Feeling peckish in Paris

Being in a long distance relationship for over 4 years, and separated by a 15 hour time difference, meant that we took some pretty crazy trips to spend time together. How crazy, well we both took 16 hour flights each, to spend 3 days in Paris in the middle of February. Totally worth it though, since we got some great weather and very little crowds. Also, this wasn’t going to be the usual checklist Paris trip, we had both visited Paris before and done most of the touristy stuff (bar a few which I’ll mention later) so this was more of an immersive trip, explore the quaint neighborhoods, and explore hole-in-the-wall local cafes, and in general be as non-touristy as possible. Also, during my last visit here, I was a poor undergrad, so I survived on grocery store made sandwiches the whole time, as most restaurants were above my budget. So this was going to be a redemption trip and I was determined to try all the french delicacies I wasn’t able to get my hands on last time. Plus, being an ardent #GBBO fan, I couldn’t wait to try some of their fancy patisserie.

When having to explore a city on such a tight schedule, it is imperative you time your sleep on flights well. Having done a fair few of these crazy trips before, this wasn’t a problem and we both landed in Paris on a sunny Friday morning with as much sleep an economy class seat allows you to undertake! We hopped onto the metro and checked in super quickly to the uber-chic, hi-tech Citizen M, dropped off our bags and headed out to explore Paris.

First order of the day was breakfast. After a quick detour to explore a beautiful alleyway with pastel shaded houses, we walked over to find a cafe. I had way too many eateries bookmarked than is physically possible to explore in 3 days, but always good to have more choices than less. Thanks to Anthony Bourdain’s multiple episodes about Paris in his shows, I had no doubt that Du Pain et des Idées would be a good pick, and it didn’t disappoint at all. Roughly translated the name of the cafe means Bread & Ideas, and we shared a buttery, piping-hot croissant as well as the famous snail pastry (a decadent swirl of chocolate and pistachio with flaky puff pastry)! The cafe is only open on weekdays, so be sure to factor that in.

 We then proceeded to walk around Paris, setting up from near the 8th Arr, and making our way towards the Arc de Triomphe. Window shopping takes a whole new meaning while traipsing down the Champs-Élysées, and we were both sufficiently entertained, her with the french high street fashion and me with the delectable patisseries. We also did the quickest run through the Louvre (the wife hadn’t seen the Mona Lisa, I assured her it was the most overrated thing in Paris, and after seeing the painting for herself she agreed). Soon we were feeling peckish and we went and had a quick supper at one of the many Brasseries dotting the streets and finished up well with some macaroons from Ladurees.

Day 2 started off very similarly, with another walk through the streets around Gare de Lyon to find some fresh croissants and coffee. I decided on Ble Sucre (a very parisian place, where the staff spoke little English), where they were taking out a fresh batch of croissants as I was walking in. No english needed here, a simple point to the baked goods was enough. After enjoying the buttery flaky goodness we charted out the day’s plans, which included walking along the Seine, getting some pictures of the Eiffel through the bylanes, looking for Shakespeare & Co, trying french cheese and photographing the Sainte-Chapelle.

But first we needed some proper breakfast so we headed down to Breizh Café and had some excellent crepes. To walk off that extra dollop of cheese and buttery goodness in each crepe, we walked to the Sainte-Chapelle, which is a royal chapel built in the 12th century, and one the most impressive examples of Gothic architecture in the world today. Pictures don’t do this place justice and the stained glass windows here rival any place I’d seen thus far. 

Having taken more pictures than we needed to, we walked across the Seine, and promptly lost ourselves in the quaint, picturesque Sorbonne district. From taking the customary picture in front of Shakespeare and Co., trying to get the picturesque Odette framed with the cobblestoned streets, and trying out cheeses whose name we didn’t even try to pronounce at the local fromagerie, it was a pleasure roaming through the streets of the eternal city. With dusk approaching, we walked toward the Eiffel to get the classic shot of the tower peeking through the local streets. 

With the crepes now a distant memory, we tucked into the cozy Café Constant to enjoy a sumptuous supper, the standout being the devilled eggs and the homemade profiteroles, with a generous hot chocolate sauce drizzle. Cities at night look amazing when viewed from a height, Paris is no different, and this was something neither of us had done in our previous trips. So, before calling it a night, we took a quick cab ride to Montparnasse Tower, where the viewing deck offers the best view of the City of lights (a sobriquet it owes to the fact it was one of the first cities in the world to have electricity).

Day 3, dawned nice and clear, with a nip in the air, and it was the day to head out to Versailles. Before that, breakfast had to be had (I’m sure the fact that food was the topmost priority of the trip is pretty much clear by now!!). We headed to a Parisian institution, Angelina’s to see if the legendary hot chocolate was worth the hype. Even in the off season, there was a 40 min wait here! Now about the hot chocolate, it is decadent, too a fault, you really can’t finish a cup its that rich. But in winter, two people can easily finish it. Its so rich you don’t really need dessert. But the tantalizing array of eclairs and choux pastries on display are hard to resist, so we to-go’ed a couple for our train ride to Versailles. 

The Palace of Versailles, an UNESCO world heritage site, which was principal royal residence of France from 1682 until the start of the French Revolution in 1789, is famous for its hall of mirrors and the vast Gardens with fountains, canals, and geometric flower beds and groves, laid out by André le Nôtre. Now winter is the worst time to see the gardens and no doubt I’ll come back in the summer some time to see the gardens in its glory. I have been to Herrenchiemsee, in southern Bavaria, which is an unfinished replica of Versailles. It has its own version of the Hall of mirrors, so maybe I wasn’t as impressed as others with them in Versailles. Nevertheless, I highly recommend visiting this Palace, especially if you are here in warmer times. Post roaming about the palace and freezing ourselves by walking in the gardens, we warmed ourselves with glasses of mulled wine.

We then took the train back to Paris, and got appropriately decked up for some fine dining. We had saved the best for the last, and my wife had planned a birthday dinner at the Michelin starred Les Fables de La Fontaine. Eating and drinking through multiple courses of French food and wine was the perfect way to end our predominantly gastronomic trip to Paris. And to be honest, I wouldn’t have it any way. They say food is the best way to truly discover a city, and Paris is no exception. 

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