Soaring Saturday

 

Love Locks shimmer at the foot of the Basilique du Sacré-Cœur de Montmarte.

 

Floral Friday

 The "Flower Bar" inside the entrance of Le Bon Marché Rive Gauche. 

Thoughtful Thursday

 

 

A perfect book nook at a café-librairie in the Marais district.

 

A door adorned

 

The Art Nouveau door on Avenue Rapp.

 ***

  The Art Nouveau movement, characterized by flowing lines, natural motifs, and innovative materials like iron, glass, and ceramics, left its mark on various buildings across Paris. This door, a prime example at 29 Avenue Rapp, designed by Jules Lavirotte in 1901, is a top contender for the most beautiful door in Paris.

When the door first appeared, it caused a stir for its intricate carvings, lavish sculptural ornamentation such as Adam and Eve and the door's rumored naughty overtones, which only added to its allure. 

Despite soaring popularity, the movement began to fade around the early 1910s, its decline often linked to the onset of World War I in 1914. By then, the style’s exuberant, ornate designs began to give way to the more geometric and streamlined forms of Art Deco which better suited the post-war desire for modernity and simplicity.

Today there are Art Nouveau touches all over the city if one but keeps their eyes open. Probably the best-known and most-spotted are Hector Guimard's whimsical metro station entrances. - BPJ

 

Table talk Tuesday

Lunchtime, Place des Vosges:

"A splash of historic architecture with our salads, please."

 

Mocha Monday

 Wrapped in the warm glow of a classic Parisian café off Avenue George V. 

 

Fête des Mères

 

Joyeuse Fête des Mères 2025

***

 Does Paris "do" brunch? visitors often ask. Not only has Paris wholeheartedly embraced le brunch in recent years, but it's transformed the Anglo-Saxon breakfast-lunch hybrid into a quintessentially French affair. From cozy bistros to trendy cafés, the city buzzes with options, as seen on sites like OuBruncher? or through any quick search for "best brunch spots in Paris.” Locals and visitors alike flock to homey favorites like La Bossue in Montmartre for its we-adore-you Grandma! decor and generous buffet to Carette for its breakfast spread. With endless variations of croissants, avocado toasts, luscious pains perdus, pastries and perfectly paired cafés au lait, Paris has made brunch a stylish celebration, especially fitting for La Fête des Mères. For mothers - and others. Enjoy! - BPJ

Some instagram-worthy plates: 

 

Café Ella 

Le Boissy d'Anglais

PomPom
Kafkaf

Perdue
Kozy

Le Ju'
Café Berry
Les Bariolés de Maud

La Poutinerie

Cakepart
Le Loulou Friendly Diner
Jackpot
Oni Coffee Shop
Wild and the Moon
The Wild Bakery
Immersion
Azur Café
Jozi Brunch
Holybelly
Ob-La-Di
Sunday In Soho

Brunch Crêperie Balard

La Bossue

Decadent, elegant, expensive:

 

La Cuisine at Le Royal Monceau

Grand Brunch at the Ritz

The Prince de Galles

Café 52 at Grand Powers

La Bauhinia ("orchid tree" in English) at the Shangri-La

 

🌹

 

More great places to brunch in Paris on Mother's Day weekend. And beyond.

Saturday sighting

 A blackbird is spotted at this Left Bank café, where buttermilk chicken is the plat du jour.

 

Floral Friday

 

When a gift shop on a Montmartre side street turns out to be a delightful florist.

 

Thoughtful Thursday

 

A point to ponder at a Left Bank gallery vernissage.

 

Window Wednesday

 

Taschen publishes visually rich, high quality editions of coffee table books covering art, architecture, design, photography and pop culture.

 

Taschen

2 rue de Buci 75006

Travel Tuesday

 

Atmospheric villages and towns on the French Atlantic coast are easily reachable from Paris.

 

 

 

 

 

 ***

 

Dotted with charming port villages and islands, the Poitou-Charentes and Brittany regions make for kicked-back and beautiful seaside séjours not that far from Paris. Bursting with quality restaurants (many specialize in local oysters, seafood, and sharing apéritifs), relaxed (or bustling) cafés, open-air markets and kilometers of sandy beaches for those reflective sunset walks by the sea, there is something for everyone. Though driving from Paris is an option, taking a high-speed train from Gare Montparnasse then renting a car upon arrival has become increasingly popular. Frequent daily trains and affordable tickets and car rentals make a multi-day escape convenient and appealing. Enjoy! - BPJ

 

 Below: a list of notable destinations accessible by train from Gare Montparnasse, often with a rental car or local transportation at the station for the final leg

 

1. La Rochelle
   • Train Details: Direct TGV from Gare Montparnasse (approx. 2.5–3 hours).
   • Highlights: A historic port city with vibrant markets, medieval towers, and access to nearby Île de Ré, a picturesque island known for its beaches, cycling paths, and quaint villages like Saint-Martin-de-Ré and La Flotte, where busy bistros contrast with tranquil havens where you can linger over local Pineau des Charantes in peace.
     
   • Car Rental: Available at La Rochelle station for exploring nearby islands or coastal areas.
2. Saint-Malo
   • Train Details: TGV to Rennes (approx. 2 hours), then a regional train to Saint-Malo (45 minutes).
   • Highlights: A fortified coastal town in Brittany with dramatic tides, historic ramparts, and access to nearby islands like Jersey or Guernsey.
   • Car Rental: Available in Rennes or Saint-Malo for exploring the rugged Breton coast.
3. Quiberon
   • Train Details: TGV to Auray (approx. 2.5–3 hours), then a local train or 20-minute drive to Quiberon.
   • Highlights: A scenic peninsula in Brittany with wild beaches, coastal trails, and access to Belle-Île-en-Mer, a stunning island with charming villages and cliffs.
   • Car Rental: Available at Auray for easier access to the peninsula and ferries.
4. Biarritz
   • Train Details: Direct TGV from Gare Montparnasse (approx. 4–4.5 hours).
   • Highlights: A glamorous surf town in the French Basque Country with iconic beaches, upscale dining, and proximity to charming villages like Saint-Jean-de-Luz.
   • Car Rental: Available at Biarritz station for exploring the Basque coast.
5. Nantes (for nearby coastal areas)
   • Train Details: Direct TGV from Gare Montparnasse (approx. 2 hours).
   • Highlights: While Nantes itself is inland, it’s a jumping-off point to nearby coastal destinations like La Baule, a chic resort town with a long sandy beach (45-minute drive from Nantes).
   • Car Rental: Available at Nantes station for coastal day trips.

Also:

• Train Tickets: Book via SNCF (www.sncf-connect.com) (www.sncf-connect.com) for the best rates, especially for TGVs, which can be affordable if reserved early.
• Car Rentals: Most stations (e.g., La Rochelle, Biarritz, Rennes) have rental agencies like Europcar, Hertz, or Avis. Booking in advance is essential.
• Travel Tip: For islands like Île de Ré or Belle-Île, ferries or local buses complement car rentals for seamless exploration.
   
   

  

  
  
  
  
  

Mocha Monday

Early coffee from a sleepy fishing village somewhere on the French Atlantic coast.

 

Savory Saturday

 

 

Stepping into Le Procope, Paris’s oldest café founded in 1686 by Sicilian visionary Francesco Procopio dei Coltelli, is stepping into a living museum of revolutionary ideas and literary brilliance. And it's a pretty fine restaurant too.

***

Nestled in the heart of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, this iconic spot was the beating heart of the Enlightenment, where Voltaire sipped his legendary 40 cups of coffee a day, Diderot penned Encyclopédie entries, and Benjamin Franklin hashed out alliances that shaped nations. Its walls, adorned with 1830s “Liberty Equality” wallpaper - and even one of Napoleon’s hats - echo the French Revolution’s fervor. This is where Robespierre and Danton conspired, and where the Phrygian cap of liberty made its debut. It became a hub for intellectuals like Voltaire and Rousseau, fostering Enlightenment ideas.

Today Le Procope serves up classic French dishes like Boeuf Bourguignon and Baba au Rhum (above) alongside a storied past, crystal chandeliers and wrought-iron balconies (listed as historical monuments), casting a spell over intellectuals, artists, and curious diners alike. - BPJ

 Below: upstairs, tables and rooms can be reserved for private groups

 

 

Le Procope 

13 rue de l'Ancienne Comédie 75006

 

Floral Friday

 

A spring day in the Jardin des Tuileries.

 

Window Wednesday

 

  

This stylish coffee shop housed at the entrance of the Galerie Richer, a former passage, is a standout with its soaring black wrought-iron glass portal, elegant old-world interior and high-quality, ethically sourced Arabica beans, roasted in-house at their Saint-Ouen atelier.

 

NOIR

33 rue Richer 75009

 

Terrace Tuesday

 A sunny afternoon on the Left Bank.

Mocha Monday

A trio of mini desserts: a Mother's Day Café Gourmand

Above: an espresso takes a back seat to crème brûlée, a crumbly pastry, a scoop of salted butter caramel ice cream

***

For those with a sweet tooth the Café Gourmand, often mistakenly passed over as "gourmet coffee," is a welcome sight on any menu. It's that delightful after-meal espresso served with at least three mini desserts posing as one. A unique French coffee-plus-sweet pairing concept, it's perfect for sharing, or just sampling some of the day’s desserts without going overboard on sugar. - BPJ

 ***

Fête des Mères / Mothers Day in France 2025:

Sunday May 25

🌹

 

Stand-up Sunday

 

From her vintage hairdo to her polka-dot heels she might have stepped out of another era. Except for the phone.

 

Sit-down Saturday

 

Friends enjoy brunch on a tree-shaded Montmartre square.