spend an ideal wet day in Paris – dodge the drizzle and have enjoyable within the metropolis of sunshine!
“You get your self some rain, not only a drizzle, however some honest-to-goodness rain. The rain is essential, as a result of that’s when Paris smells its sweetest” – says Audrey Hepburn within the movie Sabrina.
Audrey/Sabrina could be proper about that, however even in the event you’re a type of folks ‘who feels the rain when others simply get moist’, Paris is a superb place for wet days with tons of of locations to dodge the drizzle and have enjoyable! Right here Janine Marsh shares a few of her favorite locations to remain dry within the metropolis of Mild.
Myriad museums
Good for a wet day – there are round 140 museums in Paris, from the world’s hottest – the Louvre, to the magnificent former prepare station turned Musée d’Orsay! Then there are the museums which might be hardly identified and totally fascinating together with the Musée des Arts Forains (arts-forain.com) – the Museum of Fairground Arts (which made an look in Emily in Paris) – suppose classic carousels (nice for all ages). Or how in regards to the fabulous, aromatic and free Fragonard Musée de Parfum.
Wine, dine and preserve dry!
Bouillon Chartier are a Paris establishment, serving conventional French dishes since 1896. They’ve three eating places within the metropolis (I just like the one at Montparnasse greatest for its Artwork Nouveau décor) and are as a lot liked by locals as vacationers. The menu sticks to traditional recipes – entrees begin from €1, primary dishes from €7 (2024). Anticipate to queue – you possibly can’t reserve, however you usually don’t have to attend too lengthy, service is swift. Nice for lunch or dinner three hundred and sixty five days a 12 months!
Should-see monuments
Head to the Atelier des Lumières, a former iron foundry turned Paris’ first digital artwork centre, this huge venue offers the proper backdrop for artwork projections from Van Gogh to Monet and extra.
Take a tour of the Versailles-like Opera Garnier, dwelling of the French Ballet and the biggest stage in Europe, with a celling portray by Marc Chagall and a field reserved for the Phantom of the Opera who is alleged to reside in a lake beneath the constructing!
Go backstage on the Comédie Francaises, the place performances have been held since 1860 (excursions can be found in English: comedie-francais.fr).
A spot of purchasing
Department shops have been invented in Paris and Printemps, Galeries Lafayette and Le Bon Marché are architecturally price visiting, not to mention for the purchasing, they usually even have tremendous cafes! The purchasing galleries of Paris are below cowl and infrequently totally beautiful like Passage Verdeau, Passage de Jouffroy, Passage des Panoramas (the oldest in Paris!), and Galeries Vivienne et Colbert.
Tea and cake
Afternoon tea makes for an ideal wet day deal with and Paris is teeming with beautiful cafés. Other than the well-known Ladurée and Angelinas, there are a great deal of little-known (to guests) Parisian gems just like the Café de la Rose Lancôme on the Champs-Elysées the place the desserts are made by the Finest Pastry Chef within the World (2023) – Nina Métayer. Or possibly Odette’s within the Latin Quarter, well-known for his or her cream puffs. Or how about Cordelia’s Espresso Flower Store in rue du Bac, created by Cordelia de Castellane, Inventive Director of Maison Dior.
Night enjoyable
Been raining all day – and nonetheless raining as nightfall falls? Who cares – there’s hundreds to do in Paris. Soak up a movie, head to the theatre, cabaret (so Paris) – possibly the Moulin Rouge, or hearken to a reside music live performance.
Café de la Huchette is without doubt one of the hottest jazz golf equipment in Paris, well-known for the reason that Forties when jazz masters equivalent to Sidney Bechet and Lionel Hampton performed there. Music from boogie-woogie to blues, swing and jazz, plus dancing and cocktails – a basement membership Parisian expertise. Or possibly the Philharmonie de Paris with its three live performance halls, and a year-round programme.
Final however not least… Audrey/Sabrina was proper – Paris is gorgeous when it rains. Open an umbrella, take a stroll and benefit from the great views.
High tip: Do you know that some RATP (Public transport in Paris and Île de France) stations will lend you an umbrella – pay a €7 deposit that you simply get again once you return the umbrella. And if you wish to preserve the umbrella, that’s fantastic, they’ll preserve your deposit! Discover particulars of taking part stations: ratp.fr/en
Janine Marsh is the creator of a number of internationally best-selling books about France. Her newest ebook be French – a celebration of the French life-style and artwork de vivre, is out now – a take a look at the French lifestyle. Discover all books on her web site janinemarsh.com
Be part of an unique week lengthy tour of Paris with Janine Marsh:
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