My Paris Favorites - April 28, 2024

 By Mathilde Vuillemenot

Bonjour bonjour!

Big news from Paris – you might've heard already. The iconic windmill sails on the Moulin Rouge unexpectedly fell off last Thursday! They crashed onto the street, but luckily no one got hurt since it happened in the middle of the night. I didn't get a chance to go see it myself, but I've seen some photos from Parisian photographers. It's kind of strange seeing the Moulin Rouge looking a bit 'naked'. Check out the best photos from @ag_photographe and @toits_de_paris.

Apart from this surprising event, April is coming to an end, making room, hopefully, for the milder weather of May. April was rainy with hardly any sun. Let's hope May brings us some lovely weather!

✨ My inspirations of the moment

I enjoy reading, but work kept me so busy these past months that I only managed to read one book. Thankfully, I'll have a few days off in May, so I'm looking forward to diving into some new reads. I've found two recent books that I'm eager to check out:

Living Beautifully in Paris by Mathilde Favier. This book is like a special tour of Paris led by Mathilde Favier, who works for Dior Couture. The book is full of beautiful photos of Paris and its cultural scene.

The French Ingredient: Making a Life in Paris One Lesson at a Time by Jane Bertch. This is the true story of an American woman who decided to open a cooking school in Paris. Despite facing challenges like finding a place to start her school and convincing people to join, Jane never gave up. Now, her school, La Cuisine Paris, is doing really well, and she's sharing her love for French cooking with people from all over the world.

❤️​ My latest favorites in Paris

With busy weeks, there's been little time to explore new spots in Paris. However, I recently had lunch at a surprising restaurant with my nephews called 'Under the Sea'. It's an immersive experience where you feel like you're underwater. Dolphins glide past on giant screens, and whales sing in the background. I was skeptical at first, thinking that if the decor was impressive, the food might be basic. But I was pleasantly surprised! Everything was fantastic, from the decor to the food, and the prices were quite reasonable for Paris. I highly recommend it for both adults and kids.

I also had the pleasure of making a quick visit to Monet's gardens in Giverny recently. It has just reopened after being closed during the winter. My tip for visiting: avoid booking a ticket for the opening time, as it gets really crowded with many tour groups. This time, I visited at noon, and it was a great timing – there were still plenty of visitors, but it wasn't as overwhelming as it can be at opening.