RP Discover Paris; Walk the landmarks

It doesn't matter whether it is your first or 100th time in Paris, whether you love the city or hate it (if you've read my other Paris posts you may have figured out that I both love and hate Paris in equal measures; it's a complicated relationship!), one thing that no one can deny is that walking its street from North to South to East to West you are never far from a breathtaking sight or stunning landmark.

Here are a few of my favourite snaps from my Easter trip to the city; taken from Instagram, my iPhone and my Lumix G5 so they are varying in quality.

A view that never gets boring, whenever I'm in town I always head straight to Pont d'Alma to see the Eiffel Tower in all its glory.

Standing on the top floor of Les Galeries Lafayettes and looking down on all the shoppers is always an impressive sight!

And the view from the roof terrace at the top ain't too shabby either (above and below)...

Although I'm not so interested in the contents inside (art is not really my thing), the outside of the Pompidou never fails to impress...

And again, the views from the top are pretty cool too!

As a passionate Crossfitter I couldn't resist this pic...

A view of the Eiffel Tower light show from my favourite cocktail bar at the top of Montparnasse Tower...

Pounding the streets...

...before taking a quiet five at the 'Jardins du Luxembourg'.

No trip to Paris is complete without a bit of indulgence from La Duree...

And I have to take a trip up to Montmartre and my favourite building in the entire world; Le Sacre Coeur...

Strolling back down the windy roads at the back of 'Le Sacre Coeur' and cutting through the cemetry, you arrive in Pigalle, the inspiration of my favourite Louboutin shoe and home to 'Le Moulin Rouge'...

If I can't afford to stay there, I can afford to indulge in one of the George V passion fruit martinis...I just make sure that I savour every drop!

A Sunday stroll along Canal St. Martin before meeting friends for brunch is a must...

And the beauty of leaving your Uber for an evening to stroll the streets at night is that you never know what you might see at the next crossroad...

The Cathedral of Notre Dame looks its best in the moonlight...

...and no trip to Paris would be complete without a flower shaped ice cream from Amorino's.

Finally if you're in the city of love with your loved one, head over to 'Le Pont des Arts' and leave yourselves binded forever to the city's spirit by locking your padlock on the bridge and throwing the key into the Seine.

Paris; at times you are tiresome, frustrating, over priced and downright difficult but you have a 'je ne sais quoi' that will forever keep me coming back for more.

A plus Paris, until the next time!

RP Eat Paris; Merci

My favourite area of Paris is 'Le Marais'; full of quirky little boutiques, vintage and arts shops as well as a number of quaint little eateries and falafel joints. Normally when I head over to Le Marais, I go on a Sunday when the quarter is bustling with people out to meet friends for brunch. As it is the Jewish area it is one of the few places in Paris where you'll find everything shut on a Saturday but open for business on a Sunday when everywhere else is closed.  On previous trips to Le Marais it is always the falafel I make the visit for but today I was bursting to try 'Merci'.  

Hopping out of our Uber, we took a seat in one of the establishment's two cafe's 'The Cinema'...

Before long a table became available outside and so we dined on the homemade, organic dishes 'al fresco'.

Tomato, spinach, pecorino and pesto pasta with a side of goats cheese on a bed of rocket, drizzled in honey and sprinkled with nuts.

...And some delicious jambon with a complimentary basket of bread and beurre!

The food was light, fresh and tasty. Definitely a must if you are looking for lunch in a city that loves its rich cuisine.

Merci is a unique concept, sandwiched between the two Cafes you'll find a shop, which sells an array of weird and wonderful items under the same roof.

As you go down the little alleyway between the cafes you are greeted with a host of livestock for sale; chickens, rabbits, hens and even goats. The prices of these are written on the cage walls; 290 Euros for a Goat, if you're interested!

Once inside there are both a vintage and menswear section selling briefcases, shoes, caps and pocket scarves to name a few of the items available.

Plant pots for those few people who have large outdoor spaces in Paris!

And a Ladies-wear section selling a number of independent and designer brands, including my favourite 'Etoile' by Isabel Marant.  

I've been home for over two months now and I'm still regretting not buying the jumper below...

More home-ware...

And in the middle of the shop, a plant section.

For those interested, I am wearing:

Dungarees - River Island

Breton Striped Top - River Island

Wedged Trainers - Isabel Marant

Sunglasses - Rayban

Très français, non?

We exited through the 'Old Bookshop Cafe' empty handed but eager to return on our next visit to Paris!

Restaurant/Shop: Merci-Merci

Address: 111 Boulevard Beaumarchais, 75003 Paris, France

Website: http://www.merci-merci.com 

RP Travel Rating: 4/5

RP Stay Paris; Hotel Banke

Trying to find a decent hotel in Paris for less than £500 a night can be quite a task and, after giving up on ever finding somewhere that I wanted to stay, I passed this challenge over to my husband who resumed the search. The aim of the game was to find a nice double room in a boutique hotel with a decent square footage for less than £250.  Satisfyingly he came up with the goods and managed to book us into a suite at this delightful four star establishment just a short five minute walk from 'Les Galeries Lafayette' - perfect for a shopaholic like me.

The view from the room was very Parisien... i.e. another building! However, what it lacked in terms of a view it more than made up for in style and comfort.

The room decor was understated and dark but it did make for an airy room which can be a nice respite from the stuffy heat that envelopes Paris in the summer months.

The bathroom was modern with a separate bath and power shower... 

...and the toiletries were restocked on a daily basis which meant I got to take a couple of these little bags home with me!

The hotel is situated in the Opera district, down the road from the impressive Opera House itself and its central location and easy access to the metro line is useful for those wanting to explore the length and breadth of the city. If you like to walk, we walked to a fair number of famous landmarks including Madeleine, Place Vendome, Jardins Luxembourg, Les Champs-Elysees, Notre Dame and L'Arc de Triomphe. 

Would I return to this hotel? Not if the budget ever allows me to lodge in the George V which is my number 1 bucket list hotel in the whole world, but it did tick all the boxes as an adequate place to rest one's head in one of the world's most overpriced cities.

Hotel Rating: 4*

Price: 3/5

RP Rating: 3/5

A larger hotel room than your average Parisian fare with easy access to a number of famous Parisian tourist attractions.