a friend last night asked me for recommendations to visit paris for a a week-end. and so, i have decided to write a blog post in case you might be interested. of course, these are based on a perhaps a strange idea that when i go 3-4 times per year, i like to feel as though i live there and so try to do things as i think i would living in the beautiful city of love that is paris, the eternal!

first, i always book a room at hotel muguet in the 7e arrondissement, just a stone throw away from “hotel des invalides” and a short walk to la tour eiffel. i have stayed there 15-20 times now, at least. why? because it makes me feel like i am visiting a dear aunt. and because i love the proximity to la rue cler and saint-dominique, 2 absolutely lovely foodie destinations.

of course, when i land from hong kong, i reach the hotel at around 9 am and my room is not normally ready because check-in is at 15h. but i make no fuss about it because the team at reception at very accommodating and will keep my suitcase and my phone number so that they will call me in case the room is ready before the time. i will head out for breakfast strait to “le petit cler” on the street of the same name. lovely staff and lovely seats on a small terrace outside for interesting people watching. rue cler is a pedestrian street and so only very few cars and trucks are allowed to supply what is in reality a market street with plenty of incredibly beautiful shops selling all kinds of food. i absolutely love davoli an orgasmic italian “traiteur” selling all kind of amazingly gorgeous food to look at in all kinds of shape from my adopted country. wonderfully photogenic and such a wonderful perfume, i could spend the whole morning there. perhaps even buy the whole shop!

after breakfast, i will normally head down rue grenelle to reach rue de belgrade and the park surrounding the eiffel tower. the view there is splendid and perfect for photo taking. as i walk toward la tour, i am always amazed at how it could have possibly been built when it was. if the queue is not too long, i will make a point to join it to climb up to the top and have a 360 degree view of the whole city. impossible to get tired of this view so beautiful and inspiring it is. by the time i reach back the ground under my feet it is normally 11 or 12 and so i will head down to the seine river, just under the bridge “pont d'inea” where i will buy a ticket for the “batobus", a hop on-off type of boat on the river so that i can get on the “tour eiffel” stop and drop at “saint-germain des prés” where i will reach my favourite place to have lunch, la crêmerie, on rue des quatres-vents. here a reservation is recommended and well worth the trip. saucissons, cheeses, pâtés, and all kinds of beautiful wines on the menu. if one wants something a little more upmarket but still bistro like, there is le “comptoir du relais just around the corner in the hotel relais st-germain where reservations are not accepted but the wait can be a little bit of a bother but well worth it for the food and especially the people watching…

after a beautiful lunch, on the buzz of a little wine having warmed my stomach and certainly enlightened my mood, i will probably walk along rue de condé and turn right on rue saint-sulpice to look at the shops, the people and the architecture all the way to “pierre herme” where the absolute best, and i emphasize the word best, macaron and other sweets can be found. besides, the entire area is a delight for high fashion shopping and beautiful people watching…

by the time i have had my fill of sweet, i will hop on a taxi to reach my hotel and have a rest before going out to a beautiful dinner for the evening….

here is the thing however, walking distance to the hotel are destinations where many beautiful little restaurants can be found and one must choose carefully. not only they are easy to reach but at every corner a super romantic view of the eiffel tower can be had, especially when it is floating with a thousand little white lights… here is a shortlist of place i would absolutely recommend:

- la fontaine de mars , rue st-dominique is a wonderful bistrot experience anyone can hope to find in paris with a very traditional menu, service, and atmosphere. i fact, i love to go there for lunch or diner, it does not matte, each time i go, i am charmed. reservations recommended.

- les cocotte de constant s a great little place where the menu is super original and each dishes are serves in a small “cocotte” and for sure lip-smacking. the atmosphere is electric but the thing is no reservations are accepted. a positive thing if in the mood for an early dinner!

- brasserie thoumieux if i am in the mood to dress up, especially on a saturday night, i might want to make a booking at this trendy and chic little brasserie re-invented by the chef who has long experience and reputation. lovely dishes, especially when ordering something that is unknown and weird sounding. highly recommended.

- il vino by enrico bernardo is a wonderful. chic and trendy place where you select your wine and the dishes are secretly paired to them. a lovely concept by the youngest person to ever win the best sommelier of the world contest, enrico bernardo.

usually, i will be quite tired after dinner and the walk back to the hotel will do me a lot of good…

for brunch the next morning, i will make sure to make a reservation “chez janou”, a fantastic little bistrot featuring a menu from the south of france at the fringe of “le marais” close to place des vosges. the last time i went, i ordered the “pot au feu” and not only it was a huge plate but it was wonderfully lip-smacking! with plenty of bread, wine, and a devilish mousse au chocolat for dessert, the after-noon continued in a sensual feeling that makes paris what is paris: voluptuous, dream-like, and sensual…

for brunch, i also like “l’estaminet des enfants rouges” in the middle of a lovely little market. the menu is generous, the people watching wonderful, and the atmosphere very cosy. also not far away from both this one and chez janou in les marais is “chez marianne” where the menu is jewish specialties and well worth the visit a very sunny day to sit outside on the large terrace.

after a satisfying brunch at any of the above destination, the wandering around the streets of le marais, especially on rue des franc-bourgeois, rue vieille du temple, rue du bourg tibourg, rue des rosiers is the way to do it. nice shops, beautiful people, and paris the way i imagine….

by the time i realise it, it will be later after-noon and time to head back to the hotel. i will reach the batobus stop at hotel de ville, a short walking distance from le marais to head back all the way to the eiffel tower stop. if i am lucky, the sun will set in that direction and the view will be breathtaking and certaily photogenic. for sure, on the way we will see the most romantic pont neuf, le musée de louvre, and the gorgeous pont alexandre….

from the stop at the tour eiffel, it will be easy to hop on a taxi or walk back to the hotel to rest a while an get ready for another great dinner…

either i will head to another restaurant nearby as above or perhaps i will venture into town as follow - reservations well in advance (perhaps even before reaching paris) a must:

- l’atelier de joel robuchon the iconic chef does not disappoint in the 1st restaurant of the kind he created these years ago. i absolutely love the place. intense dishes, superlative service, in a very laid-back atmosphere & setting…

- benoit for an upmarket bistrot experience, where i plan to celebrate my 47th birthday in fact… the place is delightfully traditional, with a old world flair and a parisian attitude. the best of all world, paris style…

- spring an american chef making his way unto the legends of parisian gastronomy. a wonderfully interactive restaurant where both food and the wine menu work fantastically well together. the last time i went, i had a seat next to the “kitchen”, just next to an open plan cooking area from where i could watch all of the cooking action and the tremendous discipline and devotion instilled by chef daniel rose. i have very very fond memories of the place and i look forward to go back!

- pierre gagnaire, le restaurant. a very high level, and exclusive destination… i have never been but i have a reservation on the 2nd night of my 47th birthday celebration (yes, i like to make it last…). i definitely love pierre gagnaire. quite a few times, i ate at his restaurant in hong kong and each time, i was delighted by his creativity and genius in the kitchen. i very very much look forward to dine at this fabled restaurant on the 09 of march next

for me, paris is fantastic for eating. and for walking. i love the walk along the seine from pont de l’alma not far from the hotel all the way to pont de l’archevêché, just behind the catédrale notre-dame. on a beautiful day, the walk offers plenty of beautiful vistas, people watching and a wonderful feeling of well being. from there, i can hop on the batobus to tag along and hop-off at the louvre, either for a little museum walk around, which i am frankly not too fond of, or a walk along the champs-elysée for some “big brands” shopping and incredible people watching - in fact you see all nationalities on the champs-élysées!

food markets are aplenty in paris and so are museums, cinemas, fashion stores, and parks for delightful walks.

key for me is to feel the city, live it as closely as a local as i can. to love it and let it impress me with all of its glory and beauty...