Enchante Paris! |

By lesperdus

There are very few thing that I know to be true, one of those things is that Paris is simply the greatest city in the world. Maybe it’s because I am a romantic at heart or maybe because I am so inspired by all the greats that Paris has created. Maybe it has nothing to do with Paris but really the idea of Paris because for me, Paris symbolizes joie de vie, the enjoyment of life. Since I was a child, I have always wanted to go to Paris, the City of light, the City of love. Ive been embedded with this grand romantic notion of Paris. I wanted to be in the place where the lost generation such as Fitzgerald and Hemingway drank and wrote. I wanted to be in the place where CoCo Chanel reinvented the definition of women’s fashion. The very place that started The Renaissance! It wasn’t until I actually went to Paris that I really understood. It wasn’t until the moment that I looked up after the sun had set and the city of lights proved to be no tale, that I truly believed. The Eiffel Tower suddenly transformed from a landmark to the most magnificent thing I’ve ever seen. In the blink of an eye the tower lit up into a million twinkling lights that demanded to be remembered.

Hemingway wrote, “If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as a young man, then wherever you go for the rest of your life, it stays with you, for Paris is a moveable feast.” and truer words have never been said for I believe in Paris, as a city, as a symbol and as an idea.

Upon arriving in Paris we took the RER train to Saint Germain De Pres to get to our little apartment that we rented from airbnb.com. Its small and charming as most parisian apartments are but there is something to be said about coming to an apartment that makes you feel so much more like you belong then checking into a hotel. This is the path that led to our little piece of Paris.

After a quick nap and a shower, we were ready for an adventure. Just one block down the street Les Deux Magots and Cafe Du Flores sits pretty on the corner of boulevard Saint Germain. Its crazy to think that these are the very places that Picasso, Sartre and Camus frequent. Popular among artist and intellectuals alike, these cafes are considered the most famous in the world. We took a seat at Les Deux Magots for a cafe and some lunch. I ordered the duck foie gras and Lance had the croque monsieur. Both were fantastic as was the view of the coming and goings of the 6th and the Saint Germain Des Pres church, the oldest church in Paris.

les deux magots

cafe de flores

saint germain des près

After lunch we started towards the left bank. The walk was beautiful and we stopped often to take in the sights and the feeling. Once we got to Shakespeare and Company we peruse the thousand of books. I could have stayed there for hours. Although it isn’t the original Shakespeare and Company that was opened by Sylvia Beach. It was still pretty amazing being there. I bought a copy of Ernest Hemingway’s A Movable Feast and made sure to have it stamped.

shakespeare and company paris

We crossed the Seine and made way to the Jardin du Luxembourg to relax the Parisian way. I opened up my book and read about the Luxembourg garden while sitting in the Luxembourg garden. There were numerous parisians there picnicking and mingling with friends. Amongst the perfectly clipped trees, vibrant flowers and sculptures, I realized, this is what Paris means to me.

seine

luxembourg garden, jardin du luxembourg

luxembourg garden

luxembourg garden, jardin du luxembourg

Hemingway’s A Movable Feast

stamp and bookmark from Shakespeare and Company

luxembourg garden, jardin du luxembourg

Hesitant to leave this oasis, there was still so much more of Paris to experience so we made way toward the Pont De Arts, also known as the lock bridge. Tradition has romantics all over the world come and place a lock on the bridge and throw away the key in the Seine. We left a lock here.

pont de arts, lock bridge

pont de arts

Pont de Arts, lock bridge

Pont de Arts, lock bridge

Pont de Arts, lock bridge

Pont de Arts, lock bridge

Down below, locals gathered with friends

Because nothing says you have arrived in Paris like seeing the Eiffel Tower, we had to end our night by kissing under the tower whilst it twinkle against the night sky.

Eiffel Tower

Published on June 19, 2014

Enchante Paris!

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