A Weekend in Paris

A collaboration post with Helen Dealtry

When Helen announced she was going to see her family in the UK this past spring, I slyly said, “Why don’t we meet up for a long weekend in Paris and fly home together?” And, much to my surprise and delight, she thought it was a very good idea. Tickets were inexpensive and plans were swiftly made. 

Over the past six years, I’ve taken to traveling to Paris solo to fill my cup. Up until the pandemic, I was fortunate enough to get there once or twice a year. Chad and I have tried to have a good time together there, but it’s just not our city, and we’ve accepted it. Madrid is much more our collective speed. It turns out, it’s rather common actually. Our dear friend Paula, who has been married for over 50 years, told us that it’s not her and her husband Phil’s city either! I think there might be too much pressure on making Paris “Paris” with a significant other, which is precisely the reason why it is the most perfect place for a friends trip. 

Helen Dealtry

and I wanted to share with you some snippets from our journey and hopefully inspire you to book that ticket with a dear friend. In lieu of photography, Helen was moved to paint illustrations of our trip, and paint she did. I am in awe of her beautiful and thoughtful captures. The art is original, hand painted in Gouache and they are available on her website.  

A few things to note, I/we always stay in the 11th arrondissement, which is where our Airbnb was. It’s my favorite neighborhood and I feel very comfortable there. It’s a short walk away from the Marais. We also made sure not to over-plan. We decided on two big reservations, one dinner and one lunch, so they did not completely dominate the trip - but also make reservations! The night we didn’t, we ended up eating mediocre tacos on low stools with college students, but it was still ok, because Paris….

The view from our balcony.

I did not include my exhaustive list of other restaurants that I love because frankly you’ve probably heard it all before. But, if it is of interest, let me know.

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Paris Travel Journal: Day 1, Friday

Helen arrived from London late afternoon. We popped into Bar Principal on the park for a drink and a snack. I had been there the night before and ate solo at the bar, and I have to tell you their chicken wings and burger are insanely good. Merci to my friend the lovely

Lindsey Tramuta

for the tip! After our snack, we wandered the streets and popped into a random cafe. I sipped on Pernod. We had a late reservation at Le dauphin, so we slowly made our way over. Dinner was superb! Helen insisted we order the whelks with aioli as they reminded her of childhood. They were delicious albeit a bit, ahem, large. We had a beautiful bottle of Gamay and a number of other wonderful small plates. Dessert was cheese. 

C’est moi, eating an artichoke and the whelks.

Paris Travel Journal: Day 2, Saturday

Slept in. That never happens to either of us, but good thing we did because we ended up walking 9 miles! To start, Helen researched a GF bakery that she was keen to try. I can’t tell you that I wasn’t a bit apprehensive, but the joke was on me. Boulangerie Chambelland was absolutely incredible. Their assortment of both savory and sweet items were insanely good. I highly recommend it if you're looking for GF options. I’d go back regardless. From there, we walked over to the Marais, peeking into store windows as things were just opening. Innocently, as we looked into what looked like it might be a promising shop, the doors opened and we were invited into a jewel box of a parfumerie called Maison Jardin d'Écrivains. The name translates to “a writer’s garden,” which felt serendipitous - a true expression of us both. Whisked away by a gentleman named Frederic, he began telling and testing us on all the different scents, which are named after poets and created by the talented Anaïs Biguine. We must have been there for over an hour. He beamed with pride talking about the products and not once did he pressure us to purchase a thing, he was simply energized by our enthusiasm. We didn’t learn until after purchasing the Loy fragrance (Jasmine, Saffron, Sandalwood) as a token of our trip, that Anaïs was his wife! It’s a very special spot and about as uncommercial as it gets. They don’t sell to any of the big houses. If you’re looking for a boutique experience, this is your spot. It is gold.

Darling Frederic, wrapping up our perfume.

Paris Travel Journal: Day 3, Sunday

Months before our trip, we called upon our dear friend

Hélène Heath

and her native French (Canadian) to help secure a reservation at Chez L’Ami Louis for their famous roast chicken, a favorite dish of ours. It is notoriously difficult to get in and yes, expensive, but we decided it was worth treating ourselves on our last day. The intimate space is beautiful with pink tablecloths and white-jacketed waiters carrying extensive (read enormous) wine lists. We stuck to plan, ordered a big green salad, the chicken with shoestring fries and a bottle of Drouhin White Burgundy. It was a perfect Sunday lunch. We spent the rest of the afternoon walking back to our neighborhood, stopping in to Septime La Cave for a glass of wine, before ending up back where we started at Bar Principal for one more drink to toast our good fortune and great friendship. Our flight was to leave early the next morning.

The view from our perch at L’Ami Louis

We hope you enjoyed a snapshot of our trip and maybe even encouraged you to take your own.

With love,

Colu & Helen