un Perrier et le Métro

Oblivious to the Perrier bubbles, 

there was no effervescence 

with these three commuters

Métro Ledru Rollin

75012, Paris 

Le Square Trousseau

Le Square Trousseau

On this street just opposite the Square Trousseau (park)

there are two places worth checking out:

this café on the corner and Blé Sucré, a boulangerie with the very

best madeleines and financiers.

Wish I was here today with friends, 

but I will be again very soon!

Le Square Trousseau

1, rue Antoine Vollon

75012, Paris

Métro Ledru Rollin

blé sucré - miam-miam

blé sucré

blé sucré is relatively new on the Paris bakery scene when one considers the legends of Ladurée and Pierre Hermé.  Founded by patissier Fabrice Le Bourdat, the list of temptations is long.  The quality is high and yet the prices are not.  So, what should you choose?

pain au chocolat, madeleine, and financier

Still hungry?

 éclair, croissant, chaussons aux pommes

More?

How about an assortment of macarons

 

 

blé sucré

7, rue Antoine Vollon

Métro Ledru Rollin

75012 Paris

 

Les abeilles et la porte

Alone in Paris, and happily lost, this huge double-door portal took my breath away

with its delicate detail high above the heads of les flaneurs.  

How sad to see the whole view below,

 and I will be back to see if the graffiti has been removed. 

Can you imagine how gorgeous this door could be with some attention,

some cleaning, and polish?

64, ave Ledru-Rollin
75012, Paris

Souvenirs?

One of my favorite markets is at Place d'Aligre, a daily market about which I have posted many times.  On a recent Sunday I spied two large boxes with an assortment of plastic toys and trinkets. In looking at the photos I took, it seems that I might have wanted a single souvenir to perch at home among my little collection of Pez dispensers.  I would not have wanted a dozen but just one, the right one, of course.

Certainly, I have bought my share of Paris souvenirs and have towels, hats, aprons from many cities around the world, but in recent years have been most happy with small little remembrances:  an old key bought from a Paris friend in the Marais, an antique handkerchief with a hand-embroidered initial for my husband, fêves (bien sûr), old post cards and photographs, a Champagne glass, a grocery tote from the Monoprix, second-hand children's books, etc.

What about you? 

Not counting edible items (macarons, fromage, baguettes), what do you buy as a reminder of your trip to Paris or any other place in the world, near or far?

Marché d'Aligre
Place d'Aligre
Métro Ledru-Rollin
75012 Paris

Le Square Trousseau IV

I went looking for les trois flaneurs with a photo for each. 

It was the same time, same park 

on a Sunday morning, temperate weather, people about...

The three gentlemen were not there,

but there were many children running, playing, riding scooters and bikes. 

The park was as lively as a circus!

(Happy Birthday, Cherie!)

Le Square Trousseau

Métro Ledru Rollin

75012 Paris



Le Square Trousseau

I have seen this restaurant/café on three or four trips to Paris

but have never stopped for a coffee. 

Why, you ask?

 

I am always full from a stop at blé sucré or from the other direction,

the pâtisseries of Marché d'Aligre... 

Perhaps the next time

Restaurant Le Square Trousseau
1, rue Antoine Vollon
75012 Paris
Métro Ledru Rollin

Le Petit Garçon

While the other children ran through the park

or zipped around on scooters, 

this little boy played happily alone. 

Square Trousseau

Métro Ledru Rollin

75012 Paris

Pâtisserie Hunt - blé sucré

blé sucré is relatively new on the Paris bakery scene when one considers the legends of Ladurée and Pierre Hermé.  Founded by patissier Fabrice Le Bourdat, the list of temptations is long.  The quality is high and yet the prices are not.  So, what should you choose?

pan au chocolat, madeleine, and financier

Still hungry?

chocolate éclair, croissant, chaussons aux pommes

More?

How about an assortment of macarons

Miam-miam!

blé sucré

7, rue Antoine Vollon

Métro Ledru Rollin

75012 Paris

Les trois flâneurs

On a Sunday morning in Square Trousseau, these three gentlemen were seen strolling through the park.  My guess is that they are old friends who meet here regularly to talk about their families, their thoughts on politics, or current events in the neighborhood.  I will have three copies of this photo for my next trip on the chance that I see them again on a Sunday morning.


Square Trousseau
Métro Ledru Rollin