Seven days exploring Paris means regular coffee stops which means I’m ricocheting off walls, or should I say boutiques which means my credit card is moaning, but not as loudly as my feet which means I’ve done some serious legwork, 63k in fact which means I need new shoes. Shame! ‘Cos there are some seriously funky boots out there. But I digress…it’s the Passages I’m here to report on today and I have found another. Well it wasn’t actually lost in the first place, but I was. And in a good way for that’s how I stumbled upon Galerie Vivienne.
Beautifully preserved architecture, delicate mosaics and exquisite detail housing seriously cool, chic and tres expensive shops including Jean-Paul Gaultier’s flagship boutique; Wolff & Descourtis a fabulous fabric store and my little favorite L’Aparte specializing in paper butterfly’s and flowers. As well, Les Caves Legrand believed to be one of the be
st wine shops in town, several lush restaurants and A Priori Thé an elegant little rendezvous for afternoon tea.
Naturally a spot to rest the feet, quench the thirst and observe the scenery; and you know what? It’s often the smallest observations that bring the greatest pleasure. As I sipped my coffee I noticed an elderly woman sitting outside her store discreetly sketching the patrons opposite as they sipped theirs. Her companion, an enormous shaggy cat sprawled across the entire stoop. Both were wearing deeply satisfied smiles. Seems I wasn’t the only ‘observer’ that day. I like that.
