Jane Paech, Alsace apartment, Paris Perfect 2014. Photo: Vincent Bourdon

To read a review of Delicious Days by Paris Perfect, click here.

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While I was in the midst of writing, a favourite restaurant closed suddenly and I had to find another to replace it along the route. I also ditched an entire chapter on the Ritz Paris  featuring Colin & his Cocktails, the Best Barman in the World.  Shortly after I wrote the chapter I learned that the graceful old hotel on Place Vendôme was closing for a 200 million euro refurbishment in a bid to qualify for the new category of ‘Palace Hotel’. To leave the story in was just too risky. Thank goodness I didn’t for the hotel is still closed, with these kind of major upgrades sometimes taking years. On the Ritz website today is a statement that reads, ‘Currently closed and continues its journey towards the grand opening’.

Here’s a photo of the Hemingway Bar where I was lucky enough to watch Colin Field create his famous cocktails.

With the above in mind, below you will find a handful of major changes and updates since Delicious Days was whooshed to the printers…

• I am still mourning the news that my favourite little chocolate shop in Paris, A L’Etoile d’Or (p 155), was blown up in a gas explosion on Valentine’s Day. The investigation will take some time, and after that, who knows whether Madame Acabo will decide to rebuild.

• After a five year refurbishment and a series of delays, the Musée National Picasso (p 122) is currently scheduled to re-open on 25 October 2014. 

• Jacques Genin (p 132) is reportedly no longer making his divine, individual-sized pastries to takeaway but apparently you can still order a mille-feuille in the tea salon, along with a ‘pastry of the day’. I got my Concierge Extraordinaire onto it a couple of weeks ago to check it out once and for all, and he emailed me from the salon to report that he was munching on a made-to-order mille-feuille and a lemon tart washed down with jasmine tea. Lucky him! You can still order desserts for four or more people in advance.

• One of my favourite tableware stores in the city, Dîners en Ville on Rue du Bac (p188), has sadly closed its doors. My Concierge Extraordinaire also reports that a second Jacques Genin store will take its place, so all is not lost! It is unclear yet as to whether his exquisite pastries will be sold here…or if there will be a tea salon on site, but you will definitely be able to buy those wonderful caramels, chocolates and fruit jellies.

• Le Violin d’Ingres on Rue St Dominique (page 98) has been refurbished and modernised and now has an open kitchen.

• Yukiko Vintage Paris (p 123) has changed its name to 25 Janvier but remains at 97, Rue Vieille du Temple, 3e.

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Promenade through the Tuileries Gardens

For an elegant introduction to the City of Light and to soak up the full splendour of Paris there’s nothing like a stroll through the gold-plated first arrondissement. The neighbourhood is classic Paris, dominated by the Louvre Palace, a patchwork of elegant squares and breathtaking gardens. Start at the Cour Carrée at the eastern end of the Louvre, with its grand splashing fountain. As you walk towards Pei’s glass pyramid and on through the archway of the Place du Carrousel, a fabulous panorama slowly comes into view. You step into the beautiful Tuileries Gardens and suddenly it seems all of Paris is before you: a thrilling, unbroken vista of grand monuments and thoroughfares. At this moment you know you are in Paris. When you come down to earth, head to the tea salon Ladurée on rue Royale or Pierre Hermé’s flagship pâtisserie on rue Cambon. You can’t visit Paris without sampling a great macaron!

Visit a market and have a picnic

For the food-lover, a jaunt to one of the city’s open-air produce markets is a quintessential Parisian experience. It’s a delightful way to sample a bounty of the fresh, regional produce packed in the city’s hamper, and also throws light on the rhythm of everyday Parisian life. An all-time favourite is the atmospheric Marché Président Wilson on avenue de Président Wilson in the 16^e arrondissement, renowned for its breathtaking flowers, artistic displays of pristine produce and great location near the Eiffel Tower. It’s open on Wednesday and Saturday mornings. Grab a crusty baguette, a thick slice of chunky terrine and some perfectly ripe farmhouse cheese to enjoy with a rustic fruit tart and some sweet-scented strawberries. Spread out a picnic lunch on the banks of the Seine and watch the barges pass, or relax on the grass under the shadow of the Eiffel Tower.

Meander along rue du Bac

One of my favourite streets in Paris is the charming rue du Bac in the 7^e arrondissement. Take a ramble along the village-like street that starts at the river and winds right through to the fabulous Left Bank department store, Le Bon Marché. Along the way you will find florists overflowing with fragrant roses, artisan ice creameries, pretty home décor boutiques and a bijou bunch of pâtisseries and chocolate shops. Don’t miss Chapon, a tiny, old-world chocolate store, and La Pâtisserie des Rêves, the pastry shop of dreams. Here, you will swoon over the lemon meringue pies, mille-feuilles and innovative éclairs slid into sleeping bags of chocolate. More chic pastries can be found at Des Gâteaux et du Pain, and Jacques Genin. For a reviving pause and afternoon tea, sink into a seat at an outpost of the celebrated tea salon, Angelina.

Pop into the Musée de Cluny

There are dozens of intriguing small museums sprinkled throughout Paris and these appetising little gems offer a warmth and intimacy impossible to find in vast galleries. Their manageable size means they can be enjoyed in the space of an hour or so, creating a delightful refuge in a hectic day of sightseeing and eating. I adore the Musée de Cluny and return each time I visit Paris. Deep in the Latin Quarter, it’s full of intriguing bygone treasures, a medieval attic offering valuable insight into the art and life of the Middle Ages. The flamboyant ogee arches, turrets and dragon gargoyles make it hard to believe there’s not a princess locked up in the tower at the top of the spiral staircase.

Dine at Joséphine ‘Chez Dumonet’

For a classic bistro experience, book a table at Joséphine ‘Chez Dumonet’ (117, rue du Cherche-Midi, 6^e). The narrow vintage dining room with cracked-tile floor, zinc bar and white-linen-draped tables makes you feel as though you have walked into la vieille France. What you will find here is excellent, old-fashioned bistro cooking, a rarity in Paris nowadays, with many dishes available in half-portions.  Book from 8.30 pm to dine with the locals in the evening, and finish with the Grand Marnier soufflé.

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I also enjoyed the creative Primevère lunch menu at David Toutain in his new restaurant in the 7th arrondissement; a spontaneous trip to the Normandy Coast with my Concierge Extraordinaire; a three-hour session with a personal shopper and a leisurely cycle around the monuments of Paris with Fat Tire Bike Tours.

Those stories will now have to wait until I get home, but before I leave, I thought I’d quickly bring you something a little different -where to drink absinthe in Paris.

The anise-flavoured drink was originally produced as a medicinal tonic in 1792 and  became popular in the smoked-filled cafés of Paris during the Belle Epoque, particularly with the bohemian Montmartre set. Known as the green fairy, it had the capacity to cause hallucinations, even drive you mad, and was banned by the French government in 1915. Various theories abound as to why it was banned, one school of thought being that dodgy, rotten wormwood (artemisia absinthuim) in inferior absinthe caused the side-effects.

In the late 1980s genuine, quality absinthe (which contains the compound thujone) made a comeback and there is no doubt there is something delicious and daring about sampling a formerly forbidden drink. So…where to go to pay homage to absinthe? La Feé Verte (The Green Fairy) of course at 108 rue de la Roquette in eastern Paris. Here in this vintage corner café you can sample from the absinthe menu until late into the night. The process itself is full of ritual and ceremony; it’s art, poetry and performance in a glass.

This is how it goes. A large fountain of chilled water with four spouts is placed on the table before you. Each spout drips water onto a cube of sugar, which is placed atop a fancy slotted spoon that is balanced on top of a glass. This process is called louching and remains the preferred way to drink absinthe. The drink is sweetened and transformed into billowing, milky clouds, and the essential oils in the herbs are unlocked. It’s common to drink one part absinthe to three parts water.

Here are a couple of choices on the menu to get you dreaming (hopefully not hallucinating):

Soixante Cinq 65: Floral and springtime notes, herbaceous in the mouth with lime blossom and fruity angelica.

Absinthe Pernod 68: Inspired by the original recipe, a unique flavour to revive Paris of the Belle Epoque.

Goodnight Paris.

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Armed with packages and having given up on finding jewellery to match an outfit, I start to dawdle back to the apartment when I stumble upon Monic. I step inside to find an enchanting, timeworn store simply bursting with wonderful vintage jewellery, affordable costume pieces and designer creations. It’s not your standard store in the quarter – the displays are neither sleek nor perfectly positioned – but this brings a warm and inviting feel.

The counter is lined with customers waiting for advice from the incredibly knowledgeable Monic Jaques and her son Frederic, connoisseurs who have dedicated their lives to beautiful jewels. Many of the pieces are handmade in France and I chat to Frederic who tells me that the store repairs, creates and transforms jewellery, with some models created upstairs. ‘We also make unique pieces for movies,’ he says.

The three-generation family-owned business began in 1946 and there is a second store on rue de l’Ancienne-Comédie in the heart of the Left Bank. No matter what your budget you will find something unique and interesting here, with a large range of jewels from 1 € to 10,000 €.

I find a tray of silver rings from the 1940s (starting at 98 €), a range of 1970 Nina Ricci clip earrings for 80 € a set and a sign in the window that reads, ‘Real garnets from Bohemia & handmade jewellery made in Europe since the 18th century’.

I explain to Monic what I’m looking for and she not only seems to understand instantly, but pulls out a drawer or two and produces exactly what I have in my head. ‘We have many foreign customers who visit us each time they come to Paris and add another piece to their collection,’ says Monic.

As I leave, a Frenchman who had overheard our conversation is peering at jewels in the window. ‘This is a very good store,’ he assures me. ‘It was recommended to me by a friend and I bought my wife’s engagement ring here.’

It’s not everyday that you stumble upon a boutique that you just know you will return to time and again – and it seems that I am not alone.

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And so finally, this morning as I sip a tisane, I am able to bring you the last installment of my packed morning with Sébastien – Concierge Extraordinaire.

*      *      *

After discovering a couple of interesting boutique hotels, which you can read about here, we zoom across to the Right Bank and down into the basement car park of Printemps. Inside this iconic department store you can shop to your heart’s content and lunch under the breathtaking glass cupola. There’s even a great Personal Shopper Service if you want a ‘relooking’. But that is not why we have come.

Salon de Coiffure. Photo courtesy of Printemps

We climb up to the sixth floor of the de la Mode building and enter Le Coiffeur. Suddenly before us is a breathtaking view across the chimney pots, taking in the Eiffel Tower and monuments of Paris.  If your time in Paris is limited, book in for a quick blow dry before a glam night out, just for the experience. Prices are a little more than at home, but not exorbitant.

We leave the jaw-dropping salon and climb to the rooftop terrace. ‘I think this is one of the best views of Paris. Come on a Thursday night when it’s late night shopping and sit and have a drink,’ says Sébastien.

Here on the terrace, Paris is so close that you can almost reach out and touch it.

Just as it is from my apartment window as I tap away…so near and yet so far.

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Jane Paech with Delicious Days in Paris. Photo: Vincent Bourdon

Merci mille fois to Vincent Bourdon for the photo shoot!

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Yesterday afternoon, Vincent Bourdon, a friend and professional photographer who also took some shots for Delicious Days, joined me at Le Pavillon de la Reine to create a blog post. A member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World, the hotel is hidden down a cobbled lane right on the breathtaking Place des Vosges: I shall bring you the full story at a later date.

Jane Paech, Hotel Pavillon de la Reine. Photo: Vincent Bourdon.

While Vincent photographed the bathroom of Suite de la Reine I was madly scribbling notes in the bedroom. There were also notes scribbled above the bed, from the 17th century. The originals are stored safe and sound in the Bibliotheque Nationale, the National Library of France.

While Vincent took shots of the bedroom, I waited out of sight in the deep, claw-footed bath.

Jane Paech, Hotel Pavillon de la Reine. Photo: Vincent Bourdon

We scouted the courtyard and gardens, the library and common rooms, even the corridors to get a feel for the place.

Jane Paech, Hotel Pavillon de la Reine. Photo: Vincent Bourdon

Notes and photos taken, we took a leisurely afternoon tea at Carette, a lovely tea salon just a few doors down under the cloisters of Place des Vosges.

Jane Paech, Afternoon tea at Carette. Photo: Vincent Bourdon

What better way to end an afternoon than to share a plate of confetti-coloured mini macarons in flavours of pistachio, rose, cassis, raspberry and orange flower.

A plate of mini macarons, Carette, Place des Vosges. Photo: Vincent Bourdon

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Some things are meant to be for on the way I stumbled upon the sweetest little spot. Nestled right against the ancient steps is Soul Kitchen, a coffee shop with a delightfully warm feel run by three lovely women who make everything in-house. There’s a wonderfully-worn patterned tiled floor, mismatched, painted chairs and a counter filled with homemade goods freshly baked each morning. There’s even ANZAC biscuits.

The formule P’tit Dej is 11 € and includes a hot drink, fresh juice and the choice of a giant muffin, a scone, a bowl of organic granola or a tartine baguette from the neighbourhood boulangerie. I opted for the tartine served with traditionally churned Pamplie butter and a little pot of homemade strawberry confiture. One of the women hails from the Alsace region and drives up to get the fruit in bulk to make their jam.

The chewy baguette was excellent but it’s the coffee that will draw Australians here. A good latte has always been notoriously difficult to find in Paris but in the past two or three years the coffee scene has really started to evolve. Interestingly, the renaissance is being led by a number of Australians and I’m told that the local roaster who supplies Soul Kitchen worked in Oz.

As I checked my emails (yes there is Wifi) locals streamed in and out. There’s a cupboard full of board games and at the next table a father and his little boy were playing Qui Est-Ce, a French game for children that my girls adored. The small lunch menu is posted on facebook daily and includes healthy soups, salads, vegetable tarts and pissaladières. Yesterday there was Mexican soup with jalapeno cornbread, and a pichade with rocket, coppa (cured pork) and homemade pistou. Cakes are freshly baked for the afternoon and change every day.

After lolling about with a second cup of coffee, I just had time to race up the steps to the top of the butte for a quick scout around before pounding down again to meet a friend for lunch at Pulcinella, a tucked-away Italian on rue Damrémont.

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