Maison François 1er
One of my absolute favorite things to do in any place I visit is run or walk as far as I possibly can, stopping for photos, shops and little alleyways as I go. Arthur and I had the best time doing a complete loop of NYC on one of trips and I was hopeful to recreate that in Paris despite the rainy weather!
Avenue Montaigne
Since we were staying in the fashionable 8th arrondissement it wasn’t too hard to get ourselves close to the Galerie Dior Museum which despite having prepaid tickets to see we opted to keep exploring in between mini rain showers.
I also read about the less well known Yves Saint Laurent Museum, another great alternative or option for anyone obsessed with fashion. The Avenue Montaigne is super chic and even though we didn’t have time for lunch at L’Avenue I would highly recommend it as the location and people watching looked excellent as we walked by.
Ralph’s Paris
Instead we frequented somewhere a little less French, as this American need a margarita at a place that felt just like home after a full week in France.
Welcome to Ralph’s Paris.
Tucked into a charming Parisian courtyard in the Saint-Germain neighborhood, the restaurant exudes the classic Americana style the Ralph Lauren brand represents while in keeping with it’s elegant Parisian architecture. I love how each Ralph Lauren establishment finds a way to do this, maintaining some loyalty to its surroundings. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed Ralph’s Coffee in both NYC and Chicago, The Polo Bar and RL Restaurant; next up on the list, Milano!
But back to Paris, I couldn’t resist the margarita with it’s little polo mallet decoration and either the most perfect use of lime or me just being desperate for a taste of home! And even though the rain continued to drizzle through lunch we still managed a spot al fresco under some strong white umbrellas. I would highly recommend lunch there, but only in the courtyard, rain or shine!
Cafe de Flore
Afterwards we couldn’t help make another short stop at one of Saint-Germain’s most well known cafes, Cafe de Flore, to enjoy our post lunch espresso, sweets and cheese course, a habit I love forming while on vacation. Maybe even a bit after… the cheese course at least!
Despite the rain we managed a cozy seat outside and it’s a wonderful place to people watch regardless.
Saint-Germain
We then continued to brave the rain and explore more of smaller, quaint streets of Saint-Germain, which Arthur and I loved for it’s charm and very London-like feel. I knew so many of my favorite places I had saved in Paris were in this neighborhood but I didn’t realize how different the area would feel in comparison to the 8th arrondissement and really the entire Left Bank.
Saint-Germain was known for being a more bohemian culture with writers and jazz clubs, now remaining a notable place for famous cafes and small shops. I definitely would consider staying in this area in the future and most certainly will be back one day for a meal at Brasserie Lipp, which unfortunately we couldn’t manage to fit in.
I was also beyond thrilled to visit the de Gournay showroom and see all of my favorite wallpapers and coverings come to life in one place. Art for me is best when lived in and this is most certainly the place I want to live. The design consultant just happened to be an American from Texas, of course, and was so lovely and let us peruse the different scenes, one more beautiful than the next.
After finding some well packaged tea gifts for our parents we headed back to the hotel to stay dry before our last night in Paris. Xx
An American in Paris
