| Good news! I have more great Parisian hot | | | | Most products sold by the shop are made by |
| spots yet for the readers of Read on, I | | | | the Order, the rest by lay craftsmen, but all |
| believe you won't be disappointed. | | | | profits go to the Order. Their products are |
| | | | typically French: stoneware crockery, jams, |
| Wine tasting at Galerie Vivienne | | | | biscuits, chocolate, marzipan, Provence |
| | | | honey, perfumes, hygiene and beauty products, |
| If you like your wine, you won't want to miss | | | | fine Catalan house linen, statues, |
| this French 1950s-style period wine shop. | | | | decorations, etc. Their Catalan linen is |
| With its wood paneling and charming window | | | | particularly valued, and they have an |
| displays, it opens up onto the Galerie | | | | incredibly wide array of soaps. |
| Vivienne, one of the most stunning indoor | | | | |
| arcades in Paris. There lie the wine cellars | | | | You can lay your hands on country jams for |
| of 'Legrand filles et fils' (Legrand | | | | around € 5, essential oils from € |
| daughters & sons), some of the most highly | | | | 4 to € 8, post cards for € 0.80, |
| reputed in Paris. | | | | soaps for € 2.75. Prices are very |
| | | | moderate. |
| These cellars have been lovingly and expertly | | | | |
| stocked by three generations of the Legrand | | | | Should you want to buy gifts, your purchases |
| family ever since the end of the World War I. | | | | can be beautifully gift-wrapped. The nuns |
| Sadly enough, these cellars are not open to | | | | speak English too. |
| the general public. The shop offers however a | | | | |
| warm family atmosphere. | | | | Once again, the address is 11, rue du Pont |
| | | | Louis-Philippe, 75004 Paris. You can reach |
| Wine prices range from 5 to 10,000 euros a | | | | them at: 33 (0)1 4887 8513 and 33 (0)8 7455 |
| bottle, with a wide selection in the 5-15 | | | | 6685. |
| euros price bracket. You won't go hungry | | | | |
| either, as the shop also carries a range of | | | | Free concerts in an awesome setting! |
| delicacies to bring out the flavor of the | | | | |
| wine. | | | | Free music anyone? While in Paris you can |
| | | | attend free concerts twice a week at |
| Worthy of note, the shop offers wine tasting | | | | Saint-Merri Church in downtown rue |
| and lessons! For 60 euros you can attend an | | | | Saint-Martin. This church dates back to 1550. |
| introductory wine tasting session every | | | | Its architecture has been inspired by |
| Monday from 8 to 10 pm. Seating is limited, | | | | Notre-Dame's, and in fact it is known as |
| so book beforehand by phone or by e-mail. | | | | 'Notre-Dame la petite' (the little |
| | | | Notre-Dame). It is chock-a-block with |
| The shop also features a wine tasting corner, | | | | impressive stained-glass windows, frescos, |
| open from 12:00 noon to 6:00 pm, where you | | | | bas-reliefs, sculptures, tapestries and |
| can choose a wine and get a plate of | | | | paintings, not to mention its beautiful |
| accompanying delicacies specially selected to | | | | musical center-piece, an awesome organ with a |
| bring out the taste of your wine. The cost is | | | | long and distinguished history. |
| 5.25 euros a glass and 15-30 euros a plate. | | | | |
| You can also order desserts. | | | | Concerts last around an hour and start on |
| | | | Saturdays at 9:00 pm and on Sundays at 4:00 |
| The shop has two entrances: No. 1 Rue de la | | | | pm. Although the musical genre is |
| Banque, and No. 12 Galerie Vivienne, 75002 | | | | predominately classical, they do play jazz |
| Paris. For wine tasting reservations, call: | | | | from time to time, and even rarer kinds of |
| 33 (0)1 4260 0712 or email: | | | | music: classical Indian, Chinese, Armenian, |
| | | | and medieval music. Donations are appreciated |
| Monastica - craftsmanship steeped in | | | | but entirely at your discretion. |
| tradition | | | | |
| | | | On the first and third Sundays of every month |
| This is a fantastic place where you can get | | | | the Church offers a guided visit of the |
| your hands on authentic French handmade | | | | building after the concert. |
| products, crafts and souvenirs steeped in | | | | |
| tradition -- and do a good deed at the same | | | | The Saint-Merri Church is situated at 78 rue |
| time. If you wander at the tip of the St | | | | Saint-Martin, 75004 Paris. The phone number |
| Louis Island, you'll discover on Rue du Pont | | | | is: 33 (0)1 4271 9393. The two closest metro |
| Louis-Philippe a boutique called Monastica, | | | | stations are: Hotel de Ville (take exit Rue |
| owned and run by the nuns of "Les | | | | du Renard); and Chatelet (take exit Place |
| Fraternités de Jérusalem" (The | | | | Sainte Opportune). |
| Brotherhoods of Jerusalem), a religious order | | | | |
| originally founded in 1975 at the Church | | | | Don't miss my next issue of |
| Saint Gervais in Paris, which has now spread | | | | Paris-Eiffel-Tower-News newsletter, with yet |
| out internationally. | | | | more discoveries of hot spots, shopping gems |
| | | | and the best in authentic Parisian eateries. |