Richard Lenoir Market

It's been a long time since i've posted, but I have a couple more experiences I would like to record about my time away. I seem to have developed a habit of visiting at least one food market when I visit a city. In Paris this was the Richard Lenoir Market, at Bastille, and it was one of the best. A large selection of fresh and seasonal produce was carefully displayed with a strong regional focus, uncommon at some other markets I visited in Europe. The stall holders appeared passionate as well as knowledgeable about their products. It is a  large market, stretching down to Breguet Sabin Metro, and the morning I visited was busy with tourists and locals, and I was struck again by how Parisians of all ages manage so well in crowds. 

The market is representative of what I understand to be the food culture of France. Food is taken seriously and high quality is demanded, shopping is important and not just viewed as an unpleasant chore. My preconceived notions of the French and food may have affected how I approached the market, but what I experienced only confirmed these beliefs. I sensed a definite difference to Sydney in that being a 'foodie' was not something to be slightly ashamed of, as a label associated with a self-indulgent section of the middle class, but a much more natural and deeply ingrained element of the culture. 

    

   

   

 

Paris

It has already been a month since I left Paris, and just over three weeks since I returned to Australia. Prolonged jet lag, persistent illness and, admittedly, just plain laziness, have prevented me from updating my blog. The experience is still fairly fresh in my mind, despite my 6 months in Berlin seeming like a dream. Just as I adored Rome, I took to Paris quickly. The city is beautiful, with an insane number of magnificent palaces and iconic landmarks, as well as the many ornate gardens and  atmospheric side streets. The Pompidou Centre was a highlight, if you skip the contemporary section. The Musee d'Orsay is enormous and calls for several visits, I focused on the Impressionists and Neo-impressionists, which really just confirmed the fact that apart from a few exceptions I don't find these styles particularly compelling. My favourite bakery was Du Pain et des Idées, in the 10th, which served the most sensational Pain au Chocolat and Chausson aux pommes. My most notable meal was made up from a baguette, divine french butter and chunk of blue cheese, with a supermarket Bordeaux. Superb. The city is energetic and confident, and in my opinion, manages the large population well. Paris definitely has one of the best metro systems I have come across. Magnificent art, fascinating history and unforgettable food, clichés maybe, but all factors  that make a second visit inevitable.