Wee Birdy

A wee trip to Paris, part 2

Chocolat Debauve & Gallais
Sulpice Debauve was a pharmacist-turned-chocolate maker for France's royal family, and he developed a range of chocolate coins for Marie Antoinette - which you can still buy today (Pistoles de Marie Antoinette).

This beautiful old shop has been selling chocolates for 200 years, and features marble columns and wood-panelled walls.
Chocolat Debauve & Gallais
30 Rue des Saints-Peres
Paris
Métro: Saint-Germain des pres
Opening hours:
Monday to Saturday 9.30am-7pm

A.P.C. Surplus
Bypass the tourists milling around the bottom of the hill leading up to the Sacre-Coer and walk around to Rue André Del Sarte , where you'll find A.P.C's outlet shop.

Well worth a visit if you're an A.P.C. fan, with 50 per cent discount off last season's collections.
20 Rue André Del SartE
75018 Paris
Métro:Chateau Rouge

Creperie Josselin
Walk past all the other creperies jostling for attention on this street and head straight to Josselin, considered to be the best of its kind in Paris.

It's relatively cheap and the buckwheat galettes are very filling, but you could also go simple and sweet with the house chocolate crepe.
Creperie Josselin
67 Rue du Montparnasse
75014 Paris (14th Arr.)
Tel. 01 43 35 26 68

Cafe de Flore
Another Sarte and de Beauvoir haunt, another way to watch the world go by from plush red leather seating and splendid Art Deco surroundings.

Yes, it's a wee bit touristy, but the Club Sandwich is really good (although not particularly existential).
Cafe de Flore
172 bd. Saint-Germain,
Paris (6th Arr.)
Métro: St-Germain-des-Prés

Shakespeare & Company
I hadn't visited this wee gem of a bookshop for many years, so it was lovely to rediscover it and enjoy its rather authentic bohemian atmosphere.

It's always very busy, but there are lots of little nooks for reading (or, uh, napping), as well as a great view of Notre Dame from the upstairs windows.
Shakespeare & Co
37 rue de la Bûcherie
75005 Paris
Tel. 01 43 25 40 93
Opening hours:
Monday to Saturday 10am-11pm
Sunday 11am-11pm

Left Bank booksellers
I usually don't pay much attention to the booksellers and their distinctive dark green boxes lining the Left Bank of the Seine, but I couldn't help lingering on a sunny Sunday afternoon.

Sitting alongside crappy print reproductions were some really incredible vintage magazines, although they are priced for tourists. Good for browsing, perhaps, rather than buying.

A wee trip to Paris, part 1

I spent a glorious weekend in Paris towards the end of last year. In the past I've tended to gravitate towards Le Marais, but this time around I explored more of Saint Germain and the Left Bank. It was by no means a comprehensive tour (I preferred lingering in cafes and strolling down sun-dappled boulevards) but I thought you might be interested in some of these wee gems...

Deyrolle
Admittedly Deyrolle may not be everyone's cup of tea (in fact, you may find dead animals dead creepy), but I spent a good couple of hours completely submerged in the sheer beauty of this historic shop. Downstairs looks like any other bourgeois gardening/interiors store, with a rather lovely collection of enamel pots and handsome tools. In fact, the only hint of the spectacle that awaits upstairs is the odd taxidermied animal in the window, or the deer wearing an apron.

I had heard a little bit about Deyrolle's impressive collection of taxidermied animals, mounted insects, shells and minerals, but I was still completely gobsmacked as I discovered what can be best described as a Darwinian collection of natural history at the top of the stairs.

Row upon row of brightly coloured birds fill the dark-wooded Victorian cabinets, and the most beautiful butterflies are laid out in 19th century display cases. It's like walking into a natural history museum - except every bug, bear and butterfly is for sale.

I was fascinated by the humungous black rhinoceros beetles, stick insects and scorpions, but couldn't draw myself away from the glass trays of butterflies in astonishingly vivid hues of irridescent turquoise.

Choosing your bugs to mount is an exciting (and extremely satisfying) experience, akin to a child in a sweet shop, except you're pointing to exotic insects, not sherbet fountains. Your choice of butterflies and insects are mounted on a special display case, and prices for individual insects start at a few Euros. It's a wondrous place to browse, and kids will be equally fascinated.
Deyrolle
46 rue du Bac
75007 Paris
Tel. 01 42 22 30 07
Métro: Rue du Bac

Les Deux Magots

I know, it's a bit touristy these days but I couldn't pass up the chance to have a latte in Sartre, de Beauvoir and Wilde's old hang-out. Except I didn't have coffee, I went for the hot chocolate instead. And it was rich, luscious and quite simply The Best Hot Chocolate Ever. Nice old tiles, too.
Les Deux Magots
6 Place Saint-Germain des Prés
75006 Paris
Tel. 01 45 48 55 25
Métro: St-Germain-des-Prés

Pierre Herme

Pierre Herme is everything that Laduree is not: modern, minimalist and a wee bit sexy. With not a hint of gilt in sight. But we're still talking about macaroons here, and Monsieur Herme's are very lovely indeed with big bold colours and delicate flavours. A perfect take-away treat to enjoy in the nearby Jardin du Luxembourg.
Pierre Herme
72 rue Bonaparte
75006 Paris
Tel. 01 43 54 47 77
Métro: Saint-Sulpice
Opening hours:
Monday to Friday 10am-7pm
Saturday 10am-7:30pm
Sunday 10am-7pm

Part 2 coming tomorrow.

Wee finds: Boulangerie shopper

I was in Paris for the day last week (in fact, you can read all about my thrifty, budget adventures over at Oolamoola.co.uk) and spotted this gorgeous tote bag in the window of Tumbleweed, a children's toy shop in the Marais. The shop wasn't open when I visited, but I'm pretty sure the price tag said €45. There's also an uber-chic kids' fashion boutique next door. For very pretty petit bebes.
 
Tumbleweed
19 rue de Turenne
Paris 75004, France

French label Bon-Ton loves Liberty for Little Girls...

BonTon Liberty print top, US$55, from Estella NYC.

BonTon Liberty print top, US$55, from Estella NYC.

BonTon Liberty print top, US$55, from Estella NYC.

Read about my visit to BonTon in Paris.
BonTon is also stocked at Petit Aime in Notting Hill...

Petit Aime
34 Ledbury Road
London W11 2AB
Tel. 020 7221 3123

Click here for a Wee Birdy map.

Shopping online: Atelier WM candles at Colette

I'm currently crushing on these surreal hand candles from young Parisian collective Atelier WM, which are based on prints of real hands and are available in three different signs: West Coast, Hard Rock and Star Trek. They're now available instore and online at French store Colette. (My vote? Vulcan, all the way.)