Joyeuse Saint Patrick!

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Joyeuse Saint Patrick!

Joyeuse Saint Patrick!

The City of Light will be The City of Green today.

 Ah, St. Patrick’s Day. For many, it’s a day to wear green and drink Guinness Beer. If you’re in Paris, there are plenty of ways to get in the spirit of Joyeuse Saint Patrick. 

As part of Tourism Ireland’s 7th annual Global Greening initiative, the Sacre-Coeur Basilica and the Roue de Paris (Big Wheel) at the Place de la Concorde, as well as many other buildings in Paris and elsewhere in France will be lit up in green. Take in the light show by walking or perhaps a cruise on the Seine River. (Note: It’s curious that the Eiffel Tower isn’t on the list.)

Paris has plenty of Irish pubs to celebrate the day:

O’Brien’s Irish Pub
77 rue Saint-Dominique
75007 Paris

O'Brien's Irish Pub is always busy.

O’Brien’s Irish Pub is always busy.

Phone: +33 01 45 51 75 87

Hours: Monday – Thursday, Noon – 2:00 A.M., Friday & Saturday Noon – 3:00 A.M., Sunday 5:00 P.M. – 2:00 A.M.

Metro: La Tour-Maubourg or Invalides

Located in the 7th arrondissement a short walk from the Eiffel Tower, O’Brien’s is a reasonably priced pub that was always busy during my last trip to Paris. Besides alcohol, they serve mouth-watering burgers and a different dessert created by their chefs is featured every day.

The Green Goose
19 rue des Boulets
75011 Paris

Phone: +33 09 82 37 73 41

Hours: Lunch: Mon-Fri, 12:00 Noon – 3:00 P.M.; Dinner: Mon-Sun, 6:00 P.M. – 11:00 P.M.; Weekend Brunch: Sat, Sun & Bank Holidays, 11:00 A.M. – 4:00 P.M.

Metro: Rue des Boulets or Nation

Funny enough, this relatively new Irish pub in Paris doesn’t serve Guinness though they do serve handcrafted beers, including……. They also serve a fairly extended lunch and dinner menu, and brunch on the weekends (I have my eye on the Eggs Benedict. Mmmmmmmmm.) The Green Goose is often reviewed as the friendliest pub in Paris.

 

The Harp Bar (see their Facebook page)
118 boulevard de Clichy
75018 Paris

Patrons enjoying a Celtic game at the Harp Bar.

Patrons enjoying a Celtic game at the Harp Bar.

Hours: 5:00 P.M. – 2:00 A.M. Daily

Metro: Blanche or Place de Clichy

Located next to James Hetfeeld’s Pub at 118 boulevard de Clichy, The Harp Bar is a sports pub featuring a Celtic game always showing on the big screen TVs, a pool table downstairs, and plenty of beer and food. This is a must-stop for any Celtic fan.

How about a dessert? Maison Dalloyau teahouses and patisseries will celebrate the day by dressing up the religieuse (“nun”) pastry — a type of eclair — for St. Patrick’s Day, filled with chocolate coffee cream and a bit of Irish whiskey, topped with a chocolate hat and an edible four-leaf clover.

If the religieuse pastry is too rich for your taste, try a pistachio-flavored macaron (“macaroon”), available at patisseries (“pastry shops”) all over Paris.

Au revoir!

References: “Religeuse,” by Wikipedia, CCBY 3.0. “Celebrating Saint Patrick’s Day: What’s On?” Bonjour Paris, March 8, 2016.

Eiffel Tower lit green by Jerome Bon, Flickr, CCBY 2.0. O’Brien’s Irish Pub by Loren C., Yelp, CCBY 2.0. Image of The Green Goose by TripAdvisor, CCBY 2.0. Image of The Harp Bar from their Facebook page, CCBY 2.0. Image of religieuse pastry (made by Dalloyau) from BonjourParis.com, Google search, CCBY 2.0. Macarons (pistachio and cassis) from Laduree by Jamie Anderson, Flickr, CCBY 2.0.

40 Things To Do In Paris March 2016

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Spring is a time for renewal and trying new things. Grab a light coat, scarf, and umbrella and visit Paris ahead of the crowds. Here are three activities that I recommend.

See Paris by Helicopter on a trip to Versailles.

See Paris by Helicopter on a round-trip to Versailles.

Source: 40 Things To Do In Paris March 2016 | Paris Insiders Guide

 

VIP Helicopter Tour to Versailles

I love the water and being high in the sky. I’ve seen Paris taking a cruise on the Seine River — one of my best memories from my latest trip — and now I can’t wait to have the opportunity to go on a VIP Helicopter Tour to Versailles. You depart from Heliport de Paris in southwest Paris and fly to Versailles, where you soar over the grounds before landing. French law requires all helicopter tours to have a stopover for 1 hour, and you spend it by enjoying a glass of champagne, taking a few photos, and learning a bit about Versailles and your helicopter. You then board for your 10-minute flight back to the Heliport where you started.

Details:

Price: Adults and Children age 3-11: from $471.27 per person (price might vary)

Depart/Return: Heliport de Paris, southwest Paris  (Metro:

Check-in: 30 minutes before departure

Helicopter: 6-passenger Ecureil

Book here

 

Le Grand Orgue (The Grand Organ) and West Rose window of Notre Dame.

Le Grand Orgue (The Grand Organ) and West Rose window of Notre Dame.

Notre Dame Cathedral Special Easter Season Performances

While Easter this year is Sunday, March 27, Notre Dame Cathedral is holding a series of concerts to celebrate the season, including a concert by Notre Dame’s celebrated organ on March 15.

Reservations are required. Prices vary.

View the schedule and book here

 

 

 

Market Tour & Classic French Cooking

Paris Insider’s Guide offers a wide variety of 1-time cooking and baking classes. My two favorites are the Market Tour & Classic French Cooking class (6-hour market and cooking class) and the Secrets of Croissants (2 1/2 – 3 hours).

Price: Market Tour & Classic French Cooking Class is 190 euros per person ($207.70 ), 2 people min. Baking classes are 125 euros per person ($136.65).

View the schedule and book here

 

Au revoir!

 

 

 

Aerial view of Paris by Gabriel, Flickr, CCBY 2.0. Image of Notre Dame organ by JanetandPhil, Flickr, CCBY 2.0. Illustrations by CanStockPhoto.

For Men Only: Travel Gear that Thwarts Thieves

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Get to Paris with your wallet and passport intact. Then, keep them close to you in crowded areas with these pickpocket-deterrent pants.

Today I’m sharing an article about two types of gear to keep your stuff safe.

Source: Gear that thwarts thieves: Top picks – IOL Travel Tips

A professional pickpocket can snatch a man's wallet and be gone in a moment.

A professional pickpocket can snatch a man’s wallet and be gone in a moment.

I wonder which is harder: A man keeping his valuables safe in his pants, or a woman keeping hers safe in a handbag? Sounds like a sociological question for the ages. One thing is certain: Pickpockets are a real problem for men while traveling.

Two companies, Clothing Arts and Bluff Works, make pickpocket-deterrent pants. Clothing Arts’s version has been called “the CIA-version of khakis” by Forbes. Among the safety features is a hidden, zippered passport and money pocket that seals with a snap and button. Buff Works also makes pants with a hidden zippered pocket. The logic is simple: It takes long enough to unzip a zipper that a pickpocket can’t snatch your wallet and run.

Although a zipper is a safety feature in pants, oversized zippers on luggage can be vulnerable to thieves by using a simple pen to pry them open. GripAZip is a combination business card-holder and security device (compatible with TSA locks) that you attach to the handle of your carry-on bag to “deadbolt” the zipper. A determined thief could still access your bag but can’t reseal it to hide the crime.

Au revoir!

 

Adventure pants $109.95 on Clothing Arts.com. Khaki Chino $125.00 on Bluff Works.com. GripAZip Ultimate $35.50 on GripAZip.com.

 

Top image of pickpocket by CanStockPhoto. Images of Adventure pants by Clothing Arts.com, CCBY 2.0. Images of Khaki Chinos by Bluff Works.com, CCBY 2.0. Images of GripAZip by GripAZip.com, CCBY 2.0.

Joyeuse Saint Valentin!

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Joyeuse Saint Valentin! Happy Valentine’s Day!

Today, many countries around the world celebrate Valentine’s Day, a day to celebrate love in an often harsh world.

How did the day originate? According to one legend, Saint Valentine of Rome was imprisoned for performing weddings for soldiers and Christians, both of whom were forbidden to marry under the Roman Empire. During his imprisonment, he healed the daughter of his jailer, Asterius, and before his execution, he wrote her a letter signed “Your Valentine” as a farewell.

The day was first associated with romantic love during the time of Geoffrey Chaucer in the 14th century, when courtly love flourished. The modern-day tradition of giving flowers and sweets and sending greeting cards, “valentines,” evolved by the 18th century.

A lock of love on the Pont des Arts.

A lock of love on the Pont des Arts.

In Europe, Saint Valentine’s Keys are given to lovers “as a romantic symbol and an invitation to unlock the giver’s heart.” This is why the locks on Pont des Arts in Paris were so meaningful, and their removal so poignant: in the City of Love, there is a rich tradition of keys, locks and love. Some governments would have never allowed such a public display of emotion; the French government only removed them because the weight of so many locks caused a safety hazard for the bridge.

In the U.S., in an effort to be inclusive, Valentine’s Day is for friends and family, as well as lovers, to express their warm feelings towards one another. But in Paris, it is a day for lovers to celebrate their romantic love with dinner, a show, a moon-lit walk, or perhaps a cruise on the River Seine.

I have no one special in my life. I met someone once, a man I worked with, someone who made me feel like “swirling and dancing” whenever I was around him. He brought out the very best in me, as a woman and a person, but I could never tell him how I felt. I realized only much later that deep down, I didn’t believe I deserved to be that happy. At least I still have my first love: Paris. I love Paris and its people as though the place and people were my own. My blood-line heritage may be only partly French, but I feel nearly 100% French in my heart. I hope I honor that love through my blog and website, Elsa’s Travel Blog on Paris.

Joyeuse Saint Valentin.

 

References: “Valentine’s Day,” Wikipedia, CCBY 3.0. Lyrics of “Miracles” by Jefferson Starship, 1975.

Image of I Love Paris and lock on Pont des Arts by CanStockPhoto.

Destination Wedding in Paris: The Ceremony Venue

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For most foreign couples who marry in Paris, it’s symbolic — a “re-wedding” for memories, with the legal ceremony already behind them.  This means the venue possibilities for your ceremony in Paris are (almost) endless.

Raph & John held their wedding ceremony at the Synagogue de Tournelles.

Raph & John held their wedding ceremony at the Synagogue de Tournelles.

While I won’t swear on it, this is likely the last time this series I will mention this: Unless you establish temporary residency by living in Paris for 40 consecutive days, and can provide documentation of this to the city hall, you can’t legally marry in France if a foreigner. In addition, France only legally recognizes wedding ceremonies at city halls; all ceremonies in houses of worship, even for French citizens, are therefore symbolic.

When selecting a ceremony venue, keep in mind the following:
a. Your choice of ceremony venue will have a direct impact on the atmosphere of your entire wedding day (formal, casual, or something in-between).
b. Number of guests it will accommodate.
c. Proximity to your hotel (and guests’, if different) and the reception venue (if different).
d. How will people be getting there? Paris is plentiful in metro stations, but parking…not so much. If everyone is staying in the same hotel, consider renting a coach (bus) to transport everyone.
e. Provide your guests with a map that includes written directions to the ceremony venue, regardless of transportation provided. Suppose someone had a last-minute detail they needed to attend to, and then didn’t know how to get to the ceremony? Also, while it is said that in Paris, you are never more than 10 minutes’ walking distance to a metro stop, you don’t want your guests stressed about feeling lost when they arrive at your ceremony.
f. If you select and are accepted by a house of worship, be sure to ask about their restrictions, especially regarding decorations and dress. Two examples: Not all venues allow confetti, and some houses of worship require women to have their shoulders covered, so an off-the-shoulder wedding dress would not be appropriate.

The groom and his men need a place at the ceremony venue for last-minute preparations as much as a bride and her attendants.

The groom and his men need a place at the ceremony venue for last-minute preparations as much as the bride and her attendants.

g. Everyone knows the bride likes to have a room for her and her bridesmaids to prepare to walk down the aisle; not everyone understands the groom and his men need one, too. Do you really want the guys to have to straighten their ties and tuck their shirts in in front of guests and vendors?
h. If you hold your ceremony outside in a public place, traffic and tourists walking by will be part of the charm. Be prepared for interesting sites!

So, where to have your wedding ceremony in Paris? Here are three ideas.

1. House of Worship
You can have a symbolic ceremony in a house of worship if you can find one that will grant you permission. Landmarks like Notre Dame can’t be rented as they are national public spaces. Catholic parishes in France generally only allow their own members to marry in their respective churches, and most churches in France are Catholic. That said, if you can find a Catholic church who will grant permission for you to marry in their church, you still have to meet specific requirements: provide a letter from your local priest and Bishop that you are a member of a parish in good standing; Baptism and Confirmation certificates; and a marriage certificate from your civil ceremony.

An interior shot of Synagogue des Tournelles showing the mixture of architectural styles common in French Second Empire.

An interior shot of Synagogue des Tournelles showing the mix of architectural styles common in French Second Empire.

The couple I am featuring for this series, Raph & John, being Jewish, chose to hold their wedding ceremony at the Synagogue de Tournelles. It is located at 21bis rue des Tournelles in Marais, the 4th arrondissement, not far from Notre Dame. The closest metro stop is Bastille. Its architect, Marcellin-Emmanuel Varcollier, designed it in Second French Empire, the architectural style of the time, which is an eclectic mix of European styles, most notably Baroque. Gustave Eiffel was the engineer who oversaw its construction from 1867-1876, before he became famous for building the Eiffel Tower in 1889. Outside, it is decorated with a stained glass rose window with sculptures representing the scrolls of the Law with text in Hebrew. Inside, it is very grand with plentiful seating on two floors and arches on the second floor. By volume, it is the second largest synagogue in Paris. Perhaps due to recent attacks, specific information on the synagogue (such as seating number) was not available when I researched for this post. I suggest you call the synagogue on +33 01 42 74 32 80.

Synagogue de Tournelles is not far from the luxurious Intercontinental Paris Le Grand Hotel, where the couple stayed and held their reception.

This couple married outside near the Eiffel Tower in November 2014. They were oblivious to the group behind them or the girl next to them.

This couple married outside near the Eiffel Tower in November 2014. They were oblivious to the group behind them or the girl next to them.

2. Outside a Monument
You can’t rent the inside of Notre Dame or the Eiffel Tower, but you can marry on their grounds. On the plus side, this is the easiest, cheapest, and fastest to arrange. It is also easy for your guests to find. On the down side, you can’t control how tourists and others passing by will behave — nor can you control the weather. It tends to sprinkle a lot in Paris (though not as much as London), so if you decide to marry outside a monument, you should have pretty umbrellas at the ready just in case Mother Nature decides not to cooperate with your ceremony plans.

If you select this option, I highly recommend you visit Paris during the time of year you plan to marry, so you can see just how the ceremony will unfold. It also is a good idea to contact your embassy in Paris near the time of your ceremony to verify they know of no reason why you shouldn’t hold your ceremony at the location of your dreams. (For instance, they might know of a protest coming up.)

A wedding takes place on the Seine River on a beautiful day.

A wedding takes place on the Seine River on a beautiful day.

3. Cruise on the Seine River
This would be my choice, so I had to include it, though this option speaks more to a combined ceremony/reception venue. Bateaux Parisiens not only offers glass-enclosed boat tours of the Seine River and dinner cruises, they also offer wedding packages for a minimum of 50 people. According to their website, they hold 400 private events per year, so they have the experience necessary to make sure your event is successful.  To that end, they offer an artistic director and event cruise directors dedicated to your event.

If you were to select this option, you first have to decide whether you want an afternoon or evening wedding, and whether you want table service or buffet style. From there, it’s a matter of your choice of menu selection and whether you want extras, such as table decorations that start at 17 euros per table. While you will have to ask for a quote, their gourmet buffets start at 14 euros per person; so figure 14 euros x 50 people = 700 euros ($749.00) as a starting price — not bad for a wedding and reception on the Seine River. (In addition, all of the wedding packages I saw on their website included a piano player and singer as entertainment.) There is parking available nearby at the Musee du Quai Branly.

As I’ve said several times before in posts, my dinner cruise on the Seine River was one of my most memorable experiences of my last trip to Paris — and I wasn’t even getting married!

 

Au revoir!

 

I am featuring photos of Raph & John’s wedding in Paris for this series (see above). I want to make it clear that I do not know this couple: I selected their photos from an album on Flickr because I love their theme and the photos are available for use under the CCBY 2.0 license. If I married in Paris, I would want a theme somewhat similar to theirs–in terms of colors and formality.

Black & white image of Raph & John inside Synagogue des Tournelles by Agence Tophos, Flickr, CCBY 2.0. Image of groom ironing by Agence Tophos, Flickr, CCBY 2.0. Image of wedding couple near the Eiffel Tower by Elsa L. Fridl. Image of interior of Synagogue des Tournelles, Wikimedia Commons, GFDL License. Image of wedding on a boat on the Seine River by Becky McCray, Flickr, CCBY 2.0.

Discover Paris by the Seine

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Paris offers a variety of ways to see the city, including walking, driving, biking, or viewing it from a two-tier bus – but for me, seeing Paris by water is especially magical. Here are 3 ideas to see Paris from the Seine River.

1. Batobus Hop-on, Hop-off Sightseeing Cruise

If you like the idea of seeing Paris on a hop-on, hop-off bus, why not try the same concept in cruise form? You can purchase tickets that are valid for 1-day, 2-consecutive-days, or 1 year (validation day starts on January 1, not the date you purchase it). Children under age 5 board free with a paying adult. Purchase tickets at any of the stops or on the internet and hop on.

The stations in order are:

  1. Eiffel Tower
  2. Musee D’Orsay
  3. St. Germain des Pres
  4. Notre Dame
  5. Jardin des Plantes / Cite de la Mode et du Design
  6. Hotel de Ville
  7. Louvre
  8. Champs-Elysees
  9. Beaugrenelle

If you’re travelling to Paris during winter, have no fear, they have heated boats.  Check their website (www.batobus.com) for group offers. One special offer that caught my eye is a Treasure Hunt (available only in French) for children aged 7-12 (16 euros). Sounds like fun!

Here are the details on their passes:

One day pass

Adult: 16 euros

Child (3-15 years): 7 euros

Child (under 3 years): Free with paying adult

Two consecutive days pass

Adult: 19 euros

Child (3-15 years): 10 euros

Child (under 3 years): Free with paying adult

Annual pass (validation date starts on January 1, not the date you purchase it)

Adult: 60 euros

Child (3-15 years): 38 euros

Child (under 3 years): Free with paying adult

Note: Some prices will increase on March 21, 2016. No telephone number is offered.

They are open every day from 10:00 A.M. – 9:30 P.M., though Station Beaugrenelle closes at 8:45 P.M. Click here for a list of free public toilets in Paris, since there are no restrooms on-board or at their stations. After clicking on the link, you’ll see a map with quite a few public sanisettes, and to the left will be a list of the restrooms in French. If you click on a star to the right of a restroom location on the list, its address will be given.

If you go to their website, under the “Practical Information” tab, they offer this updated list of “Free Public Toilets of the city of Paris.” I will save this link for future trips to Paris!

2. Seine Cruise

Rather than hopping on and off, take an uninterrupted cruise to see the sights of Paris.

Bateaux-Mouches (“Boats fly”)
According to the company’s website www.bateaux-mouches.fr, Jean Bruel started the company in 1949 so the French people could relax and enjoy themselves again after WWII. His 400-ton boats of wood and glass were a technological marvel of the time, and they continue to inspire awe with the views of Paris they offer.

Boarding and landing take place at the Port de la Conference, Pont de l’Alma, on the Rive Droite (Right Bank), in the 8th arrondissement.

RER: Pont de l’Alma

Here are the details of their 1-hour, 10-minute cruise:

Adult:                                  13.50 euros

Child (under 12 years):     6.00 euros

Child (under 4 years):       Free with paying adult

School child:                        From 4.20 euros

Groups of 20+:                    Contact company by clicking here.

To see a map of their cruise route, click here.

Telephone: 01 42 25 96 10

Bateaux Parisiens (“Boats of Parisiens”)

Board at Jetty 3, at the foot of the Eiffel Tower. For a map to get to the jetty click here (Google translation). Boarding times vary by season, so check their website by clicking here.

Metro: Bir-Hakeim or Trocadero, or
RER: Champs de Mars

Note: Due to security precautions, you will be searched before boarding, and large luggage over 16 liters (approx. 35 lbs.) will not be allowed on board. Small backpacks, handbags, and computer bags are allowed.

Details of their 1-hour cruise:

Adult:                               14 euros

Child (under 12 years):  6 euros

Child (under 3 years):   Free with paying adult

To see a map of their cruise route, click here.

Telephone: 01 76 64 14 45

Vedettes du Pont Neuf (“Pont Neuf Cruisers”)
Board at Pont Neuf, near the Louvre. Boarding times vary by season so check their website by clicking here. At the bottom of the linked page you can download a .pdf file with the circuit and comments about each monument.

Metro: Pont Neuf

Details of their 1-hour cruise:

Adult:                                   14 euros

Child (4-12 years)                5 euros

Child (under 4 years)          Free with paying adult

Click here for off-season specials via internet booking.

Cruise circuit:

  1. Louvre
  2. Place de la Concorde
  3. Eiffel Tower
  4. Musee d’Orsay
  5. Notre Dame
  6. Hotel de Ville

Telephone: 01 46 33 98 38

3. Dinner Cruise

Nothing beats viewing Paris lit up at night eating French cuisine on a boat cruising the Seine River. My dinner cruise was one of my most memorable experiences of my last trip to Paris. Don’t worry about getting cold: all of the boats are heated. Proper dress is required for a dinner cruise in Paris.

Bateaux-Mouches (“Boats Fly”)
Board at the Pont de l’Alma in the 8th arrondissement from 7:30 P.M. – 8:15 P.M.

RER: Pont de l’Alma

Departure:     8:30 P.M.
Return:          10:45 P.M.

Select from 2 fixed menus (view current menu selections by clicking here):

99 euros per person (215 euros with show) or
155 euros per person (263 euros with show).
No child prices for dinner cruise.

To see a map of their cruise route, click here.

Telephone: 01 42 25 96 10

Bateaux Parisiens (“Boats of Parisians”)
Board at Jetty 3, Port de la Bourdonnais, at the foot of the Eiffel Tower. As it is currently the coldest of the off-season, their dinner cruise ranges from 69 euros – 99 euros (a Valentine’s Day dinner cruise [3 hours 30 minutes] is available on February 13 or 14 that ranges from 150 euros – 215 euros.) Price depends on departure time, seating, and menu option. Some dinner cruises offer live music.

Boarding times vary by season so check their website by clicking here.

Metro: Bir-Hakeim or Trocadero, or
RER: Champs de Mars

Telephone: 01 76 64 14 45

To see a map of the cruise route, click here.

Le Capitaine Fracasse (“The Captain Smashes”)
Chef Martial Enguehard heads the kitchen, and he has been awarded the title of “Meiller Ouvier de France” (“One of the Best Craftsmen of France”), a title he will hold for life. I did not know about this when I selected Le Capitaine Fracasse for my dinner cruise; rather, it was listed as the budget option in my guidebook. I knew I was in for quite a treat, however, when the waiters started to bring out the dishes: they looked like they tasted of perfection — and they did.

My three-course meal included a tray of three appetizers, an entree of fish with potatoes in light sauce, a tray of three desserts (a pastry puff was particularly delicious), and wine and Espresso. My ship floated along the Seine as I ate, and I floated with it. The sites lit up at night were just as beautiful as I knew they would be.

Two cautions: Get to the slip early to make sure you can find it (I only did with the help of a French couple who saw my distress, map in hand) and secure a good seat — the line will likely get incredibly long — and remember that there is always the possibility that a large group might book the same night of your romantic dinner cruise. If you don’t like your table and there are tables available, don’t hesitate to ask to be seated elsewhere. I did, and it was no problem.

Le Capitaine Fracasse 2-hour Dinner Cruise on the Seine River

Board: Pont de Bir-Hakeim, 75015 Paris, France, near the Eiffel Tower. Boarding times vary by season. Check the website by clicking here  or call ahead. It is best to reserve online and get in line early. Your boarding time will be on your reservation printout.

Metro: Bir-Hakeim, or
RER:    Champs de Mars-Tour Eiffel

Cost: 65 euros, “Smashes” Menu: Meal without drinks
75 euros, “Admiral” Menu: Meal with wine
85 euros, “Champagne” Menu: Meal with Champagne

The menu offers a selection of entrees in addition to the other two courses.

There is a “Petit Matelot” ticket (40 euros) available for children under 10 years old.

Telephone: 01 46 21 48 15

Website: www.lecapitainefracasse.com/en/

Le Capitaine Fracasse offers Smartphone apps to serve as your route map with detailed descriptions of the monuments as you pass by them. Click here to see the list of apps. (At the time of this posting, the app page does not translate to English. I have notified the company.)

 

Au revoir!

 

Image of water boat on the Seine River at sunset by Genji Arakaki, Flickr, CCBY 2.0.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To me, seeing Paris by water – which is to say, by the Seine River – is especially magical. I can’t account for this except to say that I’ve always been drawn to water, whether it be the ocean, a waterfall, or even a pool to swim in.

Destination Wedding in Paris: Theme & Timeline

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If you just got engaged and are considering Paris as a destination wedding site, take a deep breath and consider your theme first: the more details to your theme, the more time you probably need in your timeline.

Raph & John's wedding reception took place at the Intercontinental Le Grand Hotel in Paris. Lighting is an often overlooked element in events, but lighting helps set the tone even more than color. What is a beautiful color without the proper lighting to view it by?

Raph & John’s wedding reception took place at the Intercontinental Le Grand Hotel in Paris. Lighting is an often overlooked element when planning an event, but lighting helps set the tone even more than color. What is a beautiful color without proper lighting to view it by?

Planning a destination wedding in Paris can be quick or elaborate, depending on what you want. Ask yourself: How do you envision your dream wedding in Paris? Do you want a separate venue for the wedding and reception? A ceremony outside the Eiffel Tower during spring with tourists walking by? In a candle-lit chapel filled with flowers and history? Or perhaps a ceremony and reception on a boat at dusk basking in the glow of the Seine River? All of these questions speak to your theme, and your theme will inform your timeline — how much time you need to pull it all together.

What are the components of a wedding theme? In my view, they are: Time of year, time of day, location, formality, colors, food, music, flowers, lighting (artificial/natural).  If all you want is an outside ceremony on the grounds of Notre Dame with a few close friends and family as witnesses, that can easily be a piece of cake (pun intended) to plan; of course, you can’t rent space outside national monuments (or inside, for that matter), so tourists walking by being their natural selves will be part of the charm. But if you want a ceremony and reception indoors in popular venues, you have to plan for it. Yes, I know: Wedding Planning 101. But in the excitement of getting engaged, it can be hard to remember that many other newly-engaged couples are looking to book the same venues you want. This is why I believe that after asking family and friends for their (un)availability dates to travel to Paris within the next 18 months, booking the ceremony and reception venues should be first on your list.

Here are a few secrets of event planners: You work backwards from the date of the event to coordinate the details of any event, and you never give away your “drop dead date” – the date you need to give your confirmed guest number to the caterer, for example. Instead, ask people you’re inviting to respond by ‘x’ date + 1 week, to give yourself an additional week to contact anyone who hasn’t responded by your drop dead date. This also comes into play when ordering printed material, such as invitations: If you know you want to mail your invitations by a given date, and it takes a printer three weeks to print invitations, then give them a proof at least six weeks in advance; that way, if they’re not printed correctly the first go-around, you can still make your mail-by date.

Just a reminder: Foreigners can’t legally marry in France unless they’ve established temporary residency by living near the wedding locale for 40 consecutive days and can offer proof of this (lease, utility bill) to the city hall. For this series, I’m assuming that you will have a local wedding and possibly a reception before you travel to Paris for your wedding and reception there.

You might have to plan 18 months out if your Paris ceremony venue or reception venue is particularly popular.

As soon as possible, decide on an ideal date or time of year. Do an internet search to understand weather, holidays, and festivals for your selected time of year. Paris all but shuts down during the month of August (they take their vacation time seriously!), and French people don’t generally plan weddings from July 15 – August 31. (Keep in mind July 14 is Bastille Day.)

12 months before
*Set your wedding budget.
*Write up a guest list and a preliminary wedding party attendant list.
*Ask significant people (family, guest list and preliminary wedding party) for (un)availability dates around the time you would like to marry in Paris.
*Visit Paris locations if at all possible to see them as they will be for your wedding.
*Book the ceremony and reception venues.
*Hire a wedding planner if you so desire.
*Research flights to Paris for wedding date.
*Consider creating a wedding website as a communication tool (to upload the program, how to get to the hotel, ceremony venue and reception venue). I would probably also set up a private group on Facebook.

10 months before
*Finalize wedding party attendants.
*Finalize local ceremony date, location, and reception venue if applicable.
*Book all remaining aspects of your theme (flowers, music, food if you need your own caterer).
*Book your photographer.
*Book your “get-away” car or other vehicle.
*Book your flight to Paris with travel insurance.
*Reserve hotel block for you and your guests.

8 months before
*Get your passports up to date (don’t wait!).
*Start dress shopping, keeping in mind the time of year for your wedding.
*Select your officiant for your Paris wedding and your local wedding.
*Register.

6 months before
*Select your dress or hire a dressmaker to create a custom wedding dress.
*Select shoes, hairstyle, makeup, etc. for the day.
*Select attire for bridal attendants and order.
*Select attire for groom and groomsmen and order.
*Select and purchase wedding rings.
*Select and order invitations and other printed material (program, save-the-date cards, menu), and be sure to order 20% extra for invitations and save-the-date cards for mistakes you make while addressing them, and for late additions.
*Send save-the-date cards with a reminder to get passports up to date as soon as they are printed.

4 months before
*Mail invitations. While an RSVP date of 4 weeks prior to the wedding date is ideal, you have to consider first when the reception venue requires a final count for the reception. If you have to give a final count 4 weeks prior, give yourself at least an additional week for the RSVP date (5 weeks prior) in order to have time to contact anyone who hasn’t RSVP’d. Unfortunately, many people don’t understand that RSPV means “repondez, s’il vous-plait” (respond, please, in French); some seem to think it means “respond if you feel like it.”
*Plan the rehearsal dinner.
*Write your own vows if that is your plan.
*Finalize each ceremony with its respective officiant.
*Shop for local ceremony attire for you and your wedding party.

2 months before
*Confirm delivery of all wedding party attire.
*Ask your dressmaker for advice on how to transport or pack your wedding attire, and whether you can use your own travel steamer to get the wrinkles out.
*Apply for a marriage license.
*Make 2 lists: 1) What you need to take with you on the plane, and 2) what you need to overnight to the hotel. NOTE: I recommend that you overnight EVERYTHING you need for your wedding day (dresses, tuxes, shoes, etc., and several travel steamers). Have it arrive before you get to Paris and pay for an extra night or two (or more) for your hotel room so it can be stored safely. You can’t possibly carry everything you need in carry-on luggage, and what would you do if the airline lost your suitcase with your wedding dress?

6 weeks before
*Contact those who haven’t RSVP’d.
*Shop for welcome bags and their contents to be put in guests’ rooms if applicable.

4 weeks before
*Provide a final head count for your hotel and/or caterer.
*Have your final dress fitting.
*Hold local (legal) wedding and reception.

4 days before
*Overnight wedding attire, printed material, and welcome bags.
*Get manicure/pedicure for you and your bridesmaids.

3 days before
*Depart for Paris!

Upon arrival in Paris
*Unpack wedding attire and hang up.
*Unpack programs to have ready.
*Enjoy your first night in Paris with your fiance.

1 day before
*Steam all wedding attire with your travel steamers.
*Deliver programs to wedding ceremony venue if applicable.
*Rehearse ceremony with wedding party and officiant.
*Finalize shots with photographer.
*Have rehearsal dinner.

Wedding Day
Enjoy!

 

I will be featuring photos of Raph & John’s wedding in Paris for this series (see above). I want to make it clear that I do not know this couple: I selected their photos from an album on Flickr because I love their theme and the photos are available for use under the CCBY 2.0 license. If I married in Paris, I would want a theme somewhat similar to theirs–in terms of colors and formality–though probably on a boat on the Seine River. At night. With all the lights of Paris sparkling around me, my groom, and my guests. That’s just me.

 

Au revoir!

 

Image of Raph & John’s wedding reception (#596) by Agence Tophos, Flickr, CCBY 2.0.