Hey Everyone,
So here it is as promised weeks ago, so sorry for the delay but my event kept me pretty busy and I've just found the time to write.
I go to Paris pretty often as we have family there, it was also the city where I met my husband so it holds a special place in my heart.
Aside from being the Romantic city, and apart from the obvious Tourist places, Champs Élysées and Tour Eiffel, I like to visit the lesser well known spots like Le Marais, which my Parisian friend once described to me as the Soho of Paris. I found it to be full of surprising little cafes, flower shops and unique shops, courtyards leading into more shops, it was a real treat.
My favourite thing to do in Paris other than eat macaroons from Paul's and people watch in Brioche Doree, is to shop! I mean why would you not save your money and buy all your clothes from abroad, you can avoid that awful situation when you come across someone wearing the same thing as you, and when someone compliments you on your attire, you can simply say ' oh I picked this up in Paris'.
The first place I discovered was Chatelet, all the French High Street shops can be found here as well as music shops, pretty much everything, but my favourite place that gets a visit from me every time even if its just for 5 minutes is La Defense. The shopping mall there is just amazing! It's all indoors and there is a food court, toilets etc so it's perfect if you're travelling with kids, we found out when we left my daughter's pram at the flat and hired a cute little 'taxi' shopping trolley that she was quite happy to ride in while we browsed uninterrupted.
The shops I always have to check out are Cameau and Grain De Malice or GDM, prices are similar to H&M I would say but the quality is always good and its just always different from anything you could find in England, so it's always worth picking up a few pieces that will stand out as special from the rest of your wardrobe when you get back home but I have to say GDM is great for basics too.
La Defense also has some great views of Champs Élysées for those touristy pics and romantic walks, I remember having a late night picnic there on the many grounds and the moon being so big as it was going down, it was beautiful!
Another place I've discovered is Argenteuil, which is in the Paris suburbs, and the largely Muslim community means that it's full of halal shops ( including the most amazing burger place ever!) and markets where you can pick up anything from fruit to clothing.
I did a little trip with a family member to Cologne, which is also in the suburbs where I visited an Organic shop and picked up some Nigelle Oil, it's apparently amazing for skin and body and everything, even the Prophet Muhammed PBUH mentions its qualities as being able to cure everything except for death.
Finally I cannot forget the Pharmacies of Paris, where I like to stock up on all my French skincare brands like Vichy and Eucerin and also lip balm which I just collect. But also it's where I usually get my Argan Oil. Argan Oil has been used in Morocco for years, it's great for hair and you can usually buy 100% pure Argan Oil from a pharmacy, if it says Bio then that's even better as its organic, much better to use than any of the products here which probably have 0.05% of oil actually in them.
Also for those of you who love vintage or markets, one if the biggest flea markets in Paris is in Porte de Cligancourt. It's on the outskirts of the city but worth the travel, I saw some beautiful finds here and you can haggle your way to a bargain, just don't mention you're from London if you are, you may get overcharged. Kate Moss loves this market apparently.
Finally a trip to Paris is just not complete without a trip to the Boulangerie to get some bread and croissants, I am always the crazy lady with 5 or 6 baguettes on the Eurostar on the way home.
Obsessed with Paris.....Absolutely :-)
I hope you enjoyed this post. Let me know if you'd like to hear more about Paris I have tonnes of stories.
Faizah
My favourite thing to do in Paris other than eat macaroons from Paul's and people watch in Brioche Doree, is to shop! I mean why would you not save your money and buy all your clothes from abroad, you can avoid that awful situation when you come across someone wearing the same thing as you, and when someone compliments you on your attire, you can simply say ' oh I picked this up in Paris'.
The first place I discovered was Chatelet, all the French High Street shops can be found here as well as music shops, pretty much everything, but my favourite place that gets a visit from me every time even if its just for 5 minutes is La Defense. The shopping mall there is just amazing! It's all indoors and there is a food court, toilets etc so it's perfect if you're travelling with kids, we found out when we left my daughter's pram at the flat and hired a cute little 'taxi' shopping trolley that she was quite happy to ride in while we browsed uninterrupted.
The shops I always have to check out are Cameau and Grain De Malice or GDM, prices are similar to H&M I would say but the quality is always good and its just always different from anything you could find in England, so it's always worth picking up a few pieces that will stand out as special from the rest of your wardrobe when you get back home but I have to say GDM is great for basics too.
La Defense also has some great views of Champs Élysées for those touristy pics and romantic walks, I remember having a late night picnic there on the many grounds and the moon being so big as it was going down, it was beautiful!
Another place I've discovered is Argenteuil, which is in the Paris suburbs, and the largely Muslim community means that it's full of halal shops ( including the most amazing burger place ever!) and markets where you can pick up anything from fruit to clothing.
I did a little trip with a family member to Cologne, which is also in the suburbs where I visited an Organic shop and picked up some Nigelle Oil, it's apparently amazing for skin and body and everything, even the Prophet Muhammed PBUH mentions its qualities as being able to cure everything except for death.
Finally I cannot forget the Pharmacies of Paris, where I like to stock up on all my French skincare brands like Vichy and Eucerin and also lip balm which I just collect. But also it's where I usually get my Argan Oil. Argan Oil has been used in Morocco for years, it's great for hair and you can usually buy 100% pure Argan Oil from a pharmacy, if it says Bio then that's even better as its organic, much better to use than any of the products here which probably have 0.05% of oil actually in them.
Also for those of you who love vintage or markets, one if the biggest flea markets in Paris is in Porte de Cligancourt. It's on the outskirts of the city but worth the travel, I saw some beautiful finds here and you can haggle your way to a bargain, just don't mention you're from London if you are, you may get overcharged. Kate Moss loves this market apparently.
Finally a trip to Paris is just not complete without a trip to the Boulangerie to get some bread and croissants, I am always the crazy lady with 5 or 6 baguettes on the Eurostar on the way home.
Obsessed with Paris.....Absolutely :-)
I hope you enjoyed this post. Let me know if you'd like to hear more about Paris I have tonnes of stories.
Faizah
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