Eye Prefer the Lucky Tour of Paris

Taking the Tour of the Market with Eye Prefer Paris Your taste of life in Paris and France ParlerParis.com Monday, May 23, 2011 • Paris, France Dear Parler Paris Reader, Every once in a while, American in Paris Richard Nahem and I play Backgammon for relaxing, yet mentally stimulating recreation. It's one of the oldest board games in the history of the world, and although luck of the roll of the dice factors into the outcome, strategy plays a more important role in the long run. I have always said that it mirrors life in the same way -- 50% luck, 50% what you do with that luck. And so luck would have it that Richard strategically invited me to join in on one of his many private three-hour tours of Paris under the guise of his tour company, "Eye Prefer Paris Tours: See the Paris Tourists Never See." The tour started Sunday morning in the bright sunshine at 10 a.m. at the Bastille Market -- certainly the largest open-air market in Paris and possibly in France. Counting the stalls could be a challenge in itself, but more of a challenge, and certainly more fun would be to simply test out all the merchants to find the best among them. Travel Oyster Blogger Geraldine Kaylor chuckled when she heard that I had been to the market with Richard and his clients -- a really sweet young couple from Chicago. She wrote that her husband said he thought I "only went to the Bastille market when we dragged you [me] there with the promise of oysters." No joke, since virtually giving up cooking or keeping anything in the fridge other than champagne, wine and pickles (which never get eaten), the market gets sadly overlooked and forgotten. Richard strolled us up and down the aisles, pointing out various specialties and providing detail on some of the things one would never see Stateside (joking all the way), which is actually almost everything! Eggs unrefrigerated, for one, not to mention the offals (heads, brains, trotters, tripe, etc. of butchered cows, pigs, lamb...) and the assortment of wild mushrooms and other produce. The market is no new wonder to a veteran Parisian such as myself, but with every visit, I am amazed by the scope of it, the merchants, the shoppers, the produce, the activity...buzzing like a hive within a few blocks that comes and goes just twice a week (Thursdays and Sundays) to enhance the lives of those who take part (except me). What is most fascinating are all the independent merchants who focus on just one thing...and make that the best of the lot...but I go as an observer, trailing behind Richard and his clients while he expounds on the benefits of this and that, leaving with nothing but the sights and smells in my memory while the fridge remains empty. It is then that I wonder how it all became so "blasé." (This French word really says it all.) Meanwhile, Richard's tours are not for the blasé -- but for those who want to discover, learn and be informed, while getting to know the City of Light from a new light...the inside one. From the market, he took us to Gérard Mulot's Marais bakery where we indulged on buttery, crispy croissants and "pains au chocolat" -- just about the best in the city. Then we wandered into La Place des Vosges, took a look at the part in the northeast corner that was ravaged by fire last week and ventured into the Damman Fréres tea boutique, one of the most beautiful shops in the Place if not in all of Paris. The 17th-century beams, even with their telltale bug-eaten age, still show signs of the original designs. It was here I left Richard and the couple to complete their tour of the Marais, including the Hôtel de Sully gardens, rue Saint-Antoine, the Hôtel de Beauvais, and finishing with rue des Rosiers. His tours take you to all parts of Paris...and he can customize the tour as you like. There are others who perform similar tours of Paris, but in different ways. Canadian Karen Henrich of "Nuit Blanche Tours: Tours for Girls Who Want to Have Fun" and "Chic Walks: Leading You to a Shopping Temptation" is here in town with a group of CEO's who are using Paris as their base for both work and pleasure, thanks to her organization. Besides being one of the best guides for all things frivolous and fun in Paris with appropriate apps for iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad, she is also the author and publisher of "Practical Paris" and publisher of my "Top 100 Cheap Insider Paris Restaurants" guide. Taking a tour with a North American who speaks your language and is culturally in tune with you can give you a look at the city of Paris in a way that you can understand it. While the official city guides can perhaps provide a more in depth account of the city's history, I doubt they'll have the same 'heart' -- and understand what nuances will really 'push your buttons.' Eye Prefer Paris certainly pushed mine! So, luck has it that you've stumbled onto these entrepreneurial Americans as I have and now it's up to you to strategize and take advantage of such luck! (Play a game of Backgammon for me...) A la prochaine... Adrian Leeds Editor, Parler Paris Share this article with a friend... Respond to Adrian P.S. Two important events are coming up: this Thursday evening's special presentation Legal and Compliance Issues for the US Expatriate (visit frenchpropertyconference for more information) and Tuesday, June 14th's Parler Paris Après Midi with David Downie (visit parlerparis/apresmidi for more information). Don't miss either one.