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Letter to the Reader

Dear Paris lover,

I could write another book on Paris alone, but here are some highlights of my favorite places (all of them reasonably priced and loaded with French charm) to launch you on a visit to the City of Light: 

When I’m not renting an apartment in the bustling Latin quarter, I stay at hotel Du Continent, 30 rue du Mont-Thabor, because this small hotel is all about location, loca­tion, location—and clean, comfortable beds and bathrooms. It’s located in the first arrondissement, right across from the Louvre and Tuileries gardens, and a short walk away from Place de la Concorde, where Marie Antoinette was guillo­tined! Cross this plaza of voluptuous fountains and ornate lampposts and you’ll be at the famous Champs-Élysées. Best of all is the price of a room, from $114 to $154 euros per night, and you’re in the company of the most famous and expensive hotels in Paris, steps away from places like the Vendôme and the Ritz. Stroll the neighborhood and you’ll run into the original Coco Chanel and Christian Dior bou­tiques alongside some of the city’s hottest new designers. Another plus of this home base: there are two Metro sta­tions right across from the hotel, and several others throughout the neighborhood, so you can easily travel to anywhere in Paris from here.

French  cuisine  is world-famous, but knowing where to eat in a big city makes all the difference. Guidebooks are sometimes dated or some restaurants have become so well-known they’re way overpriced. For dinner, my favorite spot is Ferdi, 32 rue du Mont-Thabor, just two doors down from the hotel Du Conti­nent. It’s reasonably priced and has a friendly vibe. It looks like a cozy tavern, packed with locals who know the owner, a burly Bono look-alike who runs the bar when it gets busy. Dozens of tiny toy figurines literally climb the walls, running along the wood accents, as soft romantic Mexican boleros play in the background. The food is spectacular. I’ve had ev­erything from delicate risottos to Spanish piquillos rellenos (stuffed peppers), fried shrimp on a stick with a Japanese sauce, and Arabic-style meatballs and pasta rice. All expertly cooked. I love the sign on the door, in three languages, that goes something like this, “good food takes time. We have the food and we hope you have the time.” When I googled Ferdi to get you the address, I learned that it’s Penélope Cruz’s favorite restaurant in Paris. She likes to come eat cheeseburgers for lunch. How about that? I had no idea.

For breakfast, I walk to Angélina at 226 rue de Rivoli, my favorite salon de thé. I love the croissants, pastries, and breads, and the setting is traditional antique French, classically beau­tiful in worn white woods. And if you’re a hot chocolate lover, this is the place for you. They make it thick and luscious.

My list of things to do in Paris would be endless, starting with every museum in sight, but I’ll give you my top list of what may not be so obvious, yet you should not miss:

1. A run through my two favorite department stores, Galeries Lafayette (gorgeous glass-domed ceilings at the 40 boulevard Haussmann location) and Printemps. I especially love the linens department at both stores, but stick with buying tablecloths and pillowcases, because the sheets they call double won’t fit our queen-size mattresses. I have two French tablecloths I adore. Even if you don’t buy, it’s a lot of fun to see French merchandise because it’s all so uniquely designed, from decorative toasters to incomparably well-made baby clothes.

2. A stroll through Père-Lachaise Cemetery is a true cultural experience. Not only is Oscar Wilde buried here in a sculpted tomb scribbled with love notes by devotees, but it’s a showcase of the reverence the French have for their dead. The family panthe­ons they erect are stunning. Some tombs are like minicastles, others are adorned with the most whimsical sculptures. The gar­dens are luscious, but make sure you wear comfortable shoes. The walkways are all paved with cobblestones, and wearing the wrong shoes will hurt. Not the place to show off your fashion sense! (The cemetery is far from the city center, but the subway leaves you right at the entrance.) 

3. The Sunday street market on rue Mouffetard in the Latin quarter is my favorite. Vendors spill into the sidewalks, musi­cians play accordions and saxophones, and the French, carrying their straw shopping totes, stop to sing along with the musicians, especially when they break into the old standard “La vie en rose.” The Latin quarter also is a lively place to stroll at night, when it becomes flooded with people out to dine and play; a lot of them are tourists from all over the world.

This is but a nibble of the Paris I love. Everyone comes away from a trip to Paris with a list of favorites. The most important thing on a visit to Paris is to remain open to the possibilities of discovery. Stroll the city’s streets like the quintessential flaneur, with no plans and only for the thrill of the journey. Paris is the kind of city where you can get happily lost in just about any neighborhood and discover the most charming scenes: a gorgeous white cat resting on a window­sill dressed in lacy white curtains, Parisians kissing on a park bench, a sexy French man parking his motorcycle. Take a seat at the famous Café de Flore—where many famous writers, including Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir—once hung out, and practice the art of conversation, French-style. Walk, walk, walk. There’s a view of the Eiffel Tower waiting for you when you least expect it. I never tire of Paris! 


Bien à toi,

Fabiola Santiago