The Best Paris Surprises Ever – Confessions of a Paris Tour Guide

The Best Paris Surprises Ever - Confessions of a Paris Tour Guide

Paris is alluring, stylish, artistic, beautiful and deservedly one of the most visited places on the planet but if you were to ask me what I love most about this city that I've visited more times than I can count, my answer would be ... the French people and the wonderful little exchanges or moments that I've experienced with them.

Maybe I should be espousing the glamour of Napoleon III's apartments in the Louvre or the stunning fragrant roses in the Jardin Palais Royal that I've shared with my tour guests in the past,  but honestly for me it's the more simple things.

Having a well planned guide or itinerary is a good idea, (and I know how important this is as my group tours relied on detailed planning), but I find my best experiences are those that surprise me and often pull at my heart strings. Let me share a few of my recent treasured moments from Paris.

Walking with Famous French Actress Audrey Tatou

Walking alongside my favourite French actress of ALL time, Audrey Tatou is one of my Paris surprises.

There I was walking along rue Babylone in the elegant 7th arrondissement having just left my hotel round the corner heading out to get a pastry, and I glance at the person who's been sharing the footpath with me for the last 100 metres; and who had been pushing a pram with the cutest little person onboard. And it's the quintessential French actress Audrey Tatou – and wait, she has a dog lead attached to the pram, and sure enough her petite terrier is joining in on the family excursion. 

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With her denim hat pulled lowish over her forehead and scarf wrapped tight today, she is a local mother getting some fresh air with her family. We walk side by side for a moment before I ‘pardon’ myself and overtake her on the narrow footpath to allow oncoming pedestrians to get past.  Wanting so much to say 'Hi' and gush about how much I admire and enjoy her work, I restrain myself knowing she is most likely a local resident just walking around her hood in private today. I smile to myself and think how wonderful being in Paris is!

I think of this chance encounter now every time I walk past Maison Collignon (above), the grocery store at 56 rue des Trois Frères, Montmartre which is featured in the film Amélie.  This film is the greatest of all Audrey Tatou's films (in my opinion) and the scenes of her doing her grocery shopping at this store are some of the sweetest moments in the film. 

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Chanel Fashion On The Streets Of Paris

In this recollection I'm sitting at Cafe Babylone opposite Le Bon Marche on rue Babylone enjoying a drink in the crisp air.

So you've seen Chanel clothing on the high rolling catwalks of the world, on magazine covers and artistically displayed in store fronts but in this Paris surprise Chanel takes centre stage in an even more beautiful light. Let's call our subject of the story Madame C (for Chanel).

Hobbling on walking sticks and in the company of her younger female friend, maybe a daughter or daughter in law, my Parisian lady (Madame C) slowly makes her way up the street in her suit of matching boucle jacket and skirt, thick tights and colour co-ordinated slippers. Looking impeccably groomed and walking like a grand dame Madame C commanded my full attention as she majestically, albeit slowly and slightly crippled due to age, made her way up past my café table. As she passes I notice the Chanel buttons on her suit, a suit which is very obviously haute couture, made specifically to fit her slightly larger and older physical shape. 

How beautiful to see such an older lady wishing to dress well for her walk around the street and showing a gracious acceptance of her age and limitations by wearing slippers in public - but of course making sure they co ordinate with her outfit. How inspiring! What a delight to witness the great fashion house at its best, being worn and enjoyed on the streets of Paris.  Is this the norm for the 7^th arrondissement?

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Being Asked For Directions Like A True Parisienne

Now I don’t think I look particularly Parisienne and I definitely don’t sound it as soon as I open my mouth, but thrice I've been asked for directions by Parisians and have had to confess I have no idea about the place they are searching for.

Maybe sitting nonchalantly watching the world go by with a coffee on the table, without sunglasses (so that I can fully soak up the Spring rays as Parisians seem to do), wearing ballet flats and the absence of a map set the scene? Whatever, but I have absolutely loved that, even for just a few moments, someone who lives in Paris thinks I may also live within her streets, sharing the city with them as neighbours. I'm so happy to be a Parisienne even for a short time.

Chatting with Madame Bastille

On my way to Place des Vosges in the 11th arrondissement, I stopped to take photos of Hôtel Mansart de Sagonne on Boulevarde Beaumarchais and after a few moments of zooming in and out taking window and balcony details I was called into an entrance way of an imposing courtyard by an elderly French woman in her dressing gown and soft shoes (whom I will call Madame Bastille, as she lives less than 100m from Place de Bastille which Boulevarde Beaumarchais intersects with).

First I thought she may be unhappy with my photo taking of the beautiful balconies and trees across the road and might chide me for encroaching on the privacy of others, particularly because I'd been zooming in and out with my Canon camera.  But no, she started to explain the importance of the hotel I was photographing.

Understanding only a percentage of her conversation and with my lack of spoken French, we still managed to converse about the celebrities who'd stayed at the Hôtel, the history of the building that dates back to the King and Count of Sagonne in 1699, and how much I loved France.

I went on to explain how I lived mostly in Australia but spent some of my time in Brittany with my family and that we'd visited Paris many times and deeply loved the country and its people. Madame Bastille was delighted that my love of France ran so deep and I felt an immediate bond with this elderly lady who reminded me of my grandmother. We firmly clasped hands for some time, gazed into each other’s eyes (which got a little misty for both of us) and wished each other a lovely day. I loved our chat and being invited behind a set of those ornate Parisian courtyard doors by a lady who was, just like my grandmother, happy to have someone to talk to.

I realised in the next couple of minutes that my happening along and chat was fortuitous as the postie was only just behind me so I think Madame Bastille was waiting to speak to the postie in reality – I just happened to come along! This raw and beautiful exchange of about 25 minutes with me acting as the photographing tourist and Madame Bastille proud to be showing me her courtyard and sharing a little of French history in her dressing gown, is the side of Paris that I love most.

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