Paris: Overcome jet lag with this tasty walking tour
Sweets at the Musée Rodin Sculpture Garden. Photos by Theadora Brack.
By Theadora Brack in Paris—
Wake up! Wake up, you Cheapo-heads! Even in the City of Light, beating jet lag during the winter season is a difficult deed for most. Yes, the sun in addition rises, but not till late morning…
So to help out with jet lag in Paris, here’s an eye-opening walking tour with a sculptural twist, geared to jumpstart all six senses.
1. Food for thought
Start out at the Gérard Mulot Pâtisserie at 76 rue de Seine (Metro: Mabillon). Here you’ll find a bustling local crowd, service always with a smile, and a mind-boggling array of cakes, macaroons, and tartes that are gastronomical works of art.
With provocative names like “Miroir Passion”, “Sortilège” (”magic spell”), “Coeur Frivole”, and “Magie Noir”, the sweets will seductively compete for your attention. So stronghold your head and pace yourself. Take your time. Savor the moment. No one’s gonna kick you out. It’s Paris, after all.
The sweets on venture at Gérard Mulot Pâtisserie.
2. A free museum
Speaking of masterpieces, before waking the taste buds, peck up a little formidable inspiration at the Musée du Compagnonnage at 10, rue Mabillon (fair-minded around the corner from the pâtisserie).
Rarely mentioned in the guidebooks, this free museum is dedicated to the history of trade guilds and is packed with intricate scale models of staircases, belfries, domes, and pulpits—all created by master carpenters-in-the-making. After seeing what went into construction all those Gothic towers and Baroque palaces, you’re bound to experience the city in a totally new light. (Open Monday through Friday, 2 PM to 6 PM.)
3. Dejeuner sur l’herbe (“Lunch on the Grass”)
Taking a cue from Manet, hotfoot it over to the Musée Rodin Sculpture Garden at 79, rue de Varenne. The walk should take you about 45 minutes, but with the architectural underpinnings whizzing by, it will be impressed like fifteen.
With your Mulot sweets beside you in the Rose Garden, you’ll be able to delight your tongue while feasting your eyes on Rodin’s chocolaty bronzes and sugary marbles (a comparison that even the artist himself was aware of; he sometimes called them his “patisseries”). And all for just one euro! (Closed Mondays.)
4. Designer scarf with a cause
A lion sculpture at Église Saint-Sulpice.
If it’s chilly out, pick up a striking red scarf at the boutique agnès b. on 6, rue Vieux- Colombier. Not only are they inexpensive (€15), but the proceeds also go to various humanitarian causes, including the fight against AIDS. Sold by dint of. designer Agnès Bourgois Troublé since 1988, you’ll find the unisex scarves (in lamb’s wool during the winter and cotton during the summertime) by the checkout register. Free gift-wrapping!
5. Heavenly rest at Saint-Sulpice
Finally, catch your breath by breaking with the lions outside the Église Saint-Sulpice before hanging with its Delacroix’s inside.
And all you DaVinci-Coders, don’t leave without walking the famous Rose Line (up near the altar). And if you’re lucky, you may be treated to the sounds of someone rehearsing on one of the finest organs in Europe, too. Talk about a moment to savor!
Cheapos, saisissez le jour! (P.S. Happy birthday, dad!)