🇫🇷 💌 The Paris Love Letter

FOUND IN PARIS
Fun & Useful Links

➡️ 'Bib Gourmand': Where can you find France's bargain Michelin-grade restaurants? - If you're feeling fancy and want to splash out on something special you might pick up the Michelin guide to find a restaurant, but did you know that there's also a listing for restaurants that serve equally delicious food at lower prices?

➡️ A Thousand And One Orchids Exhibition - If you’re in Paris this week, you might enjoy this annual exhibition at Jardin des Plantes.

➡️ The Theatre In Paris - If you don’t understand French but still want to experience a theatre show in Paris, check out this website. They guarantee to overcome language barriers with subtitled or English-only performances, premium service with an English-speaking team to assist from booking to showtime, and access to the best shows in Paris with various genres available.

❣️ ✈️ Flight Alert: Los Angeles to Paris (ORY) starting at $425 for a one-week trip in May (5/3 - 5/10). This is an excellent deal on a direct, round-trip French Bee flight.

CAFÉ CULTURE
The Allure of Parisian Cafe Design: A Balance of Ambiance and Architectural Elegance

When one thinks of Paris, the image of charming, inviting cafes nestled along cobblestone streets often comes to mind. These quintessential establishments offer delectable culinary delights and serve as havens of art, literature, and friendliness. At the heart of their allure lies the meticulously crafted design elements, enchanting ambiance, and architectural features that define the distinct charm of Parisian cafes.

Parisian cafes blend the old with the new effortlessly, exuding timeless elegance. The architecture blends styles – from the ornate Belle Époque facades adorned with wrought iron details and decorative moldings to the sleek modernist interiors characterized by clean lines and minimalist aesthetics. The allure of these establishments lies in their ability to transport patrons through time, offering a glimpse into the city's rich architectural heritage.

The carefully curated decor, including plush seating upholstered in rich fabrics such as velvet or leather, ornate mirrors with gilded frames, and artful displays of greenery in planters, adds an element of sophistication while maintaining an approachable charm reminiscent of the Art Nouveau and Art Deco periods.

The architectural features of Parisian cafes are a study of captivating contrasts. High ceilings adorned with intricate moldings create an illusion of grandeur. At the same time, cozy nooks and alcoves invite patrons to lose themselves in intimate conversations, echoing the design ethos of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The iconic outdoor terraces, with their classic bistro chairs and vibrant awnings, draw inspiration from the sidewalk cafe culture that emerged during the Belle Époque, providing the perfect vantage point for indulging in the time-honored tradition of people-watching.

The Parisian cafes' design draws inspiration from many sources, reflecting the city's eclectic artistic heritage. Each district contributes unique design influences, from the bohemian allure of Montmartre to the opulent grandeur of the Champs-Élysées. For example, the renowned Café de Flore in Saint-Germain-des-Prés, a gathering place for existentialist philosophers and writers in the mid-20th century, is adorned with elegant Art Deco elements and mahogany-paneled walls, reflecting its historical significance and intellectual legacy.

While Parisian cafes steadfastly preserve their timeless allure, they also embrace innovation to cater to the modern discerning clientele. Many establishments skillfully integrate contemporary design elements, blending traditional charm with modern sensibilities. For instance, the influential Café Marly, located adjacent to the Louvre Museum, seamlessly fuses classical grandeur with contemporary design, featuring a striking transparent pyramid structure that floods the interior with natural light, creating a captivating juxtaposition of old and new that reflects the evolving cultural landscape of Paris.

HIDDEN GEMS
Henri Sauvage's Visionary Masterpiece: The Stair-Stepped Wonder of 26 rue Vavin

A remarkable architectural innovation stands tucked away in the 6th arrondissement—the stepped building at 26 rue Vavin. Designed by the visionary architect Henri Sauvage (and Charles Sarazin), this building is a striking example of the Art Nouveau movement's impact on urban living. Its unique stair-stepped façade introduced groundbreaking concepts of space and light to early 20th-century architecture, forever altering the Parisian skyline.

Henri Sauvage, one of the pioneers of the Art Nouveau style in France, sought to break away from the confines of traditional architecture. The stepped building, built between 1912 and 1914, exemplifies his innovative spirit. The building's terraced structure not only challenged the conventional verticality of city apartments but also provided each residence with its own outdoor space—an amenity rarely afforded in the dense urban landscape of Paris.

Its design was revolutionary for its time, prioritizing the health and well-being of its inhabitants. The terraces allowed maximum exposure to sunlight and fresh air, an essential consideration in an era when urban living conditions were often cramped and dark. Sauvage's architectural foresight was not just aesthetically pleasing but also socially conscious.

While the building's exterior is a nod to the ornamental style of Art Nouveau, with its curvilinear forms and naturalistic motifs, Sauvage's approach to the interiors was decidedly modernist. He employed a rational layout that maximized space efficiency while ensuring that each apartment was well-ventilated and received plenty of natural light. The result was a harmonious blend of form and function that set the stage for the Modernist movement that would soon sweep across the architectural world.

The terraced building was not only ahead of its time in design but also in construction techniques. Sauvage's use of reinforced concrete was innovative, allowing for creating the building's distinctive gradins or steps while ensuring structural integrity. This method paved the way for future architects to experiment with bold, new forms and shapes.

Today, 26 rue Vavin stands as a historical monument, a reminder of the creative possibilities that emerge when architects dare to envision a new way of living. Its preservation is a priority for the city, as it encapsulates a pivotal moment in architectural history when the seeds of modern design began to take root.

ART & LITERATURE
Literary Paris: A Journey Through Iconic Novels Set in the City of Light

Paris has long been a muse for writers, its storied streets and atmospheric locales as the backdrop for some of literature's most enduring works. From the romance of the Belle Époque to the existential angst of the post-war era, the City of Light has been immortalized in the pages of both classic and contemporary novels. Here is a list of Paris-based novels that might inspire your next trip!

Victor Hugo's "Les Misérables": Victor Hugo's magnum opus, "Les Misérables," paints a panoramic portrait of Paris in the early 19th century. Through the lives of characters like Jean Valjean and Cosette, Hugo explores the city's social fabric, from the dark recesses of its slums to the barricades of rebellion. Paris, in this novel, is a character in itself—a complex entity witnessing the tumultuous quest for justice and redemption.

Émile Zola's "The Belly of Paris": Set in and around the bustling Les Halles market, Zola's "The Belly of Paris" is a feast for the senses, detailing the cornucopia of food that fed the city's appetite. However, beneath this culinary paradise, Zola exposes the underbelly of Parisian society—the hunger and squalor that lurk behind the opulence.

Ernest Hemingway's "A Moveable Feast": (a personal favorite) Hemingway's memoir, "A Moveable Feast," offers a vivid snapshot of Paris during the 1920s. It's a city of jazz clubs and literary salons, where the likes of Gertrude Stein and F. Scott Fitzgerald debate art and life over café crèmes. Hemingway's Paris is a vibrant hub of creativity and vitality, a haven for expatriate writers and artists.

Patrick Modiano's "Missing Person": The Nobel Prize-winning author Patrick Modiano is known for his haunting works that navigate the labyrinthine streets of Paris. In "Missing Person," the city emerges as a misty, enigmatic landscape, echoing the protagonist's search for identity. Modiano's Paris is a palimpsest, its past bleeding into the present, elusive and mysterious.

Muriel Barbery's "The Elegance of the Hedgehog": Set in a posh Parisian apartment building, Barbery's "The Elegance of the Hedgehog" delves into the interior lives of its inhabitants. The novel reveals the philosophical depths beneath the surface of Parisian high society, weaving together themes of beauty, art, and the search for meaning amid the city's elegant façades.

Joanne Harris's "Chocolat": While not set within the city itself, Harris's "Chocolat" takes place in a fictional village just outside Paris, where the arrival of a chocolatier disrupts the status quo. The novel's proximity to Paris hints at the city's shadow—a world of sensory delights and temptations that contrast with the village's austere traditions.

Each work captures different facets of the city's personality—the romance, the history, the artistry, and the perpetual sense of mystery. Through their narratives, readers are transported to the cobblestone streets, the grand boulevards, and the intimate cafes that are the essence of Paris. As Hemingway famously wrote, Paris is a moveable feast that stays with you wherever you go, lingering in memory like the words on a page.

FRENCH SONG OF THE WEEK
"Ca balance pas mal à Paris" by Michel Berger & France Gall

The lyrics express a sentiment of pride and identity rooted in Paris, contrasting it with American cultural references. The singer emphasizes being born and raised in Paris, not influenced by American icons like Cab Calloway or Broadway productions. The chorus, "Ça balance pas mal à Paris," suggests that Paris has its own rhythm and balance, highlighting a preference for originality over imitating American culture. The song conveys a desire to create something unique to Paris, acknowledging influences but seeking to forge a distinct path in art and culture.

On a personal note, we’ve been staying with family in Burgundy this week. Although mostly chilly and rainy, there’s something charmingly timeless about this landscape, which can be seen from our bedroom window. Admittedly, I prefer visiting during the summer, but winter offers a stillness I can also appreciate.