Parisian winter and its tranquil streets.

Morning coffee by Canal St-Martin

Arriving early on the Canal St. Martin on a weekend, you'll find yourself strolling through a rare moment of tranquility in the heart of glamorous Paris. You can take a leisurely walk or rent a bicycle from the Vélib public bike system to cycle along the canal's pathways.

Nestled beside the canal built by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802 to provide artificial fresh water for the people is the iron bridge that appeared in the film about Amélie, where she often went to play stone-throwing. Not far away, a row of brightly colored "Antoine et Lili" shops in yellow, pink, and apple green stand side by side, like a cheerful call, making you want to approach and admire the colorful cartoon world inside the windows.

While Parisians and tourists alike were still snuggled in their warm blankets, I found a spot outside a corner café and ordered a hot chocolate. When the pretty waitress brought me my drink, she suggested turning on the wall-mounted heater to ward off the cold. “Oui! Merci beaucoup, mademoiselle,” I replied. And now I had the answer to my question: how do Parisians sit outside drinking coffee 365 days a year without feeling cold?

Additional information:

Location: The Canal St-Martin is 4.55 km long and spans the 10th and 11th districts. To get there, you can take the metro to the Stalingrad, République, Goncourt, Jaurès, Oberkampf, Richard-Lenoir, Bastille, and Quai de la Rapée stations.

Explore Grand Cerf Canyon

Besides the grand, luxurious boulevards like Champs Élysées or Haussmann, Paris also captivates countless travelers with its small, covered alleyways, collectively known as "passage couvert".

The striking feature of these alleyways is that they are often hidden behind small streets and "sandwiched" between imposing buildings, making them difficult to spot. Because of this, the Passage du Grand-Cerf, despite being located near the bustling Montorgueil street, is remarkably quiet. Established in 1825, it is one of the oldest "passage couverts" in Paris, enclosed by a metal and iron frame with elaborate carvings. Thanks to its large stained-glass roof, the alley is always flooded with light.

Here, you'll find a wealth of creative spaces and diverse product offerings. De Marseille et D'Ailleurs sells cosmetics and perfumes, Le Pas Sage is a themed bar, Lil Weasel specializes in bedding, while L'Illustre Boutique celebrates illustrations designed by the artists themselves. These illustrated products are produced in limited editions, numbered and signed. Additionally, the store features a display area showcasing unique ceramic pieces by artist Elise Lefebvre.

Additional information:

Location: Passage du Grand-Cerf is located near Montorgueil Street, in the 2nd arrondissement, and is only a 3-minute walk from the Étienne Marcel metro station.

Enjoy outdoor photography by the Luxembourg Gardens' latticework.

In the guidebook "Dessine-moi un parisien," in the article about the Jardin du Luxembourg, author Olivier Magny advises readers to spend time admiring the photographs on the railings surrounding the famous garden.

The 80 photographs displayed along Médicis Street not only take you on a journey to visit heritage sites such as memorials, train stations, old houses, and cathedrals throughout France, but also tell you the story of the passion for their craft and the skillful hands of the artisans.

Additional information:

Event: This winter, to mark the 20th anniversary of the Heritage Foundation, the French Senate is hosting a photo exhibition entitled “Le Patrimoine, une Passion, des Hommes” (The Patrimoine, a Passion for Men), running until January 15, 2017.

Enjoying tea in Paris 6ème

Located just steps from the Saint-Placide metro station, Thés George Cannon is one of the most delightful tea-drinking spaces in District 6, offering over 250 types of tea from around the world (China, India, Japan, Vietnam, etc.).

In the festive atmosphere of the year-end season, Thés George Cannon shines even brighter with its tea boxes designed in a Christmas gift style, featuring packaging overflowing with red. The tea's flavor this season is also special and sweeter, infused with French herbs and spices such as orange peel, cinnamon, caramel, and blackcurrant.

Additional information:

Event: Thés George Cannon is currently exhibiting paintings by Jean Cabane, an artist from Southern France who has lived and worked in Central Vietnam for over 10 years. The exhibition, “Éloge du Silence,” will run until January 7, 2017.

Watch the sunset in Le Marais

Le Marais, a favorite destination for free-spirited individuals, boasts a diverse array of shops: antique shops, art galleries, gay bars, rock fashion boutiques, batik fashion stores, silverware shops, photography studios, cashmere fashion stores, and numerous concept-store cafes.

What's most interesting is that you often see well-known fashion stores "side by side" with thrift shops specializing in secondhand clothes. Yet, these more affordable fashion stores are still the busiest.

If you follow famous fashion bloggers around the world, you'll often see them rummaging through secondhand stores in Le Marais, happily picking up vintage dresses, leather briefcases from their grandfathers' time, or sometimes even trench coats that haven't been seen on the streets for decades. The sweetest thing here is the price. You only need to prepare about 10 Euros for a bag and 30 Euros for a leather vest.

And to conclude my afternoon wanderings through the Le Marais, I always head to Place de la Vosges, the oldest square in Paris, built in 1605 to commemorate the wedding of King Louis XIII and Princess Anna of Austria. The symmetrical rows of buildings embracing the square offer a sheltered escape from the hustle and bustle of the city streets. At that time, sitting on a park bench watching the trees change their leaves, strolling along the red brick walkways, or admiring the tranquil rooftops against the pink-tinged sky are all truly romantic choices.

Personally, I like to drop by Ma Bourgogne nearby and order a glass of red wine to match the color of the sky. But which brand of wine to order depends on the waiter's suggestion!

Additional information:

Location: Le Marais is located in the 4th arrondissement of Paris. You can take the metro to the two most convenient stations: Hôtel de Ville and Saint-Paul.

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