Welcome to the ninth edition of French 5, where I share a glimpse of France through language, places, food and drink, arts and culture, as well as a random fun fact.
In this week’s edition, dutch author Mirjam shares some of her top picks from her favourite French city, Paris.
A big thank you to Mirjam for contributing this week’s content and photos. Make sure you give her a follow on Instagram at @destination__paris. If you have any feedback or ideas of what you’d like to see or who should be featured, please leave your comment below.
Featuring || Destination Paris
My name is Mirjam and I’m a writer from the Netherlands. Last year I published my first novel, Bestemming: Parijs! (Destination: Paris!), a feel good story set in Paris. My novel is written in Dutch, but we are working on the English translation. I’ve been in love with Paris since I was a teenager. For me, it’s the most beautiful and inspiring city in the world.
01 Language || Vivre d’amour et d’eau fraîche
I love the expression: "Vivre d’amour et d’eau fraîche.” You use it when you’re deeply in love with someone. Literally it means: I don’t need anything else but your love and some water to survive. How romantic is that?
02 Places || Abbesses
I love the Montmartre neighbourhood, and especially the Abbesses area. I like the rich history of it, the artists who have been living there, as well as the many cute café’s and restaurants. This neighbourhood feels like a small village where every one knows your name.
03 Food & Drink || (Vegan) Pastries
I LOVE French pastries, baguettes and croissants. I can eat them all day! The taste is so good and there’s no country in the world that can make baguettes and croissants as good as the French. Not to mention the smell when you pass a boulangerie! It always bring a smile to my face and makes me very hungry. But since I’m a vegan, I can’t eat the regular croissants anymore. Luckily, there are more and more boulangeries and patisseries in Paris that sell vegan versions of all those delicious treats. For example, the VG Pâtisserie at 123 Boulevard Voltaire in the 11th arrondissement.
04 Culture || Bar Hemmingway
There’s a spot in Paris I really love. I’ve been there once and it was a quite an experience. I’m talking about the world-famous, smallest bar in Paris: Bar Hemingway in The Ritz hotel. The bar owes its name to the journalist and writer Ernest Hemingway who was a regular. They serve amazing cocktails made by Colin Field, the twice-named "Best Head Barman in the World.” With the old armchairs, photos and even a library… it feels like you’ve stepped back in time. And did you know that the famous Bloody Mary cocktail was invented at The Ritz? Hemingway requested for a drink that didn’t smell like alcohol, so he was given vodka mixed with tomato juice. Funny, right?
05 Fun Fact || Paris’ first café
The city's first café has been in business 90 years longer than the US has been a country. The oldest café in Paris, Le Procope, opened in 1686. You can find it at 13 Rue de l’Ancienne in the 6th arrondissement.
Follow Friday || @limitlesssecrets
@limitlesssecrets is a French blogger and photographer. She lives in Paris and knows everything about Paris! Take a look at her amazing pictures and you can feel her love for the City of Light. She knows the best food spots, the best places to photograph Paris and besides that, she is always very helpful when it comes to questions about Paris.
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To read all previous editions, visit our French 5 webpage.
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