Text: Marcella van Alphen & Claire Lessiau
Photographs: Claire Lessiau & Marcella van Alphen
The beautiful Opéra Garnier is towering me, with its green copper domes, golden statues, and polychromatic façades. France’s world-famous luxurious department stores are just a stone’s throw away. Unexpectedly for most Parisian streets, a delicate fragrance enters my nose as I walk towards the Maison Fragonard boutique where I am about to become an apprentice perfumer for the afternoon…
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Text: Marcella van Alphen
Photographs: Claire Lessiau
Sommelier Jan Roche leads us down the stairs through an unsuspected 18th century wine cellar, just below the Trudon mansion in the heart of Paris by the royal palace of Le Louvre. Back then, barrels were stored to age for royal consumption by one of the few wine merchants to the king, simply rolled to the royal residence once ready. If the wine story of these historic cellars has been interrupted by the piercing of the 1900 subway tunnels ending the royal connection, today, the dimly lit and stylish cellars have found their original function back. At Les Caves du Louvre, the underground is a paradise for wine lovers where we are about to learn all about wine aromas, grape varieties and ultimately blend our own wine!
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Text & Photographs: Claire Lessiau & Marcella van Alphen
It is underneath the Hotel de Trudon mansion in the heart of Paris where we are exploring the secret 18-century wine cellars which used to connect to the nearby royal palace of Le Louvre. Once a busy storage space where the wine was aging until ready for royal consumption and then its barrels rolled underground to the palace, today, the 600 square meters (6,460 square feet) of stylishly renovated historic cellars house some of Paris’ tastiest workshops! Enter the unexpected world of Les Caves du Louvre to explore the best terroirs of France in an in-depth wine and cheese pairing experience – a during any trip to France!
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Article updated on March 4, 2022
Text: Claire Lessiau
Photographs: Claire Lessiau & Marcella van Alphen
Keep travelling!The 13th century Sainte Chapelle, built in a record time to host Christianity’s most precious relics, is a magical place to admire world’s most beautiful stained-glass windows, only a stone’s throw away from Notre Dame de Paris. Probably one of the most breath-taking moments you will have in the city of lights…
Article updated on March 4, 2022
Text: Claire Lessiau
Photographs: Claire Lessiau & Marcella van Alphen
Keep travelling!Often disregarded with its stunning neighbour, La Sainte Chapelle, being visitors’ favourite, La Conciergerie is a marvel of gothic architecture with one of the most beautiful medieval halls of Europe. It is definitely worth a visit, and here are some interesting facts that will spice it up!
Article updated on June 15, 2022
Text: Claire Lessiau
Photographs: Claire Lessiau & Marcella van Alphen
Keep travelling!He inspired the name of the whole movement that revolutionized art. From Tokyo to New York City via Paris, he remains one of the most celebrated painters honoured in the most prestigious museums. Still, there is no better place than Giverny where the master spent 43 years of his life and shaped his beloved garden to get inspired by Claude Monet (1840-1926) and dive into his universe.
Text: Claire Lessiau
Photographs: Marcella van Alphen
The architect Louis Le Vau surpassed himself. The elegant castle stands majestically, reflected by a large piece of water in the park. The perspective is perfect. The genius landscaper Le Nôtre combined its laws with some of the most innovative techniques of the time such as levelling, water conveyance systems and optics theories. The result is a delicate balance between art and nature, making the garden the most beautiful of Europe today and the first French formal garden in history.
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Text: Claire Lessiau
Photographs: Claire Lessiau & Marcella van Alphen
Keep travelling!In Versailles, one might expect the King’s Kitchen Garden (le Potager du Roi) to be designed as a perfectly curated French garden. However, the historical garden that was created in 1683 by Jean-Baptiste de La Quintinie to produce fresh fruits and vegetables for Louis XIV and his court has retained its prime function: an innovative and experimental producing ground. Follow us off-the-beaten path, right by the Palace of Versailles and stroll this lesser-known and atmospheric gem…
Text: Claire Lessiau
Photographs: Marcella van Alphen
Keep traveling!The 15th of April 2019 was a tragic day. A fire ravaged the cathedral for 15 hours, taking down its spire and its roof. 500 firefighters operating in the dense heart of Paris could save the monument heroically. Millions shared their emotions and many sent financial help from all over the world showing how much of a symbol Notre Dame is for all of us, regardless of religion or nationality. At the moment, the cathedral is closed to the public and undergoing restorations. Securing it and ensuring its structural integrity were the first tasks: the vault and structure are saved. Explore Notre Dame in this article, from its 850-year history to its current status.
Article updated on September 27, 2021
Text: Claire Lessiau
Photographs: Marcella van Alphen & Claire Lessiau
Discovering Paris running is a fantastic way to enjoy some of the major landmarks and take the pace of the city. It is better though to have a few routes in mind before venturing out as the traffic can be hectic and its nice cobble stone streets that are great to discover on foot can be a runner’s ankle nightmare. These top running routes tend to avoid these hazards and will also take you to some of the nicest parks of Paris.
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Article updated on September 27, 2021
Text & photos: Claire Lessiau & Marcella van Alphen
“It’s a red!” I scream while I hit the brakes and see my Parisian girlfriend manoeuvring her bicycle while crossing a three-lane road in the city centre of Paris. I swear as cars start accelerating while I’m waiting for them to pass. Being born and raised in a small village in the heart of the Netherlands with safe bicycle lanes along every road, biking through the heart of Paris with a Parisian is a truly adrenaline-packed experience!
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Text: Claire Lessiau
Photographs: Marcella van Alphen
Strolling through the Latin quarter on the left bank of Paris, and coming out of the Luxembourg Gardens, the unexpected neoclassical architecture of the Panthéon attracts the attention.
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Text: Claire Lessiau
In a nutshell, Paris is a megalopolis where traffic can be hectic, but a good amount of taxis and Ubers are efficient at times. Public transport and biking are often the best options to get around. Here are a few tips by a local to help you make the most of your trip to the City of Lights, detailing every mode of transport so that you can adapt!
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Text: Claire Lessiau
Photographs: Marcella van Alphen
Amélie, or in its official French title, Le fabuleux destin d’Amélie Poulain (The fabulous destiny of Amélie Poulain) by Jean Pierre Jeunet might ring a bell. This 5-time-Oscar-nominee was released in 2001 and was a massive blockbuster in many countries, for its poetry. Some might even recall Yann Tierssen’s beautiful soundtrack.
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Best regards from far, 