By Doni Belau

Maud Fontenoy is a French sailor extraordinaire, extreme adventurer and inspiring woman. For those unfamiliar with her, she is known for rowing a small boat across the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, solo. She has also sailed by herself across the Antarctic and was named one of Time Europe’s Heroes of 2005. Now she fills her days trying to educate children and others about the environment for UNESCO. She recently caught up with the Girls’ Guide.

You are a rower and a sailor and an incredibly adventurous athlete. What led you down this path? Was your mother or father a sailor? Where did you grow up?
I was only seven days old when I sailed on the schooner my family built (my father was a naval architect). So I spent the first 15 years of my life learning about sailing, nature and the sea.

How big was the boat that you rowed across the North Atlantic? And was it the same for the Pacific?
Yes, it was the same boat for my two rowing adventures: seven meters long and hardly one meter wide.

With both these experiences and your more recent sailing expedition around the Antarctic, tell us about your most difficult times and how you were able to continue on.
My worst time was when my desalinator broke down so I had to drink my urine to survive. During my trip around the world, it was when my mast broke. I had the strength to go on thanks to the kids on the ground because I did not want to disappoint them. They believed in me so much!

You must have been lonely at times, as each of your accomplishments has been done solo—150-plus days in one case. What did you do to conquer boredom, fear and loneliness?
I brought books and music. And it was during these long hours of meditation that I decided that I would dedicate myself to educating kids to protect oceans.

How did you prepare for these crossings? Would you ever do it again?
I am lucky to have a cohesive and efficient team to help me prepare for all my travels. I do not think I will undertake such challenges now that I have a nearly two-year-old boy and he needs me. But I often take him sailing. Last year we sailed across the Atlantic together on my sailing boat.

You are now teaching children about the ocean and how we treat the environment. Describe your work with UNESCO and Conservatoire du Littoral.
My work for UNESCO and for the Conservatoire du Littoral is to give a voice to oceans and to use my fame to convey messages and, I hope, to win some battles for the marine environment. Within my foundation, we support schools and help teachers introduce the wealth and the weaknesses of the marine environment.

What are your biggest environmental concerns? Do you still believe we have time to fix our problems?
There are always reasons for hoping. I do believe in human abilities to invent new solutions. For me, one of the biggest issues today is water pollution. Chemical pollution increases on the ground as well as in oceans and considerably degrades our environment and consequently our food.

Since we are a website about Paris, can you tell us how often you get to Paris and what you love about it?
I live in Marseille, but I come to Paris weekly for my work. I love Paris for its great monuments, its culture and its spell.

You are a spokesperson for Exclusive Hotels. Do you often stay at their hotels, and if so, which is your favorite?
I sleep at Exclusive Hotels whenever I come to Paris. I like them all because each has its own style, but I have to confess I fall for Le Chateaubriand.

What are your favorite things to do in Paris: favorite restaurants, art and culture, shopping or other things?
I love to go to the movies, and my favorite restaurant is Meiji, a Japanese restaurant on the rue Marbeuf.

Describe your ideal day in Paris.
My ideal day would be to visit the Louvre, walk up the Champs-Elysées, recharge my batteries at Weleda with a massage with organic essential oils, have dinner at Meiji or at Kambodgia and then go to see a movie before heading back to my hotel and walking by the sparkling Eiffel Tower.

What are your goals and dreams for the future?
To educate as many kids as possible to protect oceans, to take them sailing so they discover the wonders of the oceans.

Do you have a favorite French saying?
"Là où il y a une volonté, il y a un chemin." ("Where there is a will, there’s a way.")

Editor's note: Maud stays only at Exclusive Hotels; find out which one is right for you.

By Doni Belau

A few months ago all I was hearing was Lunch in Paris, Lunch in Paris—it seemed everyone who was anyone was reading Lunch in Paris: A Love Story, with Recipes, by Elizabeth Bard. As usual I was a bit behind on my reading, but I launched into it finally (and appropriately) on my most recent trip to France, several weeks ago. True to the reviews, the book is a fast read, a charming window onto the author’s life in Paris, an interesting discussion of her two cultures (American and French) and an adorable love story with her now husband. Plus, there are some delightful recipes from Bard, who grew up in New Jersey. I enjoyed it thoroughly and recommend it to anyone who loves Paris, food or just a sweet love story. Happily Elizabeth agreed to answer some questions.

Your book, Lunch in Paris, released in February to excellent reviews, is your first. What gave you the inspiration to write it, and did you find it quite different from writing for newspapers, magazines and websites?
Almost as soon as I arrived in France, I knew I wanted to write about the roller coaster of international living and the richness of intercultural marriage. When I sat down to think about how I really discovered France, I found that the most significant moments happened “autour de la table”—around the table. It seemed natural to structure the book around the markets, the meals and the ingredients that were my first keys to France.

I loved the variety of writing for newspapers and magazines. Sustaining a narrative over the course of a book was a steep learning curve—a mountain I loved climbing! My journalism experience has been invaluable, not least because I respond very well to being edited. A good editor always finds a way to help me make my work better, stronger, truer.

It seems everyone I meet now is reading your book. Could you tell us a bit about the story, for those readers out there who haven’t yet read it?
Lunch in Paris is really the story of two parallel love affairs, one with my future husband, the other with French cuisine. It’s a romance about the richness of intercultural marriage: how the American “Just do it” attitude and that French joie de vivre learn to coexist—and strengthen each other.

How did you become so passionate about cooking? What are your favorite recipes from the book?
Cooking has always been an important part of how I relate to other cultures. I’m that girl who reads the restaurant section of the guidebook before the museum section. I want to know where the best market is, what little hole-in-the-wall we should be searching out for lunch.

Choosing my favorite recipes from Lunch in Paris is difficult, because so many of them are a part of our everyday lives. I love the braised and slow-roasted dishes, like the daube or the honey pork ribs—they fill the house with the most amazing smells. I also adore the tagine recipes I learned from my husband’s godfather, who is from Algeria. The spices are so warm and welcoming. Definitely food for a party!

What area of Paris do you live in and what are your favorite haunts in your neighborhood?
We live by the Canal St.-Martin, in the 10th Arrondissement. It’s very laid back and, recently, quite trendy. It’s a great neighborhood to people-watch. Grab a coffee or a drink at any of the cafés along the canal . . .

What is the most difficult and the most rewarding thing about being married to a Frenchman (or someone from a different culture)?
My father used to say, “‘Assume’ makes an ‘a-s-s’ out of ‘u’ and ‘m-e.’” Being married to someone from another culture means that you can never assume what the other person is thinking. You have to take a step back and examine your feelings—“Am I pissed at him, or am I pissed at France?” It keeps us mindful, which I think is healthy for any relationship. I like to say that my husband and I will never be bored with each other—we just don’t understand each other well enough!

You are also an art historian. Have you quit your day job, or do you still keep abreast of the art world?
Museums are a part of my DNA, so I’ll always have a strong connection to those institutions. I’m sure I’ll continue to write about art, but the book has widened my journalism opportunities, giving me a chance to write some fun personal pieces. I just wrote about picnics for Marie Claire’s summer entertaining issue, and this past March I did an essay about emotional eating for Harper’s Bazaar.

What do you enjoy writing about most: food, art, culture or travel? Why?
My ideal piece of writing is a combo of all those things—maybe a city guide with my favorite museums, markets, restaurants and walks . . .

Describe your ideal day in Paris.
My ideal day is our typical lazy Saturday: get up on Saturday morning, pick up a croissant and sit down in the sun for a café crème. Go to the outdoor market, pick out some cheese, berries, salad—and get a roasted chicken with herbs from the rotisserie man (his always come out better than mine). By the time we wander home it’s time for lunch and maybe a walk down to the river for Berthillon ice cream.

What do you find most frustrating about living in a different culture? The most rewarding?
I think the frustration and the reward are two sides of the same coin. It’s important to understand that the worldview you are born with is not the only one that exists.

What are you reading now?
I just got two recommendations from a close friend that I’m dying to start: Little, Big, by John Crowley, and The Ghost Map, a nonfiction book about the 19th-century cholera epidemics in London.

What is your favorite foodie joint in Paris right now? Favorite clothing store, favorite activity?
I love taking friends for tea at La Bague de Kenza on rue St.-Maur. They have the best Algerian pastries in Paris . . . ground almonds, honey, orange flower water—all my favorite things!

You now have a son, Augustin. What’s it like having a baby in France (health-care issues) and, now, raising a child there?
Having a baby in France was a fabulous experience. Like everyone else in France, I complain about paying too much in taxes—but I spent six days in the hospital free of charge, so you know at least part of that money is going in the right direction. The French are very sane about motherhood—concerned with how to be a sexy, independent woman and a mother at the same time.

If you had to leave Paris, what would you miss the most?
My boulangerie. Even in Paris, it takes time to locate the perfect croissant!

Editor's note: Buy your own copy of Lunch in Paris at the GG2P Amazon store. And don't miss our Twitter chat tomorrow with another foodie, Mireille Guiliano, author of The French Women Don’t Get Fat Cookbook, from noon to 2 p.m. EST. Full details here.

Elizabeth Bard is an American journalist and author based in Paris. Her first book, Lunch in Paris: A Love Story, with Recipes, has been a New York Times and international best seller, and was selected as a Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers pick for spring 2010. Bard's writing on food, art, travel and digital culture has appeared in the New York Times, the International Herald Tribune, Wired, Harper's Bazaar and the Huffington Post. You can follow Elizabeth's continuing culinary adventures on her blog, Facebook and Twitter.

By Doni Belau

Audrey Brock, a young French woman, is a partner and fellow photographer with her American-born hubby, Anthony, in their firm One and Only Paris Photography. They are both gifted photographers—I know for certain because they somehow made me look cool for my press photo and my FB page. Plus, Audrey is just a lovely French lady, smart and funny both. It was such fun to see how she and Anthony worked together on our recent photo shoot in Paris.

After meeting Anthony, Audrey tried valiantly to live in the US, but she just missed her native France too much. Who can blame her? So she whisked her American boyfriend off to Paris, they wed, and then they rode on Vespas to the reception. That’s a photo I’d love to see! Their concept photo shoot (which they do for folks who are visiting Paris) is called You and the City, and it allows you and your partner, lover, sister, daughter or group of friends to have photos taken with Paris as the backdrop—these are not snapshots, dears. They are framable pieces of art. Don’t believe me; check out their website.

How did you become a photographer?
In college I had an internship abroad in Madrid at a movie and television production company. Being around so many visual artists and in a great city to photograph, I started shooting for fun. Over the next year and a half, that internship was followed by internships at Le Monde in Beijing and Universal music in Manhattan, with short semesters in the South of France in between. I couldn’t stop shooting in these places. By the time I finished my master’s degree, it was obvious I was a photographer instead of a journalist.

How did you meet your husband, and what's it like to work together?
I made a summer visit to Madrid to see an old friend who happened to be his roommate. By that fall he had got me the internship at the television production company, where he was working. It was supposed to be his last three months of a three-year stay abroad, but by the holidays I had convinced him to follow me to Beijing. I guess that answers how nice it is to work together.

Tell us how you discovered your You and the City concept.
You come to the fashion capital of the world and you automatically want to dress up. Then, when you step out onto the streets of Paris, you get wrapped up in all the gorgeous sights that surround you. It’s like dressing up in another layer. You can’t help but want to be photographed in the glamour of this combination. Within a week of my husband moving here we were developing the idea.

What interesting new work have you done? (Boudoir, etc.)
Our photographer friends in the US say boudoir is exploding there. It’s crazy that more women don’t think of doing it while they’re in Paris. After all, this is the birthplace of boudoir! Isn’t anybody looking at those old black-and-white postcards at Les Bouquinistes [antique booksellers] along the Seine? Boudoir is more about attitude than bare skin. Attitude comes easy in a sexy city packed with stylish boutique hotels and chic apartments. Women coming to Paris are just starting to realize this, so for me boudoir is my latest pet project. This summer we’re going to introduce eight-millimeter movie film (the format of the Kennedys' home movies decades ago). I’ve been shooting in preparation for this and find it fascinating working with such an old format. Think of You and the City shot retro-style with motion film. Something else new and interesting is You and the City Couture. It’s a still photo session with a personalized story and props. You’re the star of your own story. You can see a preview of this on our blog. There's also a “making of” video for that couture shoot.

Where did you grow up in France?
I grew up in Montpellier and Aix-en-Provence, in the South of France, with its good weather, nice beaches, fun people and lots of parties.

You lived for a time in the US. What was that like, and what did you miss the most about Paris and France in general?
Manhattan is an exciting city, but you just can’t replace the romantic atmosphere of Paris. Who can live in a world where you have to take a crosstown bus to get a decent pain au chocolat? I couldn’t.

Which arrondissement do you live in in Paris, and what are your favorite places in your neighborhood?
I live in Le Marais, in the 3rd, and love it. If you like trendy boutiques, you could spend your whole vacation here and not even begin to cover half of them. I like Café Charlot, just because I’m a sucker for a good chocolat chaud, and they have the best in the city. My husband thinks the best hot chocolate is at a café on l'Île St.-Louis, but who are you going to trust on this subject—une jeune femme française or an American male? Le Marché des Enfants Rouges is a great place to spend a Sunday afternoon. It’s the home of the most entertaining crepe cook in the city. I don’t know where he gets his energy. Also in that market there’s a tiny shop that sells really old snapshots from different decades. You can find a collection of an entire family vacation from 60 years ago. It’s fascinating.

You photograph a lot of weddings. Tell us about your own as well as the most interesting one you've shot.
Mine was an intimate outdoor wedding in my grandmother’s hometown, just outside of Versailles. I hit the wedding trifecta with perfect weather, both families and all the friends getting along smashingly, and no last-minute surprises.

The most interesting wedding I’ve shot is a surprising answer. If my friends who’ve seen all my work were to answer for me, they would choose the huge wedding we shot at a château where Sofia Coppola filmed a bunch of scenes for Marie Antoinette. The wedding theme was Marie Antoinette meets Bollywood. The high-profile guests played along well, choosing between the two styles. Some took the route of powdered wigs, corsets, brocade, velvet and neck-high ruffles. Others went Bollywood, with turbans, saris, henna, jeweled midriffs and thick eyeliner. Remember, that would be what my friends answer. For me the most interesting was a tiny elopement. It was just the couple and the people who were working the wedding (wedding planner, officiant and his wife, party room staff, photographers). The couple was so genuinely emotional that it affected all these strangers. Among these people who’ve seen countless weddings, there wasn’t a dry eye in the room!

Do you know a lot of other "mixed" (American/French) couples, and do you ever have any real cultural challenges being married to an American?
I know a few mixed couples, but they all live in the US. I seem to be the only Frenchie who won that battle. I think I know where the phrase “pardon my French” comes from. English is the language of our couple, but when I get angry at my husband I’ll speak in French, including a few choice words. He just thinks it’s cute and laughs. That’s not the effect I’m going for!

What's your beauty regimen?
The first step is to have realistic expectations. So I begin by looking at a photo of a famous star or a model in a magazine. Then I import a photo of myself into Photoshop and apply all the same tricks that they applied to those magazine photos. Once I’ve reminded myself that those magazine photos are just fantasy, I do the real stuff. Apply lots of sunscreen, drink lots of water, no smoking, and limit alcohol. Oh, and eat lots of chocolate (a girl has to keep her curves).

What do you suggest to friends who visit Paris in the way of restaurants, cultural sights and other not-to-miss activities?
The thing I always suggest requires you to be a bit of a daredevil. On a summer night the brave should rent a Vespa and cruise the city center. The best time is after the traffic has died down but all the buildings are still lit up. You get a real sense of how condensed so many beautiful sights are. Be sure to cross all the bridges along the Seine. For those who actually have a sense of mortality, the Bâteaux-Mouches cruise along the river at night has a similar effect. The key to both these activities is late evening.

What would you miss the most if you had to leave Paris?
I’d miss sitting in the street cafés and restaurants for hours with good friends. Since nobody tips here, it’s one of the few cities in the world where you can sit all day having fun with friends and the waiters don’t care.

Describe your ideal day in Paris.
Wake up late. Brunch with friends at the Marché des Enfants Rouges. Then stroll along the Seine. After night falls, grab a scooter and scout the city for new places to shoot. Finally, cap off the evening by going to the last session of the cinema with my baby d’amour and a big bag of sweet and salty popcorn. When you order popcorn at the cinemas in Paris they’ll ask you if you want sweet or salty. Just tell them to mix it all up. (“Tout mélange, s’il vous plaît.”)

What is the one shop or restaurant you cannot live without?
Shop: BHV. Lingerie to lightbulbs, this is the store where you find all the quality stuff in one place.

Do you have a favorite French phrase?
“J'en ai marre.” ("I've had enough.") It’s the select clichéd phrase of the pouty French girlfriend. Sometimes I even stomp my foot when I do it.

If Paris were a painting, a photograph, a movie or a song, what would it be?
Painting: all the ones sold along the river by the bouquinistes. Photo: Doisneau's Le Baiser de l’Hôtel de Ville. Movie: Before Sunset. Song: “La Foule,” by Edith Piaf.

INFO

Les Bouquinistes
Along the Seine. Tues–Fri, 2–6; Sat–Sun, 11–6.
Summer: about 9:30–7.

Café Charlot
38, rue de Bretagne, in the 3rd Arrondissement. 
01 44 54 03 30.

Marché des Enfants Rouges
39, rue de Bretagne, in the 3rd.
Tues–Thurs, 9–2 and 4–8; Fri–Sat, 9–8; Sun, 8:30–2.

Editor's note: To book a You and the City photo session with Audrey and her husband, Anthony, visit our Book It page.

By Cynthia Rose

© Corinne Ayache

Paris changed Anne Lederer’s life, turning her from a corporate lawyer into a proud small business owner. Parisian guide guru Jeanne-Aurore Colleuille describes Lederer’s 1st Arrondissement café Scoop as “feminine by desire in its New York style . . . yet ideal for conserving one’s figure without renouncing glamour.” I offer a hearty second. Since Scoop is near my hairdresser—not to mention the Louvre—I’ve become well acquainted with its fresh and tasty ice creams, salads and burgers. In pouring rain, I enjoyed Thanksgiving dinner there (surrounded by French couples cooing over the dinde farcie, or stuffed turkey). That evening sealed my curiosity; I had to meet Lederer and find out how she started Scoop.

What first brought you to Paris?
I was a finance lawyer sent on assignment to a French law firm. But at that time I lived the Paris of guidebooks and tourists—any café with rattan furniture on the terrace seemed glamorous!

How did you come to change your métier?
Scoop happened because of a dare! I was having a drink with French friends, in a place that serves “American” food. It was so awful that I started trying to explain how things were actually changing, Americans were exploring local produce, healthy eating and so on. My friends said they’d only believe that if I proved it.

© Corinne Ayache

So you opened your own business?
Yes—and entered a different world. I moved away from my little American enclave, from the left to the right bank. I was too busy to just hang out with expatriates. Our perfect little spot came up, but that was just the start for Scoop. Initially we were an old-fashioned ice cream parlor. But in winter Parisians won’t eat even sorbet, so we started making gourmet hamburgers.

What is your own quartier?
I live in the “haut-Marais,” which is fantastic, young and energetic. A lot of designers have come there, especially on rue Charlot, which has Surface to Air as well as my neighborhood canteen, the pizzeria La Briciola. Other places I like are Ekjo, Miki Mialy and, for fantastic handbags, Stéphane Verdino. Also the Lebanese stand in the Marché des Enfants Rouges.

Design us a day to introduce someone to Paris . . .
We’d start with buttery croissants and my chef Sonia's homemade orange and lime jam, plus café au lait in the Luxembourg Gardens. No visit is complete without quality time at a neighborhood market, so we’d visit one just to enjoy the sumptuous sights and sounds! We’d walk in the Champ de Mars and lunch at La Fontaine de Mars, take a ride on the No. 69 bus through the left bank, then visit the Musée d'Orsay. Take a walk across the Pont des Arts and stroll through the Tuileries, finishing with a drink on the terrace of Café Marly. Although the food is as terrible as the service, it is incredibly lovely at night.

© Cynthia Rose

Name one thing in Paris that is underpublicized.
The Musée Marmottan Monet in the 16th, for Monet and the Impressionists.

How would you celebrate a special occasion?
In summer I would go to the Restaurant du Palais Royal, to have a coupe de champagne on the terrace and maybe eat outside. It’s the city’s most beautiful spot at night; it becomes so quiet you can even hear the fountains . . . In winter I’d go next door and dine at Le Grand Véfour.

Editor's note: This summer Scoop is hosting an English-language book club for native English speakers and Parisians who want to practice their English.

INFO

Scoop
154, rue St.-Honoré, in the 1st.
01 42 60 31 84.

La Briciola
64, rue Charlot, in the 3rd.
01 42 77 34 10.

Café Marly
93, rue de Rivoli, in the 1st.
01 49 26 06 60.

Marché des Enfants Rouges
39, rue de Bretagne, in the 3rd.
Tues–Thurs, 9–2 and 4–8; Fri–Sat, 9–8; Sun, 8:30–2.

By Amy Barnard

Clotilde Dusoulier is a born-and-bred parisienne who became a dedicated food writer via a stay in the San Francisco Bay Area and the creation of an intensely popular blog, Chocolate and Zucchini. Passionate about fresh ingredients and chocolate in equal measure, she has also written two cookbooks: Chocolate and Zucchini: Daily Adventures in a Parisian Kitchen and Clotilde’s Edible Adventures in Paris.

Your blog must take a lot of time. How do you cope?
Maintaining a blog does take a fair amount of time—between cooking, taking pictures, writing posts, translating them (C&Z is a bilingual blog), handling the comments, emails and requests, maintaining the technical side of things . . . but I am fortunate in that I was able to turn my passion for food writing into a full-time occupation five years ago. Blogging has become part of my job since then, in addition to the freelance writing and the book projects, so I simply make time in my schedule for it. It was a lot more challenging when I still worked as a software engineer and had to blog at night and on weekends, but even then, I was so enchanted with this creative outlet that it gave me wings.

Tell us about your greatest culinary triumph.
I have an enthusiastic nature, and I believe the key to happiness is to marvel at small things, so basically every time I cook a dish successfully, whether it's a new creation or an old favorite, and get to share it with people I love, it feels like a triumph. But if I had to name a single achievement, it would be conquering my fear of yeast and becoming someone who bakes bread weekly, with my natural starter (pain au levain). People talk about the Zen of bread baking, and how gratifying it is, but it was only when I really got into it that I understood what they meant—and agreed wholeheartedly.

And disaster?
More than absolute disasters, which I rarely experience (fortunately), what I get are kitchen disappointments: dishes that are edible but fall short of what I was trying to achieve. It used to make me despondent when that happened, but I've come to realize these experiences are an integral part of the process, and they only feel like failures if you let them. Instead, you can pick yourself up and turn them into an opportunity to learn: In what ways is the dish lacking? What could have been done differently? It helps to jot down a few notes and turn to them the next time you want to attempt the recipe.

Describe the places you would go, the things you would see and experience, who you would meet (or not meet!) to make it a perfect day in Paris.
I've actually written a post about that very subject! It's called Twelve Hours in Paris.

If you were to tell a friend to visit just one restaurant in Paris, which would it be, and why?
There are so many dining options in Paris. I don't believe in one-size-fits-all: if a friend could only have a single meal in Paris, first I'd want to know what neighborhood, what budget, what style he or she is in the mood for. Actually, it was based on this outlook that I wrote my book on Paris: I wanted to highlight the variety of eating experiences one could enjoy in Paris, so visitors could make the most of their time here according to what they like.

What does Paris mean to you?
Home.

If you could choose one French saying as your personal credo, what would it be?
I love sayings and idioms—as perhaps evidenced by my series on food-related expressions—so it's hard to limit myself to just one, but perhaps it might be "Comme on fait son lit, on se couche" ("As you make your bed, so you must lie in it") or "À chaque jour suffit sa peine" ("It's enough to concentrate on what you have to do today—no need to worry about what tomorrow will bring").

You’re surrounded by all sorts of culinary temptations every day. What do you have to "just say 'non!'" to on a regular basis?
When your professional life revolves around food—cooking it, tasting it, thinking and reading about it—your appetite becomes one of your greatest assets, so you quickly learn to save it for what's really worth it.

Who is your own female French icon?
I have to say, I've never been an icon-driven person: I wouldn't trade my life for anyone else's, and I'm very aware that prominent figures are just people like you and me, with their own flaws and problems, so I don't feel the need to identify with any.

Is there one French beauty product or ritual that you swear by?
I don't know that it's particularly French, but I'm religious about skin care—I cleanse, I moisturize and I stay out of the sun. I also try to find the time and budget to get a massage every other month or so.

By Amy Barnard

Paris-based writer and tour guide Heather Stimmler-Hall really knows her stuff! We talk to the former travel editor and author of the delightfully mischievous Naughty Paris: A Lady’s Guide to the Sexy City.

When did you begin your current career and what was your inspiration?
I’ve always been a writer. I started as a journalist in high school, when I got my first job as the teen correspondent for the Phoenix Gazette in 1993. I’ve been writing about travel in France since 1999, when I was travel editor for the Elle website. I went full-time as a freelance travel writer a year later, writing articles, web content and guidebooks, all on Paris or the French Riviera (where I lived for four years). I didn’t start giving tours until 2004, starting out with large companies such as EF and Backroads before starting my own private tours in 2006. Inspiration? I do enjoy sharing the city I know and love with other people, whether in my writing or by showing them places in person, but I honestly never thought this is where I would end up when I studied journalism and political science. I thought I was going to be a White House correspondent! This is what happens when you “study abroad” for a year . . . your life changes course.

Tell us the idea behind your popular book Naughty Paris.
The idea of a “sexy women’s guide” to Paris isn’t actually new; I wrote many travel articles about Paris for women’s magazines, and many of them were interested in something more upscale, trendy, sexy, and a little daring than what would be found in average travel magazines. I realized there was enough material for an entire guide, and the more I talked about it, the more I realized women of all ages were interested. Still, it took me almost three years to finally get it done!

What drove you to set up your Paris blog?
I created my first Paris website in 1997 and started the Secrets of Paris Newsletter (sent out monthly) in 1999, many years before the word “blog” surfaced. I think it’s great that everyone and their mother (including mine!) has a blog now, but it makes me cringe when people ask me what my “real” job is. This is my job!

What does your favorite day consist of in Paris? Where are the two or three places you must go and the two or three things you must do to make it the perfect day?
A perfect day in Paris probably isn’t that different from a perfect day in Minnesota: when I can sleep in, when the weather is perfect, when I don’t have any looming deadlines, when I can meet up with friends for a picnic and a night out with some good music. Of course, having Paris as the backdrop for all this is what makes it so fabulous to live here, like living on a movie set!

If you were to tell a friend to visit just one museum or gallery in Paris, which would it be, and why?
Ah, this is just like the “what is the best hotel/restaurant/neighborhood in Paris” question. The answer is always the same: it depends. I think the Louvre is great, but I would go mad if I had to spend more than 20 minutes at the Centre Pompidou. Some people feel the opposite is true. The secret to being a good guide is to find out what your clients like. Having said that, I think the Jacquemart-André is totally underrated; I wish more people would go.

Describe what Paris means to you.
I moved here when I was a student 15 years ago, so at this point it’s home to me. Being a writer and guide forces me to step outside of my own life and try and see the city as a visitor, but every corner has so many memories for me, from being a student to getting married to starting my first company . . . I’ve lived in almost every arrondissement in this city!

If you could choose one French saying as your personal credo, what would it be?
"Quand le vin est tiré, il faut le boire." ["When the wine is poured, it must be drunk."] Although I love Miss.Tic’s version, too: "Quand le vain est tiré, il faut le boire."

What are the best free things to do in Paris?
Paris Plage, the open-air cinema and all of the open-air concerts throughout the year, but especially in summer. I also love visiting the gardens, the free municipal museums, the church concerts and strolling the banks of the Seine. If you like art, there are many vernissages where you can meet the artists, have a glass of wine and perhaps find something fabulous for your apartment.

Who is your own female French icon?
Colette.

What’s on your iPod and your bedside table right now?
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers' Anthology: Through the Years on the MP3 player this week, and Eiffel’s Tower by Jill Jonnes on the table. But I usually listen to National Public Radio on the Internet while working, and I tend to read mostly magazines and newspapers to keep up on the latest happenings around Paris (my favorite is still the free A Nous Paris magazine in the metro that comes out every Tuesday).

INFO

Paris Plage takes place during the summer, when a section of the bank of the Seine gets turned into an artificial beach. The dates this year are July 20 to August 20, 2010. For more info, visit Paris.fr.

Editor's Note: To sign up for one of Heather's Naughty Girls shopping tours of Paris, visit our Book It page.

By Amy Barnard

© Peter Utz

Free concerts, backstage partying with the stars . . . tough job, right? Originally from the south, born-again parisienne Flora Richard is a band manager for Burning Bridges Music. Here she shares some of her favorite music hangouts with us.

When did you begin your current career?
Officially, at Rock en Seine 2007. After I directed the documentary film LINES, for which I also worked on the sound track, I met the Tatianas and, after hanging out a bit, we understood we needed each other.

What inspired you?
The music itself, of course, but mostly the bands and their passion. And I have to admit, a bit of the fun of being backstage at festivals.

Name a perk and a pitfall of your profession.
Seeing great concerts, meeting amazing people and having so much fun. Knowing most of these human connections are fake and don’t last. It looks better on film, basically.

Describe your perfect day in Paris.
Waking up in my lover's arms, getting great news for my bands, telling them and seeing their happy smiles. Finding an amazing dress for a good deal, meeting my friends for drinks at Stolly’s or Le Progrès and a good dinner at Galerie Vivienne or Sole. Falling asleep in front of a good movie.

Where are the best places to listen to unsigned up-and-coming bands in Paris?
La Flèche d’Or, Le Scopitone. Le Bus Palladium is reopening, so hopefully it’ll be good, too. Chez Moune on Wednesdays, the Truskel.

What does Paris mean to you? Why do you love it?
To me Paris is a very free city—you’re free to spend hours at a restaurant, free to be rude, free to party all night. It’s a pretty rock-and-roll city . . . I love this, and its beauty, of course.

What is your favorite French saying?
"Qui boit la gnôle casse la bagnole." [She who drinks the booze breaks the car.]

Name a couple of great free things to do in the city.
Picnics in the Parc Monceau, cruising the Palais de Tokyo and its library.

Who is currently on your iPod?
My bands always, the Tatianas and Brigitte; the Strokes, Nirvana and NTM always as well; and right now Grems and Koudlam.

INFO

Chez Moune
54, rue Pigalle, in the 9th Arrondissement.
01 45 26 64 64.

Parc Monceau
Blvd de Courcelles, ave Hoche and rue Monceau, in the 8th.
Open till 8 p.m. in winter, 10 p.m. in summer.

Le Progrès
1, rue de Bretagne, in the 3rd.
01 42 72 01 44.

Sole Caffe e Cucina
1, ave Trudaine, in the 9th.
01 42 81 11 34.

Stolly’s
16, rue Cloche-Perce, in the 4th.
01 42 76 06 76.

By Doni Belau

Casey in transit to Paris.

Casey O’Brien Blondes is our quintessential Parisian woman this week. An Irish Catholic girl born and raised in New Jersey and London, she has lived in and around Paris for the past 20-odd years. Her husband, Jeffrey, had spent time in France and convinced her to move in the 1980s, so they picked up and went without a plan or a clue as to what they were going to do.

Three kids and many horses later, Casey spends most of her time at their country house—several hours from Paris, in the Loire Valley—but pops into town often to stay at their atelier in the 13th Arrondissement and catch up with her kids or the latest gallery exhibition. Casey recently finished her second book for Rizzoli, a beautiful coffee table book called Parisian Hideaways, which profiles some wonderful French-owned secret and discreet hotels (some so secret even we had not heard of them!). Her husband is an artist specializing in films on nature. When not researching hotels in Paris, Casey spends much of her time riding her horse in La Chasse à Courre, which is the French version of the fox hunt, with a stag instead of a fox. 

How did an Irish Catholic girl from New Jersey end up living the country and city life in France?
Well, my husband convinced me over 20 years ago to move here; he’d lived in France and we moved with no plan whatsoever. And here we are 20+ years later with three kids, mostly grown and fully invested in French life. It hasn’t always been easy, though, since we are both freelance. We discovered the Loire visiting a friend in Pontlevoy and bought a weekend cottage there in 1989, before moving to Orbigny in 1992.

Where is your apartment in Paris?
It’s an atelier apartment in the 13th, which my husband uses for his art. He got it through Maison des Artistes, but it's more of an office since most of his work is created out of doors—but that’s where we stay when we are in town. For the past nine months he had an installation up at the Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature. It's a triptych of three of his 52-hour films, which are meditations on time, space and nature. Most of his work now is film related; previously he was a landscape painter. The next project he’s doing is at the Bay of Fundy.

You live most of the time in the Loire Valley near Loches. What are your favorite activities there?
I ride and hunt on Tuesday or Saturday six months of the year, as does my husband. Tuesday is for the full-time country folks and Saturday for the weekenders. La Chasse à Courre is a strong tradition in Touraine, and hunters pass it on to their kids as we have. I also enjoy cooking and using organically grown produce from our garden, which is active 10 months a year. I am passionate about organic wines and locally grown food. For example, I’ll buy three whole baby lambs and freeze them so I can have locally raised organic lamb to serve year-round.

Casey on the hunt.

You’ve written two books through Rizzoli, most recently Parisian Hideaways, which profiles a number of different French-owned hotels in Paris that are discreet and very special. Can you describe this project as well as your other book, French Country Hideaways?
The first book profiles 30 private châteaux and manor properties hidden in the countryside that are chambres d'hôtes [rooms in private homes] and promote regional products. I was then asked to do something similar for Spain and Italy, which I declined, as I prefer to only write about what I really know and understand. For this most recent book I looked at over 200 small hotels in Paris, but my goal was to pick only hotels that no matter their style were authentically Parisian, had big rooms (for Paris) and were privately owned or managed, and then I grouped them by theme: historic, boudoir, contemporary art, etc.

What are some of your favorites from the book?
The Raphael, which is the only palace hotel in Paris with less than 100 rooms. It has a fabulous rooftop garden bar and restaurant. It’s a true Old World hotel, like going back in time. Like the rest of the hotels I picked for the book, it's a lesser-known hideaway that protects the privacy of its clients. Another hotel that I really love because of its location is Saint Vincent in the 7th. It’s in a great location (on the border of the 6th) with a terrific breakfast. I’m also excited about the renovation of the Pavillon de la Reine in the Marais. You cannot beat the location on the Place des Vosges, and with the new decor it's delightful. An intriguing little contemporary hotel is Le Placide on rue St.-Placide. The designer worked with Philippe Starck on hotels for years and has done this one with less drama but with a beautiful modern aesthetic.

Each hotelier in the book shares their favorite resources in that quartier. Once I told a friend of mine who is a photographer where Brad Pitt should stay. I can’t give you the name of the hotel, but he stayed there for one week and was never photographed or found out.

A magical weekend destination from my first book is the Prieuré d’Orsan, a chambre d’hôte with medieval-style gardens, which provide fresh produce for their restaurant. It's not far from Bourges in southern Berry.

What’s your ideal day in Paris?
I love the unknown Paris. I think people should spend more time in the 13th Arrondissement, especially the area around the Bibliothèque Nationale de France, along the Seine, where the biggest urban renewal project since Haussmann is under way. The area is very vibrant around avenue de France, which is envisioned as a Champs-Elysées Rive Gauche. In front of the BNF there's a new swimming pool that floats in the Seine, named after Josephine Baker, with a stretch of Paris Plage in the summer, and of course the pedestrian bridge is beautiful. There are great shows at the BNF, such as the Indian miniatures show on now and galleries around rue Louise Weiss—the area is very happening. The 13th is multicultural and because of that reminds me of New York. It’s the anti-16th. So for my ideal day I’d start out in the 13th, pick up exotic ingredients and raw nuts I can't find in the country at the Tang Frères stores in Chinatown and go to a movie at the MK2, which was designed by Paul Wilmot and has deluxe sofa seats. Then I’d get on my bike and ride along the Seine, visit my kids in the 6th and hang out with them in a café or the Luxembourg Gardens.

What’s your favorite area for shopping?
The upper Marais in the 3rd—by Isabel Marant and rue de Poitou. I’d do a combo day there and visit art galleries and my favorite clothing shops. I am a fan of Estelle Yomeda's beautifully crafted shoes and boots at 4, rue de Normandie.

For art lovers what do you recommend seeing?
Well, it depends on what’s showing, but certainly the Pompidou: "Elles" is a very important and amazing show. La Maison Rouge, down on the quai south of the Bastille, is a small private modern art museum that does shows of entire collections. If you are a member they give you access to tours all around town.

And what are your favorite restaurants?
I’m a real fan of organic wines, so I love small bistros that serve organic wines. For lunch I go to La Garde Robe for fresh simple food and good organic wines. Racines before it was sold was wonderful—I do miss the charismatic founder, but it's still worthwhile. For a special meal, I’d go to Yam'Tcha, near Les Halles. Book well ahead.

Where do you like to travel in France and where do you summer?
Cap Ferret, where the beach reminds me of the Hamptons. It’s beautiful and relaxed. Île d'Yeu is a gorgeous island with dramatic cliffs. I’m also partial to the islands off Brittany in the Gulf of Morbihan. Noirmoutier is authentically French and a good weekend destination because of the bridge.

Will you be writing another book set in France?
Yes, I am working on another, but being Irish Catholic and superstitious, I can’t reveal any more info.

What’s it like raising three children in France?
Even though we are American, France is our home. When you raise three kids here who are French, you become even more attached to your community. They go to the US each year, but after a week or two they really miss home. We have a son and two daughters. The youngest is at boarding school in Paris, the middle one is at the Atelier de Sèvres prepping for Beaux-Arts study and our son is out of university and working at a venture capital fund that does ethical investing.

If you had to leave Paris and your much-loved house in the country, what would you miss the most?
My horse and my husband, because they'll never leave!

INFO

La Garde Robe
41, rue de l'Arbre-Sec, in the 1st.
01 49 26 90 60.

Piscine Josephine Baker
Quai François Mauriac, in the 13th.
Open in summer.

Racines
8, Passage des Panoramas, in the 2nd.
01 40 13 06 41.

Tang Frères
48, ave d'Ivry, in the 13th.
01 45 70 80 00.

Yam'Tcha
4, rue Sauval, in the 1st.
01 40 26 08 07.

By Cynthia Rose

© B. Lomont. A quick self-portrait Lomont made at the Hôtel de Brienne
while documenting the restoration there. 

Bérangère Lomont is a professional photographer dedicated to architecture, reportage and portraits, especially of artists in their ateliers. She works for the Paris museum La Cité d’Architecture et du Patrimoine (City of Architecture and Heritage), and with the art conservators l’Atelier ARCOA, for whom she photographs the entire process of a restoration. Her own work is shown in both private galleries and in venues such as the Centre Pompidou. 

What do you most enjoy about your craft?
For me, photography is a passion, one in love with life and with people, one in which banality simply does not exist and every moment is memorable. Every person is photogenic, each ray of sun sculpts the city and every day is a discovery. Currently I'm working toward an exhibition that will show Parisian domes both secular and sacred—those that we never see in their entirety. It’s literally heavenly!

© B. Lomont. The dome of l’Hôtel de Béthune-Sully in the apartment of the duchess,
after restoration by l'Atelier ARCOA.

From Nadar to Atget, Doisneau to Cartier-Bresson, we have seen the Paris of many male photographers. Is it different for a parisienne?
Those are all great masters who gave us unforgettable portraits of Paris, timeless photographs. The epoch has now changed and digital technology permits us to create new images; I started one series of Parisian buildings and their inhabitants where you see the residents digitally integrated on their building’s façade—both disturbing and very funny. But the universe of all photographers remains aesthetic. We consider the whole setting because our search is always to exalt the beauty of everything we photograph. Thus, my view both as a woman and as a Parisian remains within the spirit of those great masters.

© B. Lomont. "The most charming of Paris shopkeepers," Lomont says of her 
neighbor in the Latin Quarter.

Tell us about your quartier.
I live in the heart of the Latin Quarter on a mythical street, la rue de la Montagne Ste.-Geneviève. Life here is animated by the students; the neighborhood is filled with shops and cafés that give it the life of a village.

What are your favorite places in the rest of Paris, and why?
For me, the Place des Vosges and the gardens of the Palais Royal represent the absolute perfection of architecture. It is a dream; one can even picnic. I travel by bike, so I love crossing the Seine, watching the light on monuments and following the quais. I shop at the bouquinistes [antiquarian booksellers along the Seine] or cycle by Canal St.-Martin, where one can meet some very droll people.

© B. Lomont. The Romanesque chapel garden Eyrignac in the Périgord. "The most
beautiful garden in that region!" says Lomont.

For you, what makes the “perfect day in Paris”?
A walk to see the Museum of the Middle Ages (Musée Cluny), then to pass by Notre-Dame and continue to the Musée Carnavalet. Or breakfast in the Place des Vosges, then a visit to the covered passages, then saluting the statue of Louis XIV on Place des Victoires. Visit the opera, then reach the end of the day in Montmartre to watch night fall over the city.

What are your favorite cafés and restaurants?
I love the brasseries with their traditional fare and style: the Brasserie Île St.-Louis and Le Vaudeville, as well as small restaurants such as Le Villaret and Le Chardenoux. The restaurant Miroir and, in the Maubert, Le Buisson Ardent.

© B. Lomont. The controversial exhibition of Jeff Koons at the Château de Versailles.

Where would you go to celebrate a special occasion?
To La Dame de Canton. It’s amazing to spend a night partying on a junk moored at the quai François Mitterrand! Otherwise, the restaurant of Le Meurice.

See more of Lomont's work on her website.

INFO

Brasserie Île St.-Louis
55, quai de Bourbon, in the 4th Arrondissement.
01 43 54 02 59.

Le Chardenoux
1, rue Jules Vallès, in the 11th.
01 43 71 49 52.

Miroir
94, rue des Martyrs, in the 18th.
01 46 06 50 73.

Le Villaret
13, rue Ternaux, in the 11th.
01 43 57 89 76.

By Doni Belau

Beth Arnold is a journalist and award-winning writer living in Paris. She is from Arkansas, of all places, but has adopted Paris with gusto. She has written on politics, Paris, travel and people for Salon, GQ, Vogue, Rolling Stone, InStyle and Self, and frequently writes a Letter from Paris column for the Huffington Post. Her recent post on museum shows on her blog is spot on as far as which shows to see this spring in Paris. She loves Paris and politics—truly a girl after my own heart. Oh, and did I mention she also wrote a book with her husband, Chasing Matisse?

We really enjoy your blog. How long have you been doing it?
Actually, I started blogging in 2002. When my husband, James Morgan, and I came to France to follow in the footsteps of Henri Matisse and research a book called Chasing Matisse (published by a division of Simon & Schuster), I became one of the early bloggers. I had a gut feeling that websites were going to become more and more important. I knew as a writer that it was important for me to have one—and that it was important for this project to have one. I must’ve bought the domain betharnold.com around 2001 or before. It went through various incarnations. I’d spent so much time on Chasing Matisse, I was burned out on blogging for a while. When the Huffington Post went online, I was thrilled to see a liberal and progressive news and commentary outlet go head-to-head with conservative sites like Drudge Report. I started blogging for them in May 2007 and revved my column-writing back up.

When did you become a writer, and what inspires you? Besides your blog and website, where else do you write?
In some sense, I was always a writer. As a child, writing stories and essays came easy for me. English and literature were some of my best subjects. I loved to read. Hated math and science. I started writing poetry in high school and moved on from there. When I was in college, I took writing classes but ended up with a MSW (master of social work). I burned out on that and gave myself permission to be a writer when I was 29 years old. That’s a big year for everyone, I think.

I’m inspired by all kinds of things, big and small. Could be a name, a moment in time, an atmosphere, an injustice, someone’s story, a line someone says, a lie, a place, a movie or book, someone doing something noteworthy. 

You’re from Arkansas. What took you to Paris and when did you arrive?
My husband and I came here to research and write Chasing Matisse. 

You are a woman after my own heart, loving politics and Paris. Tell us more about your political involvement.
I was born into politics. My father was a card-carrying Yellow Dog Democrat (would rather vote for a yellow dog than a Republican) who involved us children in the campaigns of his candidates from the time we could stand outside the voting polls. He was the youngest state legislator elected in Arkansas and was planning to run for governor or senator of Arkansas, but he died tragically when I was a teenager. My family ate and drank Democratic politics at every meal. After my father died, my uncle was a powerful lobbyist in Washington, D.C. I worked for Senator John L. McClellan the summers of 1972–73, which was during Watergate. I got a real political education working on Capitol Hill. You can read more about my father here.

What do you make of this first year of the Obama presidency?
Obama changed the world the instant he was elected president of the USA. The whole world sighed with relief. It was a stunning political moment, and one I will never forget. Amazingly, he out-politicked Bill Clinton, who is a master himself. (Hillary was never a great politician. Brilliant—but never charismatic like Bill. She tried to rewrite history in this regard.)

I still believe in Obama. The man has vision. He made every right move in his campaign. Put a brilliant team together, too. The hole he’s had to dig our country out of went about near down to hell. I know he believes in the democratic process. He maybe needs to come to believe more in kicking some Republican (and rabid conservative) butt.

What are your favorite haunts in your neighborhood?
I still sort of look at the 2nd Arrondissement as my neighborhood. I know so much about the center of Paris. Every time I left my apartment, it took my breath away.

I’m just getting to know my new neighborhood—the 20th. I love Père-Lachaise. That cemetery provides endless visions. Lots of spirits floating around. What would happen at night?

The rue des Pyrénées is a great food street! The shops up and down the rue provide wonderful gastronomy every day, and the market on Sunday is lovely! Excellent food energy up here.

What I’ve discovered about the 20th is it’s a secret world. There are hidden streets where people live in houses and have yards. Who knew? There’s lots of green space, and almost everyone has a balcony or terrace. It’s really like living in a village inside the boundaries of Paris. The Parc des Buttes Chaumont is like you’re in the country. I’m digging Belleville more and more, too.

The right bank is my 'hood (not that I don’t love the left bank). Sooner or later, people choose one side of the river.

What is your favorite French food or snack?
Man, that’s tough. These are the kinds of questions I could have a zillion answers for. Today I’m going to say Ladurée macaroons. Bites of heaven is what they are.

What do you do to relax in Paris?
I love going to movies, wherever I am. Also, going for walks. You never know what you’ll find or see. There are always beautiful scenes, surprising buildings! I also love to read books about Paris and France—or books from French writers. I’m now reading Emile Zola’s The Belly of Paris. His writing is so descriptive. Love it.

What are the three biggest differences between your life in Arkansas and your life now in Paris, and do you miss “home”?
My life is much more international and diverse in Paris. Paris is more urban, a much bigger city than Little Rock, which I love. Life isn’t arranged to be as convenient here, which has its good and bad points. Clinging to outdated procedures, or resisting change because things have always been done a certain way, is a real problem in French culture.

The big thing is I miss my children, family and friends. There was a period when I didn’t feel the need to spend time in the US (but to see them). But I enjoy the time I have there now—and I appreciate the advantages that we have that the French do not. I’m happy to see American land. Happy to feel my Arkansas roots.

Who or what do you find most inspiring in Paris?
The grand architecture stuns me every time I come upon it, especially with bright blue skies or gray threatening clouds outlining, for example, the Louvre. I love reading about French history and America’s founding fathers and seeing the places these historic personages lived and the places they frequented—or reading The Three Musketeers and walking down the same streets as the dashing musketeers. I love the markets, the Seine, looking into shop windows that are always decorated so beautifully. The design of France is impeccable.

What is the one store you cannot live without in Paris?
BHV—I love the hardware downstairs, and I’m a nut for being organized.

Let’s imagine a woman (of any age) is heading to Paris. Where would you suggest she stay?
I love boutique hotels, and my dream hotel to stay in now would be Hotel du Petit Moulin, which Christian Lacroix designed. Great spot in the Marais—if you know Paris well.

The Hotel de Saint-Germain is a wonderful hotel on the left bank. It's a great location for monuments, shopping and the 6th Arrondissement cafés and restaurants we love. The owner and staff were fantastic when we were chasing Matisse!

What things should she be sure to see?
I always tell people that a great way to see Paris when they don’t have a lot of time (and haven’t been before or not in a long time) is to take the l’Open Tour buses. You can get tickets for one or two days for a totally reasonable price—and see all the biggies—almost as if you had a car and driver. The rest of your Paris time can be spent on details like checking out small museums you haven’t had the time to visit (the Maillol is my favorite, the Musée de la Vie Romantique is another), hanging at cafés, taking beautiful walks. Occasionally, I love to go to Galeries Lafayette Gourmet and have a lunch of Spanish ham and a good glass of rioja at the counter. If you haven’t been to Ladurée, it’s simply divine. My favorite place for a cocktail? The Hemingway Bar at the Ritz (pricey but a worthy treat)! Paris is a wonderful place to hear music—opera, jazz, classical, popular—anything you can think of and in all kinds of settings. We just saw Lyle Lovett (whom we’d seen twice in the US). Terrific show! One of the venues I love is the Olympia.

Where should she shop? What souvenir should she be sure to bring home?
For perfume, definitely go see the jewel box that is the upstairs of the Guerlain shop on the avenue des Champs-Élysées. You will find fragrances there that aren’t marketed anywhere else. I’m a lover of Frédéric Malle’s Editions de Parfums on rue du Mont Thabor (also one on the left bank). There's no other perfume experience like it.

For one thing to bring home? All Parisian women (and men) wear scarves. You can find them everywhere. Le Bon Marché would have a grand selection.

Describe the one cultural difference between French and American women.
French women are more conservative.

Describe your ideal Parisian day.
Oh, I’d get up about 9:00. Go for a great walk along the Seine. Stop and have a cup of coffee, perhaps on the Île St.-Louis. Walk back up along the left bank and weave in and out of the streets close to the river. I’d end up at the Place Dauphine and sit outside on one of the restaurant terraces for lunch. A friend would meet me there. After lunch, we’d walk up to the Musée des Arts de la Mode et du Textile to check out what’s on there. Then we might hit the Jeu de Paume and whatever fab photo exhibition is showing—or we could go to Themae and have a lovely massage and then stop at By Terry to treat ourselves to some new makeup. About 6:30, I’d step into the Hemingway Bar, where I’d meet the Lone Wolf for a crispy cold martini, and my daughters would have flown in and surprised me there! After that, a car and driver would pick us up and take us to the Palais de Tokyo, where we’d have dinner in the sky at Nomiya with a group of my friends. After dinner, the driver would take us on a tour of Paris, so we could see the monuments in all their lit glory.

If Paris were one film, piece of music or piece of art, what would it be?
The statue of Louis XIV on his horse at the Place des Victoires.

Statue of King Louis XIV of France at the Place des Victoires in Paris.
© 2006 David Monniaux.

Do you have a favorite French word or phrase?
"Oh la la!"

By Cynthia Rose

Photo: Steve Sampson

Paris can transform expatriate artists into entrepreneurs (think Nancy Cunard or Sylvia Beach), and Kumi Ozaki-Charau is one modern example. She moved from Japan as an Air France employee. But Ozaki-Charau now has her own company, Mingouwou, as well as her own label: Rani Mingouwou Paris. Through these, she produces one-off sacs (handbags) and jewelry.

A different passion inspires her concert series, Kumi’s Classiques, a Parisian showcase for young classical musicians. If you’re the sort of girl who’s out every night, Ozaki-Charau’s face may be familiar from openings, expos and concerts.

Tell us a bit about the Japanese community here.
The Paris community is quite large, from people who work for Japanese companies to artists, scholars, students and those, like me, who married a French person. It produces small newspapers, in French and Japanese, such as OVNI, the Association Amicale des Ressortissants Japonais en France or JIPANGO. The Japanese district, so-called, is between Palais Royal and Opéra.

Describe your handbags and rings . . . I love them!
I make my sacs out of cloth I create by knitting together pieces of different fabrics. The result is like an abstract painting where the shades intertwine. My rings use glass and crystal beads; their differences come from the beads’ shapes, sizes and colors. For me, what matters most is the relation between the ring and the personality of the woman who wears it.

© B. Lomont

How did you establish your company?
So many of my designs were selling that I needed legal status, thus I became what the French call an auto-entrepreneur. This is easy to do now, with just a few mouse clicks. My brand name, Rani Mingouwou Paris, mixes Hindi, Japanese and Chinese, but it uses a French spelling. “Rani” means “mon amour,” and Mingouwou is my home city, Nagoya, as it is pronounced in Chinese. Because I now have had many years of la vie parisienne, each of my creations says "Nagoya Mon Amour!"

Where can we find Rani Mingouwou Paris items?
In addition to private orders, I sell sacs and rings in places such as Les Ateliers du Créatur or via BOX or Jhin.

How did you start Kumi’s Classiques?
In Paris you can always hear famous orchestras, conductors and soloists. Anyone can find these via the monthly Cadences, or the weeklies Pariscope and l’Officiel des spectacles. Hearing so much music, I discovered that many young musicians rarely get to play for an audience. I started Kumi’s Classiques to do something about that.

How does it work?
Attendees are notified by email, and anyone can subscribe. Most concerts are free, but audience members give what they want; all money goes toward piano tuning and to the musicians. I feel honored that my artists give me their trust. They rely on me to organize everything.

When you take a day off to enjoy Paris, what do you do?
I go to areas that change my “Paris culture”—Gare de l’Est, La Chapelle, Gare du Nord or Barbès-Rochechouart. I’ll swim in my favorite pool, the Piscine de la Butte-aux-Cailles, whose water comes from hot springs. Or, when it’s fine, I love being in the Jardin du Luxembourg, with a book or my knitting. There I can time-travel back to Impressionism. In the evening I might see a ballet at the Opéra national de Paris or a concert at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées.

Courtesy Mingouwou

What quartier would you recommend to a visitor?
I live in the 13th, which has Paris’s biggest Chinatown, but also a very old French side: La Butte-aux-Cailles. It’s like a village with architecture inspired by Alsace and Russia, as well as Art Nouveau. There are artists, boutiques and a fountain with fresh spring water.

What is one favorite thing you do with friends?
Three places I go with friends for a quiet tea or coffee break are Zen Zoo Thesaurus, Thé de Chine (which has superb dim-sum lunches) and Jolly Hotel Lotti.

Where do you go for something new?
I love Paris because it's French but also not only French. For me, the Chinese, African, Pakistani, Tamil, Turkish, Algerian and Jewish parts of town are full of discoveries. If you are daring, try some Chinese or Tamil food. For authentic Chinese cuisine, I recommend Fleurs de Mai or Chez Shen and, for spicy Tamil, Gowri-Villas.

Where would you celebrate a special occasion?
With a concert at the Salle Pleyel, followed by a dinner at La Maison Blanche, with its beautiful view of Paris!

Kumi's Classiques Free Concerts in March

Friday, March 12, at 7:30 p.m.
École de Langues A.A.A. (Association des Amitiés Asiatiques)
21, rue d’Antin, in the 2nd. Metro: Opéra or Pyramides.
Performers: Kenji Nagaki (cello) and Miho Nagata (piano).
Program: Schumann, Fauré, Brahms, Rachmaninoff, Dvorak
and Debussy.

Monday, March 15, at 8:30 p.m.
Église Réformée de Paris-Luxembourg, St.-Germain
58, rue Madame, in the 6th. Metro: Rennes or St.-Placide.
Performers: Naoko Sakagawa (oboe) and Yoko Nakamoto (piano).
Program: Marcel Bitsch, Jules Massenet, Jean-Michel Damase,
Maurice Ravel, Debussy and Saint-Saëns.

For more information, or to subscribe to Kumi's Classiques, email kumi.charau@hotmail.fr.

INFO

BOX
48, Passage Choiseul, in the 2nd.
(Passage Choiseul runs from 40, rue des Petits Champs to 23, rue St.-Augustin.
Passage hours: Mon–Sat, 7 a.m.–9 p.m.)

Chez Shen
39, rue au Maire, in the 3rd. 01 48 87 88 06.

Gowri-Villas
53, rue Louis Blanc, in the 10th. 01 42 05 72 65.

Jhin
5, rue de Condé, in the 6th.

Mingouwou
18, blvd Arago, in the 13th.

Thé de Chine
20, blvd St.-Germain, in the 5th. 01 40 46 98 89.

By Doni Belau

Susan Shup is an American artist living in Paris. She works at her Marais atelier, the SHUPSHOP, and is represented by the dealer Rabih Hage in London. I visited her recently to explore her world of painting, drawing, books, videos, animation, murals, spoken word pieces, performance art and projects for Hermès and others—this woman can do it all. Plus, she is fun, gorgeous and charming. If you are an art collector or want to become one, make an appointment to visit Susan. Her lithographs sell for $700, and prices for her extraordinary paintings reach $10,000 and beyond. Her art is owned by many important collectors, including the billionaire New York financier Ronald Perelman. Just a visit to her website will give you an idea of how much fun she has making art. In another life, many of us hope to come back as Susan.

You are an American artist living in Paris. What led you to become an artist, and why move to Paris?
I've always been an artist. As long as I can remember I've kept journals that I fill with poems and drawings and, for a period when I was around eight, these strange still-life paintings. In my teens I went through a French bohemian phase—berets, black turtleneck sweaters. Looking back, I think I was acting out my future; I was destined to live in Paris. I don't wear berets anymore—they do nothing for me, but I still wear the black turtlenecks, and I do incorporate still-life imagery into some of my paintings. As far as moving to Paris, my husband and I were living in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and we both wanted a change. He had job offers in several places, including Paris. We visited different cities, but once we arrived in Paris the choice was easy!

Who and what has inspired your work?
The great American Expressionist painters of the 1950s were my first masters. My other influences include, of course, Matisse, Cézanne and Kandinsky. Sonia Delaunay is very important to me as someone who was able to work and be appreciated, not only as a painter, but as a designer and a textile artist. Niki de Saint Phalle was one of my favorite Americans in Paris—I think about her a lot. The list goes on and on and on: Dada, Fluxus, Warhol, Rauschenberg. I love Bruce Nauman; I love Edward Ruscha; I'm very inspired by Navajo textiles, Amish quilts, African tribal art . . . Also, I'm a real product of the TV generation, and my work continues to be informed by media and music.

Where did you grow up, and how long have you lived in Paris? What is the major difference between living in Paris and in the US?
I grew up near a small city in northeastern Pennsylvania and also in Madison, Wisconsin. In my early 20s I moved to Boston. Besides the obvious differences of language and culture, Paris is the biggest city I've ever lived in, so that was different for me. Now I've lived here longer than I've lived anywhere else—25 years! I'm still not French, but I definitely consider myself une parisienne.

How has Paris influenced your work?
About 10 years ago I began a series of paintings about women, Parisians. They were big figurative paintings—mostly nudes, with slogans painted over the women instead of clothes. Formally the slogans were like advertising slogans, but the words weren't there for marketing purposes. They investigated the complex nature of women—how people shouldn't be judged by appearance. My women were empowered; they could be posing like models, but in reality they were much more. They were businesswomen or doctors or poets or artists. Then I started drawing attributes (accessories!) for them—bags, shoes, furniture—which was a lot of fun since I had been doing nonobjective paintings for years. The Parisian fashion world is huge, and there is a lot of interfacing between the worlds of art and fashion, or art and communications. Trend forecasters look very carefully at contemporary art. A lot of my friends work in fashion in Paris, and with these paintings and other video and sound pieces I've explored the world of fashion. (Editor's note: you can see one of Susan's animations here.) I'm not sure my work would have taken this direction had I stayed in Boston. Now I'm working on a graphic novel that takes place in Paris.

Susan Shup, BRIGHT, mixed media on paper, 76 x 57cm (30 x 22.5 in).

What mediums do you work in primarily? Where do most of your collectors come from?
I'm a painter first and foremost, but I've always written stories and found it natural to work in sound and video. For the last couple of years I've developed what I like to call "art products": art-driven objects such as jewelry, T-shirts and books. I've also done site-specific installations (now mostly digital) and have designed textiles for several young designers. I have collectors in France, Belgium and Switzerland as well as the United States. My gallery, Rabih Hage, is located in London, and my work is also in British collections.

Describe the neighborhood where you live, your atelier and what you love about the area.
I have the incredible luck to live and work in probably the most beautiful neighborhood in Paris, the Marais. My studio is a five- to ten-minute walk from my apartment, and every day I see some of the most incredible architecture in the city—the famous hôtels particuliers of the rue des Francs Bourgeois, museums like the Pompidou Center and the Musée Carnavalet—and breathtakingly beautiful squares and parks, like the Place des Vosges. It's also the contemporary art gallery district and has fabulous cafés with fun people-watching, great shopping, and lately better and better restaurants. You can tell I really like it here. My atelier is on the rue Vieille-du-Temple in what was once a 17th-century palace—though it must be one of the only buildings in the neighborhood not to have been gentrified yet!

What is the concept behind the name SHUPSHOP?
The art world has always been one of my favorite subjects, the art world and the artist. My first video performance piece was called Le Shupping, and it was a series of very pathetic and comic sketches, blatant attempts at self-promotion. Le Shupping was a satirical exploration of that part of the artist's life; in it I developed a SHUP jingle: "SHOP SHUP SHOP SHUP SHOP SHOP SHOP SUSAN SHUP…" There were tons of close-ups of me, the seductive artist, and I repeated the name SHUP every chance I got, dozens of times, hoping to make it a household word, like Coca-Cola. "SHOP SHUP!" became a cheer, a mantra, a dream, a prayer, and eventually it became reversed—SHUPSHOP—and it stuck. About 10 years ago, when I found my rue Vieille-du-Temple studio, it officially became the SHUPSHOP. It's my "factory," workshop, production company, trademark and my favorite subject matter.

Describe your favorite day in Paris.
A perfect day would start with my husband going and getting croissants and the amazing hazelnut rolls from Gérard Mulot's Marais location. I love to cook, so then I would go to the marché—we have a nice Saturday market with great fish and vegetables at the Place Baudoyer. Since this would be a perfect day, I would have the time to make a great meal without rushing and to take in an art show or get to the SHUPSHOP a little before having friends over to share dinner.

What are your favorite haunts in your arrondissement or beyond (restos, shops, cultural experiences)?
I love to cook, but I also LOVE going out to eat. I'm a real foodie, and the food in Paris has never been better. Some of my favorite bistros and restaurants in the Marais are Restaurant Le Hangar, Glou One, Il Prezzemolo (the best pizza I've ever had here!), Au Bourguignon du Marais, Le Gaigne and Monjul. I love Asian food, and near me on the rue Ferdinand Duval there's a nice little Vietnamese-French fusion restaurant called Les Elles, and a good Korean spot, Maison Marais. I also love going for lunch to Issé on the rue de Richelieu. Plus, I'll cross the river anytime to go to Ze Kitchen Galerie, Le Comptoir du Relais, Itinéraires or Le Fogón.

If you had to leave Paris, what would you miss the most?
I would miss the sheer beauty of Paris—it is the most beautiful city in the world. Sometimes I have to pinch myself.

Do you have a favorite French quote or word?
Avant-garde.

You are probably discovering new things each week in Paris—what’s your favorite new find?
The wonderful hair salon Rachel Benaich Coiffure. She's one of the very best colorists and coiffeurs in Paris, and she just opened a new facial spa that I have to try!

If Paris were a movie, a song or a piece of art, what would it be?
"C'est si Bon," preferably sung by Yves Montand.

INFO

Restaurant Le Hangar
12, Impasse Berthaud, in the 3rd.
01 42 74 55 44.

Glou One
101, rue Vieille-du-Temple, in the 3rd.
01 42 74 44 32.

Il Prezzemolo
13, rue Commines, in the 3rd.
01 42 77 79 25.

Au Bourguignon du Marais
52, rue François Miron, in the 4th.
01 48 87 15 40.

Les Elles
5, rue Ferdinand Duval, in the 4th.
01 42 71 63 88.

Le Comptoir du Relais
9, Carrefour de l'Odéon, in the 6th.
01 44 27 07 97.

Rachel Benaich Coiffure
51, rue des Francs Bourgeois, in the 4th.
01 42 72 91 68.

By Amy Barnard

An LA girl who has spent more than 10 years in France, where she married and had her children, Debra Ollivier is the author of Entre Nous: A Woman’s Guide to Finding Her Inner French Girl and What French Women Know: About Love, Sex, and Other Matters of the Heart and Mind. Who better to give us a little sample of Parisian pleasures?

What drove you to write two books on the cultural differences between French and American women?
My first book, Entre Nous, was a commission, so the book remained somewhat general. My most recent book, What French Women Know, however, was not a commission. Curiously enough, it was written partly out of frustration. Having lived so long in France, I got annoyed at the recycled stereotypes about French women. We Americans are drawn to the French for their food, their fashion and what they seem to know about love/sex. I wanted to focus on the latter, but go deeper: If French women seem so sexy, it's not because of their surface glam (the clothes, scarves, high heels, perfume) or because they don't get fat (of course they do). It's because they grow up with a different cultural mindset that's hardwired practically at birth. I wanted to dig deep into this mindset, debunk a few myths and have fun in an ironic, comparative way. I wanted to write the quintessential book that would put the stereotypes to rest—or at least explain them in a brainy but witty way, and provide a lot of good (French) food for thought.

What French precepts do you hope your own daughter will always remember?
I hope my daughter will grow up knowing the fine art of not giving a damn, and learning how to cultivate her inner beauty as an asset.

One French precept my mother taught me is “souci de soi” (care for oneself). Where in Paris do you go for yours?
In Paris I go to any number of places, whether it's the Yves Rocher boutique/salon down the street or a more high-end salon on the other side of the Seine. I don't have an allegiance to any one specific place.

It’s generally accepted that Americans should take pages from a French girl’s book—but what do you think French girls could stand to learn from their American counterparts?
I think French girls could benefit from learning about American-style sisterhood—not in the feminist sense of the word, but in the social sense. French women are generally far more distant than American women and harder to get to know. What they perceive as superficial bonding is often a genuine sense of connection that many American women feel among one another.

We all agree that the specific look of French girls is very personal. Which Parisian boutiques do you yourself visit?
I've lived in the 19th Arrondissement for over 10 years, so I go to local boutiques or to places in the Marais, like Bensimon, and other shops on/around the rue des Francs-Bourgeois. I rarely shop in the left bank; in Paris you discover the best boutiques in the most unlikely places—even in open markets.

Each of us has at least one French foodie weakness (foie gras and tartelette aux framboises in my case). What’s your petit péché mignon (guilty pleasure), and where do you find it?
My foodie weakness is definitely bread. (Though I'm with you on the foie gras—second on my list!) Our apartment is a stone's throw from Boulangerie au 140, which won the Best Baguette award many years ago. Well earned—trust me!

What does your favorite day in Paris consist of?
My favorite day in Paris usually involves a walk through the Marais or the Place des Vosges, a visit to an offbeat museum (like the curious Musée de la Serrure* or some other unusual place) and a stop at either a flea market or a farmer’s market. Of course, part of a “favorite day” in Paris also involves the unexpected: stumbling on a little gallery or shop I’ve never known about, or having a chance encounter with a shopkeeper.

Describe what you love about Paris and what it means to you.
Paris is culture—both high culture and bohemian culture. For me, it is where the intellectual and the aesthetic come together and are truly exalted. It’s also a nexus of sophistication and authenticity. I love this about Paris, but I also love the way the modern lies on top of the ancient, how despite progress there is still the patina of age and history to all things.

What’s your favorite French saying?
“Pourquoi pas?”

If there were one thing in Paris you'd tell your best girlfriend not to miss, what would it be?
Any farmer’s market. Any flea market. Any museum.

*Sadly, we’ve heard that the Musée de la Serrure is closed, and we haven’t been able to find out if it will reopen in the future. If you have news on this subject, please contact us!

By Doni Belau

Maeggie Mailliet is a 30-year resident of Montmartre and a friend. She was born and raised in Switzerland but now considers herself a Parisian (almost). To me, she is the quintessential Parisian woman, an ideal I strive for. Charming, elegant, fashionable and very, very kind—oh, and did I mention generous? I often rent her apartment, Villa Montmartre in Montmartre (bien sûr), and highly recommend it to friends and fans of our site. She is truly one of the loveliest women I’ve met in years. She has spectacular taste, not to mention that unique Parisian quality of always looking chic without having a huge closetful of clothes. She spent her life in the hotel and hospitality field and remains a great source for everything in Paris. She even brought me soup once when I caught a cold (probably from the airplane) while staying at her place. Now that’s pretty sweet. She recently has been delighted by the birth of her first granddaughter.

You were in the hotel and hospitality business for most of your career. Tell us what you loved and what you didn’t like about the business.
I have worked in the hotel and hospitality business in many different areas. I worked for Swissair as a flight attendant during the great time of aviation and felt at home in New York and Chicago—as well as horseback riding with the gauchos in Argentina, surfing and nearly dying in the waves of Copacabana, driving a friend's old American Army Jeep in Senegal’s sands and looking for elephants and rhinos in Kenya. After moving from Switzerland to Paris I worked more than 10 years for Club Med’s president. Next I created, with my husband, a very important sports and hotel complex on the outskirts of Paris, an innovative project. After 10 years that place was taken over by a large company; then I joined the hotel reservation organization for the World Cup in Paris. My job in the last years was the opening and press launch of the Sofitel flagship at the Faubourg St.-Honoré, where I was working with all the international branches of the group and most of the luxury brands of the world.

Can you give us any funny/odd/interesting stories of guests who stayed at your hotel? Any outlandish requests?
When I offered a famous pop star a copy of the original “manuscript” written by Mozart of Don Giovanni and he said to me: “He was great musician . . . ”

Describe where you grew up and how you found your way to Paris.
I was already dreaming as a child to escape Switzerland and left at age 18 for six months to learn better French at the Alliance Française. After traveling all around the world I met a charming French man who gave me the opportunity to come back to Paris, where I got married and had two children.

What was it like raising children in Paris?
It was really fabulous to raise children in Montmartre, living in Villa des Platanes with a private garden. The children had a wonderful childhood with lot of friends, completely free to come and go, with the schools nearby.

You now rent out one of your apartments to weekly travelers. Where do most of your clients come from, and what do they enjoy about staying with you? Have you met some interesting visitors?
Most of my guests are from North America and quite a few from Australia. Most are very interesting people (university professors, famous photographers, even an ex-minister), loving and enjoying Paris. Almost all are very surprised when they arrive in the apartment and appreciate very much the decoration and the exceptionally quiet and very private location.

You have lived in Montmartre for a long time. Is it different from other areas of Paris? What do you love about the neighborhood?
Montmartre is still a village. I can never just go and get something without running into two or three neighbors that I know. I live on a private property in the middle of trees and flowers with singing birds, yet I am 10 minutes away from the heart of Paris—it’s a real privilege.

Describe your favorite day in Paris.
Meeting friends in a café or going to the Faubourg St.-Honoré to meet my friend Casoar, who sells the most beautiful costume jewelry. Crossing with my car between the Grand and Petit Palais during the day or night for the absolutely stunning view.

What are your favorite haunts (restos, shops, cultural experiences) in Montmartre?
In Montmartre I love the little bistros and the Italian restaurant around my place and La Mascotte, at rue des Abbesses, for the ambience. I like the Russian designer Tatiana Lebedev, who does absolutely great jackets and coats at rue Houdon.

As you are Swiss and neutral, how would you describe your French friends versus the American or British ones—what’s the most obvious difference?
It is difficult to say. After 30 years I am no longer Swiss and not completely French. I really like the melting pot of big cities and enjoy open-minded people.

If you had to leave Paris, what would you miss the most?
Everything. Montmartre and the church bells ringing.

Editor's Note: Maeggie’s apartment is rated very highly by users on Flip Key (TripAdvisor’s apartment site), but let’s keep it between you and me because I want to be able to stay there now and then!

By Doni Belau

Susan Tabak has everyone’s fantasy job. She has the pleasure of attending the fashion shows in Paris each season and is just back from the most recent one. Susan has a website where she catalogs all of her finds and her interviews with this season’s hottest designers. We do not feel sorry for her. While she may live most of the year in New York, her heart is in Paris. Her most recent visit to the Dior show on February 2 is a must-watch, and we also recommend this YSL video from her fall trip.

When did you start your blog and what inspired you to do it?
I started my blog in January 2007, shortly after my book, Chic in Paris: Style Secrets & Best Addresses, came out. My book was such a big success—I thought writing a blog would be a good way to keep my name out there.

When and how did you get into the world of fashion?
I have loved fashion all my life. I started [my business] Paris Personal Shopper in 2001. I have been shopping in Paris all my life—I thought I could do this for others, and after the success of my book I discontinued the shopping aspect of my business.

Please tell us a bit more about Chic in Paris. And where can we buy it?
My book is eight interviews with eight women who work in Paris, who had given me their personal style philosophies and their favorite addresses. It was written with the intention of promoting my shopping business. But in reality it took on a life of its own. You can buy it on Amazon and in Paris.

Who are your favorite designers—haute couture as well as up-and-coming Parisian designers?
Favorite HC would be Givenchy and Chanel. I love all fashion, but I adore Alexander McQueen, Lanvin, Azzedine Alaïa, Balmain and Pucci.

What does your favorite day consist of in Paris? Where are the places you must go, and what are the things you must do to make it the “perfect” day?
I really love to explore—every day is different, and I never repeat.

What is your current favorite restaurant in Paris, favorite hotel and favorite shop?
I stay at the Bristol. I have many restaurants that I like—Le Voltaire, Le Stresa, L’Avénue and La Société are a few. I have too many shops in Paris that I love, but I always stop at Colette and Lydia Courteille for jewelry.

Describe your current fashion find.
Pucci’s new designer, Peter Dundas, has changed the brand from dowdy to chic.

What is the one item that you must travel with?
I am a terrible packer. I pack a lot of clothes because I have so many different events.

Describe your first trip to Paris and what it meant to you.
My first trip to Paris was when I was 12, and I was instantly seduced.

Where would you guide a girl on a budget? Is there something free that you love to do in Paris?
I love to walk.

Read more of Susan’s chic shopping recommendations here, and check out her tips on hotel and resorts, too.

INFO

Azzedine Alaïa
7, rue de Moussy, in the 4th Arrondissement. 01 42 72 19 19.

Le Voltaire
27, quai Voltaire, in the 7th. 08 99 69 06 62. 

By Amy Barnard

Penelope Bagieu, a 26-year-old Parisian-born illustrator for such clients as Nestle, Crédit Agricole and EDF, has become a Paris name through her blog, which has led to three incredibly successful comic books: Ma Vie Est Toute à Fait Fascinante, Josephine and Josephine 2: Même Pas Mal.

When did you start your Penelope Jolicoeur blog, and why?
In February 2007, to make me draw for myself, outside of my work as an advertising illustrator.

I’ve heard the blog and your first comic book, Ma Vie Est Tout à Fait Fascinante, referred to as the parisienne answer to Bridget Jones. How does that make you feel?
It flattered me a lot, obviously! I adored the two novels by Helen Fielding and saw a lot of myself in them, so it’s great if girls also see themselves in what I write!

What does your favorite day consist of in Paris? Where are the two or three places you must go, and what are the two or three things you must do to make it the "perfect" day?
Drinking my coffee in Le Café de l’Industrie in my neighborhood in the morning with Le Monde newspaper; lunch in one of the little Japanese canteens, like Higuma, on the rue St.-Anne near the Palais Royal; doing a little shopping in the pretty boutiques on rue Charonne, especially French Trotters; a little jump to the Centre Pompidou; and finishing with a mojito at La Fourmi with my friends. That seems a really good "perfect day" to me!

Describe what you love about Paris and what it means to you.
The fact that it is at once both a big cosmopolitan city where you can find everything, and a succession of little districts that each have their own spirit and their regulars.

What is your favorite French saying?
It’s not a proverb, but what I generally respond to everything, because I don’t like losing my head: “On verra bien!”

What are the best free things to do in Paris, in your opinion?
Going tango dancing outside on the Quai St. Bernard in the evening (when it’s not too cold!).

Who is your own female French icon?
I’m not really sure. Probably Simone de Beauvoir.

Your blog depicts you as funky and fashion conscious with a bit of a "mod" angle. Where do you shop for your look?
Like everyone, lots of H&M and Zara, and lots at Asos and Urban Outfitters online! For the rest, I’m a die-hard fan of Sessùn; vintage shops like Adom, on rue de la Roquette, for boots; two or three good cashmeres from Eric Bompard to be really warm; and accessories bought from kids’ stores.

PENELOPE RECOMMENDS

Adom
56, rue de la Roquette, in the 11th Arrondissement.
Metro: Breguet-Sabin. 01 48 07 15 94.
Mon–Sat, 11 a.m.–7 p.m.

Le Café de l’Industrie
16, rue St.-Sabin, in the 11th. 01 47 00 13 53.
Mon–Sat, 9 a.m.–6 p.m.

La Fourmi
74, rue des Martyrs, in the 18th.
Metro: Pigalle. 01 42 64 70 35.

Higuma
32, rue St.-Anne, in the 1st.
Metro: Pyramides. 01 47 03 38 59.

Quai St. Bernard
Square Tino Rossi, in the 5th.
Metro: Gare d’Austerlitz; Buses: 24, 63, 89.
Every evening from May to September, sunset till midnight.

By Cynthia Rose

Courtesy Mireille Guiliano.

Mireille Guiliano’s life has been devoted to representing both French women and French luxury. Marriage to a US CEO (of the New York Institute of Technology) brought her from Paris to New York. There she helped found Clicquot, Inc., the US importer of Veuve Clicquot champagne; she also became a senior executive at luxury conglomerate LVMH. Her work life has always combined high pressure and continuous travel.

In 2005, however, she found time to write French Women Don't Get Fat, a book that achieved record international sales. When its follow-up, French Women for All Seasons, proved just as popular, Guiliano retired from decades of corporate life and became a full-time author. In October she published Women, Work and the Art of Savoir Faire, and April will see the first French Women Don’t Get Fat Cookbook. Mme Guiliano splits her time between Paris, Provence and Manhattan.

What inspired your latest book?
In terms of mentoring and shared experience, there is a paucity of business books by women for women—I mean everything from packing a suitcase to making a presentation! Whenever I spoke about other books, many women wanted to know more about my professional life, and they encouraged me to answer with a book. Finally I agreed: a “holistic” book on women and work could reach a broad audience and, hopefully, help some women. All of my books are designed to help people.

Was it easier to understand “home”—Paris, France and Europe—because you began working elsewhere?
Definitely. Only when living in another culture does one appreciate the good and bad parts of any culture. Furthermore, it made me realize the fundamental differences between French and American culture. I became more tolerant and less judgmental of others.

What difference does the Internet make in your work?
Men and women from all over the world contact me every day; I never expected to touch so many different lives! Also, websites give me an opportunity to engage with people daily, to observe both their struggles and accomplishments. This helps pinpoint the type of advice and content people look for to improve their lives. It’s due to overwhelming requests, for instance, that I wrote my upcoming cookbook!

You travel constantly. What helps you cope?
I fly at off-peak hours and, since I’ve seen my share of lost luggage ruin a relaxing trip, I never check luggage. Instead, I will FedEx or DHL clothes to my destination. I love Issey Miyake clothes, which fold into the size of a handkerchief, never wrinkle and can be washed and dried in no time. I always bring a cashmere wrap and my iPod—my husband put my favorite music on it, as well as my Italian lessons. Most important, I never eat on the plane. I bring nuts, dried fruits or a banana and maybe some hard cheese. When I arrive, I reward myself with a nice meal.

Courtesy Mireille Guiliano.

When you arrive in Paris, what cultural difference strikes you first?
The change of pace! The time and importance given to greetings and small talk—no matter how busy people are or how long the line is. People walking or biking to work and taking time to go out for lunch and eat at a table. Plus, the importance of conversation and laughter.

Let’s imagine a businesswoman (of any age) is headed to Paris, treating herself to a short vacation. Where do you suggest she stay?
The 6th Arrondissement has the features for my taste—that’s where I chose to live, near St. Sulpice. There are also great small hotels there, like Relais Christine, La Villa, Le Sénat, Le Relais Saint-Sulpice and Millésime.

What things should she be sure to see?
Small museums like the Musée Delacroix or the Musée Zadkine. My favorite bookstore, the Librairie des Femmes. The view from the Pont Neuf and the Luxembourg Gardens—especially near the Fontaine de Médicis or farther up, near rue Vavin.

Where would you tell her to shop?
In the boutiques along rue Jacob, rue Bonaparte and rue de la Cherche-Midi. She should try the treats at patisserie Gérard Mulot or the chocolate at Patrick Roger. There is a great Thai spa on the rue de Vaugirard. There are the great cafés, like Café de Flore and, for restaurants, she has great choices: from Hélène Darroze to La Marlotte, Huîtrerie Régis to Le Bistrot de l’Alycastre to KGB.

What about the day it rains all day?
Go and see a film. There is the Christine, for old movies—or, for current ones, any of the three theatres near Odeon. Or go to the most beautiful bookstore in Paris, Galignani; half of their 50,000 books are in English. Afterward, have tea next door at the splendid Starck-Dali salon of Le Meurice hotel. Plus, of course, it does not rain in department stores, such as Le Bon Marché!

What unique souvenir might a professional woman discover?
Scarves and belts—or interesting vintage and modern jewelry. Rue Bonaparte has nice shops, as does Le Marais. There I particularly like rue du roi de Sicile. Also the small streets around the Place des Vosges and up-and-coming areas on rue Charlot, rue Poitevin and rue de Turenne.

Courtesy Mireille Guiliano.

What gifts might she bring her husband, her sister or a friend?
I recommend ties, necklaces and food (from olive oil to chocolates), as well as leather items from wallets to bags. My foreign friends enjoy going to a smaller department store where the French go—like BHV on rue de Rivoli—more than the huge, touristy brand-carriers such as Galeries Lafayette and Printemps.

If you designed a day for introducing Paris to a visitor, how would it unfold?
I’d start with a typical breakfast (croissant and a crème) at an outdoor café on a quiet street, reading a paper. Then walk to a garden (after the Luxembourg, those of the Palais Royal and the Tuileries are ones I love). Wander the small streets in a left bank neighborhood, go to la Cour du Murier (the courtyard inside the Beaux-Arts school ENSBA) and to Musée Cluny.

Lunch would be the main meal. I would pick l’Atelier, which to me offers the best value in Paris for a terrific culinary experience. But it’s expensive, so figure $50 to $100 per person. For less, try a small bistro where the French eat home-style meals—the few on rue Lobineau come to mind. In the evening, see a ballet or attend a concert at Sainte Chapelle. Dine light afterward (read: seafood) in a brasserie.

I would not include any touristy shopping or sightseeing; crowds ruin things for me. But definitely include a walk along the Seine—if it’s sunny, in late afternoon, when the light and colors are magical.

If Paris were one film, one piece of music or one image for you, what would it be?
Paris is the city of lights and history, so anything from a biography of Madame Curie or Jeanne d’Arc to a daffy comedy. The music would be Offenbach’s La Vie parisienne and the photo would be Amoureux aux poireaux (Lovers with Leeks), by Robert Doisneau.

You advise drinking as much water as possible, but toilets are hard to find in Paris! Also, is it true one should never ask to use the toilet at a French dinner party?
When I was growing up, both were true. There was no asking for a WC at a party—and too few public toilets! But “an American” would be excused for asking to use the toilet in a home. As for public restrooms, there has always been a tradition of searching department stores, hotels and cafés. France also now has quite a few modern, high-tech sanisettes (public WCs) on the streets. In terms of that convenience, it probably went from last to first in the world!

Find out more about Mireille’s projects, web community and recommendations at her sites: Mireille Guiliano and French Women Don’t Get Fat.

By Cynthia Rose

© Jerry Bauer

Of all the writers trying to decode Parisian women, few succeed with the insight of journalist Agnès Catherine Poirier. Brought up in Paris’s 12th Arrondissement, Poirier studied at the Sorbonne and Sciences-Po as well as at the London School of Economics. Her first book, Les Nouveaux Anglais, caused a sensation—one echoed by the publication, in English, of Touché, a book about how it feels to be a parisienne outside of France. The books earned Poirier her place as UK correspondent for Libération, Le Figaro, Le Nouvel Observateur and Le Monde and made her a prominent media spokesperson for French womankind. Working between London, Paris and Italy, she contributes to many newspapers, including the Guardian (where her blog has become one of the paper’s most popular). Poirier’s website features selections from her writing and broadcasting, along with information on how to order her books.

How did you begin to write professionally?
I wrote my first article at age 22 for Le Monde—after I called the switchboard and asked to talk to the editor. I pitched a story, he liked it and the day after that it was published.

Why are you based in London rather than Paris?
In May 1995, when Chirac was elected president, the romantic student in me claimed I had no choice but political exile. The problem is, he was reelected in 2007, and then came even worse: Nicolas Sarkozy. Am I condemned to life in exile? Even Victor Hugo came back!

How do you explain very different cultures to one another?
You can only understand home once you have left and stayed away long enough. After 14 years, I now know what makes me so French. It’s the reflection of your own image in strangers’ eyes that is the trigger for self-understanding. To explain one’s culture, humor, self-criticism and lightness are all important. But the most important thing is knowledge of what makes us different. For instance, historical facts—the central event of the French Revolution still explains 90 percent of French attitudes today.

When you return to Paris, what is most apparent to you?
I’m struck by the fact that the French don’t realize how happy they are and how easy they have it. Even though Sarkozy is trying to undo the fabric of France and will succeed, little by little, if he’s not stopped.

What are your most treasured Parisian activities and places?
Walking everywhere and cycling. Cafés such as Panis on the quai de Montebello, Le Petit Fer à Cheval on rue Vieille-du-Temple, Le Bûcheron on the rue de Rivoli at St. Paul, Chez Prosper at the Place de la Nation or l'Abribus on rue de Bagnolet. Visiting Père Lachaise. Reading on a reclining chair at the Luxembourg Gardens, or seeing an old film in Latin Quarter cinemas like l’Arlequin, the Action Cinemas or Le Champo. Bread from Kayser on rue Monge and chocolate from Patrick Roger on boulevard St.-Germain. A trip to the Louvre. Really, just flâner (to go for a stroll).

As a native of Paris, what do you value most about the city?
What I like about Paris is its immanence; things change and they don’t. You can still go to bistros Stefan Zweig visited during the 1890s, around places such as Palais Royal, the rue Dauphine or the rue du Pot de Fer in Mouffetard. The alliance of grandeur and the quotidian is at every corner. Adam Gopnik in Paris to the Moon has written beautiful and enlightening pages about it.

What is one thing in Paris that is underpublicized but should not be missed?
The Cimétière de Picpus, where Lafayette is buried. It hasn’t changed since the 1790s.

Much has been written about the fashion preferences of parisiennes versus those of other women. What do you think? Where do you shop?
La parisienne is less adventurous than the Londoner in the sense that she will adopt black rather than a patchwork of odd colors (which can prove sublime or ridiculous). But she knows what suits her; she creates her own style. Londoners and New Yorkers are much more prone to the diktats of women's magazines. I buy my clothes vintage at the Paris flea markets: the marchés aux puces at Vanves, Montreuil and St.-Ouen. Also in Antwerp (designers' prototypes) and Italy.

Do you have a favorite French dictum?
"Quand le vin est tiré, il faut le boire" (When the wine is drawn, it must be drunk).

What artists inspired you when you were young?
Off the top of my head, Victor Hugo, Jean Moulin, Françoise Sagan, Graham Greene and Orson Welles—and I have been in love with Gene Kelly since I was six years old.

When you travel so much for work, what tricks help you navigate the change between countries and cultures?
Everywhere I go, I re-create a routine, finding a café where I’ll go every morning, where people will recognize me year after year.

How does your Paris differ from your mother’s Paris? In what ways do you feel they are still the same?
My mother, a wonderful playwright and novelist, arrived in the mid-1950s. Paris was dark and dirty, a traffic inferno—but also an incredible intellectual hub. This has changed. Paris now is cleaner, more subdued and greener, too. We gain some, we lose some. I only wish Parisians would reclaim their revolutionary heritage and get rid of Sarkozy with their bare hands!

By Amy Barnard

Gilles Rammant

Juliette Dragon is the sobriquet of the creative director of the Cabaret des Filles de Joie, an avant-garde burlesque troupe enjoying much popularity in Paris. Not content with straight burlesque, Juliette and her filles incorporate live fire acts and more than just a little soupçon of feisty rock-and-roll attitude. Juliette recently produced the International Paris Burlesque Festival, which took place in October.

When did your begin your current career and who/what was your inspiration?
I started working in the performance industry in 1993 with a queer cabaret collective in the South of France. We organized rave parties in the countryside with huge installations in the trees, and everybody dressed to the nines with glitter, over-the-top makeup and colorful, outrageously dramatic costumes! Sabrina was the eccentric, talented and famous drag queen who was a mentor to us all. She taught me to make up and transform myself. While the men transformed into women, I transformed from girl into “femme.”

So I started as a transformist girl playing all the woman roles. This subject fascinates me still: woman and her power of seduction, the codes of the almighty female (eternel feminin), the embodiment of femininity and, indeed, the gender question—what is femininity?

I appreciate great icons such as Bettie Page, Rita Hayworth, Marilyn Monroe, Poison Ivy and even the Virgin Mary (so sexy!).

What does your favorite day consist of in Paris? Where are the two or three places you must go to make it the perfect day?
My perfect day happens regularly! It starts at 8 a.m. I wake up for a freshly squeezed grapefruit juice, go for a run (a gentle half-hour jog), participate in the daily free 9 a.m. qigong class in the Parc des Buttes Chaumont, take a quick shower and am fresh and ready to start work in the Cabaret des Filles de Joie production office at 10:30 a.m. I work with the other girls in the company—booking gigs, organizing the next productions and cabarets, planning the École des Filles de Joie, etc. At 2:30 we’re famished, so it’s a trip downstairs to an Asian restaurant, often Le Rouleau de Printemps (The Spring Roll). Belleville, the area where I live and work (in the 19th Arrondissement) is the Chinatown of Paris and also very multicultural—my favorite part of Paris! Over lunch we discuss the new projects and take notes. We then have a quick strong coffee at one of our favorite Kabyle (Algerian) bars—Folies or Zorba. This puts us in form for rehearsal! We learn new choreographies, work on our performances and look at costumes for upcoming shows. A few hours later I leave the girls to it and dash out to a business meeting—and, since we are talking about my favorite day, I sell a huge show or am offered an international tour with great conditions for the cabaret. To celebrate, I hook back up with the girls and we are joined by other friends and our lovers at a bar such as the Cantine de Belleville, where there is a basement with free concerts (often our musician friends); we have drinks, dance and laugh. We stay out and suddenly realize we have had so much fun we have forgotten to eat! Dinner is late—at 1 a.m. at Dalaat, a large Vietnamese-owned restaurant right next to the Belleville metro. We stroll home chatting. It is 2:30 a.m. and the day starts again tomorrow at 8!

Describe what you love about Paris and what it means to you.
I love the architecture of Paris. This city dates back to the Romans, so there are nearly 2,000 years of history beneath our feet and around us. No matter where I go in Paris, I find beauty: the magnificent buildings when crossing the Seine, the panoramic view of Paris and the Eiffel Tower from above the Parc de Belleville, La Tour St. Jacques, Le Marais and its tiny towers (fairy-tale-princess towers!) from the Middle Ages . . . I think beauty is a form of energy, and seeing these beautiful objects gives me energy.

I like to think that with the Cabaret des Filles de Joie I am reviving an important history and tradition of Paris—and not just like a museum, but something that is alive and relevant and vibrant, for both locals and tourists. I love mixing tradition and rock-and-roll and thinking that I am creating a page of Paris for the present and for the future.

What is your favorite French saying?
“Voulez vous coucher avec moi ce soir?” ;)

Who are you listening to and reading right now?
I am listening to the musical bubbles of a thick vegetable soup I am making for myself and the girls at the Palais Mascotte in Geneva, where we have five-week residency (it’s Monday, our night off). I am reading Histoire et sociologie du strip tease, by Jean Charvil. It is brilliant—it was published in the ’60s, and I have been looking for it for 17 years! Ironically, I finally found it at the burlesque bazaar at the Paris Burlesque Festival in October!

JULIETTE RECOMMENDS

Parc des Buttes Chaumont
Rue Botzaris, rue Manin and rue de Crimée, in the 19th.

Aux Folies Belleville
8, rue de Belleville, in the 20th. 01 46 36 65 98.

Zorba
137, blvd Faubourg du Temple, in the 10th.

Cantine de Belleville
108, blvd de Belleville, in the 20th. 01 43 15 99 29.

Parc de Belleville
47, rue des Couronnes, in the 20th.

La Tour St. Jacques
Rue de Rivoli, near blvd de Sébastopol, in the 4th.

For more information on Juliette Dragon and the Cabaret des Filles de Joie, as well as the École des Filles de Joie, click here.

By Doni Belau

Yasmine Tarasewicz has been described to me, by a friend who knows her well, as the quintessential chic Parisian woman—plus, she’s a high-powered attorney and partner at Proskauer in Paris. Oh, and did I mention that her two homes have been profiled in decor magazines? One home is in Paris, the other on the Île de Ré, the Hamptons of France. She is charming, smart, has spectacular taste and is killer in the courtroom. We are terribly impressed.

How long have you been a labor lawyer, and what led you into the field? What has been your most interesting case to date?
I have been a labor lawyer for more than 20 years now (but of course I started very young!) and chose this area of law because it deals with the human component. I have been working on three very difficult cases related to suicides of managers from Renault: the families contend that working conditions and a high level of stress were responsible for their deaths. Finding the right tone in court to respect the families’ pain but to explain that the company was not responsible for the death was one of the most challenging exercises I have ever done. In addition, we had the honor of TV and press presence, which was not making it the easiest case.

When do you find Paris friendliest and most lovable?
No doubt in early spring when the days start to become longer, the temperature higher. The Parisians go back outside to drink a coffee on the terrasses with something shining in their eyes.

In your everyday life in Paris, what do you enjoy most? How do you unwind and relax?
Walking from my apartment to the office—five minutes of pure window shopping, as I live at the corner of rue d'Anjou and Faubourg St. Honoré and work at the corner of rue Cambon . . . from Roger Vivier to Chanel! I am a member of the Payot Spa and go there almost every day for a swim or other cardio training activity. I am also addicted to the massages at Anne Fontaine's shop on the rue St. Honoré (ask for Soraya). And then when the pressure gets too high we escape to our second house in Île de Ré.

What is your favorite area in Paris and why?
I am a right bank person . . . everything between l'Elysée and Palais Royal. Don't ask me why, but it's the most charming place for me, and you can do everything by walking.

For you, what things make up "a perfect Parisian day"?
A (long) walk from home to Le Bon Marché through Le Jardin des Tuileries, past the Musée d'Orsay, down the boulevard St.-Germain, over to the rue du Bac—doing some shopping there, especially in La Grande Épicerie for gourmet groceries. A quick lunch at Le Ruc (especially during Fashion Week or Paris Photo . . . everyone who counts is there, more or less!), a good exhibition at BNF, which is now a center for photo exhibitions, a drink at the Ritz. Dinner at home with some friends and maybe then a good rock concert at the Olympia.

What is your favorite place in Paris for culture?
I have always loved the Musée d'Orsay, even when it was not a museum but an ugly dark big thing in the middle of Paris. My other favorite is Les Jardins du Palais Royal.

Which store would you hate to live without?
Le BHV, for its do-it-yourself floor. I am fond of decoration and could spend easily a whole day there.

What cafés or hangouts are special to you?
I love the terrasse at Café de Marly on a summer night.

Do you have a favorite recipe you can share with us?
You'd better ask our cook—she did a wonderful pot-au-feu for eight on Saturday!

As a parent, what in Paris do you most like to share with your children?
I am a stepmother of two teenagers, and what I like most is sharing Sunday lunch on the terrasse at Georges on the top of Beaubourg.

Do you have a favorite saying?
I am a believer in “Carpe diem.”

In your apartment, which item do you treasure the most?
A bunch of rock-and-roll photos, especially a diptych of Keith Richards and Mick by Mark Seliger.

If a woman visiting Paris asked you to name one thing she must see, what would you say?
La place de la Concorde empty on a Sunday morning.

If Paris were a song, a movie, a painting or a work of art, it would be . . . what?
À bout de souffle, by Jean-Luc Godard, and also the song by Jeanne Moreau in Jules et Jim: "J'ai la mémoire qui flanche.”

By Jill Brooke

When you meet Catherine Deneuve, there is a moment of silence, a stunned awe as you absorb her alluring beauty that simultaneously is so perfect and so mysterious. I was interviewing her for a newspaper and she greeted me with a practiced smile. To shake things up, I offered to speak in French instead of English.

The actress clearly likes surprises. Very few Americans, she said, her eyebrow arching with intrigue, ever speak French. “Mais oui, je parle français,” I replied.

“Non,” she said, flicking her hand nonchalantly, “let’s speak in English.”

Pouring some tea, she offered me a cup along with a biscuit. Observing my hesitation, she said, “When you get older, you have to make a choice. If you lose too much weight, your face gets too thin. You either worry about ze hips or ze face."

Clearly, ze face is très important.

Dressed in Yves St. Laurent, Deneuve sipped her tea as we discussed her films and favorite quotes. Is it true that she thinks love is overrated?

“Love is suffering. One side always loves more.”

Well, what love never disappointed?

“Paris. It’s so special and there is no city like it in the world.”

And what else?

“Nature.”

Hmm. Human nature? Or nature as in the pink sunsets on the Seine or the golden sunrises touching the cerulean St. Tropez sea? Naturellement, Madame Deneuve—who has cryptically pointed out in interviews that her gift is not telling everything, because an actress must “express a lot of things, a lot of action without speaking”—was staying on script. Ah, I thought, mystery leaves you wanting more. The finesse of when to hold on and when to let go, that tug, was permeating the interview. I think she appreciated my restraint, and perhaps this was why she shared some bons mots and advice after I asked her the following question.

What do you think is the difference between American and French women?

“In New York, women feel guilty if they’re not working on some project,” she said, shaking her head with obvious disapproval. “I have never felt guilty for spending an afternoon in my garden with friends having tea.”

In fact, Deneuve, the mother of two adult children, works only a few months a year, something she considers both a privilege and a necessity.

“I’ve always been able to decide what was more important at different points in my life,” she said. “But I never gave up personal things to work, never.”

Quelle bon avis.

Check out this Huffington Post story on the best Catherine Deneuve movies, by our friend John Farr.

By Amy Barnard

Helena Frith Powell is the author of the witty and engaging Two Lipsticks and a Lover (published in the US as How to Be Impossibly French). Powell spent seven years in France observing just what makes French women so, well, French, and shared it with the rest of us via her French Mistress column for the Sunday Times. For more info on Helena, her books and columns, visit her blog.

I’m planning some serious shopping today. Where do I fortify myself first?
Have a coffee at Les Deux Magots. (6, Place St.-Germain des Prés, in the 6th Arrondissement; 01 45 48 55 25). This is where Sartre and de Beauvoir came every day to write and discuss. It was also a favorite of Hemingway’s. Now you’re more likely to spot fashionistas like Karl Lagerfeld among the American tourists. If it is a sunny day, try to grab a seat outside so you can watch all the Parisians wandering about.

Hmm. They do look good. I’d better get started.
If you’re going to shop like a French woman, the first thing you need to think about is underwear. St.-Germain is also home to Sabbia Rosa (73, rue des Sts.-Pères, in the 6th; 01 45 48 88 37). Sabbia opened her shop in the 1970s, when French women were burning bras as opposed to buying them. Her shop is gorgeous, as is her underwear—mainly silk slips and French knickers—but it’s expensive. You’ll pay around 350 euros for a slip.

There are cheaper underwear options in Paris. For example, head just down the road to Princesse Tam Tam (52, blvd St.-Michel; 01 42 34 99 31). Here you can pick up several ensembles for the price of one of Sabbia’s slips. The underwear is good quality and trendy. If it’s choice you’re after, you need to go to the Galeries Lafayette (40, blvd Haussmann, in the 9th; 01 42 82 30 25). This is home to the biggest underwear space in Europe. You’ll find everything from their own brand (very reasonably priced) to designers like Chantal Thomass, where a set of bra and knickers will cost you around 200 euros. While you’re on the boulevard Haussmann, head to one of Paris’s other great department stores, Printemps, at number 64.

Armed with silk self-confidence boosters and suspenders (Et pourquoi pas?), I need some outer layers . . .
If you’re looking to spend some serious dosh, walk over the bridge to the 1st. Even if you’re just going to have a look, you must check out Hermès (24, rue du Faubourg-St.-Honoré, in the 8th; 01 40 17 46 00). It is truly amazing, and just about the most Parisian place you can go. Also a must-see is the new LVMH store on the Champs-Elysées (101, ave des Champs-Elysées, in the 8th). When I went there, about three weeks after it opened, there was a half-hour queue to get in. Once in, you have a choice of horribly overpriced and fairly naff Louis Vuitton [designs], but just the building makes it worth the visit.

Just up the road on the rue Cambon, you can visit the equally hallowed ground of Chanel (29, rue Cambon, in the 1st; 01 42 86 28 00). This is where Coco Chanel—still known as Mademoiselle by the people who work there—started out in 1910. The shop is stunning, and if you can scam a visit to the haute couture showroom, do. But be warned, a suit there starts at 20,000 euros. Downstairs in the prêt-à-porter they are slightly less, but you won’t get much change out of 2,000 euros.

If only! Are there other designers for the more budget-bound?
Staying with French designers, you can head to Agnès B (6, rue du Jour, in the 1st; 01 45 08 56 56). Her clothes won’t cost you a fortune—tops start at around 60 euros and trousers at 90 euros. Her style is classic and wearable; her preferred fabrics, cotton, merino wool and silk. In the same arrondissement, you can go for a bit of vintage style at Didier Ludot (125, Galerie de Valois, in the 1st; 01 40 15 01 04). Not cheap, but some amazing pieces—for example, 1920s Chanel.

Head back to St.-Germain, where there is plenty of choice. For those of you with a baggy jumper fetish, try Blanc Bleu (28, rue Bonaparte, in the 6th). They have lovely sporty but stylish clothes. A jumper will cost around 150 euros and a pair of trousers around 90 euros.

While you’re still in St.-Germain, check out Maje (48, rue du Four). It is trendy, fun and reasonably priced. A top will cost you 45 euros, Bermuda trousers 85 euros, and dresses start at 99 euros. Close by you have Bijoux Burma (26, rue du Four), a great place to stock up on costume jewelry. It’s not cheap, though; bracelets start at 200 euros and rings at 150 euros. If you’re looking for a cheaper option, head to nearby Monoprix (136, rue de Rennes; 01 49 54 30 00), where you can buy great jewels for the price of a coffee.

Any tips for shoe fetishists?
For shoes head to Roger Vivier (29, rue du Faubourg-St.-Honoré, in the 8th; 01 53 43 00 00). You might even catch sight of former supermodel and Lagerfeld muse Inès de la Fressange, who now runs Vivier. The shop sells signature vintage models as well as new designs. If you’ve never heard of Roger Vivier, imagine a Manolo Blahnik from the 1920s. They start at about 250 euros. A cheaper option is Lobato (6, rue Malher, in the 4th; 01 48 87 68 14). This boutique is run by the charming Miguel Lobato and sells accessories by a variety of designers. Here you can stock up on shoes by Rodolphe Menudier and Michel Vivien, bags by Jamin Puech and beaded bracelets by Azuni. It’s not a steal, but the stuff is good quality.

This is hard work. I think I need to unwind.
The trendy place the locals go to for a gorgeous treatment is the Doux Me beauty room at Spa Hôtel Costes (239, rue St.-Honoré, in the 1st; 01 43 26 34 67). Run by the lovely Caroline, Doux Me offers treatments including massages, facials and wraps. She uses all her own natural products, but she’s not the cheapest option. An hour-and-a-half facial will cost you 100 euros, but this includes a full back, arms, neck and scalp massage along with a consultation, tea and relaxation.

If you happen to be in St.-Germain, pop into Les Thermes St.-Germain (5, Passage de la Petite-Boucherie; 01 56 81 31 11). It is even open on Sundays (very unusual for Paris). An hour-and-a-half exfoliating and massage treatment will cost you 65 euros.

For something a little more unusual, head to Liz Hurley’s favorite masseur in Paris, John Odel, at the Ritz Health Club (15, Place Vendôme, in the 1st; 01 43 16 30 60). He offers a Kiradjee massage, inspired by his roots in Australia. It is one of the most luxurious experiences you can have—all rose petals and candles. The masseur works on your stress points to relax your whole body. It costs 150 euros for an hour and a half.

Any other little secrets?
If you want to visit a traditional French pharmacy, you should pop into the Selas Pharmacie de l’Epoque (49, rue du Four, in the 6th; 01 45 48 53 58). This is such a lovely place, with antique wooden counters and lovely staff. Last time I was there I had a streaming cold and they gave me drugs as well as water to wash them down. Old-fashioned service in old-fashioned surroundings.

Every French woman I’ve met has perfect nails. How do they do it?
If you’re a French woman, you will of course need to have perfectly manicured nails (feet and hands) before you go anywhere. In the 15th the place to visit for perfect feet is Isabelle Perruquetti (94, ave Émile Zola; 01 45 78 21 66). A 45-minute pedicure will cost you 28 euros. Another favorite among Parisians is Chez Alexandre (3, ave Matignon, in the 8th, just off the Champs-Elysées; 01 42 25 57 90). A normal manicure will cost you 28 euros and a French manicure 35 euros.

OK, so I’m gorgeous top to toe and dressed to kill—what now?
A great bar to meet people is Le Fumoir (6, rue de l’Amiral de Coligny, in the 1st. 01 42 92 00 24). It is across the road from the Louvre and is famous as a good after-work drinks spot. It also has a good restaurant.

Helena Frith Powell’s Two Lipsticks and a Lover is published by Gibson Square Books and is available from Amazon, along with her other titles, among them, To Hell in High Heels and More France Please, We’re British.

By Cynthia Rose

Fifi Mandirac.

Artist and quintessential Parisian Fifi Mandirac designs everything from origami papers and stationery to cards and cabas (shopping bags). This is one creator whose life was changed by the Internet. When she gave up professional graphic design to focus on papeterie, her website and blog made her a star. Fans across the world now commission wedding and birth announcements, enter her quirky competitions—and even pay virtual visits to her studio. In December Fifi will open an online store; below, she shares her thoughts about la vie parisienne.

When do you find Paris friendliest and most lovable?
On those first sunny days when we don’t know how but, within hours, people have all abandoned their coats and put on their summer clothes, with sandals! We rediscover both our city and the pleasures of wandering aimlessly with no goal other than to laze about on the café terraces.

In your everyday life, what do you enjoy most?
What I love is to take advantage of a rendezvous in any quartier I don’t know well, in order to nose about and make my own discoveries.

What is your favorite area and why?
I love the Marais. I did my studies there. It formed many of my habits, and many places there still draw me back—in particular, the Place du Marché Sainte Catherine.

Designs by Fifi.

Tell us a little about what inspires your designs.
I always loved to draw, create and imagine. What were at first the games of a child are now an adult business, but to me it's still the same. When inspiration grabs me, that’s the time I rouse myself to leave my studio and see the world—the corner of my street as much as the other side of the planet. I come home to the city, breathe its air again, and inspiration always returns.

You create with opposing things: paper and a computer. What has this changed for you?
I never thought it possible, but I am addicted to my computer! I have a Mac laptop that I lug around everywhere. My whole life is in it: my work, of course, but also my personal life (photos) and my hobbies (my music and my movies). Thanks to this, even in my studio I am connected both with my closest friends and with the furthest worlds. But I keep the tactile pleasures of paper. I adore the moment when my computer file comes to life, when it becomes a genuine object or a real card.

For you, what things make up "a perfect Parisian day”?
A perfect day inevitably starts with a good breakfast! After that, for me, everything is an improvisation. That’s actually what I love most about Paris: without even having to organize yourself ahead of time, there’s always something interesting to see or to do. There are so many secret gardens, so many museums, so many exhibits and cinemas.

Designs by Fifi.

Which of your little sins do you consider most Parisian?
The warm croissant that satisfies the munchies I always end up with when I have walked too long!

What is your favorite cultural spot?
The bookstore of the Beaubourg, the Centre Pompidou. I can spend hours there.

What cafés or hangouts are special to you?
I love to settle in on the terrace of Café Etienne Marcel just to watch the people passing by. I treat myself to Japanese at Azabu or superb French at Les Saveurs de Flora.

Which artists have most touched you?
I may be a graphic designer, but I have many more books about photography than about graphics. It’s a talent I don’t have but one I admire very much. I love equally the work of Jacques Henri Lartigue and that of Martin Parr. Also the poetry of the universe of Jacques Tati. Everything is so well constructed in his movies. These are not very avant-garde influences, but they are artists who have moved me for a long time.

As a mother, what in Paris do you most like to share with your daughter?
At almost three, she is still too small to take long walks. But I try to show her all the possibilities of this city. Already I've taken her to the cinema and to exhibitions tailored to her age. When she grows up, I know all the little tricks of Paris to teach her!

Do you have a favorite French proverb you share with her?
I prefer "Do what pleases you," and I hope she will follow that precept.

If a girl visiting Paris asked you to name one thing she must see, what would you say?
I would tell her real Parisians rarely visit the Eiffel Tower! She should lose herself in the streets, soak up the ambience, see beautiful buildings, go to cafés, to markets, to shops. One becomes much better acquainted with Montmartre by nosing around Marché St.-Pierre than by visiting Sacré-Coeur.

If Paris were a song, a movie, a painting or a work of art, what would it be?
A cliché, of course! I think straight away of Robert Doisneau’s photo Kiss by the Hôtel de Ville or of the movie Amélie.

FIFI RECOMMENDS

Centre Pompidou
Place Georges Pompidou, in the 4th Arrondissement. 01 44 78 12 33.
Open Wed–Mon, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Closed May 1.
Nocturnes, or night openings: Thurs until 11 (certain exhibitions only).

Café Etienne Marcel
34, rue Etienne Marcel, in the 2nd. 01 45 08 01 03.
Mon–Sat, open till midnight; Sun, till 11:15.

Azabu
3, rue André Mazet, in the 6th.
Mon–Sat, 12–2:30 p.m., plus 7:00–10:20 p.m. Tues and Sun. Closed Aug.

Les Saveurs de Flora
36, ave George V, in the 8th. 01 40 70 10 49.
Mon–Fri, lunch and dinner. Sat, dinner only. Closed Aug.

Marché St.-Pierre
2, rue Charles Nodier, in the 18th. 01 46 06 92 25.
Mon, 1:30–6:30 p.m.; Tues–Sat, 10:00 a.m.–6:30 p.m.