A lot of you have been asking about where I stayed on my trip. This was a hugely stressful choice for me, as with most decisions in my life, I want them to be PERFECT. Unfortunately, the health of the dollar vs. the euro didn't help my cause and all the great boutique hotels I wanted to stay in (L'Hotel , ahem!) were running about $600 a night for a normal room. Not in our budget. So after many hours of researching we decided on Hotel du Louvre , smack in the center of the city across from, you guessed it, the Louvre. I was being a bit of a spoiled brat and anticipating that this place was going to suck because it wasn't a "high design" hotel (even though it was still about $400 a night!). I am happy to report those feeling were completely unfounded and that I deserved to be smacked for even thinking that. It was the PERFECT hotel for our first visit. The location was incredible- we never needed to take the Metro and could walk everywhere in the city we wanted to go. Our room was large by European standards (especially the bathroom- two sinks and a big bathtub) but all I really cared about were my FRENCH DOORS! I squealed when I saw our room had them overlooking a darling square of cafes, and whipped them open to let in the sounds and smells of Paris. The staff was lovely, spoke English very well and our room was spotless! I would certainly recommend it to those visiting Paris in the near future!
The room (had a desk, big closet and mini bar as well)
The large bathroom and adorable patio off the hotel's restaurant
Now, I have so much to say and show from Paris but I have been dying to tell you about my favorite store in all of Paris. I read about it in the last issue of Town & Country and from the cute picture of the front of the store I knew it would be worth finding ( hello vintage red Mini Cooper Fiat 500!). And boy was it! Named Merci and found in the Marais, I can only equate it to a huge Anthropologie on French steroids.
Can you stand the cuteness?
This place has three levels and several "wings" and every inch of this store is so creatively curated it almost looks too good to disrupt by checking things out! In the entryway there is floral shop with walls painted black so the flowers really pop (which I forgot to shoot and am kicking myself for). You then come into a huge vintage cabinet with art above and inside each cubby is a little diarama of small goodies! In the main space there are coffee cups and mugs hanging from the ceiling by strings and I totally flipped over this, of course.
I of course plucked a coffee cup down and am drinking my coffee out of it right now.
On the second level is clothing, which i also forgot to shoot because I was distracted by a Stella McCartney blazer. Up even further is the furniture and decor area. Bonjour.
In one little wing is a kids section- beyond darling- loving the brach hanging from the ceiling with lights!
In the basement is a section selling cooking supplies and a gorgeous cafe that was PACKED. The big glass windows look out into a gorgeous courtyard with ivy growing everywhere.
The lower cafe is below left, it was SO amazing. On the main level you can walk down a hall with floor to ceiling antique books for sale and find another smaller casual cafe! The lighting and wall color was SPECTACULAR.
After all that beauty I needed a break so went in search of an outdoor cafe because it was such a gorgeous day. I have no idea where we went but it was our best lunch- we had amazing salads with huge chunks of homemade mozzarella and yummy ham and thought we had ordered two GLASSES of wine but instead we got this.
Damn metric system will get ya every time. Needless to say, after this lunch we were nearly skipping (stumbling?) through the Marais like true idiot tourists.
While I'm talking of shopping, I guess I'll mention a few others. Also while in the Marais (amazing for shopping) we walked by this shop with a window full of gorgeous green bottles stacked floor to ceiling. I had to go in to find out what they were for. It was an olive oil shop, Oliviers & Co., with the sweetest man who had us taste about 6 different varieties (and some mixtures with gourmet balsamic vinegars too) and taught us all about them. We were totally enchanted and bought like $75 worth of stuff. Come to find out, there is one on Newbury Street. I felt like a bit of a dumbass, but it was such a fun little experience and the shop was gorgeous!
I also got to go into a smaller Flamant store, which i had blogged about a while ago. It was so lovely, but we were so tired and our feet hurt so much I barely took it in. But it did seem very WS Home meets Restoration meets an antique shop.
I think our favorite breakfast was at Eric Kayser in the Saint Germain neighborhood. It was a drop dead gorgeous bakery full of such amazing things you wanted to try every single one.
But a cafe au lait, fresh squeezed OJ and an almost chocolate croissant did me JUST fine!
And for the very best part of our trip. Andrew booked a dinner cruise on the Seine all by himself (pat on the back) and it was the most spectacular thing I've done in a long time. We rode in style in a glass roofed boat at what had to be the best table in the joint!
We were greeted with a bottle of champagne...
AND a bottle of red wine, which thrilled Andrew. Clearly.
I was pretty pleased myself.
We took a 3 hour cruise at dusk and in the darkness of the Seine and it was absolutely BREATHTAKING and worth every penny.
When the Eiffel Tower lit up in twinkly lights I almost cried.
It's impossible to capture the beauty of this since my camera needed to not be on flash and therefor blurred a lot of the pictures. But if you go to Paris, DO THIS. I insist 110%.
People were camped all up and down the Seine having impromtu picnics or making out wildly, like this last couple.
And we even passed this random huge group of people dancing to classical music! it was like out of a movie (most of Paris is so unbelievable that it seems like a movie...)
Seeing all these pictures again makes me miss it so much.
32 comments:
Lovely post and pictures, Erin! Makes me SO nostalgiac for my Paris trip from years ago. I'm glad you had such an amazing time!
Question for you: where did you get the brown messenger bag you're wearing in the pictures? I am looking for something just like that for fall. Merci!
Great pictures! Looks like you had an amazing time. I know just what you mean by falling in love with the city. I have been a few times myself and always want to hurry back!
Erin, you look so chic in your photos, just like you fit right in with all of Paris! I love looking through them, they make me too nostalgiac for my semester in Paris during college. It's the most fabulous place ever. I can only imagine how inspired you must feel from being there. That is the beauty of travel. Keep em coming!! :)
That group dance on the Seine must be a regular thing - we saw it too when we took a Bateaux Mouches ride this summer. Lovely pics! Wish I'd known about Merci when I was there - looks like such a cool store.
i want a cafe au lait. right now! love hearing about your journey.
Wow, it all looks A..mazing! I'll have to save this post when I finally plan my trip.
Wow, you're trip looks like it was A...mazing! I'll have to save your post for when I finally plan my trip to Paris.
I'm booking my trip now! How did you stand it?! I would have never left Merci!
I love your photos and absolutely adore Paris - been there last summer. That car is actually Fiat 500, not mini cooper - was really popular in whole europe
Love these pics- would love to know where you got your denim jacket!
Oh my goodness. You gleaned the best of the best to show us. What beautiful pictures. You looked like you were on cloud nine in Paris.
Thanks.
I have seen Merci on a few blogs...would love to go there!
Those night time shots are gorgeous!! I love Paris!
The bag is actually Fossil, believe it or not! I got it right before I left at Nordstroms- good price of $175 and comes in grey and red too.
The jean jacket is actually J.Crew from YEARS ago!!! It fits fab, I love it.
I love your photos. Great hotel in a perfect location - you're right you can walk everywhere.
I loved the Bateaux Mouches - I did it when my Mom took me to Paris for the first time when I was 18. It really is unforgettable!
BTW you look so cute and Parisienne in your cigarette pants and striped tops! :)
Can't wait to see more!
I love Oliviers & Co. In fact I just did a blog post about it a little while back. Did you try their fig balsamic? It is amazing-they have really great stuff.
Love!! You always look so chic and these pictures are just beautiful. Almost like taking a little mini trip to Paris. =)
You are going to single-handedly increase tourism to Paris! I never thought much about going but I, too, am now in desperate need of a trip there - all thanks to your stories and pictures!
Thanks so much for this post - It made me feel like I was back in my most favorite city. :)
Your pics are fabulous Erin and you guys are just too cute together. Thanks for taking us along on your exciting journey!
Your pictures make me miss Paris!
It looks like so much fun! I want to book a trip now! Your hotel room was huge for Europe!!
Erin, you have inspired me to make Paris my next destination for vacation with my husband (no kids on this one). What a great way to share your trip with all of us. Great post, love all the detail (makes you feel like you are there) and thank you for sharing all the amazing pictures. You look beautiful and you make a gorgeous couple! I have to admit I look forward to reading your blogs. It's the first thing I do every morning - specially since the Paris updates, I am addicted. Thanks again for making my morning!
I realy enjoyed your post of today!
You describe everything so well!
Thank you.
Greet
lovely. lucky you!
Love the Paris pics!
I'd also like to know the details on the crossbody bag you're carrying in the photos please?
Jealous, jealous, jealous!! Keep the tres beau-ti-mous pictures coming.
I'm new to your blog but just wanted to wish you & fiance all the happiness in the world! You are a strikingly attractive couple. :) My husband and I spent several weeks in Paris immediately after getting engaged, and it was such a perfect place for a perfect time. I'm so happy to see that you had a lovely trip!
I am an architect whose work is about to be published in the Boston Globe magazine as well and I just wanted to let you know that I love your style. Its fresh and fun and a lot of architectural designers don't get that. They are dead serious.
I am glad you got the domain thing straightened out.
Best
Chiong of Bigelow Design Concepts
Hi Erin,
I was really moved by your post - it was so full of emotion and joy! It took me right back to Paris, where I spent a lot of time when I still lived in Euorpe. It is a magical city and so easy to fall in love with! Glad that you had a wonderful experience - despite Euro challenges and sore feet! :)
Your blog is lovely. Thanks.
xCharlotta
Your photos are so adorable. Paris is so beautiful that everywhere you take a shot is priceless. Nice work.
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Paris Photography Tours
I'm sooo jealous of your trip! I will hopefully get to go one day :)
First of all, I am totally addicted to your blog and just voted for you on Divine Caroline! Also headed to Paris in late October, so I read your Paris entries with great interest only to find out today that we are staying at L'Hotel - can't wait. Will def. visit Merci - looks so fab. Thanks for being such a great design/fashion/travel resource!
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