The City of Light may be one of the most romantic places on earth for couples, but it's also the perfect destination for a girlfriends' getaway. The
shopping, the dining, the museums, the gardens--the patisseries!
We thought it would be fun to get some inside secrets to Paris from a true insider herself, Doni Belau, founder of Girls Guide to Paris, a
preferred Hideaways travel partner. Her info-packed website and Girls Guide to Paris GO-Card membership--which gives you valuable hotel,
restaurant, and shopping discounts, as well as access to unique places and events in Paris and beyond--make for a great way to get the inside scoop for a
terrific girlfriends-on-the-go vacation.
Because Paris is synonymous with good eating, we first asked Doni if she has a favorite fresh produce market she visits, and if she has any market tours to
recommend. "Personally, I love the biologique (organic) market on Sunday on the Boulevard Raspail best, because it's organic. I also love the
myriad things you find at the Marche D'Aligre in the 12th arrondissement, from fresh produce and buckets full of flowers to books and clothing.
We have some excellent partners that do market tours, including one that will get you into food events featuring the wares of farmers from all over
France."
Of course, no visit to Paris would be complete without trying out a boulangerie or two. We asked Doni if she has a favorite bakery to visit, and
what tasty treats she would suggest we try. "Wow, that's a tough one," she said. "Usually the best boulangerie is the one closest to your
apartment or hotel. So for me, I head to the Boulangerie des Deux Pont, where I get baguettes or sandwiches. Or I stop by Miss Manon, where I can sit down
and eat an excellent financier [moist almond-flavored cake] or croissant and drink a café crème. Both are within easy walking distance of my
apartment on the Ile St. Louis.
"As far as who won the annual best baguette in Paris for 2014, it's Antonio Teixeira from the Délices du Palais in the 14th arrondissement," Doni
continued. "The winner of this contest gets to supply the Elysee Palace with baguettes for the year. I also have a soft spot for Gerard Mulot in the 6th,
as I used to have an apartment across the street, and he has a wide selection of superb croissants, baguettes, little sandwiches, quiches, desserts, and
chocolate. This is a great stop before having a picnic in the Luxembourg Gardens. If you are talking patisseries, then I'd say head to Pierre
Hermé for his famous macarons [colorful filled cookies] and fine pastry, and to Patrick Roger for chocolate."
The other side of the coin for girlfriends visiting Paris is (naturally) shopping, and Doni is no slouch when it comes to the ins and outs of finding a
good buy. "I really like going to what are called stock stores, something not everyone knows about," she said. "These are shops that often focus on one
designer, such as the much-loved Maje, and offer past-season designs at 30 to 50 percent off year round. The regular designer stores are only allowed to
have sales in January and July. Maje's place is located at 4 rue de Marseille, not far from the Canal Saint-Martin, and it's well worth a stop. In fact,
Canal Saint-Martin is one of the most up-and-coming areas of the city.
"We also have another partner, Catherine B, that does high-end designer goods, and they are somewhat affordable because they carry vintage pieces from
Chanel, Hermes, and the like. They have two beautiful boutiques, one for clothing and the other for accessories, and both are on one of the cutest streets
in the Saint-Germain area."
Moving on to dining out and the whole social scene, we asked Doni for her favorite places for a group of girlfriends to enjoy pre-dinner cocktails. "Wow,
you'll need to buy my book coming out in September, called Paris Cocktails, for a thorough answer to this. But the short answer is, gals will have
a great time at Lulu White [their specialty is absinthe-based cocktails] in SoPi (South Pigalle). Introduce yourself to Matt, who is the cute blond Brit
behind the bar stirring up dangerously delicious cocktails. Not to leave others out--couples should head to Clown Bar in the 11th; it's a natural wine bar
with incredible food (small plates) and a romantic vibe. [Ed. Note: You can pre-order Paris Cocktails now through Amazon.com for $15.45; regular
retail price is $19.99.]
Doni has many terrific dining experiences to recommend, from casual to elegant. "I'd go to Terroir Parisien for classic French bistro cuisine, Saturne for
modern French, Rose Bakery for weekend brunch, Héléne Darroze for Michelin-star dining, Chez Margot for simple bistro food, Les Temps des Cerises
for the atmosphere and simple French food, and Diep for old-world Chinese when you can't take the French anymore! Also, try Dersou; it's new and serves
Franco/Asian cuisine. Trés hip and tasty, too!"
Believe it or not, there's more to Paris than eating, drinking, and shopping. For a great spa day, Doni suggests going to a hammam to enjoy the
steam baths and get a traditional scrub and massage. "Taking a steam at a Turkish-style hammam is all the rage in Paris, and has been for some
years," she said. "My fave is O'Kari in the 2nd, which is for women only."
If museums are more your style, Doni recommends the unique Pavillon de L'Arsenal on Boulevard Morland. "It's a mecca for those interested in architecture.
On weekends, they offer tours and a little brunch if you call ahead of time and sign up."
Even the most die-hard sightseeing girlfriends need to take a break every once in awhile, and Paris is ripe with people-watching opportunities from most
any park bench or sidewalk café. "For hipster watching, head to the Canal Saint-Martin on a warm night, bring along a bottle of rosé, sit
canal-side, and enjoy watching the cool kids as they hang out," said Doni. "To view the elegant 'ladies who lunch' crowd (Ie classic Parisian
women), head to Laduree, the original one on the Place Madeline, and sip your tea. A downstairs table is best."
Even a frequent visitor to Paris will find it hard to resist doing a few typically touristy things, and Doni is no exception. "I never fail to go into
Notre Dame when I'm here and light a candle for someone I love. And after, I often walk over to Shakespeare & Co. to buy a book--definitely my favorite
bookstore in the world!"
What's not to love about a city that holds so much promise for you and your best girlfriends? And with the dollar holding strong against the euro, there's
no time like the present to start planning your getaway. Call Hideaways Travel Services at 800-843-4433,ts@hideaways.com. To save $10 on the GO-Card and learn about all our preferred travel partners, visit www.Hideaways.com/partners.
Paris Apartments for the Most Discerning Girlfriends
Hideaways
Travel Services can set you up with the perfect Paris apartment for your group of girlfriends--or your entire family--to enjoy while exploring the city.
Typically, these are city-central, studio to three-bedroom rentals in historic buildings with modern amenities. Prices range anywhere from $200 to $800 per
night and up. Most often, these apartments are located in residential areas with access to the Metro and neighborhood cafés and boulangeries,
so you'll live a local while enjoying the sights of Paris. Contact your Hideaways Travel Consultant for more information; email ts@hideaways.com, or call 800-843-4433.
March/April 2015