Article by Rita Borges
Paris the most romantic city in the world, is immortalized the loves of the world’s most famous couples, including Heloise and Abelard, George Sand and Frédéric Chopin, Arthur Rimbaud and Paul Verlaine, Aristotle Onassis and Maria Callas, Coco Chanel and Igor Stravinsky. That is perhaps why some of the most romantic couples return to the city year after year, and why some of them never leave.
The Marais, which boasts the largest number of listed historic mansions in all of France (over 150), is home to Place des Vosges, whose red brick and white tufa stone mansions overlook one of the most charming squares in Paris. Here you will find elegant art galleries specializing in contemporary paintings and sculpture, or an excellent bistro meal on the outdoor terrace of Ma Bourgogne, which serves the best steak tartare and fries in Paris. If you have any energy left, you may decide to amble over to the charming Victor Hugo Museum, where you can learn about the intriguing and productive life of the man who penned The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Les Misérables. The Marais’ Jewish quarter, whose hub remains the Rue des Rosiers, is particularly inviting on Sundays, when the kosher cafés, restaurants and pastry shops become a mecca for people from all over the world, many of them lining up for the mouth-watering felafels sold at the counter l’As du Felafel), as well as to the trend-setting designers whose shops remain open. The Jewish Museum of Art and History, which has an exceptional collection of illuminated manuscripts from all over Europe, as well as some of the oldest menorahs in the world, is a must. It also boasts an exceptional collection of 17th and 18th century wedding ketubahs and wedding rings.
Paris is the Left Bank an area that includes the Sorbonne (the University of Paris) the city’s second oldest church, L’Eglise Saint Germain, and two of the world’s most famous literary cafés the Deux Magots and the Flore as well as such high-end boutiques as Dior, Louis Vuitton, Swarovski, Cartier and Louboutin.
The college student district flanks Boulevard Saint Michel, and is often referred to as The Latin Quarter, largely because students and teachers only spoke in Latin for several hundred years. (French was only decreed a state language in the 16th century under King Francis the First).
The district’s charming rue Mouffetard, the oldest market street in Paris, remains a feast for the eyes and the senses. You’ll want to come here in the spring, and pack a picnic lunch of fresh-based breads, cheeses, fruits, and charcuterie (pâtés and cured ham), bottled water and wine. Be sure to ask for a corkscrew in case you forgot to pack one.
A guided tour of the area would reveal the former haunts of Hemingway, Verlaine, Dante, and St. Thomas Aquinas, as well as the history of the splendid 14th century Hotel de Cluny Museum, which claims the only extant Gallo-Roman baths left in Paris. But don’t stop there. Be sure to take a moment to visit the museum’s breathtakingly beautiful Lady and the Unicorn tapestries, which illustrate the five senses as well as the art of love. If you get hungry, head over to Les Fontaines on the Rue Soufflot, where you can eat a delicious prix-fixe lunch with a glass of wine for a mere 14€.
No day in Paris is complete without a romantic walk at sunset in the Left Bank’s Luxembourg Gardens, which were originally conceived by the Italian Queen Marie de Médicis. They are so hauntingly beautiful that they have been immortalized by the painter John Singer Sargent, as well as by a host of other writers and poets, including Paul Verlaine and Ernest Hemingway.
By now, with all the walking you have done, you are probably yearning for a delicious cup of tea and a treat. It is hard to resist the enticingly mouth-watering pastries in the window of master baker Gérard Mulot on the Rue de Seine, or the jewel-like chocolates of Pierre Marcolini, also on the same street. In winter, you’ll want to sample the creamy thick hot chocolate at Chez Angélina with whipped cream, or a cup of fragrant tea with several different flavors of macarons at La Durée. While the original branch of La Durée is on Rue Royale, there are several others around town, including a darling one on Rue Bonaparte.
If you prefer to save your calories for dinner, you have lots of choices on both the Left and Right Bank. You could sit at Jack Nicholson’s table at Le Grand Colbert–the bistro that became famous through the movie “Something’s Got to Give” starring Diane Keaton. When you taste Le Grand Colbert’s oysters, steak, fries and profiteroles, you will understand why they fell in love over dinner. For something even more intimate, you could choose one of the private dining-rooms on the second floor of Lapérouse on the Left Bank, or the Coupe-Chou, an authentic Medieval establishment in the Latin Quarter, whose cheery fireplace is as welcome as its delicious, hearty menu.
Still, my favourite restaurant in Paris remains Christian Constant’s Le Violon d’Ingres on the rue Saint Dominique, whose 49€ menu remains one of the best values in town. Perhaps that is why I chose it to celebrate my wedding earlier this year. Not only is the food imaginatively prepared with the best of ingredients, but the service is attentive and friendly.
If you happen to be staying in an apartment in Paris, you can always invite a private chef in to cook you a gourmet lunch or dinner, or even have him on staff for the entire week, depending on your needs and wishes. If you would prefer to attend a cooking class in Paris, there are over 20 different ones to choose from, including courses given at cooking schools established by Guy Martin and Alain Ducasse, two of the most famous chef/restaurateurs in France.
There are some outstanding wine stores and cellars in Paris, including Legrand Fils et Filles and Fauchon. If you have time, you might want to schedule a champagne or wine and cheese tasting. They are lots of fun, and don’t have to set up back the price of a bottle of Dom Pérignon. My favourite wine bar in Paris is Tim Johnson’s Juvenile’s; my favourite champagne bar is Dokhan’s. Both have a charm and authenticity that makes them truly exceptional. Or you could have a cocktail at the celebrated Hemingway Bar at the Ritz, where they still serve some of the finest cocktails and mixed drinks, decorated with fresh orchids–a reminder of those heady days when F. Scott Fitzgerald ate orchids in the bar to win over a lady who had caught his fancy. Later in his life, Fitzgerald was to pen a famous story titled “A Diamond as Big as the Ritz.”And for those of you who want to take romance to another level, be sure to admire the jewel-filled windows on the Place Vendôme opposite the celebrated hotel. The eye-candy on display is from such stellar craftsmen as Chaumet, Van Cleef & Arpels, Buccellatti, and Mikimoto. Even if you don’t buy a thing, just for a moment, you will feel the romance of Paris all the more keenly, in all its dazzling facets of light
Ever since the Duchess of Windsor married Edward VIII in a stunning château in the Loire Valley on June 3, 1937, Americans have looked forward to getting married in France. You don’t have to get married in a castle in order to have a memorable wedding in France. For those of you who wish a church ceremony, it is possible to arrange as long as it is conducted by a non-denominational ministry.
However, most visitors to France have the legal ceremony on their home turf, and only have a symbolic celebration in France.
Since Paris is universally recognized as the mecca for love and romance, it is not surprising that it remains a preferred wedding destination. There is something truly magical about being married on the first level of the Eiffel Tower, even if it is only the two of you. The same can be said for the Opéra Garnier, especially in the dead of winter, when the dazzling golds and multicoloured mosaics of the opera house make you feel the glory of music and art.
If you can find a local wedding planner to work with, he or she can arrange it all before you even land at Charles De Gaulle Airport: wedding venue, reception, photography, floral decoration, music and more. Because Paris has some of the finest hair stylists and makeup artists–it is after all the world’s fashion capital–you can arrange to have your hair and makeup done the day of the event. As for flowers, there is no city that has more outstanding floral designers than Paris.
When it comes to finding the right caterer for you reception and wedding cake–you truly have a groaning board of possibilities. You can find every type of catering, including kosher and non-kosher; classic and eclectic French cuisine, as well as all the other main cuisines including Japanese, Chinese and Italian.
Nor do you have to stick to a traditional sit-down banquet. You can also have a wedding breakfast, a “cocktail dinatoire” (cocktail buffet), a wedding tea, a champagne tasting, and even an outdoor picnic or barbecue. If you don’t have the budget to privatize a castle, you can choose to privatize a few rooms in a chateau-hotel, a far less costly proposition. You would be wise to host your event during the week day when rates go down and you will have far more privacy.
Themed weddings are the most fun. Why not consider a glorious outdoor picnic reception in the gardens at Versailles or Fontainebleau, like the ones you saw in Sofia Coppola’s movie “Marie-Antoinette.” Or a champagne reception on a private yacht on the Seine with a swinging jazz band? Or you may prefer a barge reception that allows you to enjoy the fireworks on Bastille Day or New Year’s Eve.
Even if you choose to keep your base in Paris, it is also easy to organize a weekend wedding in Normandy, the Loire Valley or Provence. You don’t need a king’s ransom to arrange this. There are many charming chambre d’hôtes that you can rent for the weekend or elegant restaurants with outdoor terraces and private gardens that you can hire for the day.
Once you have set your eyes on France for the big day, be sure to plan well in advance. Although it is possible to have last-minute symbolic weddings for a few, if you are planning a reception for fifty guests or more, it is best to start with at the very least a three-to -six-month lead time. This also gives your guests a chance to book their airline tickets, and make their own accommodations if these aren’t included in the overall event.
Happily, the internet has facilitated overseas wedding planning. You can consolidate all your requests in an email and take it from there. Be sure to choose a wedding planner who speaks fluent English and who is known for a rapid response to any of your questions or requests. This will take the stress out of planning and help ensure the quality of your event.
It also helps to send visual examples of floral decorations, wedding cakes, and tabletop décor, so that you get exactly what you want and aren’t disappointed. By keeping all lines of communication clear and open, and having a simple checklist of what you want and need, everything is bound to go off smoothly for you and your fiancé, as well as your family.
While you may not have the budget of a Duke or a movie star, you will discover that you can have a lovely and affordable wedding in France, and one that you will remember always. Vive l’amour! Vive la France!
When in Paris, all of our guests are personally welcomed by a fluent English speaking property manager who cares about your stay as much as we do. Rik Gitlin, our secret weapon, without doubt will become your best friend (many guests keep him on speed dial) in Paris and he often steps out of his role as Mr. Restaurant and listens to what you want and need to make your experience everything you have ever wanted it to be. http://parisluxeapt.com/
Find More Mosaic Stone Bistro Table Articles