Issue Index
Access to the past 50 PDF issues comes with your subscription
Subscribe | Free Issue
Paris Notes is the newsletter for people who love Paris, France. We've been publishing since 1992. It's a great way to learn about and stay connected to the most beautiful and fascinating city in the world. When you're not in Paris, Paris Notes is the next best thing to being there. When you travel to Paris, you'll arrive with privileged information that you won't find anywhere else.
JULY / AUGUST 2009
GRAND STANDING: The Grand Palais is once again flexing its muscles and reasserting itself as an icon of the city
Petites Notes: New street WCs, "sanisettes" are hitting the streets • Terraces are springing up everywhere, but they're noisy • Finally, new taxi upgrades are helping riders have better rides • Paris is the star is a host of new Paris movies • The infamous "tapis roulant" is shut down for good
Restaurants: La Tour d'Argent
An Unlikely Empress: The drama-filled, tumultuous life of Napoleon's Josephine
What a Hoot: New York Herald editor James Gordon Bennett lived large in Paris
Paris Visit: Rosey scents at Les Parfums de Rosine
Paris Visit: Alain Ducasse shares his secrets at his new Ecole de Cuisine
JUNE 2009
CHEZ RODIN: He never lived here, but the Hôtel Biron, now the Musée Rodin, was the artist's favorite studio
Peties Notes: It's 40 years since the Les Halles fresh-products market left town • Anti-parking posts growing like daisies • The basin at La Villette turns 200 • An odd plan for the remaking of La Samaritaine department store • A restaurant to replace an hotel on the top of the Palais de Tokyo
Restaurants: La Table de Claire, Café des Musées
In the Vincennes-ity: A fortress, a chapel, a donjon and a quaint, welcoming city
A Model Painter: Suzanne Valadon's surprising rise from model to respected painter
Paris Visit: Osmothèque, a center for lost scents
Paris Visit: Galerie Slomka, where cartoons are high art
MAY 2009
TOWER POWER: Eiffel's amazing tower still has the power to inspire awe and command respect—120 years on
Petites Notes: The Louvre's pyramid turns 20 • Fewer accidents on the streets of Paris • Two exhibitions at the Centre Pompidou are breaking records • It's time for a fresh coat of paint on the Eiffel Tower • Real estate continues its downward spiral
Restaurants: Derrière
Closed Houses: Brothels ranged from boozy dens to princely palaces of debauchery
Cinémathèque 68: Was the civil unrest of 1968 intertwined with the Langlois Affair?
Paris Visit: Tati Barbès, discounting for 60 years
Paris Visit: Merci, a thrift store with a conscious
APRIL 2009
CLEAN AND GREEN?: Wherever you are in Paris, it's hard not to be reminded of the City's newly awakened eco-awareness
Petites Notes: President Sarkozy's future Paris unveiled • Women compete with men for street dedications • Michelin adds stars to the Paris restaurant map • The corner store is back in Paris • Cabarets struggle through hard economic times
Restaurants: Fish La Boissonnerie, Le Mirror
Dancing with a Star: Stellar success and terrible tragedy awaited Isadora Duncan in Paris
State of the Tart: An update on the best pastries in a city know for the best
Paris Visit: The Jardin d'Agronomie Tropical, a secret park with a past
Paris Visit: Claude Nature, nature specimens for the masses
MARCH 2009
NOVEL IDEAS: The great Paris novels and the lives of their characters illuminate the soul of the city
Petites Notes: The Les Halles renovation project gets a green light • President Sarkozy reveals his own Paris project • Fewer deaths means it's easier to be buried in Paris • The convention business fights to regain its lead • The first steps are taken to make it easier to visit the Eiffel Tower
Restaurants: Jadis
Grandma's Attic: The Musée Carnavalet is a treasure trove of Paris' past
Paris is Burning: Awestruck observers witnessed the last days of the Paris Commune
Paris Visit: Some say the chocolate at the Chocolaterie Jacques Genin is the best in town
Paris Visit: Paris women flock to Laboratoire Sense of Wonder for Mon Soin du Visage beauty products
FEBRUARY 2009
HOME SWEET HOME: Royalty called Paris home for more than 1,000 years and lived like, well, kings
Petites Notes: The City is considering replacing Philippe Starck's historical landmark information "shovels" • Paris real estate takes a tumble after a decade of rising prices • A recent consensus confirms that Paris' population is on the rise • The economy is bad, but the movie biz in Paris is thriving • The party is over on the Pont des Arts
Restaurants: Le Cinq, Rose Bakery II
Still Viable Viaduct: Fifty unique shops and ateliers are still thriving after 15 years
Hotel Update: It was only a short step from designer days to narrative nights
Paris Visit: The new Forum des Images, a cinematic resource for Paris cinephiles
Paris Visit: Fashion and its history are front and center at the Musée Galliera
DECEMBER 2008 / JANUARY 2009
THE MARAIS TODAY: It's a neighborhood, it's an attitude, it's a lifestyle, it's an identity, it's today's Marais.
Petites Notes: The City tries to improve prospects for the Bouquinistes • Cafés continue to decline in numbers • The art bought in Montmartre might just be from China • January's winter sales being promoted by the City • In Paris, Christmas is all about little white lights
Restaurants: Le Hide, Au Vieux Chêne
Backstage with Guignol: Children—and adults—love the puppets in the Luxembourg Gardens
Putting on the Ritz: César Ritz was king of a world whose capital was Paris
Paris Visit: Collège des Bernardins, open to the public for the first time in 750 years
Paris Visit: Le Centquatre, once the City's mortuary, now a contemporary art center
NOVEMBER 2008
SPIRIT OF SAINT LOUIS: Aside from his talents as a leader and politician, Louis IX had a penchant for architecture
Petites Notes: The new Les Halles gets the green light • Eiffel stairs get sold at auction • Youngest Métro line turns 10 • Parisians go to Ma Tante to pawn their valuables • The RATP announces a final, final date for the Carte Orange
Restaurants: Le Bistro, Le Gaigne
The Ultimate Survivor: Talleyrand dexterously served France—and himself—in volatile times
Cinematic Strolls: Paris is seventh heaven for fans of the "septième art"
Paris Visit: Musée de l'Informatique, an ode to computers
Paris Visit: Duc des Lombards carries on the Paris jazz legacy
OCTOBER 2008
THE GENERAL: General Charles de Gaulle, born in Lille, a Parisian? Somehow that doesn't seem possible
Petites Notes: Travel by Americans to Paris way down • The Colonnes de Buren under renovation • The Marais tests a car-free zone • Anti-Advertising militants make a point • Naming streets after famous people easier said than done
Retaurants: Rosa's favorite Japanese restaurants
Perpetual Motion: Revisting Père-Lachaise, the Champs-Elysées of cemeteries
Hotel Update: With travel budgets shrinking, inexpensive hotels are back in play
Paris Visit: Les Catacombes de Paris, open again and creepier than ever
Paris Visit: Musée de l'Homme, a special exhibition before closing for renovation
SEPTEMBER 2008
CHUNNEL VISION: The latest installment in a tale of two cities—a fast track to the future of Paris and London
Petites Notes: Paris to add three new luxury "palace" hotels • Rents on the Champs keep Apple away • The City prepares for the 120th anniversary of the Eiffel Tower • Paris gets more expensive while the quality of life goes down • Finally, there's talk of allowing stores to open on Sundays
Restaurants: Itinéraires
A Good Mystery: The birthplace of the classic literary mystery is none other than Paris
Kids' Couture: Just how do those kids in Paris look so cute and well matched?
Paris Visit: after almost a decade of renovation, the Tour Saint-Jacques is unveiled
Paris Visit: Paris' only floating pool on the Seine, the Piscine Joséphine Baker
JULY/AUGUST 2008
DIGGING DEEP: With a little digging, you can uncover the earliest layers of Paris history
Petites Notes: Navigo Découverte is slowly replacing the Carte Orange Métro pass • Paris' water to be taken over by the City • The Grand Paris concept could expand to the port city of Le Havre • Plans for the new La Samaritaine are revealed • Taking a taxi could get a little easier
Restaurants: a review of outdoor terraces for summer eating
L'Eau Below: Water still bubbles up from long-ago artesian wells in Paris
Jewelry Jewels: Three jewelry designers that shine in the eyes of Parisiennes
Paris Visit: the Ballon Air de Paris for a ride and air quality assessment
Paris Visit: Livres Rares de Jean de Bonnot, a bibliophile heaven
JUNE 2008
LUXEMBOURG LADIES: Thirteen queens, three saints, two noblewomen, one muse and one fictional character
Petites Notes: The Paris Zoo too shut down for renovations • The five most dangerous traffic locations in the city • The Seine is rapidly becoming a major transportation artery • Parisians are decrying their loss in buying power—even ice cream is going up • The T3 tramway has become such a hit, an extension is being considered
Restaurants: L'Epigramme, Au Bon Accueil
Cloud Fine: Parc de Saint-Cloud, just outside Paris, is a 1,000-acre fairyland
All Said and Done: Parisian Simone de Beauvoir remembered, 100 years after her birth
Paris Visit: Historial Charles de Gaulle, a tribute to a great leader
Paris Visit, Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace, a wonderfu air and space museum outside Paris
MAY 2008
BEAUTY SALONS: Taking its name from the Louvre’s Salon Carré, the Paris Salon triumphed as a Paris tradition
Petites Notes: The Grand Paris plan for enlarging Paris moves forward • Dutch Elm diseaese killed most of Paris' elms, but they are coming back • Amazingly, the Costes Brothers open up their 28th establishment • The numbers are in, and Vélib' is hitting some speeed bumps • Despite an international rumor, the Eiffel Tower will not get a new top floor
Restaurants: Le Jules Verne
Where There’s a Wall: Meet the Paris artists who have brought art to the streets
Rebel With a Cause: Louise Michel fought like a tiger for the underdog
Paris Visit: the new history presentation at the Arc de Triomphe
Paris Visit: the Musée d’Archéologie Nationale in St-Germain-en-Laye
APRIL 2008
LEFT-HAND QUEENS: Mistresses to the kings of France, they captivated and entertained their easily bored monarchs
Petites Notes: Paris picks its annual best baguette winner • Parisians subject to the wealth taxes multiply • Goldenberg's restaurant/deli sadly closes for good • Getting Vélib' credits for pedaling uphill • The Métro is phasing out ticket sellers
Restaurants: Afaria, L’Agassin
Gobelins Glasnost: Unveiled is a cache of furnishings fit for princes and presidents
La Môme Piaf: Edith Piaf first conquered Paris and then the rest of the world
Paris Visit: Versailles' Hall of Mirror renovation
Paris Visit: Marie Antoinette spent her last days in the Conciergerie
MARCH 2008
CHOOSE A CRUISE: There's no better way to get in touch with Paris than on a boat cruise—picking one is another matter
Petites Notes: The Paris muicipal election system explained • Paris' population is growing faster than predicted • Finally, the City gets serious about helping the convention business • A service for buying half-price theater and opera tickets expands • The first Paris dog park to open by the end of the year
Restaurants: Il Vino
Resting in Peace: America and France commemorate their war dead on Mont Valérien
Whistler's Druthers: An American based in London, Whistler loved Paris best
Paris Visit: Meeting the French offers unique Paris experiences
Paris Visit: Stern Graveur for classy business cards with historic roots
FEBRUARY 2008
COBBLE PRONE: Cobblestones are as much a part of Paris' identity as the Eiffel Tower—and a sign of change
Petites Notes: All of Paris restaurants, cafés and clubs are now smoke free • Tourist poll tend to rate Parisians as grumpy and impolite • Alain Ducasse reopens the Jules Verne restaurant after a challenging renovation • The Métro now will be open later on both Friday and Saturday • Le Club des Croqueurs de Chocolat rate Paris' best chocolates
Restaurants: Le Soleil, Racines
Hotel Update: Can the new boutique hotels beat the hospitality blues?—five boutqiue hotel reviews
Belle Epoque Beauty: The extraordinary life of arts patron Misia Sert
Paris Visit: 4 Wheels Under 1 Umbrella gives tours in vintage French cars called 2CVs
Paris Visit: Atelier de Moulage du Louvre recreates sculptural masterpieces for purchase by the public
DECEMBER 2007 / JANUARY 2008
Sorbonne 750: Seven hundred and fifty years after its founding, the Sorbonne is still the jewel of the University of Paris
Petites Notes: Municipal elections coming in March • Open-air markets going strong • New street "places to go" coming in 09 • Hotel on a roof • 35,000 trash cans to be designed
Retaurants: Rech, Breizh Café
Th Cité Upon a Hill: The new Cité de l'Architecture et du Patrimoine's dynamic approach
Live at the Olympia: Anyone who's anyone in popular musc has probably played here
Paris Visit: The rennovated "donjon" at the Château de Vincennes
Paris Visit: A tour of the new Cité Nationale de l'Histoire de l'Immigration
NOVEMBER 2007
EASTERN PHILOSOPHY: The "new" La Villette was planned from the beginning to be a sort of cultural utopia in the east
Petites Notes: La Tour d'Argent is back • Métro hits new record for rides • A new De Gaulle memorial to open soon • New Christmas lights for the Champs-Elysées • The City to limit in-city advertising
Restaurants: Toustem, Les Cocottes de Christian Constant
Brava, Maria: Maria Callas, "La Divina," died in Paris—her home—30 years ago
Wi-Fatuation: Free wi-fi is proliferating in parks, public buildings and cafés
Paris Visit: La Tuile à Loup offers traditional products from the provinces
Paris Visit: Canzi Biocosmétique, where you can make your own cosmetics
OCTOBER 2007
GRAVE SITUATIONS: In Paris' three major cemeteries, curious visitors pay curious tributes to the departed of note
Petites Notes: Plans afoot to rebuild the Tuileries Palace • Boulangers don't mind when the price of wheat rises • The Cinémathèque Française shows early signs of success • Mayor Delanoë announces he'll run for another term • The mayor tries to out green the Greens
Restaurants: Le Chateaubriand, Mon Viel Ami
Vélib'-eration: Taking a ride on one of Paris' new short-term-rental bikes
A Musical Love Story: Pianists Robert and Gaby Casadesus made music together
Paris Visit: Ecole des Beaux-Arts, a prestigious Paris institution little known by visitors
Paris Visit: Paris Charms & Secrets offers city tours on electric bikes
SEPTEMBER 2007
NEW NEW BRIDGE: After years of painstaking renovation, the old Pont Neuf—New bridge—is like new again
Petites Notes: Les Halles project architectural design chosen • Ranking Paris' cost of living • Versailles' Hall of Mirrors reopens • Château de Vincennes "donjon" reopens • Motor vehicle regulation anniversary • Families in Paris, and how they compare
Restaurants: La Gazzetta
Longshots at Longchamp: Longchamp horse track offers autumn entertainment and thrills for all
He Rode a white Horse: The heights—and depths—of Lafayette's extraordinary career
Paris Visit: Pinacothéque de Paris, Paris' newest private art exhibition venue
La Chalcographie: Buy professional prints of thousands of the Louvre's works of art
JULY/AUGUST 2007
WELL CONNECTED: The Passerelle Simone-de-Beauvoir has connected two neighborhoods to the benefit of both
Petites Notes: Velib' free bikes roll out • Starbucks and McDonald's in competition for coffee bucks • Ticket T+, the new Métro ticket • The new president chooses his baker • Wi-fi going wide
Restaurants: Les Ombres, and other terrace treats
Vital Organs: The great church organs of Paris still have the power to inspire
One for All Time: The colorful Alexandre Dumas and his famed Musketeers
Paris Visit: Pavillon de l'Arsenal, a free tour of Paris architecture
Paris Visit: Paris Walks, giving excellent walking tours since 1994
JUNE 2007
FAIR ASSESSMENT: "Expositions universelles" were dazzling extravaganzas with lofty political and commercial aspirations
Petites Notes: How Paris voted in the presidential elections • Paris politics heat up in anticipation of next year's mayoral vote • Paris terraces are expensive, but they are great for business • Drinking tap water to hedge against a weak dollar
Restaurants: Spring, Le Violin d'Ingres
Train Spotting: The Gare de Lyon, from the Orient Express to the TGV
The B&B Trend: The City launches an initiative for developing B&Bs—Paris style
Paris Visit: Michel Brosseau for a "dry" haircut by a premier Paris stylist that welcomes English-speakers
Paris Visit: Colette, selling unique, eclectic and hip things, from shoes to pencils, turns 10
MAY 2007
ALL THE KINGS' MEN: Four men led Paris and the rest of France through perilous times to the triumph of royal power
Petites Notes: Chirac was a good mayor • Jean Nouvel to build the Paris Philharmonic venue • Time to replace your old map of Paris • Paris "free" bikes weigh 50 pounds • Foreigners buying up expensive Paris real estate
Restaurants: Bistrot Paul Bert, La Ferme des Mathurins
Versaille, the Village: There's more to Versailles than a great château—much more
Here Lies Ravel: Why composer Maurice Ravel is buried in Levallois-Perret
Paris Visit: the newly renovated Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature, for hunting and nature enthusiasts
Paris Visit: On Rue Tatin Paris, cooking classes from author and instructor Susan Hermann Loomis
APRIL 2007
ON THE ROAD AGAIN: An ambitious walk along an ancient road, the north-south axis the Romans called "cardo"
Petites Notes: Covered markets struggle to stay profitable • Manners in the Métro top 10 list • Plans progress for the newly intiated free-bike plan • Traffic on the Seine flowing like never before • Belgian fries arrive
Retaurants: Le Comptoir du Relais St-Germain, Le Sensing
The Princess of Clèves: Madame de Lafayette's classic love story, a still-modern novel
Paris Workouts: Some places to go if you simply must work out while in Paris
Visit: The Musée de l'Assistance Publique/Hôpitaux de Paris, a view of the history of public assistance and hospitatlity
Visit: The Mémorial des Martyrs de la Déportation, a somber yet beautiful tribute to those who suffered
MARCH 2007
CHILD AT HEART: It was in Paris that internationally admired Julia Child discovered her love of French cooking
Petites Notes: Paris will soon offer over 20,000 "free" bikes • The City wants to bag all plastic bags • Beaubourg turns 30 • The first phase of the long-awaited smoking ban starts—Parisians approve • Marie Curie becomes second woman to get a Métro station
Restaurants: Le Buisson Ardent, Le Gorille Blanc
Behind the Mask: He was the original Phantom of the Opera: author Gaston Leroux
Hotel Update: New hotel offerings in Paris speak to a trend towards the modern
Paris Visit: Rose Bakery, a British owned bakery goes its own way
Paris Visit: Fondation Cartier, Paris premier foundation for contemporary art collecting
FEBRUARY 2007
FIELD OF DREAMS: Is the Champs-Elysées—the Elysian Fields—still "the most beautiful avenue in the world"?
Petites Notes: Chef Alain Ducasse awarded Eiffel Tower restaurant concession • The Bibliothèque Nationale de France in the 13th turns 10 • Under the "nef" of the Grand Palais is cold in winter, hot in summer • The RATP decides to keep the Métro open until 1:30am on Saturdays • American architect Thom Mayne will build Paris' new eco tower
Restaurants: A. Beauvilliers and other "traditional" French restaurants
Stage-Struck: Corneille, Molière and Racine presided over theater's Golden Age
The Bald Soprano at 50: Théâtre de la Huchette celebrates an anniversary of the absurd
Paris Visit: Fondation Pierre Bergé Yves Saint-Laurent, YSL's amazing haute couture collection
Paris Vist: Tramway des Maréchaux, a new form of transportation stretches east-west across the city
DECEMBER 2006/JANUARY 2007
IN THE BEGINNING: Recent discoveries confirm that the history of Paris’ original inhabitants began 6,000 years ago
Petites Notes: Ducasse thought to be taking over Eiffel Tower restaurants • Mayor Delnaoë trying to solve a taxi shortage • Doisneau exhibit at town hall near his famous kiss photo • New website called Peuplade bringing Parisians together • Foreigners increasingly buying up Paris properties
Restaurants: Le Petit Vatel, Le Petit Pamphlet, Le Violon d"Ingres
Circus Classicus: Cirque d'Hiver-Bouglione, a happy 70-year-old tradition
Back to the Future: Antiquarian Paris guidebooks reveal both a lot and a little change
Paris Visit: Musée de la Vie Romantique, a small museum devoted to Ary Scheffer and George Sand
Paris Visit: Musée des Art Forains, fairground art and artifacts
NOVEMBER 2006
DEFENSE STRATEGIES: The modern La Défense business district, west of Paris, has a new plan to modernize
Petites Notes: Paris to be smokeless in February, 2007 • Frank Gehry to bulid the Louis-Vuitton Foundation for Creation in western Paris • Art Deco monument, the Piscine Molitor, to be saved • 20th anniversary of a year of bombs • Skyscrapers could be built on the edge of the city
Restuarants: Ribouldinque
Battling with Words: How an encyclopedia and some pointed pens led to Revolution
Back to Fonatinebleau: Great French châteaux never get old; they just get better
Paris Visit: Paris Story, a must-see audio-visual extravaganza about the city
Paris Visit: Espace Dalí, an odd Dalí tribute in Montmartre
OCTOBER 2006
HOME OF THE GREATS: The Panthéon, last resting place and monument for France's great men—and one woman
Petites Notes: Rents in Paris are going up • Parisian workers work fewer hours than many other major cities • The dog population in Paris is in severe decline • The Parvis Notre-Dame officially becomes the Parvis Notre-Dame/Place Jean Paul II • Parisians anxious for their new tramway to open
Restaurants: Jean
The New Face of Taste: After a ten-year renovation the Musée des Arts Decoratifs reopens
Eiffel Power: Gustave Eiffel, the man who built the tower, got off to a slow start
Paris Visit: Grévin, celebrity and historical waxworks
Paris Visit: Cité de la Musique, the fine musical instrument museum
SEPTEMBER 2006
SPECIAL QUAI: The new Musée du Quai Branly presents "an indispensable lesson in humanity for our time"
Petites Notes: Paris ups its high-speed Internet bet using sewers • Thomas Jefferson honored with a statue • The great department stores of Paris in peril • The Hôtel Fouquet's Barrière set to open in October • Iconic singer Serge Gainsbourg's daughter contemplates a museum
Retaurants: La Bourse ou la Vie
Montmartre Menagerie: The Chat Noir and the Lapin Agile, headquarters for the avat-garde
Route of the Tumbrils: Marie Antoinette and many others made their final trip in a tumbril
Paris Vist: CinéAqua, Paris' new aquarium
Paris Vist: Maison Guerlain, an historic venue dedicated to perfume
JULY/AUGUST 2006
ORANGE RUSH: After six years of anticipation, the Musée de l'Orangerie reopens—it's been worth the wait
Petites Notes: Legendary owner of La Tour d'Argent dies • Bike, roller blades, Métro or car—which is fastest? • The 37th Paris bridge opens • Business is good at the Grand Palais • The Parvis Notre Dame becomes Place Jean-Paul II • Small shopkeepers getting old and not being replaced
Restaurants: L'Os à Moelle, Chez Les Anges, Les Papilles
Vaux on the Go: Vaux-le-Vicomte, the inspiration for Versailles, is better than ever
Only in Paris: A search for unique things you can buy only in Paris
Paris Visit: Musée des Carrosses, a museum of elegant carriages at Versailles
Paris Visit: Château de Champs-sur-Marne, a stunning sample of 18th-century living outside Paris
JUNE 2006
BELLEVILLE BY NAME: Done the walk, got the T-shirt—head east to discover the flip side of Haussmann's Paris.
Petites Notes: Paris goes mad for the Da Vinci Code • Finally, the Musée de l'Orangerie reopens and it's spectacular • The transit authority dumps the Carte Orange pass for the new electronic Navigo • Quality of Living Index ranks Paris thirty-third • Delays in the opening of the new Paris aquarium • Gallo-Roman digs open to the public
Restaurants: Le Temps au Temps, La Ferrandaise
Back to Versailles: It's time to renew your acquaintance with the "château des châteaux"
Josephine's 100th: Josephine Baker loved Paris as much as Parisians loved her
Paris Visit: Musée du Montparnasse, a slice of art history
Paris Visit: La Roseraie du Val-de-Marne, an exquisite rose garden outside Paris
MAY 2006
CAVE DWELLING: Paris' vast subterranean world is home to only a handful of great "caves," or wine cellars.
Pettites Notes: This year's best baguette in Paris awards • New Métro ticket electronic dispensers • Batobus, like a floating Métro on the Seine • Polls of non-smokers indicate that smoking rules in Paris will change • Paris still safe even when there are demonstrations
Restaurants: Le Cerisaie, Coconnas
The Buzz about Bees: For Paris' many beekeepers, Paris bees are bees that please
The Troubled Tower: The Tour St-Jacques' history is a chronicle of misfortunes
Paris Visit: Musée Bourdelle, dedicated to one of France's greatest sculptors
Paris Visit: Au Petit Bonheur La Chance, a store for old, everyday French knickknacks
APRIL 2006
NATURE NURTURED: Much more than a garden, the 366-year-old Jardin des Plantes is a natural wonder
Petites Notes: The mayor's wine collection to be sold • American visitors to France up 5.5 percent in 2005 • All Paris' "sanisettes" now free • The story of amazing video of a 1976 race through Paris • Pont Neuf goes into final phase of renovations • La Tour d'Argent looses another Michelin star
Restaurants: Drouant
MAMVP Makeover: A more modern Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris reopens
Rémi Does it Again: The Pavillon de l'Ermitage—Rémi Rivière's second success story
Paris Visit: Alexandra Sojfer Umbrellas for the fanciest umbrellas in the world
Paris Visit: Le Rouvray Quilts for quilt-making French style
MARCH 2006
COSTES EFFECTIVE: Since the 1980's, the Costes brothers have revolutionized how Parisians eat, drink and socialize
Petite Notes: Paris' famous Morris Columns reduced • The Louvre is king with 7.3 annual visitors • Mayor Delanoë still ahead with Parisians • Paris copies Lyon with bike rental system • Street signs double-up • Small book stores in peril • Ma Langue au Chat treasure hunts, a new phenomemon
Restaurants: Gaya by Pierre Gagnaire, l'Avant Gout
Hôtel Attitude: The new wave of Paris hotels with attitude is anything but bland
Constant Motion: Is the Super chef Christian Constant part of a dying breed? He thinks so
Paris Visit: Culture Bière, drinking beer emporium on the Champs Elysées
Paris Visit: Musée Nissim de Camondo, a house full of treasures
FEBRUARY 2006
NIGHT AT THE OPERA: For Parisians, going to the Opéra Garnier today is much like the experience was in 1896
Petite Notes: Parisians are tipping less • Automobile usage to be cut in half by 2008? • The new "it" neighborhood, the "haut" Marais • The city is winning the war of graffiti • The Monteiul flea market gets a makeover • Strange new plans for Les Halles renovation • New late-night bus called Noctilien
Restaurants: Chez Dumonet - Josephine, Benoit
Petit Reopening: The landmark Petit Palais reopens after four years of renovation
Hot Hot Chocolate: When it's cold in Paris there is nothing better than a chocolat chaud
Paris Visit: Des Pieds et des Mains, molds of hands and feet for sale
Paris Visit: Librarie Maritime Outremer Le Yacht, a bookstore for sea lovers
DECEMBER 2005/JANUARY 2006
GRAND REOPENING: The first renovation phase is finished and the Grand Palais is grander than ever
Petite Notes: A country in crisis, the French riots • Thirty-seventh bridge floats into Paris • Paris' "palace" hotels all owned by foreigners • Louis Vuitton reveals its new Champs Elysées mega-store • Recent survey says Paris hotels are cheap
Restaurants: Senderens, l'Atelier Maître Albert
Paris Pastry Primer: A guide to pastries every Paris visitor should try—more tha once
Divine Gifts: Three unique stores where you can buy Christmas gifts to take home
Paris Visit: Musee des Lettres et Manuscrits, an incredible collection of famous written words
Paris Visit: Cinémathèque Française, the movie museum, screening venue and exhibition space opens
NOVEMBER 2005
THE LITTLE BELTWAY: Closed for years, a small railroad called the Petite Ceinture once ran to connect and supply Paris
Petities Notes: Paris fights for the convention business • Mayor Delanoë appears to the press as bored since he lost the Olympics • A new, revised plan for Les Halles is proposed, but the public is confused • Paris real estate prices rise 12.5 percent in the last year • Parisians in a poll say their city is cleaner than ever
Restaurants: Le Réfectoire, Goupil le Bistro
Mozart and Haydn: Both composers addes to their repertoires with Paris symphonies
Doyens of Design: Three designers define Paris' contribution to contemporary design, Putman, Garcia, Starck
Paris Visit: Galerie J. Kugel, the ultimate antique emporium
Paris Visit: Goumanyat et Son Royaume, a spice shop with a little of everything
OCTOBER 2005
PAINT THE TOWN: Three paintings that tell the story of Paris in three episodes: Regency, Revolution, Republic
Petites Notes: Ile de France wine makers organize and promote their wines • New details on the shocking closing of the 135-year-old Samaritaine department store • The new year will bring a plethora of major renovation reopenings and new openings
Restaurants: A tour of the best cheese plates in town
Everythings Great: A chat with Sandra Gustafson, author or "Great Eats Paris" and "Great Sleeps Paris"
Day Tripping: A short list of the many ways to spend the day outside the city
Paris Visit: Le Passe-Muraille, a fascinating story and statue in Montmartre
Paris Visit: a famous Pet Cemetery just outside Paris
SEPTEMBER 2005
CAT AND MOUSE: Occupied Paris was the riskiest place for the Resistance to operate.
Petites Notes: Eiffel Tower visitors on the rise • New Paris aquarium, AquaCinéto open • Louvre to ad a new Islamic Arts wing • WiFi Internet access multiplying • Mayor Delanoë loses Olympics ungraciously
Restaurant: Le Comptoir
Sizing Up St-Lazare: The fabled train station was once Paris' most celebrated terminus
Paris Pampering V: "Day Spas" are the newest way to relax and take comfort in Paris
Paris Visit: Artist Constantin Brancusi's studio
Paris Visit: the newly renovated Musée Cernuschi for Japanese and Chinese art
JULY/AUGUST 2005
GARDEN PARTY: The artists who design Paris' 450 gardens use a palette of flowers instead of paint
Petites Notes: Alain Senderens, the celebrated chef, closes Lucas Carton to reopen as a cheaper restaurant • Paris overwhelmingly votes Yes on the European constitution
Restaurants: Dans le Noir
Think Zinc: Zinc café counters remained in vogue until the late 1920s
The Calm of Cloisters: Covered walkways that provided a tranquil settings for meditation
Paris Visit: Mémorial de la Shoah, and the Wall of Names
Paris Visit: La Collection 1900, an exhibit of Pierre Cardin's famous Art Nouveau collection at Maxim's
JUNE 2005
METRO RETRO: Hector Guimard, "architect d'art," designed the Métro using forms in the plant and animal worlds
Petites Notes: The Paris post office having problems • The City provides tourist kiosks manned by multilingual young people • The Batobus, the "Métro on the Seine coming into its own • Maintaining 400 bells keeps the City busy • The Paris water company wants Parisians to switch from bottles to tap water
Restaurants: La Table du Lauriston
Sunday in the Paris: Seurat painted working-class Parisians on the Ile de la Grande Jatte
Russian Connection: St-Alexandre-Nevsky Church is the centerpiece of Paris' Little Russia
Paris Visit: Pièce Montée for arranging weddings in Paris
Paris Visit: Couvent des Récollets, a new cultural center with a fascinating past
MAY 2005
ROYAL TREATMENT: The Palais Royal has changed little since the 1780s, when it was the city's fashionable heart
Petites Notes: Mayor makes plan to eliminate cars from city center • Mona Lisa is moved to renovated room in the Louvre • Newspaper crier Ali Akbar, a St-Germain fixture • New church news
Restaurants: Foujita 2, Asia-Tée
Middle Ageless: More popular than enver, the Cluny sheds light on the "Dark Ages"
Fleurs-de-Lis Search: The ubiquitous symbol of French royalty really isn't a lili, it's an iris
Paris Visit: O Chateau wine tastings
Paris Visit: City Walks of Paris walking tours
APRIL 2005
BELLY ACHE: Will wary Parisians swallow the design and future plans for the "new" Les Halles?
Petites Notes: City of Paris Best Baguette Award • The Ministry of Culture's new building • Bed-and-Breakfasts on the rise in Paris • Guide to using Paris streets • Orangerie renovation update
Restaurants: l'Atelier, Pinxo
The Super Scarf: For classic style, an Hermès scarf is the ultimate accessory
Keen on Croissants: Addressing the ongoing debate of who makes the best croissant
Paris Visit: A la Carte cooking classes
Paris Visit: Palais de Tokyo contemporary art center
MARCH 2005
OUT SOURCING: Discovering the remains of a water system that supplied Parisians for hundreds of years
Petites Notes: Tourisim in Paris on the rise • Changing the City's 599 public clocks • Starbucks a year after its arrival • Grand Palais update • Women flock to a Père Lachaise Cemetery icon
Restaurants: Bites Bargains. Pétrelle, Le Pré Verre, Astier, Mon Vieil Ami, Willi's Wine Bar
Hot Chocolates: An attempt to narrow down the field of the city's best chocolates
The Making of Marie: Marie Curie joined France's most exclusive men's club in 1995
Paris Visit: 30s Museum in Boulogne-Billancourt
Paris Visit: Plaques et Pots enamel plaques and signs shop
FEBRUARY 2005
MODI'S MONTMARTRE: Soulful artist Amedeo Modigliani found glory in terms of peer recognition, but it came too late
Petites Notes: Franglo.com launches a Francophile/Francophone online community • A decision for the Les Halles renovation is made • The city makes its public restrooms free
Restaurants: Le Troquet
The Mighty Macaron: A common pastry has been transformed into Paris’ sexiest sweet
Urbane Decay: Rusty, mossy, weathered, worn or decomposed—the “in” furnishings
Paris Visit: La Maison Rouge contemporary art center
Paris Visit: The Musée des Art Décoratifs' new Galerie des Bijoux (jewelry)
DECEMBER 2004/JANUARY 2005
JUST FOR KICKS: High-kicking fun at Paris' fabled cabaret shows continues -- the Moulin Rouge, Lido and Crazy Horse
Petites Notes: Paris Live Radio hits the airwaves • Pierre Cardin opens a museum for Art Nouveau • The new Champs Elysées turns 10 • Smoke-free restaurants becoming a trend • The Cirque d'Hiver Bouglione, the greatest show in town
Restaurants: Taillevent
Firebird's Firebrand: Stravinsky caused a scandal when his "The Rite of Spring" opened
Forty Somethings: With its many creative movements, the 40s style is back in fashion
Paris Visit: The new Jeu de Paume center for photography
Paris Visit: The Librarie Ulysse, a special book store for travel buffs
NOVEMBER 2004
FLEA SMITTEN: Whether visitors are browsing or buying, the Flea Market at Saint-Ouen wants them to feel welcome
Petites Notes: Les Halles renovation debate continues • Nuit Blanche event deemed successful • Eiffel Tower to change hands • The mayor ask Parisians their opinions in a mailed survey • The Musée du Quai Branly progressing nicely, if late
Restaurants: La Régalade, La Table du Lancaster
Paris Pampering IV: The centuries-old hammam ritual is updated at three locations
Eyes That Have It: Finding fashionable eyewear that "can change your personality"
Paris Visit: Cow and Vache specialty shop for cow stuff
Paris Visit: Serge Amoruso Boutique-Atelier for some of the finest leather in town
OCTOBER 2004
JEWEL OF A PLACE: Place Vendôme, home to many of the world's great jewelers, is a shining symbol of Paris prestige
Petites Notes: The Métro is going high-tech • Paris is far from the most expensive city in the world • Artist "squat" at 59 Rue de Rivoli • New museum honoring immigrants announced • Taxi rates might be going up • Paris zoo in decline • Paris-Plage 2004 a big success
Restaurants: Pétrelle
Paris Pampering III: A visit to three excellent places to have a relaxing massage
Hôtels Pas Cher: If all you need while in Paris are a clean bed and a pillow, read on
Paris Visit: Gloria Cohen's Finds in Paris for visiting the Flea Market
Paris Visit: Tumbleweed, a unique toyshop for kids and adults alike
SEPTEMBER 2004
BETTER BAGUETTES: In a city with a taste for bread, a new wave of master bakers is raising the baguette bar
Petites Notes: Americans return to Paris • The Forum des Halles project delayed • New museum for letters and manuscripts • The City's intricate architectural protection system • The Jeu de Paume is transformed to a museum for photography
Restaurants: Le Dôme du Marais, Les Papilles
St-Aignan Survies: A tiny chapel on the Ile de la Cité makes it through nine centuries
Pillow Talk: The Paris hotel scene is changing from traditional to "today"
Paris Visit: RothRay, apartment renters who take pride in their properties
Paris Visit: Rentals in Paris apartment rentals service offers service
JULY/AUGUST 2004
EMPIRE BUILDING: "I intend to make Paris the most beautiful capital in the world," Napoleon said
Petites Notes: Les Hall architectural competition • Where to buy Paris honey • Apartments still reasonable to buy • CDG Terminal collapse could have been worse • Mariage Frères tea company turns 150
Restaurants: Le Timbre, La Table de Joël Robuchon
Spirit of St-Louis: Close to the "mainland," the Ile St-Louis remains a place apart
Gaggle of Guinguettes: Eat, drink and be merry at a guinguette just outside Paris
Paris Visit: New offerings from the Ritz cooking school
Paris Visit: An icon's park: Parc Georges Brassens
JUNE 2004
FRANCOIS' FOLLIES: Revisiting President François Mitterrand's "grands travaux" a decade after he left office
Petites Notes: Future Les Halles projects proposed • Ritz voted number one hotel • Grand Palais renovation making progress • "City Walks: Paris walking cards • City's goal of 100,000 trees • Mayors halfway mark • Garnier Opera's grand flyer reopens
Restaurants: Le Café Constant, Le Cristal Room
Flower Bowers: "Cités" with flowers—cozy nooks tucked into unexpected corners
Literary Lairs: A tour of hotels where now-famous writers once stayed
Paris Visit: Yunks unique fragrance store
Paris Visit: Pâtisserie Gérard Mulot, home of the the master
MAY 2004
FINDING FATHERS: The men who founded America are warmly remembered in the city where friendship flourished
Petites Notes: Four free newspapers are now available • A movement to deface ads to make an anti-ad statement • The Metro considers extending hours on Fri and Sat • Gobelins tapestry factory restoration complete • Two new Paris books worth reading • Summer bike tour options
Restaurants: Le Meurice, new home to rising star Yannick Alleno; Gille Choukroun's L'Angl'Opéra
Art by Any Name: Interest in art from Africa and other distant continents is soaring
Pathways to the Past: Traverse eight centuries of history on streets that began as paths
Paris Visit: Le Prince Jardinier, a purveyor of chic garden items takes over Deyrolle
Paris Visit: Paris Photo Tours offers photo tours and more
END
