Paris in French Subtitled

Little Italy in the Marais’ heart

Lydia — Wed, 20 May 2009 20:49:24 +0000

If you feel like walking in a busy neighborhood and discover a sunny and refined cuisine, this is the place to stop!
You can find original and rare specialties from all countries in the rue François Miron. Italy was missing. Dino and Nathalie have filled this omission.
Fuxia L’épicerie (Fuxia Grocery), is a chain of Italian restaurants & grocery. The decor consists of shelves lined with Italian products (from Sicily, Veneto and Parma) that a large picture window allows you to see from the street. There are large tables up to 10 guests and more intimate corners. The terrace of 40 places are grabbed as soon as a little sunbeam (coming from Italy, maybe?) points its nose!
The “carte” offers a wide choice of pasta (from 15 to 17 euros) and if you’re lucky you may be able to taste the wonderful truffle risotto. To finish the meal, the house offers a beautiful card 8 Italian desserts at unique price of 6 euros.

Seven years after the first opening rue de Richelieu, the concept of the Fuxia restaurant
has been developed. Today Fuxia L’Epicerie is 9 grocery-restaurant-catering in Paris … You’re only problem is to know which one to pick !

45 rue de Richelieu, 1st district
25 rue des Martyrs, 9th district
40 rue de Ponthieu, 8th district
51 rue des Martyrs, Paris 9è
69 place du Docteur Felix Lobligeois, 17th district
42 place du Marché Saint-Honoré, 1st district
91 avenue Raymond Poincaré, 16 th district
1 avenue Victor Hugo, Centre national de la Danse de Pantin (93 – Seine Saint Denis)

French version of this post

L’ébouillanté

Lydia — Mon, 11 May 2009 20:02:01 +0000

A stone’s throw from the noisy Pont Marie, you just have to take a small street behind the Saint-Gervais Church to discovert this surprisingly quiet pedestrian street.

A blue front catches your eyes and then you are aroused! “L’ébouillanté” (the scalded) : is it a tearoom or a showroom? Both at the same time!

L’ébouillanté carries on the history of the place where the painter Gali, who resided at this address, transformed in 1977 his painting workshop into a tearoom. L’ébouillanté is a break in time during which you can enjoy an Indian tea with cardamom, or a Crumble (crispy oatmeal) with apricots and berries (just delicious !).
At the dinner or lunch time, do not miss the large salads or these thin Tunisian of semolina pancakes filled with various ingredients. The plates are plentiful and the service pleasantly relaxed.

L’ébouillanté – 6 rue des Barres – 75004 Paris
Métro : Hotel de ville, Saint-Paul, Pont-Marie
Phone : +33 1 42 71 09 69

French version of this post

Hives in Paris

Lydia — Mon, 11 May 2009 12:19:20 +0000

Hives in Paris … is this a crazy idea? Absolutely not Ladies and Gentlemen ! Apiaries in Paris have been existing since the nineteenth century, when rural populations, newly arrived in town, could maintain hives near their houses. Nowadays there are still a few swarms of bees in the capital : in the garden of Luxembourg (6th district), in the Parc Georges Brassens (15th district), on the roof of the Opera Garnier (9th district) and on roof of the Eiffel Park Hotel (7th district).

I heard that the city honey (also called concrete honey) would be purer than the one from the fields ! Indeed, the fields are heavily polluted by pesticides and our city flowers, despite the environmental pollution would be less contaminated.

More informations
The blog of the Eiffel Park Hotel
The hives of the Luxembourg gardens and Georges Brassens Park
Les petites reines » of the Opera Garnier

French version of this post

How will the heart of Paris look like ?

Lydia — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 20:59:54 +0000

To answer this question, the City of Paris has opened a (1, rue Pierre Lescot) public information devoted on the project of developping the site of Les Halles.

All Parisians are invited to discover the future face of the heart of Paris, whose work will begin early 2010, with delivery of the canopy (which would be the new architecture of the Forum des Halles) and the garden in 2013.

Visitors will find an exhibition presenting the whole project, the model of the canopy and of the garden, a free documentation, video projections and an Internet Point. Staff trained in architecture and urban planning will inform the visitors from Monday to Saturday from 16h to 19h30 and from 12h30 on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

French version of this post

Paris, the most welcoming city in the world

Lydia — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 20:58:29 +0000

The City of Paris has just been awarded with the title of “the most welcoming city in the world” by the American publisher Conde Nast.

The readers of “Traveler magazine” have elected Paris (with a score of 93.33/100) before to New York, Sydney, Rome, Barcelona and London, particularly in terms of culture, cuisine and heritage.

That feels good!!

The cities of Amsterdam (75.04 / 20), Berlin (73.74 / 100) and Hong Kong (72.11 / 100) are the last ones.

French version of this post

Here comes the spring !

Lydia — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 20:53:20 +0000

Last week-end, the sun was bright and arroused in us the desire to to look for a spot in the sun. We chose to walk in the Schlumberger park, located upper town, on the ridges of Cormeilles en Paris.

I suggest you to visit this very nice park where you can admire a splendid view of Paris. There is also a playground for children. Statues adorn the walkways and it is easy to find a quiet corner under the sun.

This park of eight hectares (19 acres) belonged to Guy Patin, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine. The Schlumberger family bought the estate and sold most of its gardens in 1977 to the Department of Val d’Oise.

Despite the storm damages in December 1999 (the park has lost more than 400 trees), there is still 27 species of trees, some are over a hundred years: the beech, holly and yew alongside maples, redwoods, but also apple, pear or cherry trees.

It was reopened to the public at the end of summer 2002.

Schlumberger Park – Route stratégique (D 122) – 95240 Cormeilles-en-Parisis
From Octobre 1st to May 31st : every day from 8 :30 to 5 :30 pm and from June 1st to September 30^th : from Monday to Friday from 8:30 to 6:30 pm, Saturday to Sunday from 8:30 to 8:00 pm.

French version of this post

Discovering the 6th tea colors

Lydia — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 20:48:04 +0000

Instants Nature, from Nature et Découvertes,, proposes guided walks, lectures, visits, workgroups at attractive prices. That’s how I discovered Sylvette de Guyenro who founded Couleur Orient, an association whose aim is to introduce tea in France. Especially teas from China and Taiwan, the only countries to produce the 6 colors of tea.

Sylvette Guyenro discovered tea during a trip to Taiwan and became interested in this fascinating world of tea. She was introduced to the subtleties of the different Chinese teas by one of the best specialists teas of China in France: Nadia Bécaud.

On 7 March, I went to the home of associations 14th arrondissement to assist a workgroup about the discovery of tea and its 6 colors: white, green, yellow, blue-green, red and black.

It has been almost 2 years now that I no longer drink coffee and I consume tea or herbteas. I wanted to learn more about this Millenium drink with so many varieties.

During this workgroup, we learned about the different varieties of tea, the manufacturing stages and the working methods of the leaves and buds of tea, brewing time, water temperature … Finally we tasted a Wulong tea From the Fujian province, the 1st-producing region (1/5e of the Chinese production). We enjoyed the same tea brewed 7 times in a row (which is the traditional way of drinking Wulong tea). This is a very interesting way to drink tea. Each tea has a taste very different: strong at first, then softer, different tastes of fruits… it’s very surprising!

Couleur Orient organizes various workgroups where you can discover and buy tea and accessories at attractive prices.

Each year, Sylvette returned to Taiwan to meet producers, visit their gardens and taste teas from the spring crops. She also visit potters and craftsmen specializing in accessories for the tea.

She will leave for Taiwan in March and will propose in May a meeting to taste her latest discoveries…don’t miss it !

French version of this post

La fleur de sel

Lydia — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 21:41:10 +0000

Here is a beautiful surprise for this restaurant lost in a suburban zone of La Garenne-Colombes (92). A charming staff, even in the rush of a dazing evening as the Valentine’s.

The chief is an attraction. He is friendly without being familiar… He offered me a rose when we left the restaurant. We could take out the bottle of wine we hadn’t finished. A gesture so rare in France and yet so appreciable. We finished it the following day and appreciate it because it was much better due to the fact was opened the entire night. This restaurant is a beautiful surprise, lost in the suburban zone. Pleasant waiters, even in the rush of the Valentine evening.

Valentine’s day Menu :

Tartar of scallop, tuna and mango, with vanilla oil: the mango gives a fresh taste. A dish well known then becomes original.

Bull filet and and mint Béarnaise sauce : I’ve ever had such a large piece of meat in my plate, and above all never ate such tender meat!

Gratin of pears andd Champagne: we still have the quantity and quality. A light and delicious dessert.

La fleur de sel : 20 avenue de Charlesbourg, 92250 La Garenne Colombes
Phone number : +33 1 42 42 30 83

French version of this post

Valentine’s day in a convertible !

Lydia — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 19:32:45 +0000

The Valentine’s day happening this year on a Saturday, I wanted to make a change from the usual dinner and get one day only for us. I thus decided to offer to my darling one an escapade in Paris… in what was its first car as a young licensed guy… a “deudeuche”!

Venice has its gondolas, New York has its taxis and Paris… its 2CV! Since 2003, “4 wheels under an umbrella” proposes escapades in the heart of Paris, in the most mythical convertible car.

Departure at 3:00 pm, in front of the steps of the Opera Garnier, under a lovely sun but a fresh air(5°C). We discover a black and grey 2 CV, kept by our guide and its” beret”! The 2CV offers a wonderful panoramic sight. Sited in the back of the cosy car, we start a one hour and a half discovering of the “Unknown Paris”.

The originality of the escapade pleased us much. But we were disappointed on two points: we saw half of what was listed on the guide road and on the second part of the “balade”, our guide was much less talkative than at the beginning: 20 minutes without saying anything. The price for two people was rather expensive… too much considering the service. Nevertheless, we’ll keep a very good souvenir.

French version of this post