YOU CAN TAKE THE GIRL OUT OF PARIS
But …
you can’t take Paris out of the girl
Who am I? And why am I doing this?
Good question …
I am a self confessed Francophile and little travel bug at heart, who spends one month during Christmas time in Paris each year.
I enjoy sharing my tips, adventures and photography.
Of course, nothing is ever that simple and there is always a back story…
At the age of 21, I took myself on my first overseas adventure with not much more than a backpack and a walkman and explored Europe for 2 years. Not that I actually ‘backpacked’, but I did have a backpack. Those two years of self discovery and travel was the catalyst which inspired my passion for travel, I got the bug. The travel bug.
Later years, slightly more mature, my desire to immerse myself into different cultures took me to such places as; Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore, Bali, Africa, Egypt, Swaziland and more but something always pulled me back to Paris.
When I wasn’t travelling, I read every travel narrative I could lay my hands on.
Envious, yet inspired and swept away by other traveller’s stories, I was a girl who dreamed of visiting Paris once a year, or anywhere for that matter. Just to stay put in one exotic place, explore, live and immerse.
As the saying goes . . .
‘be careful what you wish for’
Initially my blog started out as a therapeutic and cathartic way of expressing myself and giving me a purpose as the result of a devastating marriage break up. Six months had marched on, but I hadn’t.
Coerced into escaping my native Australia and leaving my pain behind, my friends and colleagues decided a visit to my favourite city of Paris would be the best medicine.
Challenges faced me. I was anxious that I would simply be in another city with my grief trailing behind me, like an unwanted travelling companion. I also needed to learn to discover a new me and a new Paris. Not the Paris I had shared with others, but my own Paris.
Within a month after the coercion, resembling a tearful broken rag doll, I arrived at Charles de Gaulle airport very early one Christmas morning, in Paris.
Perhaps as fate would have it, my luggage was lost for two weeks and I had nothing else to do but explore the deserted, snow covered streets of Paris.
Alone and lonely, with no idea of what I was doing and no one to talk to, I started to tell the world what I was seeing and experiencing, via my new friend, the blog.
Now, each Christmas, a much happier and superstitious me finds myself undertaking my annual ritual of standing on Point Zero in front of the Notre Dame and secretly thanking Paris for granting me my wish to return.
Years ago I thought I knew Paris. However as I explore the wide boulevards, the narrow cobbled streets and every nook and cranny, I realise, there is so much more to be discovered in the city of love and light.
I am one in 42 million who visit Paris. Therefore it is no surprise to learn that each year, I know of a number of people who are planning a visit.
It seems I have become the ‘go to girl’ for my tips, secrets, information on where to stay, where to eat and what to do in Paris.
Instead of spending my weekends writing up personal emails containing tips, links and restaurant recommendations – I improved my blog, secured my own domain name – and here I am, sharing my tips.
Nothing fancy, no fees, no advertising links, no scams – just a little travel bug – sharing her stuff in the hope that it may be useful to someone like me. Someone who is searching for information, wants to be inspired, or someone who wants to dream.
Once upon a time ago I was a girl who dreamed of visiting Paris once a year. Now I do.
A Paris research junkie I have become, as I call myself.
Each year, I find a concert, exhibition, play, museum, restaurant, cafe or off the beaten path place to explore – and I share it here.
Everything on my site, is something I have experienced myself. I do not review or recommend by hearsay. I recommend by my experience of the given institution, whether it be a museum, cafe, cooking school or experience and don’t receive any kick backs, monetary gain or indulge in advertising clicks bait.
You are free to wander around, gather information and take advantage of my experience and travels without any pop ups and advertising.
Please use my search box, hopefully you will find what you are looking for. It not, leave a comment and I will try to answer you on the best of my knowledge.
Well, that was a bit long winded and if you got this far – I congratulate you.
Now, get going, get to Paris – stop reading ‘about me’, book your flight – start planning which museums you want to visit, where you are going to eat, shop and explore. Feel free to use my tips, hopefully you will find my site as useful as I have found it cathartic, so we all win!
Feedback keeps me inspired and encourages me to continue to share, otherwise I feel this is all for nothing. If you find my website helpful, please thank me by leaving a comment or following me on facebook, where you will find daily photos, tips and anecdotes.
I would love to know if my tips were useful or otherwise – it will help me and inspire fellow readers. Tell us about your adventures in Paris and let us know your tips.
happy travels, bon voyage and I hope you find your Paris.
Paris Adèle
Follow me on Instagram @missparisadele
G’day Adele,
I love this new introduction. I did not think you were going to say what took you back but you did and you did it perfectly.
Congratulations.
Graeme
Thanks Graeme,
Was it William Shakespeare that said, ‘honesty is the best policy’
Hi Adele, was just showing mum your blog and photos, we are both envious 🙂 Leonie
thanks Leonie, don’t be envious – get even! lol!
I discovered your blog nearly two years ago parisadele and I have always enjoyed following your adventures. It is now my turn with my wife to experience Paris this year, and your website has helped inspire us to make it a reality.
Hi dharmagreg, I am so happy to hear that you and your wife will be visiting Paris and glad that I have helped give you some inspiration. I hope you can share some of your tips and adventures here, it may inspire others to go to Paris too!
Hi there Adele.
Do not hesitate to contact me next time you are in Paris so we could share are common experiences JoeCoolPix
Hey there Olivier, I will take you up on that – you will owe me a coffee, once you hit 30 likes! It would be nice to go on a photo shoot together.
It will be my great pleasure Adèle to invite you for a coffee (even if I do not hit 30 likes) and to take pics with you. I hope I could show you some places you have not yet discovered in Paris. Just let me know when you’ll be in Paris. I am on Instamessage as you might have seen.Take care of you til then
thanks so much Olivier, I will have to get Instamessage, but you can find me here and on my facebook page also. That is really kind of you to offer and I look forward to it – I love discovering new places in Paris! a bientot!
nice to discover your site 🙂
thank you homelessCEO and thanks for reading!
waving from Bercy! It was great meeting you last night. We took your advice and have pounded the streets of the Marais all day. ENJOY!! the rest of your trip.
Hi fatblackcatjournal. It was great meeting you at Jim’s. Glad you loved the Marais, did you manage to explore the 13th? Hope you made it home safely. A bientot.
Oh, dear Adele….you have kept this personae from France Fanatics, but voila! I have discovered you, and we are kindred spirits in many ways…looking forward to more sharing and really appreciate your generosity and honesty!!! Sandra Sheridan
Hi Sandra, ha ha you found me, that is really nice, thanks so much for your lovely comments and look forward to keeping in touch.
Paris Adèle, your photos are only fantastic ou formidable oder großartig nebo neuvěřitelný (y) <3
thanks so much for your kind words Dietmar, glad you like them
I appreciated your great tutorial on taking the Metro – it really was as easy and manageable as you presented it. Question, are you by any chance also Adele in Slovenia, who has a very similar and equally helpful blog? Just coincidence??
Hello Terry,
thank you so much for taking the time to let me know that the Metro information was useful. It can appear a little daunting for first time users but once the mystery is unveiled, it isn’t so difficult. I hope you had a wonderful time in Paris. In regards to your question about Adele in Slovenia, no that isn’t me but I did have a look at her site. I already have my work cut out for me on Paris, I don’t think I could manage Slovenia too – lol. Thanks once again for the feedback, it was very nice of you.
Dear Adèle,
What a nice story indeed!
I’m glad that you like Paris
your pictures are great! I’m going to follow you on instagram
Edith de Belleville (studing to be a certified tour guide in Paris and whose the English teacher is Australian 🙂
Bonjour Edith,
how lovely to hear from you, thanks so much for leaving such a lovely comment. I look forward to following you back on Instagram. Merci.
Hi,
I have just had a wonderful morning reading your site (practically everything..). It seems we are kindred spirits – always nice to meet one. Since I have my own Paris site, I have taken the liberty of citing yours in mine.
Hi Zeev,
thanks so much for taking the time to leave your lovely comments on my blog. Kindred spirits indeed. Merci beaucoup.
The problem is, what do you do with all of the photographic material that you have produced? I used to have direct contact with the official recording organisation of historic buildings based in Paris. Their Chief Photographer was doing the same role, in recording historic buildings, as I was, in England. His material, like mine, went into a National Archive.
Hi Adele, I love your pictures, chat and travels in Paris – would love to go back but your Facebook posts bring it all to life – the atmosphere, the fun, the charisma of Europe. Keep on posting.
Hello Evelyn
I am so sorry I missed this gorgeous message, thanks so much for taking the time.
Messages like this encourage me to keep this site alive and post on facebook, so thank you very much. I really appreciate it.
Adèle
I have followed you on Facebook and now I look forward to following you on this blog. I love your photos on FB and have been to some of the locations. Always warms my heart to see familiar Paris scenes. I always say that if you do any less than 10 days in Paris, you have not stayed long enough. I have visited Paris 3 times in 6 years and want to go back for more! Keep giving us your heart for Paris!
Hello Sue
apologies for taking so long to reply to your wonderful message. Thank you so much for your kind words and for following me on facebook too.
I agree the more time in Paris the better to explore and enjoy. I hope you make it back to Paris soon and comments like these encourage me to continue to give you more of Paris.
thanks once again
Adèle
Dear Adèle,
I love your work.
I admire all of the pictures and tips you have 🙂
It´s funny we share the same first name!
Keep posting!
Love,
Adele
Hi Adele this is Anthony (phorgrapher cousin to Andy) here! A blast from your past in the late 1980s. Send me an email if you’d like to catch up . Perhaps the next time you go to Paris you could stop over in Perth (where I now live with my lovely wife Karen), which now has a direct flight to to Paris. The website I submitted covers a trip to France we did 2 years ago.
Hi Adele,
I discovered your website when I searched the internet for more info about one of my favorite small streets – Square Montsouris. Every summer we walk this street and have lunch at the nearby Bistrot Montsouris.
Your website is wonderful. Looking for Paris secrets is something we do for a month every summer. I can’t wait to explore the many places you recommend here. (I’m starting with the St Genevieve library! St Etienne du Mont is our favorite church, and we stop into the nearby Bombadier pub several times each week. I can’t believe this gem of a library is hidden right there in plain sight!)
Best,
Carl
Adele,
Thank you for this jewel of a blog about a jewel of a city. I’ve visited Paris many times and seen some of these locations and now I can’t wait to return and see more. Your writing and photos really make the city come alive. Beats all hell out of a guidebook. Please please please continue to post your Paris wanderings.
You are my hero! After spending hours and hours going through your blog today jotting down places I want to go, places I want to see, and things I want to experience, I have just read your introduction. You are a brave soul – I applaud you.
My first trip to Paris was two years ago. I went with 3 women friends and it was an amazing and life changing trip.
Last year, my husband and I visited Paris. Surprisingly, he loves it as much as I do, so we have planned a trip back this year. Your Paris Secrets are the mainstay in a list I’m putting together hoping I can come up with a walking map for us by Arrondissement.
I also wanted to share with you my Paris Reading List at my blog – http://www.meanderingsandmuses.com/search?q=Paris+Reading+List
Thanks for sharing! I love reading of your adventures. I have been to Paris twice, but there is sooooo more to see!!
Have a very Merry Christmas!
Hi! I first noticed your pics on FB, via my friend Margaret. And since then have so very much enjoyed your inspirational photos. They keep distracting me from what i “should” be doing, and very soon, i will have so much time on my hands, I look forward to thoroughly exploring your website. I was hoping to explore just a little bit of Paris in June, but that is now so unlikely. Maybe next year?? In the meantime, feel free to check out my photographic wanderings around my town in Australia: Flash and Maz Walk Around Bowraville
🙂
Adele , I’m truly one of your biggest fans . I love your blog very inspirational and knowledgeable. It’s from your blog that I’ve learned so much !! Never stop posting Adele without you Facebook and blogs will never be the same . You bring paris to life with your photos !! The way you tell a story is so inviting you just want to keep in going and hope your stories and photos will never end !! A big merci !! To you adele for all you do for us . I adore you never stop doing what you do best inspire us to keep dreaming !!! A true fan !!
Bonjour, Adèle. I found your gorgeous photographs first. I imagine your blog and posts will be equally lovely. I first visited Paris in 1970, vowed to return, and finally made it in 1998. I have since visited 53 times, only counting them when someone asked why I went back to Paris so often. I come solo, with daughters, and with grandchildren. When I am in the taxi on my way to stay in the Latin Quarter, my heart is filled with beauty.
Bonjour de Montréal! It takes someone from sunny (and nowadays sometimes TOO hot Australia to want to spent a boreal winter month in a somewhat chilly place – though Montréal is much worse, of course. I had a laugh over your food disasters. Have you tried piment d’Espelete? Espelete is a village on the French side of the Basque country, and their red pepper is very flavourful and just a bit hot. You can easily find it in Paris. That is an appélation contrôlée – the same pepper grown anywhere else (in French or Spanish Basque country, or elsewhere) is Gorria pepper.
Bonjour. Adele,
Here I am on your blog. Thanks for sharing it with me I first went to Paris decades ago when my husband gave it to me as a “make-up” present. When I went home, my marriage didn’t last, but my love for Paris endured. It took me 28 years to return, but I have since been here 43 times alone, with friends, and with my two grown daughters. I am always learning something new about Paris. Now I’m learning about new places and people from you. I got the documentary about Jim Haynes, and he accepted my invite to be Facebook friends. Isn’t life grand?
Hi Adele. I just came across your post on fb and am so smitten by your sense of finding beyond what is imagined as beautiful. My imagination could not even have foreseen such magical places. I have been to Paris, so thank you for your posts. This brings the passion back to get there and share this wondrous beauty with my daughter!!!
Lovely photos, Adele! Are you still traveling, post-pandemic? I hope you are able to enjoy your favorite city once again.