Mocha Monday

 Café on a terrace always gets the morning off to a good start. Even when it's cold.

 ***

Paris Fashion Week kicks off today

 

Calendar:

PARIS FASHION WEEK 2025

September 29 - October 7

sketch / photo courtesy of Elizabeth Emanuel 

Sit-down Saturday

A gray day in Paris.

 

Floral Friday

 Floral splendor brightens an outdoor market.

 

To Elli

 

🩷

 

 

 

Throwback Thursday

 Back to warmer days when night terraces were full.

 

Window Wednesday

The windows of Paris' favorite luxury department store are dedicated to expo "Rock 'N' Drôle" based on a character created by Antoine de Caunes, Didier Lembrouille.

 

ROCK 'N' DRÔLE

 

Le Bon Marché Rive Gauche

24 rue de Sèvres 75007

 

Ends October 19, 2025 

Teddy Tuesday

Paris adores these bears that first put in an appearance at cafés and restaurants during Le Covid.

 

Music Monday

Classical music enchants on a square in the Marais district.

Croissant culture

Early morn ready for the coffee-croissant crowd.

 

Sit-down Saturday

 Taking advantage of beautiful September weather.

 

Festival Friday

Montmartre's annual autumn grape harvest and wine festival bursts into life Wednesday, October 8.

 LA VILLAGE EN FÊTE 

Fête des Vendanges 2025

Ends Sunday October 12

Throwback Thursday

 

 

The call of the sea.

 

 Above: evening and night walks in serene coastal villages

Below: sunsets and silhouettes

***

Brittany / Normandy / Poitou-Charentes

 3 hours (or less) from Paris

 

 

 

There’s nothing quite like trading Paris' crowded boulevards for a few days of a rejuvenating seaside escapade. As autumn’s crisp embrace settles over the city, the call of the sea and windswept freedom of France's enchanting North Atlantic seashores beckon. Temperatures dip to invigorating levels. Coastlines unfold rugged cliffs kissed by frothy waves, quaint harbors glow under golden-hour light, and beaches stretch toward the horizon.

 Unlike those once secret coastal destinations that have become overrun by post-Covid throngs emboldened by Instagram selfies, there are still retreats that remain unspoiled by the clamor of travel influencers in designer flip-flops and cheeseburger-seeking TikTokers waiting to be discovered.

There’s a special alchemy in joining locals gathering at sunset over apéros and oysters and watching the sky change from lavender to amber. These moments, steeped in laughter and the warmth of shared stories, are what pull us back again and again. - BPJ  

***

Main points of arrival by train from Paris (+ car rental upon arrival) for quicker seaside village access:

 Brittany
Saint-Malo and Brest for their respective coastal regions (north-east and west)
Farther: Rennes

Normandy
Caen and Le Havre generally faster to access most seaside villages due to their proximity to the coast
Farther: Rouen

Poitou-Charentes / renamed Nouvelle-Aquitaine
La Rochelle for quick seaside village access due to its coastal proximity
Farther: Rochefort, Poitiers, Niort

 

 

Window Wednesday

A glimpse through history.

Restaurant Le Procope

 

Table Tuesday

 

 

A table for two on a street on Île de la Cité.

 

Misty Monday

 

 

Morning magic in the Latin Quarter.

 

Seaside Sunday

 La Rochelle's imposing Porte de la Grosse Horloge dates to the12th-century.

 

Paris - La Rochelle

3 hours (or less) from Paris

 

Next week:

Seaside escapade*

 

 

* Escapade in French: emphasizes a carefree, spontaneous trip or adventure, with a lighter, often positive tone

Escapade in English: usually suggests a mischievous, reckless, or potentially disapproved-of act, with a broader application beyond just travel

Sit-down Saturday

 Enjoying coffee off a curb near Notre Dame Cathedral.

 

Floral Friday

Potatoes and flowers share an outdoor market stall.

 

Thursday threesome

 

A beautiful Romanian Orthodox Church of the Archangels Michael, Raphael, and Gabriel, constructed between 1374 and 1379, in the Latin Quarter

 

Window Wednesday

 A barman through the window of a café restroom door. 

 

Turret Tuesday

 

 

A tower on a hôtel particulier boldly defines a street corner.

 

Mollusk Monday

 

 

Dazzling fresh plateaux de fruits de mer, seafood platters.

 

 ***

There are times when nothing quite satisfies like shellfish, and France's sprawling coastline has no shortage. From plump mussels and tender scallops to crab, winkles and whelks, even lobster (the famous "Breton blue lobster" native to the northeastern Atlantic), more, every craving is catered to.

Years ago, while staying in London, I met a French student at Sotheby's Institute of Art who shared a delicious secret. She told me how her father, a chef living in Normandy, would tell everyone he was off to Paris on business but instead, his pilgrimages to the capital were for one reason alone: to treat himself to a seafood platter at legendary Café de la Paix. Hands rubbing together in anticipation, he'd claim a prime terrace seat with the majestic Opéra Garnier in view and dive in, and there he'd sit, undisturbed, savoring every bite like a monarch lost in a lavish spread - glistening oysters, succulent shrimps, crab, clams, mussels, lobster tail... - all to himself.

Today, Paris' seafood platters seem like they're trying to outdo each other, each one more varied than the next. With oyster season upon us, now is a good time to gear up for some zinc-packed feasts that hit all the right spots. - BPJ

***

Sharing (or not) seafood platters and towers can get pricey due to premium quality and sourcing. Expect to pay €65 - €150 euros for an elaborate, multi-tiered platter for two or more. Prices vary based on size and can climb for inclusions like caviar or lobster. Many spots emphasize sustainable fisheries and small producers, aligning with modern fooding trends:

Café de la Paix

9th arrondissement

 

Huguette, Bistro de la Mer

6th arrondissement 

 

Ostra

5th arrondissement

Huitrerie Régis

6th arrondissement

 

Le Collier de la Reine

10th arrondissement

 

L'Ecailler du Bistro

11th arrondissement  

 

 Clamato

11th arrondissement

 

Le Dôme

14th arrondissement

 

Girafe

(I was surprised too)

16th arrondissement

 

Dessirier

17th arrondissement

Sipping Sunday

A pre-lunch apéritif.

***

Happy Sunday

Sit-down Saturday

 

 A bright café-restaurant by the river ready for lunch.

Backstreet bike

 

An orange bicycle leans against a fence off Rue Montorgueil.

Wanderlust Wednesday

 Venice: Skip the Carnival and visit off season. Like now.

  ***

 Travel adventure never gets old, and Paris' location in the heart of Europe makes it the ultimate launchpad to many destinations. Followers of this blog will notice that I try to keep a Paris connection by sticking to places that are accessible "3 hours (or less)" from The City of Light, whether by plane, train, or car. Even so, I've omitted many trips we've taken, near and far, and have so many photos of Paris I can post from anywhere.

Well before I started the blog - and before mass tourism transformed The Floating City into a different kind of carnevale thanks in large part to Instagram selfies - Venice was a cherished destination in Italy, as was Rome, where my Tante Maria, in a heartfelt shared (final) pearl of wisdom, advised: "Keep your adventures discrete and guard your joy."

 However Venezia is worth sharing. It has a magic about it that is palpable. By slipping away in spring or fall we'd avoid the summer throngs, opting for smaller palazzo-style hotels along quieter off-the-beaten-path canals. Or, as we once did with English friends, join them in their weathered fresco-covered-ceiling marvel that might double as a film set.

If you've never experienced the lure of Venice, September’s golden light, thinner crowds, and cooler weather is the perfect pretext to surrender to its spell. Not that you need one. - BPJ

 ***

 3 hours (or less) from Paris 

 

PARIS - VENICE

 

Direct flights daily to Marco Polo airport

 

 

 

 

***    

 

These hotels were chosen for their historic palazzo feel in settings along quieter canals in less touristy districts like Cannaregio, Santa Croce, or San Polo. They avoid the hustle of the Grand Canal or St. Mark’s - while still offering Venetian aesthetics (frescoes, chandeliers, antiques) with easy access to highlights:

 

Palazzo Abadessa
Cannaregio, facing a small canal near Strada Nuova
Small (by palazzo standards), elegant, tucked down a quiet alley. Has the feel of a private Venetian residence. Lovely small garden.

Oltre il Giardino
San Polo, near a side canal by the Frari church
Upscale boutique hotel with just 6 rooms on a quiet side canal. It’s all about the giardino - the garden. A rare find in Venice.

Corte Di Gabriela
San Marco, near a small canal off Campo Santo Stefano
Boutique hotel, 10 rooms, located in a quieter corner of San Marco. Close to major sights but feels off the beaten path due to its small canal setting and interior courtyard. Breakfast room overlooks the canal, adding to the charm.

Ai Mori d’Oriente
Cannaregio, overlooking Rio della Sensa
Another boutique hotel in a renovated Venetian palace in the peaceful Cannaregio district. Has relaxing communal spaces like a reading room and breakfast area with Venetian-style decor including Murano glass and rich fabrics.

Hotel Moresco
Santa Croce, near Rio di San Nicolo
In a renovated 19th-century Venetian building. Blends classic and modern Venetian style with mosaics, antique mirrors, plush furnishings. Despite its location near Venice’s bus terminal it’s slightly removed from major tourist hubs and overlooks a small canal. A tranquil bar with a library and fireplace adds to the palazzo-like ambiance.

Tunnel Tuesday

 

 

One of Paris' oldest passages where the French Revolution was plotted and headless ghosts roam on dark and stormy nights.

Mocha Monday

 

 Just as a good cup of coffee can start the day off right today's La Rentrée starts a fresh new chapter.

 

*** 

 

When Woody Allen described New York as a place where “you always feel there’s something around the corner that’s going to be stimulating” he might as well have been talking about Paris. Every cobblestone, every hidden café and fleeting glance whispers adventure. The city doesn’t just inspire, it electrifies, with a kaleidoscope of sights, sounds, and stories that change with every sunrise.

 

Today’s Rentrée isn't just a student re-boot, it's for everyone. It marks the return to life after the summer lull, and for urban explorers, photographers, and writers, the city remains a treasure trove of discovery. So grab a map and dive in - Paris is calling. - BPJ