Kharbichi - Paris: Culture. Romance. Style. Cuisine: Create Your Tailor-Made Dream Vacation in the City of Light (Bonus Included)

Copyright 2015 Amal Kharbichi
All rights reserved.

Publisher: Metis Press, Paris, France
Publisher number: 978-2-9552045
ISBN 10: 2955204501
ISBN 13: 9782955204504

Library of Congress Control Number: 2015902752
Metis Press, Chicago, IL

To Radouane, Ilyes, and Sophia, whose love and presence in my life is a blessing each and every day.

To all open minds and hearts who see cultural diversity as a beautiful gift to humanity.

Ten percent of the author earnings will be used to support initiatives relating to cultural dialogue, especially those focusing on children.

The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.

MARCEL PROUST, FRENCH WRITER

The idea for this book came to me one day when I was having lunch with two women Id just met at an international conference. At some point during our conversation, it came up that I was French and had lived, for quite some time, in Paris.

Ive visited Paris! both women said emphatically. Yet the stories they shared could not have been more different.

I was actually dreading my vacation before I even went on it, Elizabeth told me. My husband thought it was going to be this romantic getaway, but in the weeks leading up to it, I couldnt stop looking on different message boards, and all anyone seemed to post about were the thieves in Paris. And wouldnt you know, the very first day we were there, my husband and I encountered pickpockets at the Eiffel Tower. Then we were approached by this young woman who pleaded with us to give her money so she could feed her baby. Later, someone told us its all part of a scam, and when you go into your purse or get your wallet, you show her scam partner where you keep your cash and credit cards, so they can pick your pocket later.

Elizabeth went on to describe how, more often than not, the waiters they encountered at restaurants they went to were rude, pretending that they hadnt seen them or acting as though they could not understand what Elizabeth and her husband were saying. At other points, people refused to speak English, making it very difficult for Elizabeth and her husband to get by on the limited French they knew.

And I think the worst, Elizabeth continued, was this one night, toward the end of our trip, after my husband and I had spent the whole day sightseeing. Wed gotten lost trying to navigate the metro, and we ended up at some awful tourist traps. So we were tired but wanted to go out and get something to eat. Wed had a laid-back sort of day and didnt think to go back to our hotel room first to change; it was a warm night, so we both had on T-shirts and shorts and flip-flops, and Im willing to bet my husband was wearing his baseball cap, because hes always wearing that thing. Anyway, my husband wanted a steak, so we found a place and went in. And you would not believe the looks we got. Just outright looks of disgust, from the waitstaff and the other diners. It was miserable. Elizabeth shook her head. I just wish I had better insight into French culture. You dont think that you need to prepare before you go on vacation, but I think that wouldve made all the difference.

Our other lunch companion, Kate, had quite a different story. While it sounded as if Elizabeth had returned from her Paris vacation more stressed out than when she left, Kates experience was one of relaxation and enjoyment. I did spend a lot of time researching hotels before deciding on one, she said. Even though I knew we werent going to be spending a ton of time there, I wanted our temporary home base to be the best match for us. And I did a lot of reading, read a lot of message boards. I grew up in a town that thrived on tourism, so I know how it works. There are the places that are popular with the tourists, and then there are the places that are popular with the localsthose were the ones I wanted to visit. We ended up staying in the 8th arrondissement, in a neighborhood where most of the places we wanted to go to museums, department stores and gastronomic restaurants were at a walking distance. We didnt even need to use the metro during the whole week, my claustrophobic husband was ecstatic! I am a lover of Haussmanian architecture and I had the tremendous pleasure to stay in boutique hotel that has ornate moldings, herringbone parquet floors, and floor-length windows in the rooms. We would walk every day on these long boulevard surrounded by stylish elegant faades. To me, what we experienced is simply the perfect vacation in Paris. I cant wait to go back. (sigh)

Our lunch continued, but I found myself wondering, how is this possible? How was it possible that these two intelligent women could have had such vastly different experiences in the same city? The very city that I adore and call my home? I kept thinking about this, even after our lunch ended. The thing was, both womens stories resonated with me.

I was born and grew up in the beautiful City of Tours, also known as the Gardens of France. In 2001, I was a young professional who had just arrived in Paris for her dream job as a business consultant. After Id settled into my job, I turned my focus to my new city. I was eager to immerse myself as much as I could in the culture of Paris.

It did not take long for me to figure out that Paris is a multifaceted city. There were so many neighborhoods, each with its own unique atmosphere. The city seemed resplendent with art, so wherever I feasted my eyes, I was treated to a beautiful, visually stimulating experience. There were so many new restaurants to try. In the metro, Id look at the stylish Parisians and wonder where they bought their perfectly fitting clothes. I also could feel that this city released something in the airsomething I couldnt grasp yetthat made people madly fall in love with each other. However, it took me several years to be in a position where I could truly enjoy this magical city, as its marvels are not readily available.

What I needed to do first was determine the kind of experience I was after. To do this, I had to ask the right questions. I also needed to learn what was available to me. I decided to buy a book about Paris, the first of a long series of books I have read about every aspect of the city.

I can still recall my deep frustration with that bookthough it would certainly not be the only unsatisfactory book detailing Paris that I would come across. That first book, though, I had high hopes for. I believed it would give me all the answers and addresses I needed to become a stylish young professional Parisian who enjoys the culture, has mouthwatering culinary experiences, shops in little shops only Parisians know about, and gets to experience marvelous romantic dates. Unfortunately, more often than not, the places Id written down were either no longer in business or had moved. In some instances, they didnt even sell the same products that the guidebook had described! It was maddening. I would find here and there valuable pieces of information, but I could not find a book with a combination of all the information I needed to create my very own unique experiences in the city. I searched bookstores online and off, worldwide. Nothing.