Table Tuesday

 

 

Grab a blanket and claim a chair.

 

Above: lunchtime on lively market street rue Montorgueil

Mocha Monday

 

 

Paris runs on coffee... One espresso at a time.

  

Sit-down Saturday

 Shopping and stopping for lunch in the Passage Vivienne.

 

Floral Friday

 

Pink takes over at the Jardin du Palais-Royal... One magnolia at a time.

 

***

Heralds of spring:

Every year the Jardin du Palais-Royal, a short walk from the Musée du Louvre, surprises with a vibrant display of Asian magnolia trees, easily (and often) mistaken for cherry blossoms. Introduced in 1992 at the request of then-Culture Minister Jack Lang, they’re fairly new arrivals: sixteen deciduous trees that bloom dramatically in early spring, as seen this year, around March 6. Plumpish buds begin to appear on bare branches before any leaves, and at their peak create a striking contrast against the Buren columns, green lawns and surrounding architecture. But the spectacle is fleeting. Lasting just one to two weeks before the petals are scattered to the winds like pink confetti, photographers, locals, and visitors flock there from early til late, phones / cameras in hand, eager for an iconic Parisian moment that blends beauty, nature and casual city life. - BPJ 

 Jardin du Palais-Royal

 Hours: 8 AM til 8 PM every day

 

Throwback Thursday

 

Today's throwback is to Le Train Bleu, the elegant restaurant overlooking the tracks inside the Gare de Lyon, from where trains still depart daily for the sun-drenched South of France. If the gastronomy doesn't lure you in (be sure to order their tableside-prepped Crêpes Suzette flambéed with Grand Marnier for dessert), the breathtaking decor certainly will: 41 monumental paintings by renowned Belle Époque artists adorn the walls and soaring ceilings, depicting tempting Côte d'Azur destinations to whet the appetite for travel. - BPJ

 

Window Wednesday

 

 

Looking out from a café-restaurant onto rue des Abbesses. 

Tower Tuesday

The Iron Lady through winter branches.

 

Mossy Monday

 

 

Eugène Carrière, symbolist and teacher to Matisse, wrapped in mist and moss.

 

Stand-up Saturday

 

 

This man might have stepped off an artsy postcard at the Palais de Tokyo gift shop.

 

 

Upcoming exhibitions in March newsletter

 

Palais de Tokyo

13 avenue du Président Wilson 75116 

 

Feel good Friday

 A perfect place to stop and linger on a sunny February afternoon.

Thursday thought

Winter trees enhance the city's beauty at sunrise.

Window Wednesday

 

 

Spirits on display as a backdrop to sidewalk seating. 

Tchin tchin Tuesday

 

An early evening apéro at a local café. 

Mood Monday

 

A soft light in an upstairs window warms up a still Montmartre night.

 

Soufflé Saturday

 

Blown away in Paris... One soufflé at a time.

 

Above: le soufflé au Grand Marnier

 

Joséphine Chez Dumonet

117 rue du Cherche-Midi 75006

 

 

Fotomaton Friday

 

 

A line outside an iconic vintage FotoAutomat on a Montmartre back street.

*** 

Known for its whimsical feel and associated with the film “Le Fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain” (2001), this wildly popular 1960s-style black-and-white strip photo booth (4 photos per strip) set into the storefront of the FotoAutomat shop in the heart of picturesque Montmartre, produces nostalgic, retro-style prints that make affordable souvenirs (€4–€6 range, payable by card or coin). The booth's vintage aesthetic - polished mirror, fun details like a small moving skeleton inside - fits perfectly with the neighborhood's bohemian/quirky reputation. TikTok, Instagram, and other social media platforms have exploded its visibility in recent years as friends and couples patiently line up, often for hours, just to be able to squeeze in for its retro black-and-white shots. It's marketed as a "must-do" hidden gem or a "one-of-a-kind Parisian moment," drawing tourists (especially younger crowds) who want an authentic, Instagrammable experience. Weekends and afternoons are best avoided as there are shoulder-to-shoulder crowds. Nice to see in a world of rapidly evolving technology and new trends. - BPJ

Montmartre FotoAutomat #07
53 rue des Trois Frères 75018 

 

Open  8:30 AM to 11 PM, 7 days a week

 

Throwback Thursday

 

 

The atelier of painters' model / artist Suzanne Valadon aglow at sundown. 

 Renoir Gardens

Musée de Montmartre
12 rue Cortot 75018

 

Walking the dog Wednesday

 

 

A cobbled street in Montmartre.

Fat Tuesday

 

 

 A trayful of Crookies, the croissant-cookie dough hybrid sensation, tout juste sorti du four.

 

Below: at Maison Louvard, where the Crookie originated  

 

  

***

 

Today is Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday, last chance to indulge before Le Carême (Lent) starts tomorrow when food austerity kicks in for the next weeks leading up to Easter. The emphasis is on feasting, using up rich, fatty foods like butter, eggs, sugar and lard before the Lenten fast so nothing goes to waste. Traditionally, crêpes, beignets (bugnes or oreillettes in some regions), gaufres and other sweets have taken center stage.

 

Enter the slightly monstrous yet irresistible newcomer, the Crookie, the ultimate jolie-laide / “beautiful-ugly” Franken-pastry creation that, for some, has become another excuse to come to Paris. The concept was simple: a croissant is split open, crammed with chocolate chip cookie dough, topped off with more, then rebaked until the edges crisp and the center stays molten. A lovable oddball (weighing in at up to 900 calories) it was inspired by Stéphane Louvard in 2022, and in 2024 went mega-viral on TikTok. Today, the Crookie is still drawing queues and has copycats worldwide. At €5.90 to €7.10 depending if it’s to be taken away or savored sur place, it's not cheap, but then again, it's cheaper than therapy - and so far, seems to be more “croissant” than "crook." Classic croissant defenders (and admittedly I was one of them) call it heresy - but then, there’s that first bite.... - BPJ

 

Maison Louvard

(Café Bistrot Restaurant Boulangerie)

11 rue de Châteaudun 75009 

 

 ***

 

 Update: Paris's annual Mardi-Gras Boeuf Gras (Fat Cow) carnival and parade has been cancelled this year

  

Mocha Monday

Winter morning café glow... One cup at a time.

Sweet Sunday

 

 Sweets for your sweet prolong the Valentine's Day weekend.

 

Above: decadent Paris-Brest pastries

 

La Grande Épicerie

Le Bon Marché Rive Gauche

24 rue de Sèvres 75007 

 

 Open Sunday 10 AM - 8 PM

 

 

 

Saint Valentine Saturday

 

Happy Saint Valentine's Day / Joyeuse Saint-Valentin 

 

Fromage Friday

 

Savoring Paris... One cheese at a time.

 Above: at least 10 different fromages de chèvre at a Montmartre cheese shop.

 

 

Throwback Thursday

 

 

A stern yet festive Nutcracker keeps watch over merry crowds behind Tuileries gates.

Wine window Wednesday

 

A window of a wine shop in the Passage Vivienne.

 

Twilight Tuesday

The fading light of a late midwinter afternoon. 

 

 *** 

It's called the golden hour, that light just before sunset while the sun is still visible over the horizon, soon to disappear. Trees cast long shadows and time feels suspended between day and dusk. In the distance, the Palais du Louvre rises like an enchanted château, its turrets catching the last rays. On February 3, winter's midpoint passed without fanfare, the day after Groundhog Day far away in Punxutawney, Pennsylvania. Thanks to Phil The Groundhog, it became official: there will definitely be six more weeks of frost ahead despite intermittent, teasing rays of sunshine, as it turns out that Phil did indeed see his shadow. - BPJ