the updated paris guide
A couple of years ago, I had written a post about my first visit to Paris. Since then, things has changed in such dramatic ways — if you told my 22 years old self that I’ll be traveling to Paris almost every season for work, I would have laughed. The funny thing is that when all you can think about is your boss, clients, meetings, creating content for your brands or your company, it sort of kills the travel bug. Don’t get me wrong, I am absolutely grateful for my current work situation, but sometimes you just can’t help it, especially when every trip is 30 hours away. That being said, this time I’ve decided to shake things up. Yes, I’m working, but I still have to eat, drink hot chocolate, wander and sleep. I mean, it is PARIS after all. So there you have it, my work version Paris guide. Enjoy.
幾年前還在讀書的時候，寫過一篇巴黎初訪的文章。當時用的網域不同，文筆與拍照模式也與現在相差甚遠。快轉到現在，對我來說，巴黎不再是旅遊聖地，反而成了出差的地點之一。每趟都是將近三十個小時的飛行行程，一下機立刻開始馬不停蹄地工作與行程，時間久了，我似乎遺忘了怎麼好好享受這個曾經令人非常喜愛的城市。每個晚上，離開展間，只想立刻回飯店躺平，有時候連跟同事吃晚餐都覺得疲憊。不過，這次我決定轉會心情，找回對於旅遊的熱忱，於是便起了寫這篇旅遊日記的靈感，畢竟就算在外工作，還是要吃吃喝喝的嘛（笑）。但，與其說是日記，不如說是大補貼，這裡包含了我從以前家庭旅遊時期到現在跟老闆出差所搜集的一些餐廳、商店與咖啡廳。趁著澳洲這三日連假，來好好整理出來給大家。一起來看看吧。
Where to stay
We spent this season at Hotel Bachaumont , and I wouldn’t hesitate to stay there again. The rooms were clean, the surrounding was quiet and reasonably priced. Paris hotels tends to be notoriously small, but this one is actually pretty spacious for my visit and there are tuns of storage. Me and my boss stayed both stayed in one room each, my room is the ‘superior room’ that comes with a cute little balcony overlooking the city streets. The bathroom was stunning, and the counter was big enough for me spread out my beauty essentials. I loved the location because I get to walk to a couple of my favourite restaurants and cafes, even Le Bon Marche is only 30 mins walk away which I personally don’t mind on a non-rainy day. We are also really close to Rue Montorgueil which made us feel like we were living like the locals.
Of course, if you want to treat yourself, I would really recommend the Mandarin Oriental Paris. It is my favourite branch from them across the world, I can even say it is my favourite hotel on the planet (so far). Not your normal 5 star service, they are not only professional but also extremely accommodating. Located in the 1st arrondissement, meaning it’s great for shopping and some amazing food places. I got to stay here a couple of times with brands, and I love it so much that when I brought my family to Paris I took them there too. It is worth every penny. The hotel restaurant Camelia serves amazing breakfast, it is extremely delicate, not your classic omelette or buffet situation. 100% recommend.
If you are not too fussy about decors, I’d say Sofitel Baltimore Tour Eiffel is a nice choice. Your classic business & tourist hotel. Convenient location and modern rooms with thoughtful concierge service. I wouldn’t say this is the best hotel I’ve ever stayed in, but it is worth considering if you just want something simple. However, I would recommend skipping the hotel breakfast. Another similar hotel will be the Westin Vendome, small rooms but the service and prime location makes up for it.
I haven’t personally stayed in Hotel National Des Arts Metiers before, but so far I’ve heard nothing but good reveiws.. The sister hotel of Bachaumont. Been to the rooms for showings and dined here a couple of time. Everything looks promising.
這季時裝週公司選擇了 Hotel Bachmont 。即便是第一次下榻，只過了三天我就決定納入口袋名單。平時因為預算的關係，一般來說老闆都是選擇商務旅館或是一間Airbnb整個團隊擠一擠，這次因為肺炎，歐洲酒店房價下跌，身為員工的我們才有了一人一間的優惠。地點在二區，離瑪黑區走路約十五分鐘，而步行到 Le Bon Mache 則是三十分鐘。本身所在 Rue Montorgueil 街區，非常貼近當地居民的生活，超市、水果攤、麵包店與小咖啡廳與選品店等等都不缺。房型以巴黎相同價位來說算是我住過比較寬敞的了。Superior Room 附有小陽台，衛浴的設計也挺好的（淋浴間夠大，洗手台把彩妝與護膚品一字排開不是問題），房間本身非常合我口味，在復古與摩登間那捏得宜。另外，櫃子設計也十分用心，儲物空間非常足夠，如果只是習慣把行李箱攤開在地上的人，也沒問題的。
當然，如果想對自己好點或是有預算的話，我真心非常推薦 Mandarin Oriental Paris 。這絕對是我整個巴黎最愛的飯店，我甚至可以大膽說是至今在世界各地住過最愛的。兩三年前與品牌看秀很幸運地被安排到這間酒店，一試成主顧，後來只要是跟家人來，我都會領著他們來 Check in。一來是考量空間與服務他們能住得舒服，二來就是地點對觀光客來說是十分友善。附近不只購物，也不缺觀光景點，當然餐廳的選擇也非常多元。是個就雖然價錢偏高，卻能清楚感受到錢花在哪，算是「值回票價」。至於飯點本身的飲食，以早餐來說完全是高標準，不單單只有一般常見的歐姆蛋或是自助餐，另外還包含了非常多種的套餐類別（日式、西式、美式，中式、歐式等等）。
如果本身對於房間佈置沒有太多要求，純粹以機能性來說的話，可以考慮 Sofitel Balitmore Tour Eiffel 看看。非常典型的觀光型酒店，周到的服務，方便的地點。雖然說不上是最好的 Sofitel （目前住過最好的是慕尼黑）或是旅館，但整體來說表現中規中矩，算是不執著於要著漂亮房間的人（笑）不過，早餐的部分，我建議到附近的咖啡廳好些，附近很多小街，隨意走走會有驚喜地發現的。相同類型的旅館是位於一區 Westin Vendome，雖然是具有品牌名氣，但房間卻是我住過數一數二小的，不過地點算是彌補了這方面的不足。
最後，分享一間我沒住過，但聽過身邊人一致給予高評價的 Hotel National Des Arts Metiers （與第一間 Bachaumont 算是同系列，由一個集團一并經營的）。我去過朋友之前住的房間，也在他們大廳的餐廳吃過早餐與晚餐，兩次都經驗都很喜歡。據說許多大品牌與百貨的買手在時裝周期間也都是住這間。我們公司這季本來這季的第一選擇也是它，可惜已經訂滿。
INFO
Hotel Bachaumont — 18 Rue Bachaumont, 75002
Mandarin Oriental Paris — 251 Rue Saint-Honoré, 75001
Sofitel Paris Baltimore Tour Eiffel — 88 Bis Avenue Kléber, 75116
Westin Paris Vendome — 3 Rue de Castiglione, 75001
Hotel National des Arts et Metiers — 243 Rue Saint-Martin, 75003
Where to Dine
The food, THE FOOD! Where to start? I I’m pretty lucky because my current and previous boss both knows Paris pretty well, so most of the places we go have been pre-selected through experiences. And I also have a handful of friends who works there, so to be honest, even if I’m not traveling for work I haven’t really been to a place where the food is extremely awful that I would never step foot in the restaurant again. That being said, here’s a couple of my suggestions from all my experiences..
Starting off with the BEST Italian food I’ve ever had in Paris — Visconti Da Pina. Oh my lord, if you are into homemade style Italian food you have to give this place a chance. PLEASE order the mushroom truffle pizza, you can thank me later. The pasta is amazing too, I had the casarecce with duck meat & truffle cream which got envious eye from the whole table. My friend had the cheese gnocchi which was one of the best gnocchi I’ve tried — the creaminess is in such perfect balance that it doesn’t make you sick. Our team loved it so much that we actually had it for take away lunch again the next day. That being said, La Lorraine at the next store is really delicious too. Great place for you seafood lovers out there. I’ve been dying to try the Lobster Linguine, unfortunately, it keeps selling out. The salmon steak is pretty good too, I aslo love the crab meat and celery cannelloni as a light dinner choice.
Now, if your craving for some Asian food, I would highly recommend Udon Bistro Kunitoraya. I know, some of you may be raising your eye brows thinking ‘what is this girl thinking recommending a Japanese restaurant in France?’. Okay, hear me out. Picture this — it’s raining and freezing, and you just got out of the showroom after a hectic day and all you can think about is hot soup. See where I’m going here? My family and I have been going to this place for the past 10+ years, and I still Love it. My favourite two go-to are Tempura Udon & Beef Curry Udon, followed by Petite Udon when I want something lighter.
In terms of hotel restaurants, the Camélia in Mandarin Oriental is a great place for French Food with a modern twist. I love the duck fillet with their black currant sauce, followed by the homemade mushroom tagliatelle…oooh, and the grilled scallops is quite the highlight too. We also ate at the The Bachaumont Restaurant on our first day and couldn’t be bothered going anywhere else. It definitely did not disappoint. I personally really enjoyed the sesame crusted salmon and the seasonal vegetables as sides. I adore Perruche, the rooftop setting is gorgeous and you get to see the Eiffel Tour. The food was average, but the scenery makes up for it. Last but not least — East Mamma from the Big Mama group. I dined their a few years ago, and to be honest I don’t remember what I had but I do distinctively remember it being so good and worth the 30 minutes wait.
好的，到大家最重視的美食時間。我其實滿幸運的，前兩個老闆對巴黎都很熟悉，加上也有不少在這裡工作的朋友，所以不管工作不工作都有人帶路，基本上不太容易踩雷。目前也沒去過一家餐廳難吃到會不想回訪。當然，飲食純看個人習慣，是一件非常主觀的事。所以這些都是我自己覺得好吃，大家如果去了不是那麼滿意或是覺得一點都不特別，請不要生氣，畢竟每個人的喜好都不同呀（但應該是不會有那種超後悔地用餐經驗啦）
首先，就從這次的新發現，目前在巴黎吃過最好吃的義大利菜 Visconti Da Pina 開始吧。屬於家常型式，不管是比薩還是義大利麵都深得人心。當天我點了鴨肉麻花義大利麵，整桌的人嘗過都說非常好吃。同事的起司麵疙瘩也是品質保證，起司的濃厚度那捏得很好，不膩口。另外，披薩的部分，推薦松露蘑菇或是基本款瑪格麗特。整個團隊都對這次晚餐都滿意，隔天甚至還跑去外帶中午休息時間在 showroom 吃。位於同一個圓環，隔壁的 La Lorraine 是間我們每季必訪的海鮮餐廳。從生蠔、烤海鮮、煎魚、炸魚薯條與海鮮義大利麵都有。一直以來最想吃的是龍蝦天使麵，但目前為止每次去的時候都已經完售（默）。我自己最常點的是螃蟹沙拉，如果餓一點就會點烤魚排。
一區的 Udon Bistro Kunitoraya 虎屋烏龍麵也是極力推薦給大家。就算在國外住了這麼久，還是有喝熱湯的習慣。特別是冬天的時候，覺得還是只有亞洲餐廳的湯頭夠熱。虎屋烏龍麵，是自從我第一次來巴黎之後，每次不管是旅行還是出差都會來的餐廳。小小的虎屋，外頭時常大排長龍，不管是亞洲人還是法國人都非常喜愛。口味對我這個日料愛好者來說，算是非常道地的了。最喜歡天婦羅烏龍麵（記得要點分開放的），如果只是想喝點清湯就會點小碗的 Petit Udon 。假如人多一點還會加點小菜紫蘇蝦捲跟日式炸雞。
接著，與大家分享一下比較精緻的餐廳。Camélia 是在巴黎東方文華一樓的餐廳，主推法菜新吃的理念。鴨胸配黑醋栗果醬是我很喜歡的一道菜，不吃肉的人可以試試蘑菇義大利麵，第三名就是煎干貝。這次在旅館 Check in 完後，因為要開會所幸在一樓的 Bachaumont Restaurant 邊吃午餐邊進行，整體來說都挺令人驚喜的（比早餐好上許多）。我算是對海鮮情有獨鍾，所以一般嘗試新餐廳，我也都會從魚料理試試。鮭魚外皮鋪上了一層 芝麻，烤過之後更有風味。另外，也加點了烤時蔬，畢竟搭了一整天的飛機，幾乎沒吃到什麼青菜。接著就是位於 Printemp 百貨底了都戶外餐廳 Perruche。分為酒吧與餐廳兩區，同時有著可以看到巴黎鐵塔的景色。晚上來特別有氣氛，餐點的部份表現尚可，夜景幫忙加了很多分。怕冷的話，餐廳除了暖驢還會貼心提供毛毯給客人。最後來分享很火紅的 Big Mama 連鎖餐廳 East Mamma 義式料理。約兩年前和前份工作的老闆去吃的，雖然不記得到底點了什麼，倒是清晰的記得是頓非常讓人滿意的晚餐，就是就算飽了還是會想一直吃的那種程度。況且，我們當時在餐廳外等了半小時左右，結束後依舊覺得非常值得。其實 Big Mama 集團底下的每個餐廳風格都不一樣，下次一定要嚐嚐別家。
addresses
Bachaumont restaurant — 18 Rue Bachaumont, 75002
Udon Bistro Kunitoraya — 1 Rue Villédo, 75001
Viscontti Da Pina — 89 Boulevard de Courcelles, 75008
La Lorraine — 2 Place des Ternes, 75008
Camélia— 251 Rue Saint-Honoré, 75001
Perruche — 2 rue du havre, 75008 ( Printemps level 9)
East Mama— 133 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Antoine 75011
Where to go for dessert, pastry & coffee
Work or not, no Paris trip is completed without some sort of pastry and dessert indulgent. I do not have a lot of dessert or bakery place under my sleeve at the moment, but these are the ones I consider the best so far…
Matamata Coffee is a new discovery that is just 5 mins walk away from Bachaumont Hotel. I was feeling adventurous and decided to go through my morning emails somewhere other than the hotel restaurant. A tiny cosy little cafe, great place to start the day. I had their granola and chai latte, and to be honest I prefer their menu rather than our hotel’s breakfast-offering. I really enjoyed Le Saint-Germain. Located in the famous chic left bank hotel Lutetia, Le Saint-German has the decor that would make you wanna stay for hours. Along with their delicate pastry and dessert, it’s a great place to wind down or have a casual team meeting. The glass ceiling, small cluster of sculpture and eclectic furniture collection, it is a place for those decor suckers.
As for something with a bit more focus on dessert. Le Loir Dans La Théière is a cozy cake place that made even the French queue on a pouring Sunday afternoon. A family run business ran by Paul Boccia since 1996. Right in the heart of Marais, the decor reminds me of Alice in the Wonderland. You see posters of movies, tv shows & musicals all over the wall. Messy but not in a disturbing way. Serving breakfast and lunch, but let’s be honest, everyone is really here for the cake. La Bossue in Montmarte is also a great little cafe for dessert & pastry. I’m sucker for their molten chocolate cake, but they don’t seem to have it all the time. For crepes, my family always visit Breizh Cafe…my mum loves it so much that she makes me bring their at least twice every trip. If I’m honest, this probably doesn’t need too much introduction since it is so famous that there is always a long queue outside. A couple of years back they had also branched out to Tokyo.
欸，沒錯。既然都到巴黎了，怎麼能不來點甜食糕點呢？老實說，目前搜集的咖啡館或是甜點店舖不算多，不過這些都是我習慣再訪，外加一個新發現，與你們分享。
先從新發現開始，離旅館步行不到五分鐘的 Matamata Coffee。因為吃膩了飯店的早餐，所以帶著電腦到附近走走，挖掘新地點來回電郵。小小的 Matmata Coffee 座位不算多，佈置質樸溫暖，以木色調為主。酪梨吐司很不錯，但我個人推優格燕麥跟香料拿鐵。覺得一般早餐無聊的話，可以來這家試試。在 Hotel Lutetia 的 Le Saint-Germain ，有著我目前在巴黎看過最美的裝潢，從彩繪玻璃天花板、各式座椅到櫃上的小雕像，一切都是精心安排過的。公司有時候開會會跑來這裡，即便坐上幾個小時也覺得賞心悅目。另外熱飲附上的小糕點都超好吃，每次都會額外加點。
喜歡吃蛋糕的人，推薦去瑪黑區的 Le Loir Dans La Théière。1996年創立，為家族經營的事業。非常受當地的人喜愛，第一次去的時候巴黎下著大雨，外頭依然大排長樓。佈置給人一種愛麗絲夢遊仙境的感覺，亂中有序。牆上貼滿了各種演唱會、電影或是音樂劇的海報。據說，早午餐也挺好的，雖然我發現大家好像都是衝著甜點來的。蛋糕走的不是精緻路線，味道簡單扎實，名副其實的 homemade 甜點。熱可可是我偏好的濃郁路線，推薦給不怕甜的胃（笑）接著，蒙馬特的 La Bossue 也是我出差假如有時間一定會去的小咖啡館。跟先前的 Matamata 一樣，空間狹小，但不影響整體感受。熔岩巧克力蛋糕不是每天都有，但有的話請大家一定要點來試試看，很少在咖啡館吃到這種水準的，第一次嘗試的時候內心好驚喜。不曉得大家最愛的法式甜點是什麼？我個人除了可麗露，再來就是薄餅了。Breizh Cafe 的薄餅餐單很豐富，雖然我自己喜歡基本款的多些。吳小姐超級喜歡，每次家庭旅遊來巴黎都會特別要求要吃上個兩次。同樣是一家用餐時間可能會需要排隊的店，前幾年甚至發現他們在東京也開了分店，算是品質保證吧。
addresses
Matamata Coffee — 58 Rue d'Argout, 75002
Le Saint-Germain (Hotel Lutetia) — 45 Boulevard Raspail, 75006
Le loir dans la théière — 3 Rue des Rosiers, 75004
La Bossue — 9 Rue Joseph de Maistre, 75018
Breizh Cafe — 109 Rue Vieille du Temple, 75003
Where to shops & Wander
If you’ve never been before then there are of course the classics to tick off: The Eiffel Tower, Louvre Museum, The Champs-Élysées, Palace of Versailles, Montmartre…etc — you get the gist. But as I’ve been here a couple of times, I thought it would be a bit more interesting to add a couple of my personal favourite stores and areas for wander.
Our hotel is located in the 2nd arrondissement, which includes Rue Montorgueil which is a great street for little bars, cafes and quirky boutiques. I personally really enjoy Galerie Vivienne, which reminds me of the passageways in London somehow. A couple of new discoveries this time will be Rouje by Jenne Damas, a great small boutique to quicly absorb the effortless french girl vibe. The decor is really cute, so even if you’re the clothes & beauty does not fit your taste, it’s nice to just have a look around. I’d also recommend Nose which is just right across the street. Think Sephora or Mecca but in a more elegant, subtle and sophisticated way with brands like Augustinus Bader, Kevin Murphy and Ayuna. If you’re looking for high street brands, there’s also & Other Stories & Cos just a couple of minutes away.
If you could only pick one area to wander, I’d say spend your time in Le Marais. This area lived up to every Paris dream. Cafes & the best little restaurants in each block, art galleries on every corner. Book store and designer boutiques make you re-think your suitcase allowance. Sadly this time we did not get to spend much time there, however here’s a couple of shops I always keep on my list — Merci, Eatlay, Mélodies Graphiques (stationery), BIS Boutique Solidaire (second hand/vintage clothing), Edwart Chocolatier Marais, & APC. The new Dover Street Parfums Market has just open it’s door, if you’re a beauty junkie like me, you might not want to miss it. I love going to Le Bon Marché for denim, because they carry a lot of brands like Re/Done and 3X1 we can’t physically find in our end of the world and there is a on-site hemming service. I guess if you are already in the area, take a 10 mins walk to Citypharma and pick up a couple of French Beauty bits.
如果是第一次到巴黎，基本的觀光景點勢必是需要走訪一下的。像是鐵塔啊、香榭麗舍大道、羅浮宮、凡爾賽宮等等。不過，這裡我就不多做介紹了，因為這方面的資訊網路上基本上是不缺。今天要來分享的是我平常喜歡走走的區域，或是會刻意去逛的店面，希望你們喜歡。
先從這次旅館周邊說起吧。畢竟在二區，所以很靠近著名的美食街 Rue Montorgueil — 餐酒館、麵包坊、傳統老咖啡館以及生鮮市集在這裏都一應俱全。在走得遠點，還能到 Galerie Vivienne 拱廊，裡頭有著百年書店，精品小舖甚至是小茶室都有。拱廊文化不管是在倫敦還墨爾本都很盛行，或許就是正是因為如此我才特別熱愛吧。由法國模特兒 Jenne Damas 與友人共同創立的 Rouje 是這次的新發現（直接在旅館對面）。空間本身結合了餐館與服裝店舖，推開門後有種走入時髦的法式公寓的感覺。至於衣服本身，我覺得設計不錯，但面料材質有待加強，不可以當作挖掘搭配靈感的地方。另外，品牌的指甲油與彩妝品則包裝精緻適合送禮。同條街對面的 Nose，就比較符合我個人口味了。是的，這是一間香氛與護膚的概念店。品牌的部分篩選的很好，質感方面做了嚴格把關。像是 Augustinus Bader、Kevin Murphy 與 Ayuna 等等，在這裏都能找到。
好咧，假如只有一天可以自由活動，我通常會把大部分的時間都花在瑪黑區。每次來，總會有新發現。從藝廊、書籍、咖啡館跟二手店，這裡選擇多到常常會讓我懷疑自己是不是回程行李會超重。除了大家在熟悉不過的複合式選物店 Merci，接著就是文具控的天堂 Mélodies Graphiques，Eatlay 適合給有烹飪習慣的大家，或是買點義大利零食回飯店吃也行。我也會到 BIS Boutique Solidaire 看看二手衣物，看能不能挖到一些品牌的經典復古單品，或是到 APC 看看簡約法式單品。接著，身為資深巧克力控，還喜歡到 Edwart Chocolatier Marais 挑一些巧克力帶給朋友。噢還有還有，Dover Street Market 的美妝部門也在瑪黑區開幕了，熱愛美妝護膚品之人，別錯過。雖然平時不愛逛百貨，但我會特別到 Le Bon Marché 的丹寧褲區逛逛。因為他們的品牌比澳洲這裡多很多（譬如，Re/Done 與 3x1)，外加當場的修改服務，這對我這亞洲人米你身形，實在太方便。當然，既然都到這區了，可以再到著名的 Citypharma 買買平常在法國以外價位特別高的產品。
addresses
Galerie Vivienne — 5 Rue de la Banque, 75002
Rouje — 11 bis Rue Bachaumont, 75002
Nose — 20 Rue Bachaumont, 75002
Merci — 111 Boulevard Beaumarchais, 75003
Eatlay — 37 Rue Sainte-Croix de la Bretonnerie, 75004
Mélodies Graphiques — 10 Rue du Pont Louis-Philippe, 75004
BIS Boutique Solidaire — 7 Boulevard du Temple, 75003
Edwart Chocolatier Marais — 17 Rue Vieille du Temple, 75004
APC — 112 Rue Vieille du Temple, 75003
Le Bon Maché — 24 Rue de Sèvres, 75007
Citypharma — 26 Rue du Four, 75006
There you have it, my suggestions for your Paris agenda. The city of ridiculously good food, shopping and architecture. And I have to say, the French are pretty friendly as well in my experience. Hope you’ve enjoyed this travel post, something I haven’t done for a while and should do more. I’ve also created a google map for your reference (click the button below) — enjoy! Feel free to share your secret spots below. I’d love to know.
呼，大功告成。好一陣子沒寫旅遊文了，真過癮。我和所有人一樣對在沒去過巴黎前，也有著夢幻憧憬，而幾年過去，算是在讓憧憬破碎的方式在這法城裡找到了舒適的步調。另外，這次還特別把喜歡的點放到 google map 中方便大家未來計劃行程用（按下方按鈕）。假如，你們有自己有些什麽自己私藏的口袋名單，也歡迎留言分享唷。
