In this issue:
Graffiti Art in the 13th
Local Fall Bounty
Eating Local
A Taste of Normandy
Halloween in Paris
Parisian Malls Get a Facelift
Rive Gauche Gets Better
Cool Shops in the Louvre
Data Roaming for Americans in France
Physically Challenged Visitors
Discount Cosmetics from Italy
Cupcake Camp IV
Graffiti Art in the 13th
Were you thwarted by the long lines to see the street art at La Tour du 13ème this month? You can see it online here. Lucky for you that’s not the only place in the 13th arrondissement to see the oeuvres of local and international graffiti artists. My home district had been welcoming, encouraging, and even hiring renowned street artists (such as LA-based Shepard Fairey, aka Obey) to decorate every corner of the 13th, from the Butte aux Cailles and Gobelins to Quai François Mauriac and Bibliothèque Mitterrand. You can download a free self-guided tour of the largest artworks and murals from the Mairie’s website or even download a free iPhone app for Paris Street Art. The Butte aux Cailles boutique Paris Mythique (43 rue des Cinq Diamants, 13th) sells art books featuring the local street artists’ works.
Enjoying the Local Fall Bounty
Paris might be a big city, but you don’t have to go far to enjoy the local fall produce. Apple picking, pumpkin patches, mushroom hunting and leaf peeping are just some of the fun outdoor activities taking place in and around Paris. Just outside of Versailles, Les Fermes de Gally is one of the largest local farms where you’ll find seasonal fruits, vegetables and even flowers for picking. They have several varieties of apples and squash of all types, including pumpkins for making Jack O’ Lanterns. The apples at the Potager des Princes in Chantilly are also exceptionally available for picking before the gardens close for the winter. Parisians love trekking out to the neighboring forests over the weekend to hunt for mushrooms. If you need a bit of help to find and identify them, you can join one of the inexpensive guided tours by Nature & Découvertes taking place throughout October and November. If you’re hoping to catch some fall color you’ll have to venture out of the center of Paris to the Bois de Boulogne (in the Pré Catalan, Bagatelle, and around the Lac des Pêcheurs), the Serre d’Auteuil, or the Bois de Vincennes (the Parc Floral or the Arboretum in the Ecole du Breuil).
Eating Local
The region of Paris and its surroundings known as the Ile-de-France is full of farms, many which happily supply Parisian shops and restaurants with local, seasonal, and sometimes even organic meat, produce, cheese, and artisan products. Now there’s a label (shown here) designating these restaurants and products so consumers can identify them a lot easier. The Mangeons Local en Ile-de-France website also allows you to search by location, budget or type for those who have agreed to list their local restaurant, shop or producer. If you’re just visiting do check out one or more of the restaurants. Terroir Parisien in the 5th is one of my personal favorites, but if you’re looking for more traditional Parisian décor La Bonne Franquette in Montmartre is surprisingly good despite the touristy location. If you live in Paris, you can also find a huge variety of local produce, jams, beers, soups, teas, breads, flowers and patés at La Ruche Qui Dit Oui, a collective of local farmers selling direct to Parisians each week (you’ll need to be able to sign up in French on their website to shop). The website Pari Fermier lists the calendar of special farmers’ markets (all are local, environmentally-minded farmers) throughout the year (the next one is November 1-3 in the Parc Floral de Paris, Bois de Vincennes).
A Taste of Normandy
Although the Normandie region is just two to three hours from Paris, it’s hardly considered “local”. At least not by the proud Normans! I always get the urge to visit in the fall when the apples are in season to stock up on my favorite French liquor, Crème de Calvados. If you’ve never heard of it, imagine Bailey’s made with Calvados (the region’s famous apple brandy) instead of whiskey. It’s creamy, smooth, delicious, addictive. And it makes the perfect fall aperitif over ice or as a digestif in your coffee. But it’s not easy to find in Paris (Le Lafayette Gourmet sells the brand Dream for a hefty €35). You can visit the 19th-century distilleries of Calvados Boulard in Normandie and pick up a few bottles in person, or check out the website Made in Calvados, which has an excellent (and affordable) selection of the best products from the region, including 5 different brands of Crème de Calvados (Dream is sold for just €20). I haven’t yet found Crème de Calvados in the US, so it makes a great gift for the holidays.
Halloween in Paris
Back in October 1999 I published the very first article on my Secrets of Paris page (back when Suite101.com paid content contributors; personal websites didn’t really exist yet) called "Un Joyeux Halloween à Paris” mostly sharing how the locals had no clue why I was wearing a costume when it wasn’t Mardi Gras. And 14 years later the French still aren’t as enamored with Halloween as we are in the US, so you won’t see costumes or aisles of miniature candy bars at the local super market. But Parisians still like a good party, so those who need a spooky fix don’t need to look far. Check out my article “How to Halloween in Paris” (updated for 2013) for ideas on where to find costumes, Halloween parties, haunted houses, clubbing, and Day of the Dead festivities. Kids do Trick or Treat in their own neighborhood, but usually only to shops or apartments of people they already know. If you live in Paris, put some decorations on your door and have a few candies ready just in case.
Parisian Malls Get a Facelift
It would be nice to think that all Parisians shop at little street boutiques or at the fancy Grands Magasins, but sometimes it’s just more practical to shop at the local mall. The Forum des Halles is still undergoing one of the biggest facelifts since its creation in 1971, but in the meantime the competition is quietly upgrading. Italie Deux (Place d’Italie, 13th) got a fancy new cosmetic makeover this summer. Its most popular stores are Printemps, Zara, FNAC and the giant Carrefour open until 10pm. The formerly horrific Beaugrenelle (Quai de Grenelle, 15th) has been completely redone in three interconnected buildings and opened this week with a large Marks & Spencers, Uniqlo and a 7000m² “green roof” with beehives and bird refuge (not open to the public, but it’s a nice idea). They have a child-watching service and are open exceptionally this Sunday. Not to be left out, the “everyday” department store BHV has rebranded itself as BHV Marais, and has already opened its Christmas Store up on the 5th floor (sign up for their newsletter and get a €10 voucher). They’re also having a 30-50% sale through October 30th (in case you’ve been away awhile, les soldes don’t just happen twice a year, anymore). These indoor shopping centers may not lure the locals while the Indian Summer happily continues (yay!), but winter is coming…
Rive Gauche Gets Better
St-Germain-des-Prés and Rue Cler may be the darlings of the Left Bank, but some of us prefer the double digit districts on the south side for a more laid-back, non-touristy, typically-Parisian neighborhood experience. And while even native Parisians don’t think there’s much to see and do in these primarily residential districts, they have been quietly getting better and better each year. Take a scenic ride on the tram and hop off to visit the city’s newest food market, Marché Jordan at the Porte d’Orléans (along Boulevard Jourdan, 14th) every Wednesday and Saturday morning. A bit further along near the Parc Georges Brassens is the newly-opened section of the Petite Ceinture, a rail-to-trail stretching from Rue Olivier de Serres and metro Ballard (15th). It’s great for running, strolling, and benches are along the trail for picnics. This will eventually be extended throughout the 14th and 13th arrondissements, stay tuned!
Cool Shops in the Carrousel du Louvre
The crowds may be stuffing themselves into the Apple Store, but my favorite shops at the Carrousel du Louvre (the little mall under the Louvre Museum that’s open daily 10am-8pm) are two design shops. Arty Dandy is a French concept store (they have a second location in the 6th) selling a tightly curated collection of contemporary design objects and hipster fashions and accessories. I bought a cool carafe for a friend (with a wine glass inside it, created as one continuous piece). Right across the hall is Delfonics, a Japanese stationary and small leather goods shop. One of my friends is obsessed with the little wallets. I love the clever stationary objects, but fell in love with the Monogram pocket digital camera (fits into your hand and has 4 built-in filters for square pics and videos) so I got one for me and one for my friend. Two great locations for unique, high-quality gifts.
Data Roaming for Americans in France
Good news this month for Americans traveling to France with their smartphones: T-Mobile has eliminated those horrible roaming fees. See a comparison of fees for the big four carriers here. This seems like a much better option than hoping you’ll be able to find enough free Wifi to get by (and many high-end hotels actually charge quite a lot for daily Wifi access). The second best option would be to get a pre-paid SIM card for both the cheaper rates and the security of knowing you won’t rack up an accidental $5000 cell phone bill with your regular carrier. Some people I know have tried renting a Wifi mobile hotspot with spotty success (it seemed to not work more often than it did).
Services for Physically Challenged Visitors
The English version of the Tourist Services site is still under construction, but you can call, email or visit their welcome center at 31 rue du Pont Neuf, 1st. They help travelers find accessible hotels, recommend different tourist sites and restaurants, rent motorized scooters, and assist in learning about the special transportation options. They’ll also let you leave your baggage, coats or other bulky things at their offices while you’re sightseeing for the day.
Discount Cosmetics from Italy
French cosmetics may be luxurious, but they’re also quite pricey. So it’s no surprise the Kiko Cosmetics boutiques in Paris are always mobbed. Kiko is a line of discount Italian cosmetics and skincare originally created for professional make-up artists, sold only within Europe. A bit like Sephora, but with twice as many products crammed into a smaller space, and nothing over €20. In fact, most of the cosmetics are under €5, skin creams under €10. It’s a great place to stock up on fun eye shadows and nail polish colors you might not ever use more than once or twice before tossing. The largest Paris location is at 134 Rue de Rennes, 6th, with other locations in the commercial centers of Passy, Gare St-Lazare, Passy, and Les Halles.
Cupcake Camp IV
Read that title wrong and you might think I’m going to tell you where to get your cupcakes served intravenously. Well, almost! It’s time to get ready for the 4th annual Cup Cake Camp on November 24th in support of the Make-a-Wish Foundation in France. Register to donate your own homemade cupcakes (lots of prizes to win for the best in different categories), or sign up to attend and shop for the sweet delights with all profits going to Make-a-Wish. Last year there was record attendance and some really fabulous cupcakes, so this year they’ve moved into a larger venue, Café A 148 rue du Faubourg St-Martin, 10th) from 3-5pm.
Upcoming Paris Events
Don’t miss the latest events, concerts, expos and shows taking place around town this fall on the Secrets of Paris Calendar
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