’t tourist season that this would be a good time to take advantage and have breakfast there. The cafe was cute and the food was simply delicious. I also purchased one of their small teapots and cup & saucer set to bring home with me.
After breakfast we walked over to the Shakespeare & Company bookstore. Always a favorite of mine to visit and luckily there was no line to get in at that point. Altogether I bought a book, puzzle and canvas bag from Shakespeare & Company. I will also be doing a separate blog post to show what I purchased while in Paris, so be on the lookout for that one soon.
After the bookstore we simply walked around Paris and enjoyed the views such as the Notre Dame Cathedral, the little book stalls by the Siene and of course the many architectural beauties throughout the city.
After walking for a while it was time for another coffee, so we stopped into Maison Fleuret coffee shop for lattes and a piece of marbled bread. The atmosphere was very cozy as Maison Fleuret is a “literary coffee shop” nestled within an old bookstore in the heart of Saint-Germain-des-Prés. Originally dating back to 1872, the place was reopened with the intention of creating a refined and epicurean space for taste, sight, and the mind.
After our little afternoon treat we walked over to Palais Royal to visit the gardens and view the Colonnes de Buren (Buren’s Columns) which was an art instillation created by the French artist Daneil Buren in 1985/1986. The Palais Royale itself was a lovely place to walk around and enjoy the many beautiful details.
After we left the Palais Royale, we found this shop called Leo et Violette that sold purses and handbags, and we liked them so much that each purchased one. It’s always so fun to discover charming new shops while traveling.
To end the evening we had dinner at Le Petit Troquet with a coursed meal of authentic French food. The restaurant was cozy and quaint, and the food was simply delicious.
This ends the first two days spent in Paris on the travel diary. Paris will always be one of my favorite cities as I simply love its charm and the coziness of the city that is especially off of the “beaten path”. Finding those petite tresors in Paris is such a fun way to explore and enjoy the city every time I visit.
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