Paris is one of my favourite cities, it is the city of love, fashion, food and just about anything if you know where to look. as Ernest Hemingway once said it is a "movable feast ". I arrived in paris at 8 am and after quickly getting my metro day ticket (for only €3.75 for students) I was on my way. As this was my 5th visit to paris I was avoiding the big tourist spots to see places I hadn't seen before and more off the beaten track places. I set off for the Saxe - Breteuil market, one of Paris's oldest street markets packed with stalls of fresh fruit and veg, fish, meats cheeses and breads after picking up a few bits, I found myself a nice brasserie for breakfast. The market is bordered on one end by the Eiffel Tower and the other by the Montparnasse tower.
After refueling I set out for Invalidies, a golden cupolaed basilica in the centre of paris that houses the monumental mausoleum of Napolean in the crypt of the church directly below the painted dome it was jaw dropping.After taking a few different metros I went to the antique village of Saint Paul in the Marais, it is a vast maze of covered arches with so many shops selling vintage prints, antiques table wear and furnishings, such a nice place to potter around for a little while.
After a gorgeous lunch in a little brasserie near to the Bastille it was time to visit the renowned Parisian opera house the Palais Garnier. This monolithic building has played host to some of the most well know ballets and opera and after stepping into it's lavish foyer I could see why. As it was an unguided tour I spent nearly an hour just walking round taking in the lavish ceiling frescos, the gold gilled frieze, the stunning reception rooms each more lavish then the previous, I also got a chance to see the royal ballet practising.
After navigating a few more metros I arrived at the Musée D'Orsay, set on the River Seine this stunning gallery is home to works by Van Gogh, Degas and Renoir, with its amazing architecture as an old train station the building Is like a piece of art its self. My final stop, necessary to any trip to Paris is the Champs Elysées, home to the most exclusive brands it is shopping heaven, and well worth a visit even just to browse, for dinner I went to this gorgeous little wine bar/brasserie at Chatlet, just outside the metro stop, it had the most amazing authentic French food with proper Beouf bourguignon and French onion soup and a gorgeous selection of wines, the best part of any french dinner is the desert, and they had a favourite of mine Café gourmand, a selection of petit desert and espresso, until next time Paris.
