From the obsession with macarons to touristy things to do in Paris – this week’s La Belle Vie newsletter offers an essential starting point for eating, talking, drinking, and living like a local.
La Belle Vie is our regular look at the real culture of France – from language to cuisine, manners to films. This newsletter is published weekly and you can receive it directly to your inbox, by going to your newsletter preferences in “My account”.
Hello readers,
I was around 15 years old when my parents allowed me to do things with my friends in Paris on my own. I lived in the outskirts of the capital, only a 30-minute train ride away. When we were allowed to go out on Saturday afternoons, my friends and I would walk up and down the Champs-Elysées looking at the fancy stores, essentially just doing some good old lèche-vitrine. We would also go by the Abercrombie & Fitch store back when they had the shirtless models standing outside (what teenager wouldn’t stop and stare?)
But what I remember most, was walking by the macarons store La Durée. We would study all the different flavours and drool over the boxes of colourful pastries that they offered. The pastel green store became a fancy symbol to me, something aesthetically pleasing that everyone not living in France was dying to see (and taste!).
Macarons used to bore me, says French pâtisserie pioneer Pierre Hermé
In my small brain, I thought that no other macarons could taste as good as those from La Durée – but obviously that is not the case. Most patisseries across France offer these round goodies, and I must say that the best I’ve ever had came from a small bakery near my parents’ home in Brittany.
But whenever I walk by a La Durée, it brings me back to my teenage self, obsessed with anything that felt like Parisian chic. A few years ago, for one of my friends’ birthdays, I wanted to do something special. I took her to the café La Durée in the 6ème arrondissement. There we had floral tea and shared three macarons, sitting in big velvet chairs. The place is lovely and beautifully decorated.
Another food that I particularly find to be a French classic is the jambon-beurre sandwich (ham and cheese).
Humble jambon beurre sandwich rises up Parisian social standings
I was walking around the Marais in Paris recently and stumbled upon Caractère de Cochon – a sandwich shop specialising in all sorts of ham and good quality cheese. I decided to try it, as I had seen its praises on social media. I watched with my mouth watering as the man slathered a thick layer of butter on the fresh baguette and added so much comté and ham that the bread was hard to close.
The price ended up being a little more than I expected for such a simple sandwich, but after I took the first bite, it immediately reminded me of my childhood. My mom would sometimes pack my lunches with this kind of sandwich. For me, it’s become kind of like buttered noodles, my very own madeleine de Proust.
Again, many boulangeries always offer the classic jambon-beurre, and as long as the bread is good and fresh, you can never really go wrong.
One of my best friends came to visit me from Grenoble a few years ago and told me she wanted to do all the fun touristy Paris things. It was then that I found out that you could climb the Arc de Triomphe and benefit from an incredible view of Paris.
Be warned, however, the hike up is not so easy. You go up around 280 steps in a spiral staircase, but the view of the city once you get up there is worth the effort.
This is definitely one of the tourist attractions I didn’t immediately think about. But it’s such a great way to see all the monuments around and the beautiful Haussmannian buildings that surround the Arc.
11 things to know about France’s Arc de Triomphe
Another thing I absolutely love about France, and a favourite activity of mine in Paris, is sitting in the sun at a café terrace. I could spend hours there chatting with a friend, having any type of beverage and basking in the sun, and of course, people watch to see what everyone’s wearing, including the popular fashion trends.
And since the start of the month, all the extended terraces are back. You finally won’t have to fight anyone to grab a table in the sun!
