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Sandra Gulland is the author of "The
Many Lives and Secret Sorrows of Josephine B." She was recently in Europe
researching her next novel and promises JW a report on Josephine's favored
health spa still in existence in France. Sandra writes...
Paris is a cosmos, it's a carnival,
it's a never-sleeping, never-ending comedy. I spent hours just watching
the street activities from my window. It's a city devoted to pleasure:
cafes and restaurants everywhere.
For me, it's the perfect city to
travel in alone. The nights are open to a woman in Paris: I found I could
walk and also ride the metro at night without feeling in the least bit
uncomfortable (in large part because the streets I walked on were always
bustling with activity). I came to love the metro, that world underground:
each station so unique, buskers everywhere, filling the tunnels and trains
with wonderful music (Once a jazz band even got on a train and began playing).
My Best Hotel!
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In Paris I love to stay at:
Hotel des 3 Colleges
16, rue Cujas
75005 Paris
Tel: 1 43 54 67 30
Fax: 011 33 1 46 34 02 99
Journey women can expect
a tiny perfect room and private bath, bright, fresh and nicely
designed, including a desk. Singles are 370 ff (approximately
$100 Cdn./$65 US )without a breakfast, but it can be ordered
separately. The neighborhood is great: a student district
(around the corner from the Sorbonne), a short walk to Luxembourg
Gardens (lovely for breakfast on a sunny morning), a block
from rue St. Michael. It's a good 5 minute walk to the metro
(but in Paris, who cares?). |
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Some Eating Spots Are More Fun Than
Others!
People are always shocked
when I tell them I eat ethnic food in Paris, but the fact is,
Paris is a truly international city, and the ethnic food is not
only wonderful but cheap. My favorites, both French and otherwise,
are within walking distance of the Hotel des 3 Colleges:
The Chinese restaurant on
rue Cujas next to the hotel, toward rue St. Michael (sorry I don't
know the name) has wonderful food. It's cheap (under $15 for a
tasty and filling 3-course meal), has a nice atmosphere and is
well-lit (for book reading if you're alone).
And the French cafe right
near it is great for a splurge: very tasty French fare, intellectual
Sorbonne clientele, chic and well-lit, the perfect atmosphere
for writing poetry over lunch.
Nipoyake (21, rue Monsieur
le Prince): good Japanese fare, always bustling, fast service
and noisy, but in a lively way.
Cremerie Restaurant Polidor
(41 rue Monsieur le Prince): Seating is at big tables with others,
friendly, great atmosphere, (They claim James Joyce ate here),
cheerful, but over-priced, I felt, for fairly medium French fare.
Nevertheless, I invariably go there and enjoy myself.
Au Petite Ramoneur (74,
rue St. Denis at rue des Pecheurs). Located in the heart of Les
Halles-- this spot is a long walk from the hotel (but worth it).
It's filled with tourists (interesting ones) and Paris regulars.
Expect four courses plus wine (help yourself!) Only 58 ff. Both
the decor and service charmingly basic and lotsa' fun!
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I Can't Resist Bookstores!
Shakespeare and Company
(37, rue de la Bucherie) is down by the Seine. Expect used books,
an eccentric atmosphere bursting with fabulous, mind-expanding
"reads." Proprietor, George Whitman is straight out of Dickens,
his customers straight out of Fellini.
The Abbey Bookshop (29,
rue de la Parcheminerie), the Canadian bookstore in Paris, is
not far from Shakespeare and Company. You'll find a wonderful
selection of new and used books in both French and English. Canadian
books are featured, but other countries are represented as well.
They frequently host author readings, so check their schedule.
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Cafe Culture
It's Spring in Paris! At
outdoor cafes, French men don't just simply sit. They've perfected
their elegant slouch and pretense of casual indifference as they
check-out the female passers-by.
Evelyn Hannon, Editor, Journeywoman Online
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