March 24, 2011

Paris: A honeymooner's guide


Deciding on a honeymoon destination? It's hard to go past the City of Light. Honeymooners from all over the globe flock to Paris every year for its impeccable cuisine, designer shopping, art, museums, sightseeing, and of course, romance.

For the truly eclectic Parisian experience head to Montmartre in the 18th arrondissement. This area boasts some of the city’s best patisseries and boulangeries, the stunningly stark, alabaster Sacré-Coeur Basilica, the famed Moulin Rouge, a heritage flea market, where you are guaranteed to find authentic French mementos, and even a small vineyard in the Rue Saint-Vincent.

The Rue de la Paix meanwhile is dubbed the “richest street in Paris” and is where you’ll find the world’s most up-market jewellers like Cartier, Van Cleef & Apels and Tiffany & Co, as well as a plethora of designer boutiques.

It is also a mere stone's throw from the most elegant landmarks of the city; Place Vendômem, l’Opéra, the Tuileries gardens and the Louvre are all nearby.

A gastronomes’ delight, Paris has plenty of fine-dining restaurants, but it’s hard to go past the famed L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon.

When to visit: The summer crowds and long queues can often be frustrating. Time your visit a month shy either side of the peak season to enjoy moderate temperatures and less tourists.

Must-do: If there’s one attraction on every tourist’s itinerary it’s undoubtedly the Eiffel Tower. While you can catch a glimpse of the iconic monument rising up above the city’s skyline from almost every vantage point in Paris, it’s not until you’re ascending the iron lattice tower’s hydraulic lifts, that you realise the beauty and majesty of Paris’ most treasured landmark.


Must-buy: Ladurée macaroons! Of all of the delightful, delectable treats you can sample in Paris – from sweet vanilla Mille-feuilles to rich moelleux au chocolat – no sweet is more perennially Parisian than the macaroon. And no one does them quite like Ladurée. Founded in 1862, the now-famous patisserie allegedly churns out over 135 tons of the biscuity treats every year, with flavours like ‘Madagascar chocolate’ and ‘blackcurrant violet’, while the pastel and ornate packaging make for a charming keepsake.


Stay at: Hotel Daniel, 8 Rue Frédéric Bastiat 75008 Paris, France.

No comments:

Post a Comment