Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Paris, Plonk and Patisseries

Something a little different today in honour of my travel book, 24 Hours Paris, that's launching today in the other half of my schizo world! I thought I'd do a Paris post, dedicated to the two loves of my life (after writing, of course. Oh yes, and my husband): food and wine. So here are five of my favourite places to eat and drink in Paris. Enjoy! (*Drool, drool!*)

If you fancy winning a copy of the book, brilliant book blogger Scott Pack is doing a giveaway today on his blog, Me and My Big Mouth. Head over and write something in French in the comments section (Google Translator's helpful!) and he'll pick the winners on the weekend.

Sweet Breads
The debate over Paris’ best bakery rages on, but Poilâne is a definite contender. Opened in 1932 by the young Pierre Poilâne from Normandy, Poilâne’s bread has stood the test of time. Baked in a wood-fired oven the same way they always have been, the traditional sourdough loaves were so popular Salvador Dalí once ordered a whole bedroom made out of them! Bite in to see if they live up to your bread expectations. And if you love the bread so much you can’t live without it, never fear – you can take away a cushion shaped exactly like a Poilâne loaf and fill your head with sweet bread dreams. Poilâne: www.poilane.fr

Crazy for Coffee
If the heady smell of roasting coffee beans doesn’t get you, one look at the quaint, coffee-bean stuffed interior will lure Café Verlet has been giving caffeine-starved Parisians their coffee fix since 1880 and it couldn’t be more different from its chain-gang neighbours if it tried. Choose from a menu of coffees from the Yemen to Brazil, or splash out for a rare gourmet bean from Australia. No matter what you go for, you’re sure to leave here with a buzz! Café Verlet: www.cafesverlet.com

Hats Off
Napoléon and his hat parted ways at Café Procope, said to be Paris’ first café The young officer couldn’t pay for his meal and his beloved hat was left as collateral. It’s still there today, displayed proudly behind glass. Founded in 1686, Procope attracted everyone from Voltaire to Robespierre, all there for the drink of the hour: coffee. Just make sure you can pay the bill or you might lose your hat, too! Café Procope: www.procope.com

Crêpe Expectations
The crêpe may have its roots in Brittany, but it’s the stuff of legends at Chez Josselin. Located close to the Montparnasse train station (with a direct train to Brittany), this tiny crêperie is nestled amongst a whole host of other restaurants selling the national dish. Bretons coming to Paris for work settled around the train station, and restaurants set up shop to serve their crêpe cravings. The best of the bunch, Chez Josselin is cosy, cluttered and fast! Choose a dinner crêpe (with savoury filling, called galette) or satisfy your sweet-tooth with a traditional sugar crêpe. Either way, you can’t go wrong at Chez Josselin. Chez Josselin: 67 Rue du Montparnasse

Chamber Music
Housed in a twelfth-century prison complete with a guillotine that served its purpose well, Le Caveau des Oubliettes is a night-spot with ambiance to spare. Grab a drink in the pub upstairs then head down to the caveau – which used to be linked to a nearby prison by underground tunnels – for some free jazz. Today, the sweet sounds of music echo around the small room but centuries ago the room reverberated with the screams of tortured prisoners. Keep your head and avoid the rush down the narrow stairs by getting there at least thirty minutes before the music begins. Le Caveau des Oubliettes: www.caveaudesoubliettes.fr


Hope you enjoyed the mini-trip around Paris!

56 comments:

  1. Thanks for the mini tour of Paris. I'd probably stay at Cafe Verlet, anywhere there's coffee I'm happy.

    Mason
    Thoughts in Progress

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  2. Oooh la-la!! La plume de ma tante! Je suis un rock star.. ooops sorry wrong blog to post my wonderful knowledge of le franglais to win your fab book!

    But seriously - thank you Ms Mason-Roland for this fab tour of all things lovely in Paris - coffee, crepes, sweet breads and erm chamber music.

    Take care
    x

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  3. Girl, I am printing this and taking to my next trip to Paris. Just have to convince the husband!

    great, great tips! =)

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  4. Who the feck is Mason?? I meant Moore!! Marsha Moore!!

    *slinking away all shame faced and silly*

    x

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  5. Loved this Talli!!!

    I have a coworker going to Paris in July! I will share your recommendations ;o)

    Visit My Kingdom Anytime

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  6. Thanks guys! :) Glad you're enjoying your Parisian jaunt.

    Old Kitty, don't worry - I get that a lot! I think she's a film star from the 1950s or something! Just think of me as wossername from Girl's Aloud and we'll be fine. And I am very impressed with your French. Quelle jolie jupe, and the like!

    Anyone else want to give their school French some practise here? It's a shame-free environment!

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  7. I would love to actually just GO to France. I'll worry about food when I get there! LOL

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  8. There is so much to choose from in Paris/ France when it comes to food, I'm almost so overwhelmed I can't make a choice! Almost.

    I usually end up stuffing myself silly and binging on indigestion tablets for days afterwards.

    But it's all worth it!

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  9. And suddenly I'm starving!! :-)

    Congrats and thanks for the mini-tour!

    Happy Wednesday!

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  10. I so want to go to Paris one day. And sugar crepes sound divine right now :)

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  11. Holy crap! Salvador Dali?!?! Have you ever seen the movie Little Ashes?? It's the love story between Salvador Dali and Federico Garcia. I knew Dali was eccentric but an entire room made out of bread??? MMMh but it made me drool. I love sweet breads! Australian coffee sounds amazing right now!

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  12. If only I could visit for realz, yo :/

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  13. Great tips, thanks :D These are coming with me on my next trip!

    I don't speak any French so I'll just have to buy your book since I can't win one :) I was planning to learn this winter anyway, I really should have moved that forward just to win a book. . .

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  14. How wonderful. Huge congratulations - the book looks fab.

    XX

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  15. Wow, great mini tour. Now I want to go to a Paris. Oh well, the bakery section in the supermarket may be my best option for now. lol.

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  16. The history behind all these spots just amazes me. I feel like even the chairs in these cafes have a story. :) Great post and congrats on your book release!

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  17. You always make me drool with your food posts!

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  18. Oh so mean to do to a pregnant woman in her last trimester. I can't go anywhere, let alone to Paris and now all I want to do is try that food. Fun post!

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  19. Congratulations, Talli! How wonderful to know so much about world. :) I'm uber jealous.

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  20. Somewhere I've never been. Perhaps I should.

    CJ xx

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  21. *sigh* How I wish I could be savoring your suggestions in person. It's been years since I've been to Paris. I can wish for that day to come again.

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  22. I would love to go to Paris with that book in hand. I went over to the site to try to get it.
    I wrote in French, "Give me that Paris book. Now."

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  23. I would love to go to Paris and go to those shops. Wow, they look so elegant. Thanks for posting these.

    CD

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  24. I've always longed to go to Paris, and this post just made me want it more! Thank you for this mini-tour!

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  25. Okay, seriously, now I just want to go to Paris. I can't concentrate on work for the rest of the day! One day...one day.

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  26. Wow, love the rundown. I'd love to go to Paris someday. I took years of French in highschool, but what little I learned, I've forgotten. Good thing I just ate lunch, or I'd be so hungry after reading this. lol.

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  27. Yes, but I don't like coffee, so I'm still at the sweet breads.

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  28. And this is one of the main reasons I want to tour Europe- the FOOD!!! Thanks for this delectable mini-tour around Paris!

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  29. Congrats on the launch of your travel book, a very exciting time for you! I'm curious if you have to do much promoting with a nonfiction book like this. Thanks for sharing, and I think I'll head over to Cafe Verlet now for my afternoon java fix ...

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  30. Thanks so much for all the comments! I'm happy you're enjoying it.

    Joanne, I did quite a bit of promotion for the first in the series, London, and with Paris it has been so much easier to get people on board with blurbs and such. We've been pretty lucky with getting good reviews for both books, which has really helped.

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  31. Thanks for the trip! These are all really great places that I have NEVER been! lol.. I really have no excuse since the city is only about ten minutes away. I ran over to your friends blog and finally found a good use for my french! Can't wait to see what YOU'd do in Paris!

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  32. Hee! I love this post. Thank you so much. Now I want to go to Paris. :)

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  33. NIce. Very, very nice. I want to go so bad!! Well, someday. Thank you for the great tour!

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  34. Went to Paris once, on the hottest day of the year. Shame. The sights didn't seem so good when all I could think about was my balloon feet and the sweat running down the back of my neck. I'm sure you're not supposed to look like that in Paris. Thanks for the pictures. One day I'll visit again - when it's cooler.

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  35. Congratulations on your travel book, Talli. Great post, I've been to Paris but only briefly and I would love to go back and visit Le Caveau des Oubliettes,
    Merci pour le information, J'aime Paris et France (rusty, schoolgirl french) beaucoup, Bon Nuit, Brigitte.

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  36. Oh, yum!! Thanks for the mini trip.If I ever get to Paris, I'll be taking your book with me. Cheers~

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  37. Oh this is supercool! A friend of mine just went to Paris in January and I was so jealous after seeing her pictures. Reading this just made me want to go even more!

    Thanks for stopping by my blog today. You were asking about devil's food cookies? They're devil's food cake, coated with a thin layer of marshmallow and chocolate. Ridiculously good. And awful for you, of course... ;)

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  38. I'd like to go back to Paris, now that I've met people online who can give advice on where to go, what to do, what to see. It would definitely be more fun.

    Helen
    Straight From Hel

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  39. Your blog has been making me hungry lately! You keep posting good food stuff!

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  40. Thanks for the tour. It was good. I'll have to remember it if I ever get to go there...

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  41. Talli,
    What a great time you must have had doing all that research and visiting that divine looking bakery! I spent a few minutes on that site! :)

    I'll have to get a copy of this as I love reading about off the-beaten- path types of places.

    Hope you sell many copies!

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  42. I love the pictures!! I hope to one day go to Paris, but if not, at least I got to see your beautiful pictures. :)

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  43. I don't know about the rest of you but I'm ready to hop on a plane!

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  44. I love Paris! Don't laugh, but my first visit I had no interest in the city. Upon arrival, I immediately fell in love and Paris replaced San Francisco as my favorite city in the world. Food, art, gorgeous architecture and shopping. Did I mention food? Thanks for the recommends and congrats on the book! :)

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  45. I was boycotting this post this morning because I woke up and realized that I am not in Paris, but I had some coffee and I am feeling less bitter. Plus, better a vicarious trip to Paris than none at all. Merci!

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  46. You had me as soon as coffee was mentioned ;)

    Congrats on the book!!

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  47. Did you write this for me? I'm sending this link to my husband. Thanks!

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  48. This is really cool to read. Congrats on it. What a nice preview! :)

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  49. Awesome! I soooooo want to get to Paris one day! It'll have to wait until the kids are all grown and the schooling is paid off, but one of these days...

    Good luck with the sales! I'm popping over to the other blog!

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  50. Oh my; My mother in law lives in Brittany and I can't get enough of crepes.

    Fab recommendations.

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  51. Crepe...Ooh, La-la. Just found your blog. It's great.
    Sheri~

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  52. Aww, you made me want to return to Paris. Thanks for the mini-tour! :)

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  53. Hi Talli,
    Thanks for visiting my blog. I wouldn't mind a weekend break in Paris right now. Crepes with chocolate or sugar, (or both!) sounds so good.

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  54. You're making me want to go! Waa!

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  55. I would love to actually just GO to France.
    indian classified site

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Coffee and wine for all!