Take, food, for instance. Yes, you can splurge on fancy feasts at La Tour d’Argent or Le Grand Véfour, and if you get the opportunity to do so, you most definitely should. But at the other end of the spending spectrum, you can enjoy just as memorable a meal with a shopping bag of groceries and a sunny spot by the Seine, crunching into a crusty baguette topped with brie melted-warm in the golden-hour air, sipping rosé well into the twilight-tinged time known as l’heure bleue.
Feasting en plein air is a much-loved Parisian pastime; few cities know how to roll out an impromptu riverside picnic with as much panache as Paris does, especially now that the Seine has been completely pedestrianised. Picnicking here brings together some of Parisians’ most favourite past-times: watching life float by (along with the boats and swans), enjoying free-flowing conversation (and wine, too), and snacking on simple, fresh produce.
For visitors to Paris in the warmer months, picnics are also great way to save your euros, as eating at cafés, even the simple ones, can add up if you’re doing so three times a day. But there are picnics … and there are pique-niques. Here are some tips for making sure yours is à la parisienne …
First up, pack some picnic gear in your suitcase. This might seem to go against the whole spontaneous vibe of a picnic, but it saves you having to hunt around for plates, cutlery, cups and a bottle opener when in Paris. Optional extras: a picnic towel to cover those cold cobbles, and a basket for stocking up.
So, you’ve arrived in Paris (bienvenue!), and you wake to a glorious day for a meal alfresco. Toss your picnic paraphernalia into your basket, and head to Saint-Germain for your shopping. On the corner of Rue de Buci and Rue de Seine, you’ll find a greengrocer’s; no Parisian picnic is complete without cherry tomatoes, a bunch of radishes, and a large tray of strawberries. If it’s a Friday, Saturday or Sunday, a cheesemonger will have set up across the way; ask him for his top suggestions. Failing that, a round of brie and log of goat’s are always crowd-pleasers. If you eat meat, he’s also your guy for a saucisson or two. Next, pop into the Carrefour supermarché at 78 Rue de Seine for your dips and chips. Now the essentials: bread and wine. Buy your baguettes at Paul, opposite the fruit & veg, and find a Nicolas bottle shop just around the corner, at 13 Rue de Buci. Finally, le dessert: try Carton, at 6 Rue de Buci, for a gorgeous array of traditional French treats, such as éclairs, milles-feuilles and tarts.
Laden with all your delights, walk up Rue Dauphine. When you reach the river, you can scoot around the two islands until you find your perfect spot. For example, upstream on the Île Saint Louis, a ramp takes you down from the Quai d’Orléans, to a cobbled bank that looks straight up to the stunning back-view of Notre-Dame; its gothic spires look particularly spectacular at sunset. My personal favourite patch is at the very tip of the Île de la Cité, known as the Square du Vert-Galant. To get there, cross Pont Neuf, and head down the stairs just in front of the equestrian statue of King Henri IV. Claim a spot somewhere around the triangular flower-filled park, ideally in sight of the wistful willow at the point there, and the graceful Pont des Arts just beyond it. Unfurl your blanket, throw everything on it in that casually studied way that Frenchies do so well, uncork your rosé, and settle in for some hours of utter bliss.
La vie est faite de petits bonheurs, say the French. Life is made of small happinesses. And a Parisian picnic is certainly one of life’s biggest little joys.