It's 5 o'clock...in the land of the setting sun...time to share the Fika and many other city pleasures!
When Marie-Caroline gave us carte blanche to write a blog article, Alice and I thought about what we wanted to write. Very quickly, we thought of sharing with you these magical places which take you very far while remaining very close. Personally, these are the places I like to go to recharge my batteries, to give myself a breath of fresh air and to recharge my batteries with creativity. These are places that give me another perspective on life, that take me out of my routine, because they remind me how big, exciting and full of opportunities the world is. I came away boosted, with genius ideas, full motivation and the desire to initiate new projects. Incubators of vitality, as we could also call them, to remind us to savor life...
So there you have it, I’ll tell you about our trip to Paris…
The most beautiful changes of scenery I have experienced all had in common this extraordinary way of drawing you into an exceptionally immersive universe! They weren't necessarily places very far from my daily life, but they were those places that give you the impression of traveling very far in a few minutes in time or space. With Alice, these are three trips that we (re)discovered together in Paris.
First stop: at Smith & Son
First of all, the WHSmith bookstore, rue de Rivoli. From the moment you walk through the door, you are captivated by the thousands of worlds that emerge from the books displayed on the shelves. Each of them written by a different author, with the ambition to share the history of a country (I loved leafing through Tolkien's picture books), a reflection or a historical character (an entire shelf dedicated to Queen Elizabeth , true immersion in English culture). Stroll through these aisles and get lost in these pages...like a moment out of time to go on an adventure alongside an incredible character or to sit in an armchair to glimpse the history of a nation, of a culture, of a person...
So, with Alice and Marie-Caroline, we share our summer selection with you:
- A thriller recommended by the house (apparently the hit of the moment) and selected by Alice for her long hours at the beach. I cited “The Night Manager” by the English writer John Le Carré.
- An inspiring and fresh book written by Michel Obama. Marie-Caroline wanted to recommend the book “Becoming” which is really excellent (I confirm, having read it, a very nice read), but as it was not in stock, we chose “The light we carry” , not to be missed either.
- And finally, I recommend a classic that you may have already seen in film, but which has an unparalleled charm when you read the original version: “Gone With the Wind” with the beautiful and fiery Scarlett O'Hara, a novel that will give you great hours of reading.
Upstairs, we find the chic English style stationery where everything is so pretty that you hesitate for a long time...Finally, to complete this magical moment, the tea room with its large fireplace and its cozy atmosphere will undoubtedly give you the feeling of finding yourself in a small English cottage. It was only because the clock was ticking and we had to visit other places that we managed to tear ourselves away from this singular place.
Second stop: Paris Mosque
Our next stop brought us a very welcome wave of sunshine in this rather gray month of July. The colors of this very lively royal blue, used on the walls and paving stones and surrounded by palm trees, bring a unique feeling of exoticism to this place! You guessed it, we were at the tea room of the Paris Mosque. So as we are greedy, we tested several pastries, each one as exquisite as the next.
A pleasure for the eyes and the palate, this escapade takes you on a distant journey to the lands of the setting sun...
Third stop: Fika café
We then cross the Seine to find ourselves in one of the oldest and most charming districts of Paris (my favorite district without a doubt). After crossing rue des Francs-Bourgeois, take rue Payenne to square Georges Cain. And that's where we're taking you... to share Fika together, a typically Swedish break where we meet at any time of the day for a friendly moment. The FIKA café has a warm atmosphere with its small tables indoors and its courtyard with long tables and wooden benches outdoors. When I worked in this area, I loved going there, alone or with friends to leave the stress of the day behind and refocus on what really matters to me, they were always precious little moments.
If you go there, discover the famous “Bullar” with cardamom, this typical little brioche that catches my eye every time I go there. Right next to FIKA, you will find the Swedish Institute, a true “piece of Sweden in the heart of Paris”. You will discover various exhibitions on Swedish culture for a total immersion in this country where life is good.
It was with stars in our eyes and the impression of having taken a mini tour of the world that we ended this beautiful day... by bike in Paris... passing from the charm of England to the exoticism of the Maghreb, until the generosity of Sweden.
So, when you need to take a break to recharge your batteries, recharge your batteries or simply to get away from it all, think of these three magical places!
Lysiane from Team Petites Reines
📍 WHSmith bookstore, 248 rue de Rivoli, 75001 Paris
📍 Tea room - Restaurant de la Mosquée de Paris, 39 Rue Geoffroy-Saint-Hilaire, 75005 Paris