48 hours on a leisurely food sojourn in Paris

Paris offers gourmands a range of sensory experiences, whether in its charming cafes and contemporary bars or its specialty supermarkets

- Ayushi Gupta Mehra

The ritualistic pleasure of dipping a madeleine in tea once unlocked a flood of childhood memories for French novelist Marcel Proust. We all have Proustian memories, rich sensory experiences triggered by taste or smell, and there is no city steeped in such memories for me than Paris. A sip of the intensely-rich hot chocolate at Carette, the iconic tea room open since 1927, takes me back to languid afternoons at this charming café. Any jaunt to Paris is a balance between the old and new, paying homage to timeless haunts whilst revelling in the thrill of new discovery. A recent two-day trip proved no different and here is a curated itinerary to help you map your next visit and taste the best of French food.

Day 1
10 am: Meander in Le Marais

Once home to French nobility, the Marais district has evolved into the Jewish quarter. Situated on the Right Bank, it is a charming neighbourhood to explore on foot, its cobblestone streets carving a path to picturesque cafés, boutiques, classical mansions and understated galleries and museums. We start at Musée National Picasso, which houses the largest public collection of Picasso’s works, before ambling over to The Carnavelet, a museum chronicling the history of Paris. Voltaire’s armchair, Napoleon’s campaign kit and Proust’s personal affairs, are just a few of the many artefacts thoughtfully preserved here. The Carnavelet also encloses one of Paris’ best-kept secrets, Fabula. Open between May and end-October, this terrace restaurant is nestled within the museum’s verdant courtyard, the perfect setting for morning coffee.

We continue pottering about without purpose; the French have a beautiful verb for this,