My Top Five Places to Visit in Paris

Paris; a city of great beauty, culture and romance, not to mention some pretty delicious and bizarre foods.

I have only been to Paris twice, notably as a tourist, so perhaps my favourite places are rather obvious or even a little bit narrow. However, it is a city that certainly – pardon the cheesiness – has my heart, and for that reason I would like to share this list of my favourite places to visit there, in the hope that it inspires you to visit them too or even gain a little insight into some of the charms of this enigmatic place.

So, without further ado, let’s get on with it!

Firstly, my most favourite place to go in Paris is Le Marais. Recommended to me by a friend who lives in Paris, but ‘the dodgy part’, Le Marais is an alluring district in the way that it encapsulates everything Parisian (or at least in my view). Here you can find many of those typically ‘Parisian’ buildings, with their effortlessly beautiful sandy colouring, subtle foliage with the occasional Juliet balcony. Admittedly, these buildings are found in almost every Parisian district, yet the ones I came across in Le Marais were for some reason particularly breath-taking to me.

A quick Wikipedia search tells me that Le Marais is a historic district, containing a variety of important buildings, including the Hôtel de Saint-Aignan, the Hôtel d’Albert, the Hôtel de Sully and the Temple du Maurais. The district is also said to host one of Paris’ main Jewish communities, as well as being a centre of the Parisian LGBT community.

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Next, is the Sacré-Coeur. I first visited this spot at the age of fifteen whilst on a school trip. Having not heard of it before I was amazed by the uniqueness of the cathedral’s architecture and also surprised by its appearance. To me it seemed to possess more of an oriental than French quality. The views from the Cathedral are, according to some, and myself included, the greatest views of Paris you can get.

When visiting the Sacré-Coeur for the second time, I couldn’t help but be reminded of the scene in Amélie, when she speaks to a puzzled Nino on the phone, carousel twirling in the background and the hustle and bustle of people passing by.

An interesting feature of this location is the artists’ square in the village centre, where you can purchase artwork and watch pieces come to life on canvas.

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Another place that I find is worth the visit it the Shakespeare and Co. bookstore, located on the Seine, close to Notre Dame. Again, I first saw this place in a film – in this case in ‘Before Sunset’, where Ethan Hawke holds a book signing at the store. I was intrigued by this place, firstly because of its role in the film, and secondly because of its seemingly British qualities.

Inside the store are a number of Shakespeare’s works (obviously) along with other great literary pieces. Draped in old ladders, the bookshelves are heaving with all sorts of literature, including an erotic novel section, next to which I (accidentally!) stood to take some photographs.

Your typical estate agent would tell you that the building possesses great ‘character’, due to its low, narrow staircases, and small windows that peer out onto the Seine. Unlike any bookshop I have ever been to before, this place is certainly one of a kind and a worthwhile visit for anyone interested in literature and its history in Paris.

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Next on my list of favourite places to visit is not a specific place, but Parisian ‘brasseries’, or cafés, or, more generally, anywhere Parisian that sells coffee or delicious food.

I’m not sure what it is, but there’s just something so appealing about these quintessentially Parisian set-ups that makes me want to visit them all and try every type of delightful dish that I might find there.

One of my favourite lunches in Paris is the ‘croque madame’, or what we may simply call a cheese and ham toastie with an egg, which may sound basic but is an utter dream. This with a coffee and a view of Paris is something I could marvel at forever.

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And finally, something that is again more so a feature than an exact place, that I love is, of course, the Seine. Especially in the summer, a stroll along the river – or even better a boat-ride – is the perfect chance to see many of Paris’ great attractions from an exclusive angle. The views include, Notre Dame, the Eiffel Tower and the Pont des Arts. Whenever I walk along the Seine, I love to explore the riverside bouquinistes, watch the tourist scurry by and my head plays an Edith Piaf song in awe of France’s wonderful culture.

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So, there it is. A list of my five favourite places in Paris.

I would love to know your favourite places to visit, in Paris or on any other city.

A bientôt,

Hannah.

What Makes a ‘Good’ Book?

Hi,

As you can probably tell from the title, my post this month will be looking at the idea of what qualifies as a ‘good’ book.

When I ask myself this question, I cannot help but think of Alan Bennett’s words in his play ‘The History Boys’. He writes that, “The best moments in reading are when you come across something – a thought, a feeling, a way of looking at things – that you’d thought special, particular to you. And here it is, set down by someone else, a person you’ve never met, maybe even someone long dead. And it’s as if a hand has come out, and taken yours.” I absolutely love this idea and I’m still looking for something that can summarise the feeling in a better way, which perhaps is not possible!

However, I cannot help feeling that this quote may be a bit vague in terms of this discussion. So, I decided to look elsewhere for some ideas. After some quick Google searches, I came across ideas such as a good book makes you learn something, should contain characters that you care about or have a profound message that all readers can relate to.

In addition, Milton wrote that ‘A good book is the precious lifeblood of a master spirit.’ This idea equally touches on many truths, being that successful literature will continue to be read throughout time and contains a powerful, divine message.

These opinions may be true on some levels, but is the main source of a ‘good’ book really all these things, or is it something more or less, sorry to sound rude, but, pretentious?

Could it be that a ‘good’ book simply makes you laugh, cry or is just something that you use to balance a cup of tea on because you can’t find a coaster?

After all, we’ve often read books as children and enjoyed them no less than we enjoy reading books now, yet why is it that as we start to get a little older, ‘The Famous Five’ or ‘The Hobbit’ just don’t seem to have that same appeal? Don’t get me wrong though, I am still a huge lover of both of these books. I will also, on occasion, bring out an old copy of the ‘Peter Rabbit’ series on a rainy day, to revoke all the old memories that they once gave me.

Still, why is it that the books that we once thought were the most touching of all, turn out to be much less engaging after we read them a few years later? Of course, our tastes are always changing and new crazes appear. But really, what is it that makes us decide that ‘Yes, ‘The Hunger Games – Catching Fire’ is undoubtedly the greatest novel of our generation.’ Or ‘What do you mean ‘Wuthering Heights’ just ‘wasn’t all that’?!’

I am still trying to figure this out and maybe there is no simple answer.

As a fairly young and inexperienced reader myself, I am by no means writing this post as a means of telling people that only one view matters. Of course reading is a very personal and individual activity, much like listening to music, choosing what clothes you wear or even in some ways, what food you choose to eat. Our definitions of what makes a successful piece of writing will of course be different.

So, I merely write this in the hope that it will provoke some discussion. I would love to hear what other people have to say about ‘What makes a good book?’ So please feel free to leave something below, whether you think that Allan Bennett has got it all wrong or that you also share the same guilty pleasure for Enid Blyton – even though you feel that you probably shouldn’t.

Speak soon,

Hannah.