We are thrilled to announce that we have a five part “Insider’s Guide to Paris” that we would like to share with you.
It will give you loads of advice on where to stay in Paris, how to get around the city,
our tips on where to find the best food and of course, our insider secrets onthe most romantic things to do in Paris.

Are you ready to become a Paris Insider?

]]> http://www.cobblestay.com/blog/2012/05/become-a-paris-insider/feed/ 0 http://www.cobblestay.com/blog/2012/05/a-free-woman-in-paris-by-karen-a-chase/ http://www.cobblestay.com/blog/2012/05/a-free-woman-in-paris-by-karen-a-chase/#comments Wed, 09 May 2012 15:58:45 +0000 cobble http://www.cobblestay.com/blog/?p=1234 Wandering the streets of Paris, especially at sunset, always makes me feel like I’ve traveled back through time. Even the cars in shadow feel like they are from another era.

A guest post by Karen A. Chase,  author of Bonjour 40: A Paris Travel Log (40 years. 40 days. 40 seconds.)

 When I realized I had to turn forty, I decided I could that gracefully in Paris. I had been to Paris fifteen years earlier but only for five days and it hadn’t been long enough. Although many writers have changed their lives and moved there, I didn’t need to do that. (Okay, I wanted to, but I couldn’t.) So, I settled on going for nearly forty days.

I rented an apartment, planned for a year, put work on hold, and said, “Bonjour 40!” It was delightful. Days were filled with all sorts of food, museums, writing, experiences, people, and did I mention the food? I kept a blog while I was there, and this entry is one that lingers with me as the most perfect day for a woman alone in Paris.

Day 15 ~ May 5

I got lost. Hopelessly, wonderfully, nowhere in particular-ly lost. I did start out my day with a planned visit to a museum (Musée Jacquemart-André), but once I left it I just got wanderlust for the next eight hours. It sounds frightening, but no, wandering in Paris is delightful. Every corner I went around had another little strip of charming stores, grand statues, festive cafés, gardens, architecture, flowers, or monuments to behold.

With no phone, and limited email access, being unplugged is giving me the freedom to go out for these aimless excursions whenever writing hits a wall or my curiosity gets the best of me. My favorite spots are the really small, short streets that wind together in a jumbled, crooked mess. There, the traffic noise is reduced significantly, the shopkeepers are a bit friendlier, the wares are more unique, and cafés are quainter. It’s there that Paris feels more like Paris.

In my meandering, I tried to visit the overcrowded Arch de Triomphe and ended up on the Champs Elysées yesterday. Within about five minutes, I grabbed a free bicycle and escaped the area entirely. I didn’t come to Paris to see tourists eating fast food and buying overpriced American designer clothing. It isn’t the romantic boulevard it was when Joni Mitchell sang about it.

Bandit

My footsteps finally led me to the crab shack and bar, L’Amuse Geuele, at the end of my block in the 4^th arrondissement. It is fast becoming a favorite. It is managed by Bandit-the-dog who barks at everything he’s never seen before and sits next to me begging for food. Dorothée, his owner, speaks wonderful English, so here I can learn and share equally. We chat until she closes for the night. As my day of wandering ended, words from that same Joni Mitchell song come to me: “I was a free man in Paris, I felt unfettered and alive. There was nobody calling me up for favors, and no one’s future to decide. . . .”

We were thrilled to have Karen submit a post to share with our guests!  You find her on Twitter @KarenAChase, on Facebook or on her website here: http://www.karenachase.com/

A guest post by Meghan Sexton

Watching Midnight in Paris, recently, made me fondly reminisce about my brief time in France.

See, my introduction to Parisian life was as a child.  In an instant, Woody Allen’s cinematic representation of softly lit gay Paris brought it all rushing back.  I vividly pictured myself as a young girl soaking up the experience like a sponge.  At a tender age, I had my own romance with the City of Lights.  It was a dazzling introduction to such a historic and iconic culture.

There was a certain je ne sais quoi.  I was in store for a dizzying array of activities.  Viewing the Mona Lisa in the tightly packed Louvre was a shock.  She was the size of a stamp!  Being such a staple of Parisian culture, I thought she would have been larger than life.  One misty afternoon in a sidewalk café, my family and I indulged in the largest slice of tart cherry pie.  I couldn’t get over how opulent the café was with its wrought iron details and delicate bistro tables.  Everyone seemed impossibly chic and I was enveloped in an inner glow.

Originally my family had reservations in a centrally located posh hotel, but due to the insistence of a family friend, we stayed with them in their flat in Paris.  What a contrast!  What a way to experience the culture, the food, and the atmosphere – all from the front row seat of a local’s perspective.  Staying in a home environment as opposed to a hotel imparted a totally different vibe.  My curiosity was peaked!

Travel is my passion, but Real Estate has been my profession.  I can appreciate the essence of a home away from home.

Experiencing Paris in a vacation rental gives you the opportunity to pick up the essence of what it must feel like to be a local.  The very activities that would normally be so mundane at home are suddenly a novelty.  A hotel room can be comfortably bare and short on sentiment.  It can be beautifully decorated, but stripped of the local flavor.  The owner of the vacation rental has taken the time to pull together elements of daily life.  Perhaps they have a drawer filled with local menus with random penciled in notes.  Maybe they’ve dotted the space with quirky local trinkets.  You’d never get any of these personal touches if you were simply a guest in a hotel.  You have all the comforts of home, without the corporate feel; it’s far more intimate.

Had my family and I not stayed with friends, how else would I have been able to learn about the ins & outs of scamming the local transit.  Apparently, there was some sort of honor system.  Clutching a booklet of pre-purchased tickets, our friend demonstrated how a lot of locals would casually keep rotating the same hole punched ticket for admission.  Hardly scandalous, but I enjoy snickering at those little aspects of daily life.

Next up for this starry-eyed traveler will be jaunting through the grounds of Versailles, every nock and cranny of Champagne, and the rocky beaches of Nice.

Meghan Sexton is a Southern California native who is passionate about travel and all its accouterments.  Check out her blog geared toward first hand travel tips, insight, and anecdotes for women travelers.  Are you in the know?  Meghan’s Guilty Pleasures Travel Blog  You can also find Meghan on Twitter @MGPTravelBlog and on Facebook. 

July Column, Place de la Bastille

A guest post by Matt Davids

As a city, Paris is notorious in terms of traffic and holds a reputation as one of the toughest cities to drive around in Europe. This is often typical of such historic cities and it more than makes up for this by providing a decent underground train network (Metro), as well as wide pavements for walking, cycling and roller-skating, and plenty of excuses to want to take your time and explore on foot.

There are several approaches to walking around Paris that are dependent on the type of traveller you are. For experienced visitors to the city, you can use your prior knowledge, French skills and the handy help of the many metro stations nearby to figure out where you are. Ambling along in this way, without a specific map helps facilitate the discovery of new side streets and shortcuts and travelling on a whim, guided by a loose sense of knowing where you’re going, and the many distractive sights, sounds and smells along the way.

For those less experienced, there are plenty of maps both print and online to help you get around and perhaps plan your route before you leave. Furthermore, booking an escorted tour is an excellent option if you’re a newbie to Paris or want to supplement previous trips with a little extra knowledge. These can be themed as well, so if you’re interested in a certain period of French history such as the French Revolution or WWll then go for one of these options.

Great locations around Paris for ambling around:

Due to its layout, with the Seine winding its way from East to West, a standard walking route can take in all the most famous parts of Paris, either as an action packed morning, or stretched out leisurely throughout the day, with walking time between 3 and 4 hours a good guide. For a few suggestions, or a less demanding stroll, the following areas are great places to focus:

The Marais

The Marais is a district in Paris very much a part of the city’s history. Full of buildings that were built by Parisian aristocrats as well as many dating back to the 16^th century, it has an amazing historic feel as well as fashionable restaurants and a strong art scene. These buildings, as well as immaculately kept outdoor areas make this one of the most expensive places in Paris to live, and it is conveniently close to many museums, including the Carnavalet Museum which reveals the history of Paris.

Montmartre District

The Montmartre District is another area that is well represented by the art scene. Spending a few hours strolling around the Place du Tertre which is a square where artists paint and sell their works is delightful, and there is also the Montmartre Cemetery which is a popular tourist attraction and the resting place of famous artists. There’s also the Moulin Rouge, a cabaret that needs no introduction.

Les Bouquinistes, Paris 

Les Bouquinistes

For an authentic cultural experience, the Bouquinistes along the river Seine are stands that sell books, photos and various other unique souvenirs for tourists, that having been around since the 16^th century consequently offer an authentic location for purchasing a little something to take home. Hours can be whiled away strolling amongst these with the River Seine as your backdrop, conveniently located in the Latin District which is home to Notre Dame, has a strong student presence and many winding, charming streets.

General

To orientate yourself generally with Paris, then make your way to the square in front of the Notre Dame, which has a bronze plaque which represents the point to which all distances in France are measured. From here, the Eiffel Tower is to the West and the Place de la Bastille, a square where the July Column stands lies to the East. Zigzagging between these two points will take you across Paris, allowing you to see the Louvre, Notre Dame, Champs Elysees, Parc du Champ de Mars, Parc Luxembourg and many other tourist sites, whilst discovering the little hidden delights along the way that you would miss on the Metro or tour bus.

About our guest blogger:

Matt is a frequent traveller who has just returned from travelling round the world. He plans this summer to explore much of Europe, starting in Paris and finishing with his Greece holidays.

We love to have posts written by our CobbleStay guests and other travel experts.  Feel free to share your insights about Paris and travel with us.  You can send your ideas to Cassie at Community@CobbleStay.com

]]> http://www.cobblestay.com/blog/2012/05/the-walkability-of-paris/feed/ 0 http://www.cobblestay.com/blog/2012/04/day-trips-from-paris-epernay/ http://www.cobblestay.com/blog/2012/04/day-trips-from-paris-epernay/#comments Mon, 30 Apr 2012 00:05:39 +0000 cobble http://www.cobblestay.com/blog/?p=1211

What a street name! Photo Credit: DC BasketCases

Getting out of the city for the day is a great idea!  You can leave your Paris apartment rental early in the morning, travel for an hour or so and be back by dinner.  Many of our guests like to visit Épernay, the center of the Champagne region.

Getting There:

Épernay is 100 north-east of Paris.  Renting a car is not ideal since you will probably be doing a lot of tasting!  You can take a private car and driver but this proves to be very expensive.  Insiders know that taking the short train ride from Gare de L’est to Reims or Épernay is the best way to travel.  The ride is about 1-1 1/2 hours long.  You can book your tickets with www.sncf.com and pick them up at any station.

What To Do:

Taste and buy champagne, of course! Two popular houses to visit are Pol Roger and Moet & Chandon but you can see an extensive list here.  You can also opt for a more structured day and book a Champagne Tour with Viator.  The minivan tour includes transportation from Paris to the region and an English speaking tour guide.

Where To Eat:

There are some great restaurants in Épernay and the Pol Roger website has a wonderful listing.  There is one restaurant that seems to be on everyone’s list and that is La Cave a Champagne (16 rue Gambetta, 51200 Épernay, 08 73 20 05 31).

What to Buy:

Champagne!  Buying bottles of champagne at the major houses can be pricey but they may also offer easy shipping and handling (peace of mind).  Many blogs and books on the region recommend that you listen carefully to the tour guides and then go into one of the wine shops in the town and purchase your bottles there, perhaps from a lesser known company.  Using all of the information that you learned on your tours will help you purchase good bottles.

What to Know:

Check with the champagne houses that you want to visit before you go.  Some have no entrance fees and some charge a nominal fee.  Also, depending on the time of year, they may be closed to tours because they are harvesting (September and October).  Some houses require appointments.  You can also visit our Épernay board on Pinterest to see some lovely pictures.

After spending the day in Épernay, it will be nice to be able to return to your Paris vacation rental, put your feet up and celebrate a fun day with a bottle of really good champagne.  Cheers!

It is so easy to get wrapped up into what WE want to see when we travel to visit.  When you are traveling with the kids, explaining to them that they are going to be walking through museums and churches all day followed up with dinner in a restaurant where they have to be on their best behavior, well…they aren’t going to like that too much!

Here are three things off the beaten path for you to do with your kids in Paris:

*This sounds crazy but instead of heading to the popular Marais on Sunday, go to the Ile de la Cite and visit the bird markets.  It is a fun, crazy and magical place.  The kids just light up at when they see all of the different species and their colorful personalities.  Notre Dame is right there and you can finish up with a glace at Berthillon on the Ile Saint Louis.

Musee de la Poupee

*Boys will enjoy visiting the Maison de la Chasse and de la Nature, Paris’ hunting museum and girls just go crazy for La Musee de la Poupee, the doll museum.

*If the weather allows and the kids need to blow off some energy, leave your apartment, head to a hidden park and let them run on the grass (one of the only parks where this is allowed!).  Jardin Catherine Laboure (29 Rue de Babylone, 7e) is from our “secret” address book.  Bring a picnic lunch and let them be kids.

We learned quickly that if we let the kids do one or two things that they like during the day, they are much more tolerant of the grown up stuff.  Or, just too tired to complain!

Audrey Hepburn 

As the tulips start to bloom in the spring, I always find some version of the Breton striped shirt on the racks of my favorite stores.  Every time I see one, I am reminded of Paris and I was curious about its history.

In 1858, the striped, knitted shirt became the uniform for all French Navy seaman in Brittany.  The original design had 21 stripes, one for each of Napoleon’s victories. It eventually became a popular article of clothing to wear for fishermen and sailors because the stripes were easily visible in the waves if they were thrown overboard.  In 1889, the Saint James company  became the main manufacturer and still sells the traditional version today.

James Dean

In the 1950′s, the Breton sweaters and shirts were fast becoming stylish among the “beatnik” community.  Hollywood followed suit and the celebrities began wearing similar versions of the striped shirt.  It began to take on different shapes and proportions as fashion houses including Jean Paul Gaultier, Gucci and Balmain created their version of the sweater.  Once the big fashion houses started showing the navy and white tops, they became more mainstream and are now sold in J. Crew, The Gap and other American department stores.  They can be found in the traditional style and in very stylized versions like dresses, tank tops, with French blue stripes or in red and white stripes.  Yes, Parisians do wear them.  Typically, they are worn by women and usually under a trench coat or blazer.

I know I’m bringing my Breton stripe top with me the next time I go to Paris.  I have just the right black capri pants and khaki trench coat to wear it with.  And, now that I know the history behind the shirt, maybe I’ll wear it while I cruise down the Seine.  That way if I fall off the boat, they will have no problem finding me!

La Rotisserie d’en Face

My best day in Paris starts with breakfast on the patio of the apartment.  I eat a slab of pate and a crusty baguette with a few shots of espresso.  I set out for a museum.  My wife and I have a deal.  We start with 30 minutes of art and then she can shop for the rest of the day.  I really enjoy the musee de Cluny (6 place Paul Painlevé, 75005) and it is small enough that I feel like I see most of what I want to see.  She likes it, too.  I can usually sway her to stay at least an hour!   Once we start shopping, I inevitably find a shop or two that I must visit.  I enjoy antique books and Guillaumot (16 Rue de Valois, near the Palais Royal) has a wonderful selection.   I prefer to eat a simple lunch at the boulangerie my wife chooses.  I can find a jambon sandwich just about anywhere and of course, another espresso.  Before heading back to the apartment to rest, we stop at Mariage Feres for a late afternoon tea.  We use this time to peruse guide books and decide where we will visit the next day.  One of my most favorite restaurants is La Rotisserie d’en Face (2 Rue Christine, 75006).  It is pretty small and we always make friends with a couple sitting next to us.  After dinner, we usually stroll around Saint-Germain-des-Pres and then make our way back to the apartment to sleep and start over again the next day.

Image from: Sourcebooks

I first found “Paris My Sweet, A Year in the City of Light” by Amy Thomas on Twitter (I get great tips there).  I follow Ms. Thomas’ account and she was talking about the launch of the book.  When I read what it was going to be about, it moved to the top of my reading list!

“Paris My Sweet” is one part autobiography and one part guide book.   Ms. Thomas moves from New York City to Paris to work in advertising for Louis Vuitton.  Okay, let’s stop right there.  Hello???  Dream job/dream city???  And, she is a dessert lover.   Raise your hand if you aren’t.  I thought the story was going to be all discounted Speedy bags and calorie free macarons, but like so many books written by Americans that move to Paris, it was about how Ms. Thomas never really felt like she fit in and never felt truly accepted by the locals.  She touches on just about everything that makes living in Paris hard: the language barriers, missing family and friends at home and the unfamiliarity of a new city.  So many people write about this.  But, when you think about it, these are things that would happen whether you moved to Paris or Australia or Russia.  Moving away from what you know is always going to be scary and difficult.

Now let’s talk sweets!  This is where the book shines.  Not only does Ms. Thomas describe is mouth-watering detail the fabulous desserts that she finds in Paris; she gives you a lot of history about them, too.  Throughout the book, she weaves tales of wonderful sweets not only in Paris but in New York City, as well.  What I find to be priceless are the last 16 pages of the book; her “address book” to all of the bakeries, restaurants and patisseries that she writes about in the book.  I actually tore these out and I’m taking them with me on my next trip (so many of them are near our Paris vacation rentals).

“Paris My Sweet” carried me away to Paris and gave me a tiny taste of Louis Vuitton.  I won’t divulge how many bags she bought or how large her discount was.  And, since I read the book at night, in bed, I dreamt of all things Parisian sweet (which happen to be calorie free).

Whether you are staying in a Paris vacation rental, on the beach in Mexico or at the hotel in the next state, there are just some things that make travel easier!  We have a whole board on Pinterest dedicated to this topic and we thought we would share some of our favorites.

This packing list “cheat sheet” has saved us many times!  It covers all of the essentials and and eliminates so much of the “Did I pack that?” anxiety.  You can buy them at The Container Store.

We admit it…we are gadget geeks and slightly obsessive about being tidy.  Opening up our carry on and finding all of our cords, adapters and chargers perfectly organized on this Grid It is like Christmas morning.  No more digging through the bottom of the bag!

We could have easily made our third suggestion really glamorous, like the Louis Vuitton complete travel guide collection, but we are going for practical.  Eliminating the big question, “Is my bag too heavy?”, can eliminate a lot of pre-trip hysteria the night before.  This little gadget (Hello? We love gadgets!) gives you the answer as soon as you zip up the bag.  The eScale is only $20!  Worth it!

Make sure you visit our “Making Travel Easier” board to see all of our suggestions.  What do you use to make travel easier?