October, as you would be well aware, is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which is why the Eiffel Tower lights up pink to kick off the month. (On that note: don’t forget your regular breast checks, ladies!)
Pink suits Paris, surprisingly so, seeing as it’s a city of stone, subtly harmonious in its shades of greys and beiges.
But just as the most au naturel beauty can benefit from a dash of blush, Paris also looks gorgeous with a few pops of pink.
It is the city of la vie en rose after all — seeing the world through rose-coloured glasses.
But there are a few spots where Paris is literally rosy.
Whether you want to brighten up your next round of travel snaps, or would just like to inject some colour into future Parisian days, add the following addresses to your itinerary …
La Maison Rose, 2 Rue de l’Abreuvoir, 75018
This sweet two-toned pastel cottage — set just back from the crowded hilltop of Montmartre, where it’s easy to picture the district as the bucolic quarter it once was — has been celebrated since Maurice Utrillo started painting it in the early twentieth century. Around the same time an arty local couple bought the house to run as a café and boarding home, and gave it its now-famous name. These days La Maison Rose is Insta-famous to the point of cliché, but its iconic status makes it a must-visit, and it still boasts a memorably pleasant terrace on which to while away some time, sipping a glass of rosé to match.
5 Place Jussieu, 75005
One of Paris’s prettiest doors can be found just west of the Jardin des Plantes. Perhaps it took its colour inspiration from the rose garden there?
60 Rue de Bellechasse, 75007
Another pink door is just around the corner from the Musée Rodin where, coincidentally (or not?!), you’ll also find a delight of a rose garden.
Place Dauphine, 75001
Some of the original red-brick-and-white-stone facades remain on this gorgeous triangular square, now sweetly time-faded to a strawberries-and-cream effect. They look their prettiest in May, when the horse chestnuts are in full pink bloom.
Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel, 75001
Built in the early nineteenth century to serve as the gateway to the now-destroyed Tuileries Palace, the baby sister to the Arc de Triomphe is a pretty little thing, in no small part thanks to the lashings of glossy pink marble.
Mulot, 76 Rue de Seine, 75006
Its awning is as sweet as what’s inside. If it’s strawberry season, buy a tart or slice of fraisier.
Pink Mamma, 20bis Rue de Douai, 75009
If you crave a break from French food, take a gastronomic trip to Italy at this fabulous eatery. It’s actually a feast for all the senses, with its eclectically and vibrantly styled nooks and crannies, and this must-see view:
Marilyn Institut, 2 Rue Constance, 75018
If you’re after a glamorous pink manicure, this could just be your ultimate go-to.
Olympia Le-Tan, 5 Rue des Petits Champs, 75001
A suitably pretty-yet-quirky boutique for this handbag brand, which is loved for its artisanal embroidered clutches that are inspired by book covers and art. Hemingway’s A Moveable Feast? Check. Seurat’s The Eiffel Tower? That, too. There’s even a handbag ode to the Ladurée coffret.
Château de Bagatelle, Route de Sèvres à Neuilly, 75016
A castle fit for a fairytale princess set in a dream garden. Click here to read more.