Discovering Montmartre and Macaroons

Making the most of the free return ticket I had care of a Eurostar delay last year, Laleh, Stuart & Kris and I all headed to Paris for the weekend. 


We stayed in a hotel in Montmartre that was a great find - thanks to Kris - and I'll be returning for sure. I hadn't explored this quarter much before (put off by the tourists of Sacre-Coeur) and was very pleasantly surprised.


After we checked in on Friday night, we ate at Le Petite Canard around the corner from the hotel and had a few drinks at a cool bar further up the street toasting our arrival in Paris!


The next morning we stumbled across a little design shop, Le Rocketship, which the owner had carefully stocked with delightful items for one's home. As an added bonus he'd been learning the coffee trade and served us a couple of excellent cappuccinos while happily chatting to us. 


We went via an amazing patisserie (Arnaud Delmontel) on Rue des Martyrs for breakfast on our way up to 'Les Puces' (The Fleas), the famous antique market in the north. For a couple of hours we wandered through several of the markets day dreaming about the grand furniture we'd be shipping to the homes we don't own. We had a late lunch at Cafe Paul Bert, and another pit stop for afternoon tea at Musee Jacquemart Andre to see some friends who were also in town.

The patisserie

Stall holders lunching at Les Puces

Stu & Kris

That night we ate at a restaurant in Montmarte where I had a delicious cassoulet for dinner and rhubarb clafoutis for dessert; we shared a bottle of wine in a rammed, buzzy little bar on a street corner and a few Old Cuban cocktails at the Experimental Cocktail Club.

Cassoulet. Underneath those white beans is more pork and chicken.

On Sunday morning we breakfasted again at the patisserie (it's that good); sought out another decent coffee, this time at Le Cafeotheque; and spent the afternoon wandering through Le Marais district checking out some of the city's quieter spaces - Village St Paul and Hotel Sully behind Place des Vosges. 


We grabbed a cheeseburger (not Le Big Mac!) at Le Perle and made a run for the train back to London, believe it or not, with one last fleeting visit to Delmontel for macaroons. I've never been a connoisseur of these naughty, little treats (and just as well!) but these are melt-in-your-mouth amazing. I can recommend the vanilla, raspberry and passionfruit with chocolate filling (although Kris would tell you the salted caramel is the best) should you be in the neighbourhood, or even if you're not. 


The sunny, blue days were the icing on the cake, or the filling in the macaroon if you will?!!

Mmm good coffee

Getting ready for lunch in Village St Paul

Place des Vosges. I go here every time I'm in Paris.

The afternoon sunlight was so pretty.

Hotel Sully

Taking an afternoon stroll