My tour clients Benjamin Brown and his wife Cassie are the cutest, sweetest couple you ever want to meet. They are on a romantic vacation for two weeks, as they are celebrating Cassie’s 30th birthday, and are touring France and Italy, the first time in Europe for Cassie. Even in Benjamin’s email before the tour, he sounded like the nicest guy, with the enthusiasm and excitement of a kid traveling to a foreign land for the first time.
Since they seemed to have a sense for adventure, I did a tour a little outside the norm. First we visited the Palais Royal, then the Bibliotechque Nationale to see the incredible Sophie Calle show, ambled through some of the shopping passages in the 9th. Arr. and finally to rue des Matyrs, a wonderful food shop street near Pigalle. At the end of the street we came upon a voie privé (a gated, private street) named Cité Malesherbes, which had the most intriguing houses. As we peered through the massive, black wrought iron gates, a man punched in a code on the keypad and entered. The door closed slowly, and with a mischievous grin on her face, Cassie said” C’mon, let’s go in”. I was as game as she was, so just as the gate was about to close, we slipped through.
Once on the inside, we explored the quiet, stately voie prive with its distinctive and unusual architecture. Unlike most Parisian blocks where the buildings are more or less the same architectural style with little variation, there was a mélange of styles and periods from classic Haussmann to Swiss chalet to Italian style villa with colorful tiles and carvings. I researched the web for more information about this fascinating street and didn’t come up with much. Johnny Hallyday, France’s answer to Elvis Presley, was born at #12 in 1943 and after Johnny moved out the French Socialist Party Headquarters moved in.
Like the expression the teacher is always learning from his/her students, the Paris tour guide is always learning new things from their clients. Thanks Benjamin and Cassie for our wonderful adventure.
Cité Malesherbes- off rue de Matyrs, 9th arr.
Metro: Pigalle or Notre Dame de Lorette
I am pleased as punch to announce the launch of Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 3-hour walking tours I will personally be leading. The Eye Prefer Paris Tour
includes many of the places I have written about such as small museums & galleries, restaurants, cafes & food markets, secret addresses, fashion & home boutiques, parks, and much more.
I look forward to meeting you on my tours and it will be my pleasure and delight to show you my insiders Paris.
Check it out at www.eyepreferparistours.com
I agree with you...they are the cutest,sweetest couple...but then I'm prejudiced. Ben is our baby boy! Thanks so much for helping us share their fabulous adventure.
Posted by: Tom Brown | May 02, 2008 at 04:34 PM