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francofile chronicles

June 27, 2000 "Paris Insolite: A city of endless surprises" Part Three

by David Applefield

Art-viewing, fine-dining, and of course interesting shopping are Paris´s first and foremost attractions. With Paris insolite as your modus operundi, one of your most stunning discoveries may be the hidden world of Paris´s late-18th century covered alleys and arcades, filled with lore, style, design, detail, and a variety of small boutiques, shops, bookstores, tea rooms, and other curiosities. The entrances to these glass-encased and mosaic-tiled arcades, which artfully snake through city blocks in central Paris, are easy to miss. So beware. Like following a treasure map, tracing these passageways can be wonderfully fun - and the gifts you´ll find along the way are sure to be original- used books, picture frames, porcelain, toys, vintage watches, wine glasses....

Of the numerous choices, the Galerie Véro-Dodat-Galerie Vivienne-Galerie Colbert- Passage de Choiseul circuit offers visitors the most accessible and authentic taste of Paris´s arcade life. And what a perfect idea for those less-than sunny days! To enter the lovely Galerie Véro-Dodat, built in 1826 in a neo-classical style, find 19 rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau, not far from the Louvre metro station. Robert Capia´s antique doll shop at number 23 is well-worth the visit. This passageway ultimately leads to the exquisite Galerie Vivienne, the most beautiful of Paris´s arcades. Stroll along on the black and white checkered floor and take-in the details of the arches, the lamps, the windows, until you reach the rotunda with its Empire decor. The Galerie Vivienne, the "sister enemy" of the Galerie Colbert, built in 1826 to compete with the beauty and popularity of its neighbor, you´ll find yourself under a stunning stained-glass dome. Continue to the Passage de Choiseul, where the stylish fashion house Kenzo and the famous theater Bouffes-Parisiens are located. If you´re in the neighborhood in the evening, you may want to complete the experience by dining at the very elegant but not excessively priced brasserie Le Grand Colbert where the pot au feu (beef stew) is phenomenal and the service captures the best of old-world grace.

You can hardly leave Paris without strolling through the Latin Quarter on the Left Bank, named for its proximity to the Sorbonne, where students studied Latin. Although teaming with both Parisians and tourists in the summer months, the area has preserved its lively street life with well-lit narrow cobblestone alleys and colorful primarily Greek restaurants displaying rows of gambas and silvery dorade fish. Take in a jazz club on the medieval rue de la Huchette or just sit out on at a sidewalk café and talk, drink, and observe the Parisians. You may want to think of the high price of your café express (expresso) or demi (half a liter of beer) not so much as highway robbery but rather as the cost to rent a piece of prime real estate. Take your time and nurse your ballon of Câ"ąte du Rhone; no one will rush you or chase you away.

The French love to sit, drink, and discuss. Non-smokers may find Paris oppressive in small restaurants and local bars, and despite the fact that the law requires public establishments to provide smoke-free areas, the French tend to be rather intolerant of over-demanding non-smokers. So, if smoke is an issue for you, chose your restaurants wisely and ask in advance. The famous brasserie Bofinger, a stunning bastion of original art nouveau decor, has an excellent non-smoking room under a gorgeous stained glass coupola. The oysters (fines de claires) are icy fresh, the fois gras makes you melt, and the wine list is extensive. Paris travelers with a keen sense of the insolite will not fail to check-out the deco, sculpted dolphins in the restrooms downstairs. Details like these help you realize that the beauty of being in Paris may just be the beauty itself.