It is hard to believe but Merci, one of Paris’ most fashionable concept stores has been out-trumped by a kid’s store. Just a stone’s throw away from Merci on the corner where the boulevard Beaumarchais turns into the boulevard Filles du Calvaire, Bonton has opened up a 800 M² new flagship shop. It is absolutely fabulous! On over 3 floors you can find clothes, clothes and even more clothes, a book shop (with a GREAT selection of books), a bakery, a sweets bar, a hair dresser, a deco area and I don’t even remember what else.
Rebecca (who used to write for us from Washington and who has, luckily for me, moved back to Paris) and I went to the opening and had a blast. The Prosecco was flowing, there was a huge counter full of hams and cheeses and little sandwiches. It was a great way of discovering the shop and the new Bonton summer collection. (more…)
Emilie in Paris
Mar 06, 2010
The Antoine and Lili flagship stores must be some of the cutest rows of shops I have ever seen. I was walking past them today and they were so bright and cheerful on a grey winter’s day!
They can be found along the canal St Martin, an area which, for a long time now, has been attracting lots of little shops and restaurants. If the rumours are to be believed the Antoine et Lili shops were actually the first independent shops to open up in this area, turning the area into a trendy little spot.
Anyway, if you are in Paris and like kitsch and bright colours, Antoine et Lili is a must. The kid’s store especially is a bright, bright space with great toys, presents and clothes from the world over. It is definitely not minimalist, but colourful and loud! I also love the homewares shop were you can find great Mexican waxcloths and fabulous melamine plates for the whole family. (more…)
Emilie in Paris
Jan 08, 2010
I know Paris is well-known for being an expensive city, especially when it come to clothes. However, it is possible to find some bargains — we have a few local high street shops that have a great selection! Here is a list of a few places to visit next time you are here in Paris or in other French cities:
•It may sound strange to buy your kids clothes at a supermarket, but the Monoprix supermarket chain has a great range of baby clothes called Bout’Chou and CFK for older kids that seriously can rival any design brand. (Unfortunately their website is terrible, so you need to go in person to see what is available.) A lot of my kids’ clothes are from here. Super cute tunics, trousers, dresses and knitwear makes these a hit with a lot of Parisian mothers.
•Du Pareil Au Meme, otherwise known as DPAM, has now become an international brand, but if you cannot find it in your country of origin, do check it out! It has a great range of clothes, from newborn to pre-teenagers. The shops are often grouped by three, one catering only for newborns (clothes and all equipment), one for all age ranges and one specializing in shoes… (more…)
Emilie in Paris
Jan 06, 2010
I was recently in a shop and saw a little girl wearing a fabulous dress. It was one of these little dresses that looked comfy and yet chic, could be worn at any occasion and was special without being showy… I had to ask her mom where she got it. She told me about this little children’s clothing label called Oona L’Ourse.
Oona L’Ourse has been around for almost 20 years and has managed to stay small and personable! Why? Because of the beautiful, great quality timeless products they’re known for. Oona L’Ourse really is a great example of European style. It is a bit exclusive but the team strives to make all their clothes locally here in France.
The collections are not sold anywhere else than in the atelier and on the website. If you spot anything on the website that tickles your fancy just send an email with your request. Alternatively, the atelier in the 16th arrondissement in Paris is open every Tuesday and Thursday for you to go and have a browse. (more…)
Emilie in Paris
Dec 08, 2009
There are so many things I would like to write about for Babyccino and just don’t find the time! I have been wanting to write about the great children’s clothes shop Coqueliquot et Paprika for ages and ages.
The lovely boutique is nestled between the gorgeous shops on the rue du Bac in the 7th arrondissement in Pars. It was founded by Olivia Farkas when she first had children and realised how much she enjoyed making clothes for her little ones.
Her style is contemporary and simple with a few classic touches. I love the fact that the clothes are infinitely wearable for all occasions. Apart from her own collection the shop also stocks little toys and accessories which have been chosen to fit in with the Coqueliquot et Paprika style. In French we would say this boutique is “incontournable” (no idea on how to translate that)… (more…)
Emilie in Paris
Dec 04, 2009
There has been a revolution in the Parisien café scene! Les 400 Coups, a family café, has recently opened its doors! When I heard about this phenomenon I just had to pack up my kids, jump on the metro and experience this place in person. Here in Paris, cafés with play areas are virtually nonexistent — my kids have gotten used to sitting at a table and amusing themselves with a silver spoon and a sugar packet; though after a while they do get a wee bit bored. So off we went to Les 400 Coups and it was fantastic. The food might not be haute cuisine but the coffee was great and the moment we got to the café, the kids started playing in the play area and I did not hear from them for a good hour. And for you moms who cannot be separated from your laptop there is even wifi. (more…)
Emilie in Paris
Nov 19, 2009
You would think that in a city like Paris the patisserie market would be saturated. But there was one thing missing — a patisserie specializing in kid’s cakes! Now we have Chez Bogato, a fabulous kids bakery that makes the best birthday cakes ever! Castles, crowns, tigers and shoes…there is nothing they cannot make into a cake.
If your little one is such a cooking enthusiast that only a cake he has made himself will do, you can throw the birthday party at the Bogato atelier where the kids get to decorate their own cakes. Another option is to have the team come to you with all the equipment needed and throw a party in the comfort of your own home. (more…)
Emilie in Paris
Nov 14, 2009
I have been trying to travel a bit further a field, leaving my usual habitat of North-Eastern Paris, to try and discover new places for Babyccino. On one of my trips I met up with Estelle from the lovely e-shop Nordinary and she took me on a whistle-stop tour of the 17th arrondissement.
One particular shop deserves its very own Babyccino post: the fabulous maternity shop Firmaman, Paris’ first concept store for pregnant ladies.
I had been looking for a place just like this during my pregnancy in Paris and never found one. It is a lovely boutique, full of great clothes — some of which are maternity clothes, some of which are not, but all of which will look great on a pregnant woman. You can find great coats, jeans and dresses. There is also a great newborn baby section, a gift section and a lingerie section with some beautiful nursing bras. (more…)
Emilie in Paris
Oct 27, 2009
The summer is almost over, and we are trying to use every available ray of sunshine before the leaves start falling off the trees and the cool weather starts creeping up on us. Last weekend we headed off to the swimming pool and the aim was to go swimming outside and nothing was going to stop us! Turns out swimming outside in Paris is actually not that difficult. All we had to do is jump on the line 1 metro (the fastest metro in Paris) and jump out in the very chic Parisian suburb of Neuilly. The public pool there has an outdoor area, a sun lawn, a toddler paddling pool and, to everyone’s great excitement: a big waterslide. It is great to go with kids — enough to keep them entertained for a few hours and not too much to bring on a sensory overload. The swimming pool does tend to get a bit crowed so I would recommend going earlier rather than later in the day. (more…)
Emilie in Paris
Sep 18, 2009
Michela and I are often asked about family-friendly restaurants in our respective cities. Try as we might, we are hard pressed to come up with good suggestions. There is a huge North/South divide in Europe regarding the obvious signs of child friendliness in restaurants.
In Northern Europe you will more often than not be offered a highchair when you enter a restaurant with your kids. Often you find changing tables in the bathrooms and kids menus, and many places even have special toys they bring out. In Southern Europe it is rare to find this kind of service, BUT this does not mean that children are not welcome. In fact, they are almost always welcome, but are expected to fit around the adults. (more…)
Emilie in Paris
Sep 08, 2009
Paris in the summer can get too much; it is hot, sticky, polluted and packed with people. The metro is unbearable and the boulevards become huge blazing heat tunnels, as there is nothing to block the sun.
Luckily enough, the sea and the little harbour town of Honfleur is only about 2 hours (and what feels like another world) away.
Though it doesn’t have its own beach, the village is centered on its own picture-perfect harbour and you can while away time wandering around the lovely little cobbled stone streets. If you feel like some beach fun you can find a long, sandy beach only 10 km away in Deauville. (more…)
Emilie in Paris
Aug 21, 2009
I have fallen back in love with second-hand clothes, a passion I had when I was a poor student. Now a mother of two growing girls, I have decided that second-hand is back in vogue. There is so much stuff out there at a fraction of the original price.
Second-hand can mean a lot of things and often you need to sort through a lot of stuff before you find a little gem…. This is where Native Kingdom comes in: a new second-hand (otherwise known as vintage) children’s boutique here in Paris.
The clothes rock: vintage printed T-shirts, printed skirts, little leather jackets and jeans, mostly from the ‘70-80s era… The clothes are reasonably priced and absolutely fabulous. Unfortunately there is no website, but once there is I will add it on to the post. In the meantime, here are the details…
Native Kingdom
24 rue du Poitou
75003 Paris
Open Tuesday to Saturday from 11.30-19.30
- Emilie
Emilie in Paris
Aug 21, 2009
It is that time of year again here in Paris: the right bank of the Seine has been taken over by lounge chairs, palm trees, sun and sand.
If you happen to be in Paris for the month of August (most Parisians have left for the country and the city is spookily quiet) Paris Plage is the place to be. It has something for everyone: bars, a swimming pool and a great play area.
If you go in the mornings the “beach” is relatively quiet, even on the weekends, and it is a perfect place for kids to get rid of some excess energy. This year the place to be for kids is the area around the pont de Sully at the eastern edge of the beach.
The other area of Paris Plage around the basin de la Villette is great too, there is even a sailboat you can rent! I loved the idea of sailing around a canal in the middle of Paris, but so apparently do a lot of people so it is completely overbooked. If you have kids from 6 years upwards, there are some fantastic little pedalos that they can peddle around in, in a supervised area of the canal.
All of this has been sponsored by the Mairie of Paris so almost all the attractions are free!
- Emilie
Emilie in Paris
Aug 13, 2009
Courtney and her family were over in Paris visiting from London and we wandered around the North Marais, doing a bit of shopping, people watching and coffee drinking. It really reminded me about how much I love this little area. I want to write a thousand and one posts on all the lovely little places you can find around here…
I cannot believe I have not written a post about the Marché des Enfants Rouge yet. It is one of the oldest markets of Paris, founded in 1647 and has been converted into a fabulous market/food hall.
Food from all over the world is available… from Morocco, the Caribbean and Japan and it all gets consumed on big communal tables outside the food stalls. There is also a great organic fruit and vegetable stall and a beautiful flower stall. (more…)
Emilie in Paris
Jul 30, 2009
I have always wanted to live by the beach but have actually never succeeded. I think I am destined to beach holiday destinations as opposed to being able to live close to it.
My kids seem to love the beach as much as I do, so we were all very, very excited to discover a beach about one hour away from Paris in the middle of the country!
The river beach in the picturesque little town of Ville d’Adam actually doubles up as the local community pool and is a perfect escape from a hot and sticky day in Paris. You can jump on a direct train from the gare du Nord and be in the water approx. 50 mins later, as the beach is about a 5 minute walk from the station.
The girls had a ball — there is a pretty big sandy area, and we put our towels down by a massive kid’s paddling pool. There is a huge Olympic sized swimming pool built in the ’20s for more ambitious parents, but, for my part, I was very happy building sand castles and splashing around in the shallow pool. If your kids do get bored of playing in the sand, there is a huge bouncy castle area for all ages and two big water slides. (more…)
Emilie in Paris
Jul 22, 2009
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