Prêt-à-Promener—Caroline de Maigret Takes Us on a Walking Tour of Her Paris Inline
Photo: Amy Verner1/9Caroline de Maigret stands outside the Musée de la Vie Romantique, a home once frequented by a who’s who of mid-19th-century artists. Today it remains a setting preserved in time as other parts of the Ninth Arrondissement show signs of change.
Photo: Caroline de Maigret2/9Whether for quick meals or work meetings, Le Mansart functions as De Maigret’s go-to bar-café at any time of day. The unpretentious setting and steady stream of characters offer a solid sense of the South Pigalle vibe.
Photo: Caroline de Maigret3/9Look closely and you’ll spot Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé—in the black-and-white photo. Given its nearness to the neighborhood’s theaters and concert calls, À la Cloche d’Or has a long history of attracting performers and related personalities. According to De Maigret, they arrive postshow and stay very, very late.
Photo: Caroline de Maigret4/9La Lasgneria, aka Lalà, plays into the overarching food trend (currently in Paris, if not exhausted elsewhere) of offering one dish done to perfection countless ways. Measuring simply by the smell of simmering sauce, there’s a reason why this restaurant no larger than a kitchen is among De Maigret’s faves.
Photo: Caroline de Maigret5/9If South Pigalle abounds with local flavor, Debeaulieu is an unparalleled destination for color. The unassuming flower shop, founded by Pierre Banchereau, is known for its extroverted-meets-elegant arrangements.
Photo: Caroline de Maigret6/9De Maigret recently treated herself to a 1930s tea set from Archi-Noire, a shop dating back to 1980, where every inch of space is filled with well-chosen vintage jewelry, home accessories, and other miscellany. Consider it a one-stop original gift shop.
Photo: Caroline de Maigret7/9Even if she can buy her vinyl online, De Maigret still takes long browsing breaks at Balades Sonores, which offers every possible genre, from obvious crowd-pleasers like ’90s hip-hop to the more niche “Tim Burton” category. Owner Toma Changeur proudly showed off the selection of FFF, the band in which De Maigret’s partner, Yarol Poupaud, plays guitar.
Photo: Caroline de Maigret8/9De Maigret singled out vintage boutique Mamie Blue as proof that hipster boutiques haven’t entirely infiltrated the quartier.
Photo: Caroline de Maigret9/9Whenever De Maigret comes to Les Arpenteurs in search of a book, she says it usually has it in stock. On the subject of books, she is now working on a follow-up to her How to Be a Parisian Wherever You Are; by the sounds of it, this one will be even more personal.
