Photos de voyage
Galeries Lafayette Opens World’s Largest Shoe Department
The famous domed grand magasin on Boulevard Haussman, where I used to go very, very often when I was living in Paris on Boulevard Malesherbes, has just inaugurated its new 34,500 square feet shoe department, giving shoe addicts yet another reason to come to Paris. The new footwear department—the world’s largest, according to Galeries Lafayette—opened in July, and carries 150 brands of shoes, 75 of which are exclusive to the department store.
The stunning showroom, accessed via a gold and white Patrick Jouin-designed staircase, displays shoes as works of art in a sleek, lounge-like setting. Wide aisles, wengé wood, white varnished furniture, and chocolate brown leather sofas invite lingering—a good thing, considering it takes awhile to admire all 12,000 pairs.
French women are rumored to have the largest shoe appetite in Europe, and Galeries Lafayette aims to please: sandals and boots are available year-round for shoppers travelling to different climates, as well as sizes ranging from 32 to 43 (American sizes 3 to 12), plus half sizes in between. A variety of services are offered on site, from an artisan cobbler to a foot salon specializing in pedicures, as well as a foot care center offering everything you need to take care of your shoes and feet: special brushes, shoe creams in all colors, foot-care lotions and so on.
The shoe prices, ranging from 99 Euros to 1,300 Euros, aren’t exactly cheap, but where else can you try on your Louboutins in a plush private fitting room? Or take a lesson on how to walk in them afterward?
It is always possible to get a tax refund at the airport as a tourist! Don’t forget to go to the the tourist service counter to have a receit and ask also for a day pass saving of about 10% on your purchases.
GALERIES LAFAYETTE
40 bd Haussmann, Paris (9th)
+33 (0)1 42 82 34 56
www.galerieslafayette.com
A taste of Julia Child’s Paris and Provence
- Louvre, Paris, France
Amidst all the buzz of the new movie Julie & Julia, New York based culinary travel company Tour de Forks has just announced a new package: A Taste of Julia Child’s Paris & Provence.
The eight day, seven night package was created by the company’s French associates Kathy Morton and Debra Fioritto, recipients of the 2006 Julia Child Endowment Fund Scholarship. Drawing on their own expertise and Julia’s remarkable memoir My Life in France, they compiled a week’s worth of activities that channel the beloved cook’s discovery of France, French cuisine, and herself.
Tour de Forks’ Vice President Lisa Goldman, who conceived the idea, said it was a labor of love for the whole team, and called it the « perfect foodie pilgrimage. » She added, « we also see this as the ultimate Girlfriends Getaway. »
Highlights include a stay in the Left Bank’s legendary Hotel Pont Royal, where Julia and her husband spent their first days in Paris, a culinary experience at her alma mater Le Cordon Bleu, and a visit to her former home in Provence, the charming farmhouse La Pitchoune. I had the chance to stay at the same Hotel for more than a month with my two children and my husband and I loved it, loved it, loved it. I must add that the location is perfect to go everywhere in Paris very easily.
Tour de Forks is a bespoke travel company and Connie Walsh, the company’s vice president of business development, explained the concept. « We book the hotels, 1st class rail on the TGV from Paris to Provence and the Cordon Bleu experience. The package comes with an itinerary full of delicious details, complete with directions, to all Julia Child’s haunts and favorite shops and bistros. With that, travelers can choose to explore at their own pace or we can customize the adventure as a guided tour. »
The package’s booking options include guided walking tours or a car and driver in Paris. In Provence, travelers can choose a rental car or a chauffeur with a guide. The company will make additional special arrangements and restaurant reservations upon request. Discounted international air is also available. Extensions to Normandy, where Julia had her first life-changing experience with French food, and Marseille, where Julia discovered Bouillabaisse, are offered.
A Taste of Julia Child’s Paris & Provence is priced from $2,150.00, per person based on double occupancy. The components and itinerary can be further customized for groups and Morton and Fioritto will be available as guides pending prior arrangement.
For further information visit www.tourdeforks.com; and email info@tourdeforks or call 888.345 3005 with questions and to book.
Rue Poncelet, Paris, France
- Côte d’Azur, France
Marché, Nice, France