On Thursday, my Mum arrived in Paris to spend a few days with me. As I walked round to the station to fetch her, the clear blue skies, rustling trees and crunch of leaves underfoot promised that it would be a perfect autumn day. Once home, we set about making a restorative cup of tea and throwing together some brunch: fresh fruits, mini French pastries and marmalade toast to add a zing of Britishness to affairs!
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| Please excuse the messy room! |
Next on my agenda was a "cute shop crawl". A few weeks ago, I discovered the adorable Rue du Bac, lined with enticing window displays and culminating in the "Harrods" of Paris, "Le Bon Marche". This is a secret to be jealously guarded, but when Mum came to stay I happily let her in on it. We spent a contented hour or so discovering cute gifts or knick-knacks and then tutting at the extortionate prices. As a rule, multiply the price you think it's worth by 4 and you'll be nearing Parisian prices!
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| Inside Le Bon Marché with its iconic staircases |
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| Getting festive in the Christmas department |
Le Bon Marche is an oasis of calm and wealth - too expensive to shop at, but the Papeterie department and delicatessen are worth a visit, and Mum and I did stretch the bank balance to accommodate 4 little macarons in chocolate, peanut, coffee and praline which we nibbled on a bench in the park outside.
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| The park at Sevres-Babylone |
Hear about the rest of our trip tomorrow - including a visit to St. Sulpice, a stroll in the Luxembourg gardens and the amazing discovery of an affordable vintage store (finally!)
À Bientôt !
x
