Atlantica - 01.12.2004, Page 25

As I walk down the cobbled square, past
a bustling terrace restaurant and into the
narrow medieval looking street, I realise
that in Paris time really does stand still.
Especially here in the Isle St Louis, in its
very oldest part: one of two islands in the
middle of the Seine bring a taste of 17th
century Paris, with their narrow streets
hiding a myriad of quaint shops, delicates-
sens and tea rooms. On weekends and
warm summer nights, locals join visitors
queuing for the best ice-cream in Paris at
Berthillon, while the square on the river’s
edge is the perfect setting for a Sunday
lunch, where one can observe the flame
throwers, musicians and other street art-
ists. This atmospheric neighbourhood is
also a perfect base if you intend to tour
Paris on foot: by far the best way to explore
this traffic-heavy city.
BEAUTIFUL FACES,
BEAUTIFUL BREEDING
Head left past the Isle de la Cité and
the ominous Parisian landmark, the gothic
Notre Dame Cathedral with its macabre
gargoyles beautifully restored to white.
Cross the bridge and you’re on the chic
left bank, the centre of of bohemianism
and existentialism in the glittering café
society of the post-war years. This is where
legendary writers and artists such as Jean-
Paul Sartre and Albert Camus discussed
the difficulties of life while imbibing wine
and coffee.
AT L A N T I C A 23
My favourite left bank haunt is the area
around the stunning St Sulpice Cathedral:
little streets with equally little names such
as rue du Four and rue du Jour. Dotted with
trendy if expensive shops like Agnes B,
Freelance and Et Vous, it’s full of the types
branded BCBG (beau geule, beau genre
which translates to beautiful face, beautiful
breeding). Incredibly stylish women, often
with a small dog as a fashion accessory, lei-
surely breeze along. Slightly further a field
is the smartest and the oldest department
store in the city: the Bon Marché, a lavish 19
the century building on the rue de Sevres. It
particularly prides itself on a trendy selec-
tion of men’s and women’s fashions and a
fabulous food hall called La Grande Epicerie.
Stack up on foie gras, French sausage and
vintage champagne and then stop for lunch
at Délicabar, a very cool eatery on the sec-
ond floor featuring Smartie-coloured chairs,
a gorgeous leafy garden and interesting
menu combinations.
HIP NEIGHBOURHOOD
The magical Marais is one of the few areas
left in Paris to feature pre-revolution build-
ings and offers golden stone mansions,
buzzing bars and trendy shops. A former
swamp (hence the name), it was trans-
formed in the 17th century by King Henri
IV when he built the beautiful de Vosges
square. The Marais is also synonymous with
two minority groups: gays and Jews, who
have both staked a claim on the arrondisse-
ment. The gay bars and restaurants on the
THE SUGARY SPIRES OF THE SACRE-COEUR CHURCH IN MONTMARTRE
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