How did you find that piece of Paris that is all yours?

I will be going back to Paris pretty soon,but this time I plan on finding a piece for myself. I want to know how did you all find that one (or two) place in Paris that you keep for yourself that brings you great joy? I plan on finding a spot for myself and to have it always.

|||

I stay in hotels in areas that are not %26quot;popular%26quot; and explore the local neighborhood. I try to identify places in %26quot;my%26quot; area to return to, ie. the corner cafe, the little square, the grocery store

Then, the next time I come, it feels like %26quot;home%26quot;.

|||

I go off season – Paris in the winter is lovely. I also stay at little, tiny hotels – the sort of places that are owner run and not anywhere near the center of town. I talk to the person running the hotel and I get suggestions and reservations at all their favorite area bistros – then I have lovely 3 hours dinners with my sweetie at the kind of place the travel guides never mention. I find a local bar, get chatty with the bartender and the clientele and I tip well – so well that once the bars lock up for the evening I’m invited to stay on behind locked doors with all the regulars. I ask strangers to have meals with me. And I walk all over – even through places that I’m warned against. I start smoking for a week. I stand around the same coffee bar in the morning reading travel guides and planning my day.

I should add that my French is very poor. I have a little phrase book that I use often. I tend to get by on a few polite phrases, a smile, and sometimes some gestures. I’ll also resort to English speaking bars - I’ve meet lots of people from all over the world who are in Paris on vacation, who are working in Paris and lots more French people looking to improve on their English.

|||

Read Hemingway%26#39;s A Moveable Feast and then find where he used to go watch the old men fish.

Pjk

|||

Oh, that%26#39;s easy. We just parted with lots of money and now we actually have a real %26quot;piece%26quot;!!

|||

I just go to the back of the Rodin Sculpture

Garden, have dinner at Le Coupe Chou or

walk along the Seine in the early morning.

|||

eastcoastgirl - I love that you %26quot;start smoking for a week%26quot; ;-)

|||

I think there%26#39;s a danger in trying to hard to find your special place - most times it will just creep up on you unawares; you may not realise it until you know that%26#39;s the place you want to go back to next time, and the time after that. One of my places used to be the roof cafe of La Samaritaine, as soon as it opened in the morning, with that breathtaking view - something else will have to come along now!

|||

oops, that should be %26quot;too hard%26quot;!!

|||

Mine came from life there...my old stomping grounds with my old friends...always brings back the best memories...

Les

|||

Laduree on Champs Elysee at 8AM with cafe creme and my Herald Tribune.