Paris in bloom: strolling around the 5th

Posted by Loulou on April 28, 2010 · 4 Comments 

Because I’m going to argue that spring is Paris’ best season.

Exhibit A: a walk in the Jardin des Plantes

There were tourists; there were also local kids taking a study break in this gorgeous park of the 5^th arrondissement.

Jess already wrote a wonderful piece – with fantastic pictures – on the Natural History Museum that lies inside one of the garden’s buildings. It’s definitely worth a visit. As for the garden, I think it speaks for itself.

There was glamour…

There was some old-school fun, with children dropping by after school…

And there were old friends sharing secrets.

Walk around the alleys, admire those cherry blossoms and drink up the sun – a perfect afternoon.

Exhibit B: the Paris Mosque patio

Just a few steps from the garden lies Paris’ Great Mosque – a city favorite.

More than a haven for the faithful, it also boasts a classic hammam or Turkish bath… And a café that is just a piece of heaven when it is sunny out.

Try their mint tea and Middle Eastern pastries under the trees. The almond horns (cornes de gazelle) are a classic, but I have a soft spot for the sticky red confection drenched in honey – sort of like a pretzel on a sugar high, and shot with orange blossoms. The atmosphere on the patio is soft and relaxed, and the mix of those tiles underfoot and the leaves overhead is simply enchanting.

Need I any more proof? I rest my case. Paris is at its best just now.

Footnotes

Jardin des Plantes – 36 rue Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire in the 5^th

Grande Mosquee de Paris – 39 rue Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire in the 5^th. 2 euros for tea or coffee; 6.50 euros for a plate of three pastries.

Filed under Ambulomania · Tagged with hammam, Jardin des Plantes, Mosque, Paris 5th