The booksellers of Paris are part of the Parisian landscape and offer various old and second hand books. They are gathered on both banks of Paris. These are some 200 booksellers settled on the banks of the Seine in the open. Continue reading “The booksellers of quays- the Parisian emblem” »
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THE PARISIAN GASTRONOMY
Parisian gastronomy is present in all the good Parisian restaurants and brasseries. You will taste various cheeses, dishes, pastries and other entries.
Here is a panorama of the various foods that make up French gastronomy and Parisian know-how.
Cheeses from Parisian gastronomy
There are a hundred Parisian cheeses including Brie which was created in an agricultural region of the east of Paris. You will also find Coulommiers, the chevru, the pavement of Doue and the Fontainebleau used for the cake of the same name.
Fruits and vegetables in Parisian gastronomy
There is a wide variety of Parisian fruits and vegetables. The mushroom of Paris is a symbolic vegetable of Paris. At the end of the 19th century, more than 300 producers cultivated the mushroom of Paris on a total of 1000 tons annual in 1875. It is produced in the suburbs and in Paris until 1895. It seems that the real mushroom of Paris is grown in the cellars on layers of limestone …
The cherry of Montmorency is also symbolic of Parisian gastronomy.
Meats and dishes in Parisian gastronomy
Poultry is also part of Parisian cuisine, a specialty formerly served at the Court of Louis XIV. We will also highlight the pig belonging to the traditional ham of Paris. As for charcuterie, we will find the sausage of Paris with garlic and spices. Meats are used in traditional dishes such as beef stew, roast rib and black pudding from Paris.
Breads and pastries in the Parisian gastronomy
Among the Parisian breads, you will find the famous baguette as well as Briare bread and Vexin bread and the croissant.
Among the pastries, you will find the Bourdaloue pie, the saint-honore, the opera, the brioche of Nanterre, the millefeuille, the financier made for the majority with dough with cabbage. These pastries for the most part were designed by a great Parisian chef Marie-Antoine Carême precursor of pastry and confectionery …
Traditional Parisian dishes
The traditional Parisian dishes that can be mentioned are the onion soup, the eel matelote, the croque-monsieur …
When you are visiting Paris and for information on Parisian restaurants, check out the staff at our Aloha hostel.
PARIS AND ITS ROOFTOP
The Rooftops do not run all the roofs in Paris but more and more Parisian bars are inspired by New York fashion and we find more and more rooftops rooftops with a magnificent view of the capital around Paris. ‘a glass.
What are the Parisian rooftops to miss under any circumstances?
Paris rooftops north of Paris
The rooftop Paris Mama Shelter in the 20th arrondissement is a colorful place with its banquettes and parasols printed with a table football and a ping-pong table where you can bask as on the beach. This place is open from 10am to 19pm from Monday to Friday.
The perch of the marsh at the top of the BHV houses under its 250 square meters of seat terrace wood to enjoy the summer time. You will also enjoy guacamole and other charcuterie. This place is open Monday to Saturday from 8pm to 2am (9pm Saturday).
The Perchoir de l’Est is on the rooftops of the station Gare de l’Est and offers a magnificent view of the 10thneighborhood. It is open from Monday to Friday from 18h to 2H and from 16H to 2H on weekends.
Paris rooftops south of Paris
The rooftop Communion (formerly Nuba) is located on the rooftop of the City of Fashion and Design in the 13th neighborhood. You will enjoy a musical program at the top and a street food to share everything under the stars and overlooking the Seine!
The rooftop of the lounge bar view in the 15th neighborhood on the rooftops of a Novotel hotel is rather sober and quiet with tables and low armchairs overlooking the Effel Tower and open daily from 5pm to midnight.
During your stay in Paris, make a reservation at our Aloha youth hostel located in the 15th neighborhood.
THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PARISIAN PASSAGES
When you visit Paris there are many places not to be missed including the famous Parisian passages mostly hidden and located in the North of Paris.
Here is a sketch of the most beautiful Parisian passages to visit and not to be missed.
The most beautiful Parisian passages of the 2nd neighborhood.
The Cairo Passage is the oldest since it dates back to the 18th century and is the longest and tightest of all. You will find mainly outlets.
The Choiseul passage connects the rue des Petits Champs to rue Saint Augustin. With its 190 meters long, it is the longest. Writer Louis Ferdinand Céline even lived there at the end of the 19th century.
The Colbert Gallery is the property of the National Library of France. It houses the National Institute of the Arts and the National Heritage Institute.
The passage of Grand Cerf has a glass roof that overlooks it with several shops of craftsmen and creators.
The passage of princes meanwhile was inaugurated in 1860 and was destroyed in 1985 and was rebuilt.
The Vivienne gallery is the most elegant with its glass roof and mosaics on the ground.
The most beautiful Parisian passages in the rest of northern Paris.
The passage Véro-Dodat in the 1st district of Paris is in the street Jean Jacques Rousseau and in the street of the Bouloi. On the ground the black and white tiles give an impression of depth.
The passage Molière meanwhile is located in the 3rd neighborhood and is covered at its ends. The numbers of the passage do not respect the traditional Parisian order.
The passage Jouffroy is located not far from the museum Grevin in the 9th district and is made of metal and glass except the decorative elements made of wood.
During your stay in Paris, make a detour to the 15th neighborhood and book a room in our hostel Aloha.
WHY DO PARISIANS MISS REPUTATION ?
Parisians have always had a bad reputation whether in the provinces or abroad. Known for being in a hurry, distant, impolite, the city of Paris is positioned in 4th place of the least welcoming cities behind Johannesburg, Cannes and Moscow according to an American magazine “Condé Nast Traveler”.
But why do Parisians have such a bad reputation?
The quality of reception of Parisians towards foreign tourists
Parisians are famous for their lack of warmth and a neglected welcome. According to tourists, it is rare to find people available in the capital to guide them, help them whether on the street or at the airport example. Similarly in Paris museums, the staff is cold and remote ordering to open his bag and mount his ticket …
Courtesy is another black point of the painting. Few Parisians apologize after jostling a person in a hurry in transport or in the street again.
Tourists and provincials thus depict a negative image of Parisians while everything is more playful and warm abroad.
But are the Parisians really so distant and unpleasant as it is said?
This same American magazine affirms that the attitude of the Parisians is nevertheless in progress compared to before. Some tourists claim to have been badly welcomed 50 years ago and find the Parisians nicer now.
The opinion is therefore variable depending on whether it is an Irish student or a Korean tourist for example. You will always find one or more people cold and distant and a person welcoming and warm, otherwise why Paris would be one of the most visited cities in the world ?
During your stay in Paris, remember to book your accommodation with our friendly staff at our hostel Aloha.
THE PALACE OF VERSAILLES
The Palace of Versailles is one of the historical monuments not to be missed during a stay in Paris. What to see around the Palace of Versailles and what are the places to visit at all prices?
One of the places to visit in the Palace of Versailles
The Ice Gallery is the most emblematic place of the castle. It replaces a large terrace open to the garden. This terrace was replaced in 1684 by a gallery. It has 350 mirrors adorning the 17 arcades! This is where the Treaty of Versailles was signed in 1919 ending the First World War.
The places to visit belonging to the Palace of Versailles
In 1783 a hamlet is built around a lake around the castle of Versailles, it is the hamlet of the Queen (in reference to Marie Antoinette). It is composed of thatched cottages in a decor in an arc of circles. The hamlet is composed of three distinct spaces: the first dedicated to elements of leisure, the other to the agricultural activities and the last one is an old farm. This place represented an educational space for royal children.
The gardens are also green spaces not to be missed during your visit.
The royal stables are composed of the gallery of carosses where the majestic carriages, the sedan chairs, the carriages of Marie-Antoinette’s children are located. Also found in the royal stables, the Royal Equestrian Academy of Versailles and the gallery of sculptures and casts.
The access and practical information related to the Palace of Versailles and its surroundings
The Palace of Versailles is open every day from 9am except Monday. The Royal Stables and the Trianon Estate are open only in the afternoon from Tuesday to Sunday. The park and the gardens are open every day and are free except for the days of Grandes Ecaux or Jardin Musicaux.
The access to the castle and the trianon estate is free for children under 18 years old.
In addition, passports and pass are available between 12 and 50 euros depending on the areas of visits.
For any request for accommodation during your stay in Paris contact our hostel Aloha.
THE SMALL PARISIAN COFFEE-THEATERS
With the success of one-man-shows, the Parisian theaters are on the rise. These are part of the French artistic heritage and allow little-known comedians to make themselves known to the public.
But do you know when did they appear and what are the main coffee-theaters in Paris ?
Here is a presentation of these highlights.
The beginning of cafe-theaters: cafes first and foremost
The creation of cafes theaters was done in the 1960s in the main French cities. Restaurant managers then allow comedians to introduce themselves and play in their establishment in front of an audience originally coming to eat. The comics then pass with their hat at the end of performance to solicit income.
In Paris, the theatrical cafes were quickly successful on the Left Bank and at Pigalle and in the Marais and quickly shadows the famous Parisian cabarets. Establishments with less than 50 seats bet on new talents.
Some addresses of Parisian cafe-theaters not to be missed!
The cafe-theater “The end” in Pigalle and its 38 seats serves as a training center of French humorists. Comedians like Shirley Souagnon walked the stage. The establishment is also in partnership with the school of one-man-show in Paris. Comedies as well as children’s plays are also played.
La Petite Loge a few steps from the station Saint-Georges is an old theater for children and so small that the stage measures three square meters with 25 seats making it the smallest room in the capital!
Every year the hall and armchairs are restored. Artists like Gaspard Proust and Arnaud Ducret have walked this scene.
The room Popul’Air composed of about forty seats in the district of Belleville to keep its period style. The actors are paid in the hat as in the original tradition. There is an atmosphere of troquet and the reputation of this room by word of mouth.
The Paname Art café is more recent since it opened in 2008. It has fifty seats and artists like Fary and Norman were on stage. It is possible to eat before each show.
During your visit in Paris, do not wait and book your room in Aloha.
PARIS AND THE STREET ART
Street art is part of Parisian culture. It is found on the walls and facades of the city while walking. Bars even adopt the style of street art in their decoration and galleries make it their business!
What to see in Paris and what neighborhoods with street art paintings are not to be missed?
The street art course in Ménilmontant
The district of Ménilmontant and Belleville in the 20th neighborhood of Paris is full of street art in the streets of Ménilmontant, the street des Petits Carreaux, the street of the Ermitage and also in the street Henri Noguères. They appear on the façades where the name of a street usually appears. From graffiti to more elaborate design there is something for everyone.
Good to know: The average height is 4 meters. Above this size, it is the building owners who must remove them, below the same size, the city is responsible for removing them.
The Street art and the street Denoyez
It is the street with the most street art designs in the city. All its walls are covered from top to bottom by graffitis! Very impressive ! Unfortunately an ongoing real estate project threatens the survival of this street and its neighborhood bars of the 20th arrondissement.
The Street art at the Butte-aux-Cailles in the 13th neighborhood
Works by artists such as Miss Tic and Jef Aerosol as well as unknown artists cover the façades of this district at the corner of the street of the Cinq Diamants, the street of Moulin des Prés for example in this insurgent historic district.
The Street art in the district of the canal de l’Ourcq
Graffiti is also visible in the 19 th district of Paris at the corner ofthe street Jean Jaures and the street de l’Ourcq. This is more banal graffiti such as representations of Darth Vader or birds …
Currently, it is the turn of the international artist Bansky to make his arrival in Paris !
For more information on neighborhoods to visit, contact the personal of our hostel.
THE HISTORY OF THE PLACE OF CONCORD
The Place of Concord in the center of which stands the obelisk of Luxor is located not far from the Champs Elysees and Tuileries Garden among others. It has a very particular history and is part of the French heritage.
Here is a return on its appearance and how it has evolved over the centuries.
The origin of the Place : 1763-1772
The Place of Concord was built by the architect Anges-Jacques Gabriel and was completed in 1772. Initially the statue of King Louis XV was located in the center and was called Place Louis XV. The place will evolve according to the events of History.
The Place of Concorde under the Revolution
At this time, the Place of Concord goes from a festive atmosphere to a gloomy atmosphere with the disappearance of the statue of the king replaced by a scaffold surmounted by a guillotine used for executions of the city characters Robespierre and Danton for example.
The Place of Concord under the restoration in 1846
It was during the reign of Louis Philippe that the place was transformed and embellished. The new architect at the origin is Jaque Hittorf. It is in 1795 that it is called Place of Concord to emphasize the reconciliation of the French after the Revolution. It was also in 1836 that the Obelisk was installed. The one comes from Luxor and dates from the 13th century.
Did you know that 6 years had passed between the donation of this item and its installation in the square ?
The Place of Concorde today
Nowadays the Place is classified as a historical monument since 1937. It is located not far from the most famous places in Paris: the National Assembly, the Tuileries Garden, the Champs Elysées, the Orangerie Museum …
The Ferris Wheel, located a few steps away, was installed in 2000.
Today the obelisk is covered with a gold leaf headdress dating back to 1998 and funded by the Pierre Berge-Yves Saint Laurent Foundation.
During your stay at our hostel, take a detour to this beautiful historic square during your visit.
THE PARISIAN THRIP SHOPS
The thrift shop is a place for fashion lovers looking to find vintage clothes or chic clothes in different price ranges. From shoes, to jackets to coats, all categories of clothing are sold.
Here is a list of the main Parisian thrift stores not to be missed during a shopping day.
The Parisian thriftery The Chest
This thrift shop is open from 10:30 to 20:00 from Monday to Saturday. The shops are present in the 17th, 8th, 9th neighborhoo among others. The articles of Kenzo and Ralph Lauren brands are sold between 2 and 10 euros and arranged by style or color all in an industrial decoration.
The Parisian thrift shops KiloShop
These thrift stores located on both sides in Paris (in the Marais, in the Luxembourg district) also offer series of vintage clothes arranged by colors mainly. The concept is to pay clothes per kilo (30 euros per kilo of dresses or 20 euros per kilo of T-shirts for example) by weighing his clothes like vegetables at the market!
The Marais district store is open from 11am to 9pm and is located rue de la Verrerie.
The thrift stores of the brand Guerrisol
These are vintage thrift stores cheap at very low prices. The goal: to search while being patient to find the rare pearl. You will find the shops in the 18th and 13th neighborhood in particular.
They are open from 10am to 7 :30 pm / 8 :00 pm mainly.
Rag and Vertiges thrift stores in the 4th neighborhood
These two stores offer items between 4 and 400 euros: from old lingerie to ankle boots and handbags … all vintage too. The specialty of the shops ; a selection of Dr. Martins and style dresses of the 80’s. Opening hours vary between 10am and 12pm opening and closing at 8pm.
During your stay in our hostel, have a look at one of these traditional Parisian thrift stores.