J’adore paris

Last week team Semple set off for Paris and today Editor Sophie reminisces on her time in a guide to the city that stole their hearts…

The Louvre

“The Louvre is a morgue; you go there to identify your friends.”  Jean Cocteau

Paris isn’t just all romantic strolls, fashion and good coffee, it is also a place to learn and enrich the mind. So seek out some history and spend hours meandering around Paris’ world famous Louvre museum. The Louvre pyramids had only ever existed as a fictional ‘Da Vinci Code’ figment of my imagination up until the moment we approached the building; a building whose grandeur was so overtly intimidating, it took my breath away if only for a second, before my eyes darted over the stoney exterior in architectural admiration. Having visited The Louvre both during the day and the evening I have come to see two sides to this historical monument; the busy tour guide of the day and the still eerily quiet teacher of the night.

De La Tour Eiffel

“I ought to be jealous of the tower. She is more famous than I am.”  Gustave Eiffel

I have seen her in pictures, in movies, read about her in books, but nothing quite prepared me to see her up close. Lit up in all her glory, her intricate steel structure reminding me of delicate lace cascading down an A-line silhouette. Her domineering presence is awe inspiring and I could have stared at her forever.

Lovers Lock

“You’ll have to fall in love at least once in your life, or Paris has failed to rub off on you.” E.A Bucchianeri

Paris is the city of love and no where is this more evident than Lovers Lock. The romantics among you should head to Pont de l’Archeveche to forever commemorate your love for one another. Scribe each others initials onto a padlock and throw the key into the river; a true grand romantic gesture of undying love. The bridge has been home to love locks since 2010 when locks mysteriously disappeared from Pont des Arts and the Passerelle Léopold-Sédar-Senghor. I recommend lovers lock just before sunset, when the lilac hued sky casts the most beautiful of shadows and the padlocks glint in the twilight.

Le Grand Corona

“Lunch kills half of Paris, supper the other half.” Charles de Montesquieu

When in Paris you must visit Le Grand Corona for dinner. Paris is full of fabulous eateries, from luxe pricey restaurants to fast food joints, so it can be a bit of a minefield deciding where to grab a bite to eat. But don’t let your hunger pangs dictate a slap dash decision that sees you grabbing a McDonalds; your in paris, make the most of it and seek out somwhere special. And special needn’t be expensive. Le Grand Corona offers parisian charm, fresh cuisine and wine you could drink forever, all at a fair price.

It was a fly in visit that saw us engage all of our senses – the sights, the smells, and the tastes of the city, we loved them all and though we may now be back in rainy london, no longer wandering the cobbled streets or strolling along the Seine, one thing is certain, we will always have Paris in our hearts.

So until we meet again, J’adore paris.

By Sophie Maguire, Editor