Vogue Café

I've now been to the Vogue Cafe twice, which I think is a firm advocation of its loveliness! Nestled in the basement of the Printemps department store, near Opera or Havre-Caumartin metro, this little cafe is only a temporary pop-up - but I highly recommend that you get yourself along there before it closes in March.

C'est la deuxième fois que je suis allée au "Vogue Café", qui est un peu une indication de son charme. Il est niché au sous-sol de Printemps, près du métro Opéra ou Havre-Caumartin. Ce petit café n'est qu'un "pop-up" temporaire - comme un "magasin éphémère", mais je recommande fortement que vous y allez avant qu'il ferme en mars !

Following suit after the Vogue cafes already in Dubai and Moscow, the patisserie house of Hugo & Victor provides the sweet treats, whilst the Vogue team has taken care of the decor, creating a calming, breezy 50's vibe. Apparently it resembles the personal apartment of one of Vogue's editors...but I've forgotten which one!

Suite à l'ouverture des cafés Vogue à Dubai et à Moscou, la maison de pâtisserie "Hugo & Victor" fournisse les sucrés, tandis que l'équipe Vogue a choisi le décor, en créant un atmosphère désinvolte inspiré des années 50. Apparemment il ressemble l'appartement personnel d'un des éditeurs du magazine Vogue...mais j'ai oublié lequel !

We had a little bit of trouble locating the cafe inside the vast department store, which spans two buildings - and the staff did not seem to be very helpful, as the few that we asked hadn't even heard of the cafe. Good work.

On a eu un peu de mal à trouver le café dans le magasin vaste de Printemps qui compte deux bâtiments - les vendeurs n'étaient pas très serviables, et quand on a demandé où se trouvait le café quelques vendeurs ne savaient pas qu'il existait. Bon...!

Once you've found it, sink into a comfy sofa whilst you wait for a table to free up (it's popular, but with good reason). Whilst you wait, you can admire the decor, browse the menu or flick through the copies of Vogue magazine which are scattered around the cafe.

Une fois que vous l'avez trouvé, on peut s'enfoncer dans un sofa en attendant pour une table (c'est très populaire, mais pour raison !) Tandis que vous attendez, vous pouvez admirer le décor, jeter un oeil sur le menu ou feuilleter les copies de Vogue qui sont placées partout sur les tables.

The menu is not the cheapest, but I recommend getting a coffee for around €5.00 and a cheaper pastry instead of a €7.00 pâtisserie. The 'escargot praline' was my favourite, and you get a LOT of pastry for your €3.50! Macarons sell at €2.00, and lunches are anywhere up to €20.00.

Le menu est un peu cher, mais je recommande les cafés pour environ €5.00 et un viennoiserie (comme l'escargot praliné) mois cher au lieu d'une pâtisserie pour €7.00. Les macarons sont à €2.00 la pièce et un déjeuner serait environ €20.00.

My favourite thing about the cafe is the atmosphere. The decor is lovely, the staff are smiley and helpful (a rarity for Paris!), and they don't rush you despite the cafe's busyness. You really do feel like you are in the plush reception of the Vogue headquarters, and this atmosphere is only encouraged by the gorgeous clientele - mainly beautifully dressed Vogue fans who have flocked to try their fashion-bible's latest hotspot.

Ce que j'aime le plus c'est l'atmosphère. Le décor est vraiment beau, les serviteurs sont accueillants et serviables (pas toujours le cas à Paris !) et ils vous laissent pour prendre votre temps :)

All the details: Cafe Vogue, from January 24^th to March 22^nd in the atrium.

Printemps Haussmann, 64, boulevard Haussmann, Paris 9^th.

From Monday to Saturday: 9:35 am – 8 pm. Late-night opening: Thursday, until 10 pm.

À Bientôt !

x

Beaugrenelle Shopping Centre

My friend told me about a new shopping centre they just opened up in Paris. It's called Beaugrenelle and is near the Eiffel Tower. We got off the metro at 'Charles Michel' on line 10 and the centre was a stone's throw away in a shiny brand new building, all glass and mirrors.

Une amie m'a parlé d'un nouveau centre commerciale qui vient d'ouvrir à Paris. Il s'appelle Beaugrenelle et se trouve pas loin du Tour Eiffel. On est descendu du métro à 'Charles Michel' sur la ligne 10 et le centre était à un jet de pierre dans un bâtiment tout nouveau avec beaucoup de verre et des miroirs.

It was decorated for Christmas which made the experience even nicer. Apparently if you arrive at Dupleix on the other side of the river there is a free boat to take you on a scenic boat ride across the Seine - ideal! 

Il était décoré pour Noël qui a servi de faire plus sympa l'expérience. Apparemment si on arrive à Dupleix sur l'autre côté de la rivière il y a un bateau-mouche gratuit et on peut faire un voyage pittoresque au centre - parfait !

The shops are mainly clothing stores, and we visited Hollister, Zara, H&M, Mango, Promod - and I spotted a Uniqlo too. For anglophiles there is a Marks and Spencer's complete with an M&S food - yum! There is also a swanky section for those who want to splash the cash with a Michel Kors, IKKS, The Kooples, and Maje. A food court offers a selection of tasty looking outlets and also my fave, a Pâtisserie des Reves. Check the list of businesses here.

En générale il y a des boutiques de vêtements et nous avons visité Hollister, Zara, H&M, Mango, Promod - j'ai vu un Uniqlo aussi. Pour les anglophiles il y a un Marks & Spencer qui vend de la nourriture - miam miam ! Il y a aussi des boutiques de mode chics pour ce qui veulent claquer son fric avec un Michel Kors, Ikks, The Kooples, et Maje. Il y a une aire de restauration..et mon préféré - un "Pâtisserie des Rêves" ! On peut voir la liste en cliquant le lien au-dessus.

As far as I could tell, there were two interconnected centres which were joined up by these amazing walkways. The view was incredible, and I spotted the second Statue of Liberty hiding away in the depths of Paris - the first was in the Jardin du Luxembourg which I wrote about in this post here.

Autant que je sache, il y a deux centre connectés qui ont été liés par des passerelles. La vue était incroyable, et j'ai vu la deuxième statue de liberté cachées au fond de Paris - la première est dans le Jardin du Luxembourg.

The centre also offered a free service where a taxi picks you up after your shopping trip and takes you home! I'm not sure if this is just an introductory promotion - I can't imagine it would be a regular service but who knows! My friend was interviewed about her thoughts on the offer & was whisked away to wherever she wanted to go in Paris. I opted to stay longer & go to the cinema with another friend which was a snip at around €6.00 a ticket with your Imagine R card (the metro subscription for students which gives you cheaper travel in Paris). 

Il existe un service gratuite où un taxi passe vous prendre après le shopping pour rentre chez vous. Je ne sais pas s'il continue mais qui sais ! Mon amie était filmé dans un entretien à propos du service. J'ai choisi de rester et aller au cinéma avec une autre amie qui était vraiment pas cher à environ €6.00 avec la carte Imagine R !

I left a very happy bunny, and we went to have a little look at lady liberty before hopping on the metro. I definitely recommend Beaugrenelle, particularly for female fashion. As far as we could tell there wasn't much in the way of homeware or gift shops. With late night opening hours too, head on over for your Christmas shopping pronto!

J'était très contente, et avant de rentre à la maison, on est aller voir la Statue de la Liberté avant de prendre le métro. Je recommanderais Beaugrenelle, surtout pour la mode féminine. D'après moi il n'y a pas vraiment des magasins des accessoires de maison où des cadeaux. Il ouvre tard le soir aussi - alors, allez-y pour faire ton shopping de Noël toute de suite !

À Bientôt ! 

x

Cute Shop Crawl

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!

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!

Inside Le Bon Marché with its iconic staircases

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.

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

Le Marais

After a hectic couple of days, nothing could have been more welcome than my Saturday night plans for a quiet wander around town and easy chatter over dinner with friends. I headed to Le Marais for the first time with two girls I had met at Interfac. I imagine this area is normally bustling with cooly dressed girls and boys wearing scarfs and skinny jeans - but we came later in the evening as dusk was settling over the high roof tops and narrow streets. 

Le Marais felt to me like a forgotten remnant of an older, quieter world - now filled with clothes stores, thrift shops, cafes and markets. I didn't manage to take many photos, apart from when I emerged at 'Hotel de Ville' metro. 

 I never get tired of coming up from under Paris network of underground lines into a different part of town, having no idea what to expect when I step up into the overground world. Hotel de Ville was a startlingly ostentatious and impressive start to our Le Marais adventure, before we dived off into the little maze of roads that make up the quartier.

I'm going to drag my sister to Le Marais when she comes to visit in December, so I'll be able to take some better photos then.

For now, here's a photo my friend took of us enjoying crepes at 'Crepe Suzette'. Check out the blog post I linked to the name - it's much better than mine! After some agonising decision making, I chose The Barbette: melty cheese, ham, basil and potato - proper comfort food. It's not cheap but it sure does taste good, so take yourself there for a treat if you're in need of some TLC, then hit the shops for a bit of retail therapy (all window-shopping, or un peu du 'leche-vitrine' -literally, window licking - in my case). I, for one, am looking ve-ery tired!

Another trip to Le Marais tout de suite I think!

À Bientôt !

x

Le Bon Marché

Thursday was my chance to visit the Sorbonne's History of Art Department on the Rue Michelet. Whilst I didn't sign up for any lessons, I did enjoy taking a peak around the building which had old statues and sculptures tucked into every nook & cranny. If the timetabling wasn't such a nightmare, I would have loved to take their 20^th and 21^st Century Art Module!

L'Histoire de l'Art at the Sorbonne

I ambitiously decided to walk back via Le Bon Marche, having been tipped off that the store had some rather yummy macarons in their 'Grande Épicerie'.

Obviously this is not the whole way back to mine (even I am not that trusting) – but the whole walk was nearly 5km. Exhausted, I sat outside Les Invalides, contemplated my sore feet & tucked gladly into a chocolate macaron. For someone who claimed not to be a fan, this was pretty good & more reasonably priced than the outrageous day-light robbery that is a standard €3 a piece price tag in some stores. At €1.66 I still think this is a pretty luxurious snack - but you can't come to Paris & not try one!

                 

Le Bon Marche is perhaps lesser known than Les Galeries Lafayette & Printemps near Madeleine, but I think much nicer. The atmosphere is quieter & more refined, sort of hushed. I happily browsed the Papeterie department & a Sales Assistant came over to chat about Moleskine Diaries & my studies. I liked her a lot because she kindly told me my French was good! She also informed me that Le Bon Marche was celebrating 160 years this year, & that the amazing roof had been designed on advice from Gustave Eiffel of Eiffel Tower fame. Pretty cool! 

I had never heard of the store – in fact I thought it was the same as the plus-size-women's-clothes-store Bonmarche in England! Well worth a visit if you want to get away from the hustle and bustle of Les Galeries Lafayette & Printemps :)

Le Bon Marche magazine can be found here: 

Cute carrousel outside

 

Papeterie Department - an absolute dream!

À Bientôt !

x