Chez Constance

You are at Constance’s place - ‘Chez Constance’! The lovely plush pink themed Paris apartment, that is the newest member of the Petite Paris B&B family.

You are standing in front of a high standing freestone building in Paris constructed in 1910. Just steps from Trocadero and the Eiffel Tower. Enter the building and take the lift to the first floor. There you will find the entry to Chez Constance. Knock and Constance will greet you.

You step into the large, brightly lit apartment of 270 square meters. An atmosphere of calm lives here.

You find yourself mesmerized by the splendid and rare view of the Eiffel Tower from one of the windows.

You admire the decorative jeweled décor throughout the residence. The pink walls and theatrical atmosphere is unavoidable. Constance explains her mum is a passionate interior decorator.

Constance invites you to relax in her living room. You sit on the lavish couch and begin to feel tres French. You share a cup of tea, prepared by Yola the house maid.

You admire the dinning room next door.

Later you will share an aperitif.

Constance leads you to your room, the guest room. This is your intimately and carefully decorated boudoir with a queen size bed (160x190). You find more luxurious decoration and an atmosphere of calm before you. On the walls you see portraits of the hosts ancestors and the statue of St Pierre.

Constance also shows you briefly the second B&B Guest room with red and gold ensuite which can be booked by other travellers at the same time; or should you ever return as a group of 3 or 4 both bedrooms are yours.

In this second you find yourself in an oriental inspired room, as lovingly decorated as the rest of the dwelling.

But after that tea you need to take a trip to the little ladies room. Back in your own room you enter your en suite and find a glorious black and white high-class marble room with marble bath-tub and shower. Lovingly decorated with glass and gold objects. It is for your private use. Red bath towels and a hairdryer are set for your disposal.

By now you need a little lie down to catch your breath. Feather pillows lure you to into sleep. But no…First Paris awaits!

After a full day of sightseeing and reminiscing in cosy iconic cafes you return to your Parisian home. Its time for that aperitif with Constance, if you so desire. Constance studies at university and she speaks Spanish as well as English. Constance has been involved in the B&B activity since 2009, after her mother begun in 1999. Guillaume’s brother arrives sometime after. You meet him too.

When your eyelids can no longer stay open you head to your room and watch cable on the tv sitting in the corner until you nod off. Thanks to its soundproofing windows you sleep peacefully in your bedroom.

Next moring you awake to the delicious smell of coffee brewing and fresh warm croissants. You head to the kitchen or dining room as you prefer. Yola or Constance are there happy to serve you and you share a quiet moment. On the table you find: fruit juice, warm drinks, corn flakes, butter, jam, honeys, yogurts, cheese, hard-boiled eggs, fruits and lots of different croissants and breads.

Bonne appetite!

Arrondissement: 14ème

Métro: Passy 3min (line 6)

Street: Blvd Delessert

Jardin du Trocadéro: 2min on foot

Tour Eiffel: 10 to 15min on foot

Champs Elysées: 25min on foot

Saint Germain: 20min on direct metro

Louvre: 20min on direct metro

Château de Versailles: 40min on direct RER train

www.petiteparis.com.au

The Paris Apartment Art Show

Bonjour and welcome art arficionado's, art connoisseurs' and people like moi; knowledge-less but inspired and appreciative fans of pretty art...stuff!

Today's post has nothing to do with anything except that I love art and antiques as much as i love paris and les parisian apartments; so here is a homage to our Paris B&B apartments and their 'Jewellery' aka magnificent paintings and drawings, decoratively and lavishly strewn about les murs in a casual sophisticated chic manner that could only be French. Some are 'ancien' paintings, some family heirlooms, some modern, some abstract and some painted by your artist hosts truly.

Art lessons anyone? James from B&B No.336 says oui!

French Landscapes at Aline's apartment (B&B335).

Evelyn's Apartment is head to toe paintings, even while you bath (B&B339)

Perhaps this floral arrangement is more your fancy at Gisele's Apartment (No. 308)

A view of the parisian rooftops painted by your host Jean-Pol in his artists studio turned B&B just for you (B&B 101).

A crazy colour fiasco looms while you enjoy a full french breakfast at Aline's (B&B 335).

Had to include another bathroom shot of the art in Evelyns theatrical dwelling (B&B 330).

Dom and Erics apartment belonged to a famous french painter whose work can still be seen in the Musee des Arts Decoratifs and is displayed through the house. (B&B 342).

Take me away to a magical time and place where frolicking in the french gardens and courtyards was life's simple pleasure. Mythical angels, fairies and cupid.. (B&B 339)

I absolutely adore this fine painting at Thierry and Rose-mary's Apartment. I reckon she's a snooty obnoxious little daddy's girl who thinks she great at everything, pushes you down the stairs then batters her innocent eye lids. I want to poke her. (B&B 339)

Odile decorated her apartment with lots of modern and classic paintings such as this delightfully quaint piece. Can't you just fantasise life within these frames (B&B 324)

Ok so its a old photo not a painting but it had to be included. Anne and Jean-Luc's apartment is a visual journey into their family history. Souvenirs of the past and portraits of Anne's great relatives, all pure Parisian, welcome you in the hall. This one is Anne's great-great grandmother. I think. I may have missed one 'great'. (B&B 321)

Evelyn is a painter, writer, actress and producer. The bedroom of this B&B Apartment is covered with Evelyns paintings including this grand wall mural (B&B330).

Toilet art to keep you entertained...thats all. (B&B 330)

Another piece from the Emmanuelle and James collection in their artists studio (B&B 336)

Nudie by Evelyn (B&B 330)

Watch your step as you descend while observing. This spiral staircase leads to and from your private attic space/Bedroom suite and has a view of the magnificent parisian rooftops that may incite your own creativity. Pick up a brush. (B&B330)

Magestic and grand another family heirloom found in the lounge at Constance's Apartment (B&B142).

uuuuuum...i'll take the one on the right. (B&B 324)

Another classic (my faves) at Marie Claude's french castle like apartment building (B&B270).

Alain's Apartment in the 2nd arrondissement is like an art gallery. Crisp clinical white walls adorned with magnificent contrasting, vibrant, eye catching pieces like this nude painting. A lover of the flea markets Alain pics up all his decor and antiques for bargain prices. As a result he offers an eclectic chic apartment for the true creative (B&B 327)

A bit of bathroom art at Carols apartment bam smack in the centre of paris in the ile de la cite (B&B 359). Ps i want to be a french girl.

Enjoy a sunny breakfast at Aline's bright apartment. Is it a clown? (B&B 335)

A landscape painted by your host Dom (B&B342)

Love this wall mural at Florence's apartment. If you look out the window you find you're an arms length away from the eiffel tower. Well almost (B&B104).

I dont know where to look, and i love it. Did i mention watch your step?? Thats me on the top left in Paris and below lying in le jardin du luxermerg - aaaah the life! (B&B330)

Dom's sketching in your artists room (B&B 342)

I love any Degas painting or Degas (dancer) inspired painting (B&B 104). See Degas at the Musee D'Orsay.

Evelyn's popular on this blog. Here another one of her own artworks. (B&B 330)

Dramatic woman in Alain's Apartment (B&B 247)

Another piece of family history at Carols. Something so fine and delicate about antique artworks, they dont make them like they used to. (uh-oh i just offically grew old) (B&B359).

Love. red. vibrant. passion. ethnic. art. Alain's Apartment is inspirational (B&B247)

A classic fine detailed sketch at B&B I cant remember. Oops.

Your private B&B Lounge room and a tribal ethnic pieces hangs (B&B247).

The eyes scare me. Hair red fire, eyes white ice.

Is that enough art for today? Oui? Ok Best I stop now.

www.petiteparis.com.au

Broken French

French classes started again this week. Term 4, Saturday afternoons, 3.30-5.30pm. This should come as no surprise but I have always loved the romance, culture and history of Paris and the French language; so I decided that French classes would be step 1 of ‘Mission Move to Paris’. But I didn’t actually enrol until I became the proud mama of Petite Paris B&B. The B&B gave me the final kick up the ‘derriere’.

As the medium between guest and host whereby I often must contact hosts about their apartment, service or other minor detail on behalf of an aussie guest; I really wanted to communicate with them in their native tongue. Not that we have trouble communicating; our hosts are all wonderfully bilingual and speak English (on varying levels of course). I just think it’s nice to return the courtesy.

I love my French classes even though 1 year on and I still don't understand the french. How long does it take before you can actually understand and construct a sentence?? I can vaguely 'comprendre' but only when it's broken, spoken very sloooo......ooowly, and only in class. Of course in class it's all so easy to get a big head. But real life exchange is so different. Can't tell you how many times I walk out of class feeling tres french and cocky, head to the video store, hire a french flick and then sit on my couch completed stumped, baffled and completely de-flatted....*Sigh

Love that quote by my favourite 'Quote Person' Mark Twain:

In paris they simply stared at me when I spoke to them in French, I never did succeed in making those idiots understand their language'.

While a Parisian would thoroughly disapprove, I can see where he is coming from. Nothing sounds as it is spelt and there are so many word linkages; 5 words sounds like 1. Aaah!

Now let me assure you my Paris bound travellers, communicating with our Parisian B&B hosts while staying in their apartments is also easy peasy. Trust me. Your host will fall under one of four categories: fluent English; good English; basic English or mime artist.

Do I need to write that I’m kidding??

Ok Ok there are 2 lovely hosts who are non-english speaking but who do just fine for themselves and will find all sorts of means to communicate. In fact some guests believed their stay was made richer somehow. I suppose it does takes a lot more than words to create, fulfilling, strong relationships and that non verbal taps into a more intuitive emotionally bonding experience.

But seeing as you’re (fingers crossed) off to Paris wouldn’t it be nice to be able to return the courtesy and speak with your host in their native tongue as well? Many of our hosts offer basic or extensive french lessons while your in their home. An ideal way to learn the language, brush up or expand your vocabulary.

Well it's back to my French studies (I was a REAL dumb-dumb in last saturday's class).

www.petiteparis.com.au

Pink marks the Spot!

Little pink beds with little pink people pinpoint the approximate location of each of our Bed and Breakfast hotspots throughout Paris on the map below. Most of our B&B’s are street-spot accurate. Otherwise within the vicinity of the little pink bed and little pink person. Feel free to zoom in for a clearer shot.

Instructions: Poke one little pink person in their little pink bed with your curser. They don’t like being woken up this way but unfortunately they are narcoleptic and sleep pretty much always. Even poking them won’t get them out of bed, but if you do, they will at least (without so much as a ruffle) yawn out the name and number of their pink B&B palace before retreating back into slumber. Please excuse the morning breath and croakiness; I imagine it would be rather epic. And if any irritated swearing occurs please remember they have an incurable sleeping disorder and how would you feel if you were permanently pink? In this case, give them a minute and give them another nudge. If they continue to swear, (or play-dead), refusing to give you any information just keep poking the stubborn little sloths.

When they are obliging (yes some ARE morning people…even if they don’t know when morning IS), you will find that they will ‘get directions’, ‘search nearby’, ‘zoom’ or open their window to give you a ‘street view’. Hey they’re up now…

Easy enough? I guess I could have been normal and said: Here are our B&B locations on a map. Click icon to view B&B. Naaah.

Oh wait. Is it little RED beds??

View Petite's B&B Hotspots in a larger map

www.petiteparis.com.au