Tea Travel Talk

 

This blog is like a public diary of my travels through Paris and beyond. Over the past year I did a semester abroad in Paris. Paris itself became one of my favorite places in the world and will always remain this magical city where I spend a wonderful 6 months. While in Paris, I had many adventures and experiences while creating countless memories that I will never forget. Paris became my special place which I would love to return to some day. Today when I think about my semester living in Paris I have to remind myself that yes I did actually live in Paris for six months and all these magical memories were indeed a reality. In this blog I hope to capture and share some of the most magical moments of my travels from every day life in the city to the moments that could only be experienced in Paris. I hope to share my favorite as well as some of the not so great parts(very few of those that I can remember) of the city. Over the semester being located in Paris also gave me the opportunity to travel beyond to some of the other great places in Europe. In this blog I want to share some of my favorites things about the places I saw. Traveling as a student and living in hostels was an experience on its own and doing it for the first time was something I am so glad I had the chance to do. Hope the pages on this blog feel you with a sense of wanderlust and get you traveling in no time!

If You’re Free Around Tea Time You Could Head Here

So from my posts you’ve probably figured I spent a lot of my time in Paris in cafes. While some cafes offer amazing drinks, others provide some mouth watering desserts. But what I felt was that cafes are a part of the Parisian lifestyle, a cafe is not just limited to it’s menu but rather it is accompanied by a certain vibe, atmosphere and therefore an overall experience. So, when in Paris do become a cafe go-er; sit amidst the air of second hand smoke,scent of espresso’s and the husky yet perfect sound of french while enjoying something delicious and engaging in good conversation.

Here are some of the few cafes I enjoyed. However this list is by no means complete or a collection of the best either. Below are just some of my personal favorite spots to check out just because cafes seem like an ideal place to be in Paris.

A cafe right by the Notre Dame

• Cafe Brasserie’s in Paris: All around the city you are sure to find “Cafe Brasserie” which is basically a typical cafe in Paris. These cafes are located all around Paris and from what I noticed generally had a similar sort of menu and purpose. They are basically coffee shops as well as places for meals. In this cafes, I had some really great meals and one thing which I always enjoyed on the menu was the french onion soup. At the same time these are still largely cafes where literally every seat is filled during the evening hours. One day caught in rain, a friend and I went to a cafe by the Notre Dame where I had a perfectly chocolatey cappuccino. These were the cafes where I often ended up at with friends while we were out and got hungry. I realized these cafes were a hit or miss sort of thing; some were great while others still met Paris standards yet weren’t anything jaw dropping. One day after a busy day at school finishing up a paper, I was so hungry I went to a cafe close to Le Bon Marche all by myself and enjoyed a three course meal at tea time. I began with a plate of fries and tea and then of course I needed some dessert, so, I got an apple pie. Maybe it was just because I was hungry, but that was pretty much the best apple pie I ever had.
• Breizh Cafe:  Okay so I’ll go more into my favorite locations in another section, but once again I must emphasize the greatness of the ‘Le Marias’ neighborhood. Seriously, the Marias is such a nice place to walk around, window shop and grab a bite. It is the hipster hub of Paris and has this charm of its own. I’ve been to the Marias in all sorts of weather and at different times of the day and every time I had a great time being there. If you do wander into the Marias neighborhood, you will have no problem finding a place to eat or snack, the streets are filled with all sorts of eateries. During one of my visits, a couple of friends and I went to Breizh Cafe in the Marias. This is a cafe dedicated to crepes, all sorts of crepes from sweet to salty. To be fair when you do go to Paris, finding a crepe is as easy as finding a pharmacy and to be completely honest the best crepes are the ones you find at the roadside vendors. But if you want to go for a sit down meal or tea, Breizh Cafe is a cool place to head to. They offer a wide variety of crepes and I really enjoyed the savory crepe that I tried. As for dessert, I would recommend you head to one of the other cool cafes in the neighborhood or grab a sugar crepe from any roadside vendor on your way home.

I had the salmon crepe accompanied by a warm cappuccino

• Saint Germaine De Pres: This street is lined by all sorts of cafes from high end places like the Armani and Ralph Lauren cafe’s to simple corner brasseries. I never actually went and ate at the Ralph Lauren Cafe, but I went in and saw how beautiful it was. Incase you have the budget and time, do go try it and let me know how it is! Sometimes its fun to dress up super classy and go out in the day time. It is also home to some of the popular cafes of Paris such as Les Deux Magots. Be sure to check out my post on my favorite places on this street.
• Here’s the link: https://teatraveltalk.wordpress.com/2015/08/04/saint-germaine-de-pres/
• Also Apego is right off Saint Germaine, on Rue Saint Peres and I’m sure you can tell how much I love it considering I gave it an entire blog post. If you’re looking for something in a student budget yet offering good food and a pleasant atmosphere, this is your answer!

Lillie’s Brownies

• Lillie’s Brownies: Okay if you happen to pass by this small yet incredible bakery please do walk in! Lillie’s Brownies offers all sorts of cakes and brownies that are so delicious. The shop itself doesn’t have lots of space for sitting but its close enough to many parks where you can sit and enjoy your goodies. Lillie’s is actually located very close to my school and during the school term on Thursday’s I would come and buy a quick snack in between classes. My favorite was the lemon poppy seed loaf. Not only is the food great, so is the service. They always gave me my goodies quickly and kept them in a bag to go (even my tea). Small things like that make me love Paris.

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  Nutella Brownie and cheese cake at Maison Pradier

  Maison Pradier: Okay so heads up this is a chain cafe like Paul. Second heads up, it looks super pricey and even though I went there a lot, I must admit that it really wasn’t cheap. BUT, it is in no way super pricey or unaffordable and every thing is worth the price. Maison offers some amazing baguette sandwiches, salads(my favorite was the quinoa salad) and really good desserts like the nutella brownie (I was addicted to this). I ended up making Maison Pradier my everyday regular cafe and every day I’d come order the same thing. The staff is amazing at least on the Saint Germaine branch, they all dealt with my lack of French language skills with a smile and definitely realized I came in daily, we developed a sort of unsaid regulars relationship. Even though is slightly more pricey than some of the other bakeries and cafes, the good thing is that it offers deals especially for students around lunch time which are great. If you want to get some work done or you just want to sit somewhere for a while longer, head to the Maison Pradier on Saint Germaine De Pres. Oh how I miss being able to grab a mini aubergine baguette before class from here!

APEGO: My Regular Cafe and Favorite in Paris

ANJELINAS: A Classy Day Out

Desserts Around Paris

The Parisian cafe experience is like no other in the world. In Paris, a cafe is really a destination of its own. The cafes are filled with customers, both regulars and new visitors(tourists) all busy enjoying conversations, drinks and desserts. I really enjoyed the fact that it was totally acceptable to walk into any cafe and sit completely on your own or to come with a group of people. The cafes in Paris were always full yet never once did I feel a sense of urgency or like I had overstayed my welcome. The cafes and their staff truly welcome you because tea time is serious business in Paris. Perhaps one of the best parts about Parisians cafes that is unmatched in other places are the desserts. Oh Lord, the desserts! If you ever get a chance to spend even a day in Paris, do not leave till you have been to a cafe and had some magnificent piece of sweet delight.

 

Saint Germaine De Pres

Saint Germaine De Pres: Great desserts at a great location!Saint Germaine De Pres is personally my favorite street in the city. Perhaps thats because my school was on this street and it became my regular metro stop. But more than just needing to go to this street, I would love to get off at Saint Germaine and walk around in the hustle bustle. This street seemed like the perfect blend of touristy as well as local Parisian life. It is also home to amazing cafes with some of the best desserts I had in the city. If you have a sweet tooth make your way to Saint Germain and I assure you, you won’t be disappointed.

Les Deux Magots: 

Les Deux Maggots; The lemon tart was unlike any I have ever had. It could definitely be a meal on its own and that chocolate cake is like a chocolate lovers paradise! It may look tiny but trust me, it’s just the right size.

Les Deux Magots is a very famous cafe in Paris, where the likes of Ernest Hemingway once ate. It’s fame however is not over stated at all. This place is incredible. If I had limited time and wanted to capture the essence of Paris cafe’s I would head straight to Les Deux and be very content with the experience. Les Deux is always filled with people who seem to be a blend of locals who come here regularly or every so often after work as well as a large number of tourists. The desserts are brought out on a dessert tray going around and you get to stare at them and take your pick. On the tray literally everything looks divine and you will be tempted to get more than one dessert. When they bring out the desserts get ready to enjoy sheer deliciousness! I should add that this isn’t a cheap cafe and while the desserts look oh so tempting on the tray do keep in mind that they are the price of a meal. I would still say it’s totally worth it and if given the chance I’d be eating something heavenly at Les Deux right now.

Cafe De Flore:

My favorite dessert was the strawberry tart however the almond dessert and the molten cake were nothing short of perfection either!

Cafe De Flore is located right next to Les Deux and it also always full with customers. If you happen to have time, I would recommend cafe hoping on Saint Germaine and trying out this other quintessentially Parisian cafe. Cafe De Flore is also set up in a similar manner to Les Deux, where customers mainly sit on the outdoor shed area giving them a perfect street view. Desserts at Cafe De Flore are also top notch with deliciously chocolate oozing molten cakes and tarts of all kinds. The best part about Parisian desserts is not only do they taste delicious, they also look like perfectly handcrafted works of art worthy of a photoshoot. When I went to Cafe De Flore towards the end of my stay, I wanted to take home their paper table sitting as a memorabilia and the waiter happily got my friends and I each a new setting to take home. Maybe one day I’ll use the table setting with my own high quality desserts, until then I’ll just dream of Cafe De Flore!

A Love Affair With Macaroons

Laudree, Rue De Bonaparte

From the first day that I arrived in Paris, I was trying to find Laudree, the world renowned macaroon shop so I could be initiated into the art of French tea living. I tried their macaroons before in London, but  I knew they would be so much more special in Paris itself. So during my first week in Paris I found a Laudree on Rue de Bonaparte which was only a couple of minutes away from my home for the week. I was still getting used to Parisian life and getting to know people so at this time I just went and bought some of mini macaroons to go. While I didn’t get the experience of sipping tea and eat macaroons at Laudree yet, I was introduced to these tiny pieces of sweet deliciousness. Previously I had tried macaroons but never really developed the love I did for them in Paris. Laudree on Rue De Bonaparte was only a few minutes away from my school and I was often around the area, it is also much less crowded than the Champs Elysses location. To any one planning on heading to Laudree, I would recommend buying a couple of the mini macaroons rather than one large one. Even though they are bite size, they somehow are more than enough. Personally for me, the must try flavors were chocolate and coffee. Yes I know that sounds so boring and typical, but seriously they got the basics right. If you’re feeling more adventurous with your taste buds go for the rose or perhaps the citron flavors.

Mmm… above you see two sorts of chocolate mini macaroons as well as a coffee macaroon

 

Hi All! I am still working on completing and figuring out the layout for the blog. I have however added a page called “Desserts In Paris” under Tea Time and I hope you enjoy what I have to share so far. Keep tuned for more updates and stories. Give me a while to get a hang of uploading stuff and properly formatting the site. Thanks! xx