JOIE DE VIVRE: French living secrets
and a very Parisian to-do list

Before you read on, make yourself comfortable and get some wine or juice in a beautiful glass, light candles, turn on the vinyl record player or the French radio fip.fr Because that’s the only way you can tune in to that special Parisian vibe that Natalya talks about.

Natalya
Huzenko-Budie

author of the online project
Amuse A Muse, created for lovers of beauty.

A person who is going to Paris for the weekend has a reasonable question: “How can I manage everything?” The answer is amazingly simple: “Take your time.”

Obviously, time in France flows the same as in any other country, but the attitude towards it is not the same as in Ukraine. The French seem to live by the motto “hurry slowly”. Their plans always include unplanned pleasures. Such a “strategy” allows you to satisfy both the ratio (having done everything I set out to do) and the emotion (enjoying what the soul desires). The balance of these two components, in my opinion, is the secret of the French ability to live.

I'm sure you already have Paris attractions on your list, but why don't you...

  • … taste the bread of the world-famous Poilâne bakery? It is worth noting that Apollonia Pullen, the current hostess, has Ukrainian roots on her mother’s side. There are a total of four Poilâne bakeries in Paris, and the first store, which opened in 1932, is located at 8 Rue du Cherche-Midi in the 6th district.

  • … wear a voluminous scarf or shawl. You’ll find it a must-have accessory for both men and women. Calm-toned clothes plus a contrasting scarf – and you’re Parisians!

  • … arrange a tour with a Ukrainian guide? Are you interested in the secrets of Paris? Contact Olena Yashchuk Codet. Are you ready for perfumery and historical walk? Contact Olga Kozak-Brault from Lemongrass club.

  • … avoid queues and large crowds at museums by buying tickets in advance and going there at lunchtime? This method did not let me down.

  • … have dinner on the banks of the Seine or by the Canal Saint-Martin in good weather? You won’t forget to grab a bottle of wine, will you?

  • … put on a coin pendant on a chain and a V-neck top (if you’re a woman)? That’s very French! In areas such as the Marais and Saint-Germain, which are favorite shopping spots for Parisians, you will find many jewelry stores.

  • … to visit L’Atelier des Lumières (tickets should be ordered in advance)?! This is an incredible digital show where you feel like you are inside the works of famous artists.

  • … try on the famous French “Madeleine” cookies at the Ritz Paris Le Comptoir patisserie? Francois Perre, the creator of the Ritsev version of the cookie, is the best restaurant confectioner in the world in 2019. Perhaps one of the seven types – with passion fruit, raspberry, caramel, chocolate, chestnut honey, blackberry, or classic without filling – will become your Proust Madeleine?

  • … buy a book or app from the “Simplissime” series by Jean-François Mallet? This is the easiest way to learn how to cook modern French dishes. The Simplissime books helped me stay on top of things when I was hosting my first dinner parties for my French relatives.

  • … watch the life of the city while sipping Kir-Royal on the terrace of a cafe during an aperitif?

  • … dinner at the legendary Bouillon Chartier traditional restaurant? Atmospheric and budget Bouillons are located in Montmartre and Montparnasse. Entrance is on a first-come, first-served basis.

  • … find your Paris? This city is beautiful because, no matter how much someone else tells you about it, no one will have it like you.

*joie de vivre (fr) – “joy of life”

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