Discarding Paris of its clichéd tropes and seeing it from a
whole new perspective is what Raul Dias did
recently on his whistle stop trip to the City of Lights.
Pics: Rebecca Marshall for Airbnb
First things first. I’d like to tender an
unconditional apology to those of you who are reading this travel piece
expecting it to be about all things Paris. Well, although it is about Paris,
oxymoronically it also isn’t. You won’t find lengthy prose on the “fecund
beauty” of the Jardin des Tuileries. Or find me going into hyperbolic overdrive
over the “luminescent magic” of the Eiffel Tower. I’ll probably save those for
a less discerning reader!
But yet, this article is still about Paris. It is the Paris I saw this May sans rose tinted glasses. The Paris that presented itself to me in all its naked, unabashed glory. The Paris that accepted me as one of its own and gave me an insider’s perspective on a hard-to-permeate society and culture.
But yet, this article is still about Paris. It is the Paris I saw this May sans rose tinted glasses. The Paris that presented itself to me in all its naked, unabashed glory. The Paris that accepted me as one of its own and gave me an insider’s perspective on a hard-to-permeate society and culture.
Accommodation
with a difference!
So, eschewing the creature comforts of an almost sterile, de rigueur chain hotel room, I booked myself in with an Airbnb apartment for the very first time in my life. Sitting on the busy Rue de Bretagne in Paris’ trendy Le Marais neighbourhood, my three-bedroom apartment was the perfect little nest. Done up in a mix of neo baroque and modern furniture and décor, the first-floor apartment was everything I was looking for. Intimate, personal and very, very Parisian.
With the apartment’s caretaker giving me a quick orientation of the place, like how to operate the washing machine/dishwasher etc and dropping off my keys, I was left on my own to enjoy its sumptuousness. But before that, the fridge needed some stocking up. So, I sauntered down for a walk around the neighbourhood that would be mine for the next two days.
So, eschewing the creature comforts of an almost sterile, de rigueur chain hotel room, I booked myself in with an Airbnb apartment for the very first time in my life. Sitting on the busy Rue de Bretagne in Paris’ trendy Le Marais neighbourhood, my three-bedroom apartment was the perfect little nest. Done up in a mix of neo baroque and modern furniture and décor, the first-floor apartment was everything I was looking for. Intimate, personal and very, very Parisian.
With the apartment’s caretaker giving me a quick orientation of the place, like how to operate the washing machine/dishwasher etc and dropping off my keys, I was left on my own to enjoy its sumptuousness. But before that, the fridge needed some stocking up. So, I sauntered down for a walk around the neighbourhood that would be mine for the next two days.
Being a Sunday, the weekend flea market was unfurling itself in all its glory on the street below the apartment. Bric-a-brac, vintage fur coats, mid-century modern style furniture—all on full display here. But it was the aroma of roasting chicken that was most alluring to me at that point of time. Stopping by a typically French rotisserie had always been something I had wanted to do, but had never had the opportunity thus far. Packing up a quarter roast chicken, a side of potatoes dauphinoise and buttered garlic carrots, a small baguette bread and a slice of pistachio-apricot pie, I made my way back ‘home’ for my first lunch in Paris that was all things a great lunch should be.
Bar
hopping and more…
A quick post prandial nap and off I was to join Anto—short for Antonio—on his organised ‘Storm the Bars of Bastille’ three-hour tour (around Rs 4,000) per person, including drinks and bites) that zigzags through Paris’ streets of wine dives and speakeasies—all in the trendy Bastille area, a short walk away from Le Marais. Part of the newly launched Airbnb Trips initiative, this bar crawl began at a scruffy-chic wine dive bar called Chez Habibi where our group of eight was toasted with a bottle of crisp chardonnay and introductions made.
A quick post prandial nap and off I was to join Anto—short for Antonio—on his organised ‘Storm the Bars of Bastille’ three-hour tour (around Rs 4,000) per person, including drinks and bites) that zigzags through Paris’ streets of wine dives and speakeasies—all in the trendy Bastille area, a short walk away from Le Marais. Part of the newly launched Airbnb Trips initiative, this bar crawl began at a scruffy-chic wine dive bar called Chez Habibi where our group of eight was toasted with a bottle of crisp chardonnay and introductions made.
Originally from Colombia, Anto moved to Paris for love and is now THE person to give travellers an insight into the city’s vibrant drinking scene. In fact, recently, a French newspaper called him “the guy who makes a living by biking and hitting the town.” Yes, Anto also leads biking trips around the city as part of another Airbnb Trips initiative.
But back to our bar crawl and our next stop was the all red Chinese restaurant Le China for some lip-smacking cocktails and yummy dimsums. This we followed up with a hearty dinner of confit duck, roast potatoes and a glass of kir royale (crème de cassis topped with Champagne) at Le Chat Bossu, a traditional French brassier.
The night was not over yet as Anto took us for after dinner drinks to his favourite speakeasy Moonshiner on Rue Sedaine. This one is a total insider-only place where you enter from the kitchen doors of a rather nondescript pizza parlour. It sure made us feel like we were back in the Prohibition Era!
Louvre
with a difference
Up bright and early the next morning, I continued my unusual Paris trip leitmotif with a museum visit with a twist. Now, before you think I succumbed to a Paris trip cliché like paying a visit to the Louvre, let me set the record straight. Yes, I am guilty of segueing it in to my ‘no tropes’ Paris itinerary. But to my defense, I did it with a big, big difference! Cedrik. The stand-up comic with a mononym does a very uniquely curated Airbnb Trips tour called ‘Laugh Your Way Through the Louvre’ (around Rs 5,416 per person, including the entry fee and a tea/coffee/hot chocolate).
Up bright and early the next morning, I continued my unusual Paris trip leitmotif with a museum visit with a twist. Now, before you think I succumbed to a Paris trip cliché like paying a visit to the Louvre, let me set the record straight. Yes, I am guilty of segueing it in to my ‘no tropes’ Paris itinerary. But to my defense, I did it with a big, big difference! Cedrik. The stand-up comic with a mononym does a very uniquely curated Airbnb Trips tour called ‘Laugh Your Way Through the Louvre’ (around Rs 5,416 per person, including the entry fee and a tea/coffee/hot chocolate).
The two-hour long tour was a laugh-a-minute riot with Cedrik casting a humorous net over the rather somber exhibits of the world’s greatest museum. Being an art historian and stand-up comic, he truly had us cracking up (pun unintended!) in front of the Mona Lisa and giggling in front of Greek relics.
And just like that my two days doing Paris off the beaten track drew to a dramatic close. And while I dare not suggest skipping the more touristy sights altogether, it’ll do us all a whole lot of good to not just ‘see’ or to ‘go’ to a city like Paris, but truly ‘experience’ and ‘live’ it!
FACT
FILE
Getting There
There are a number of daily direct flights from Mumbai to Paris on airlines such as Air France, and Jet Airways. The super-efficient Paris metro makes travelling within the city a piece of cake. We suggest buying a day pass for unlimited access. Indian passport holders need a Schengen visa to visit France and the same can be obtained at the French Consulate in Mumbai.
Getting There
There are a number of daily direct flights from Mumbai to Paris on airlines such as Air France, and Jet Airways. The super-efficient Paris metro makes travelling within the city a piece of cake. We suggest buying a day pass for unlimited access. Indian passport holders need a Schengen visa to visit France and the same can be obtained at the French Consulate in Mumbai.
When
To Visit
The spring and summer are the best times to visit Paris, with the months from May to September seeing plenty of free music concerts held in parks and other public places. But for a real taste of French national pride, make sure to orient your trip around the 14th of July which is the French National Day also called Bastille Day.
The spring and summer are the best times to visit Paris, with the months from May to September seeing plenty of free music concerts held in parks and other public places. But for a real taste of French national pride, make sure to orient your trip around the 14th of July which is the French National Day also called Bastille Day.
Accommodation
Paris has an excellent selection of hotels to choose from to suit all budgets and tastes. But in keeping with the ‘insider view’ of this piece, we recommend renting out an Airbnb apartment. This way, you not only get to stay in a true-blue Parisian apartment, but also stay at some of the most gorgeous addresses in the city. As Airbnb lists everything from a neo baroque-style apartment in Le Marais neighbourhood of Paris to a chic minimalistic home near the Notre Dame cathedral that’s owned by… get his, Bryan Adams!
(www.airbnb.co.in)
Paris has an excellent selection of hotels to choose from to suit all budgets and tastes. But in keeping with the ‘insider view’ of this piece, we recommend renting out an Airbnb apartment. This way, you not only get to stay in a true-blue Parisian apartment, but also stay at some of the most gorgeous addresses in the city. As Airbnb lists everything from a neo baroque-style apartment in Le Marais neighbourhood of Paris to a chic minimalistic home near the Notre Dame cathedral that’s owned by… get his, Bryan Adams!
(www.airbnb.co.in)
(A shorter, edited version of this article appeared in the 10th June 2017 issue of the Afternoon Despatch & Courier newspaper, India http://www.afternoondc.in/mumbai-mix/paris-in-a-new-light/article_196937)
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