MY AFTERNOON
The 10, 50 and 150 Euro Afternoon
Text Clare Sidgwick
Photos: Digital Railroad
From left: the Jardin du Luxembourg; the Catacombs; Vélib bikes for hire
Paris
Antiques, parks and spas — the City of Light has something for every taste and every budget
10 Euros
- Coffee in the Jardin du Luxembourg €2
The city’s largest park is an ideal place to relax over a coffee.
- Hire a Vélib bike €1
This point-to-point scheme costs €1 a day for unlimited journeys. Pick one up outside the park and pedal a kilometre south to Place Denfert-Rochereau. www.velib.paris.fr
- Visit the Catacombs €7
Most of Paris’s network of ancient subterranean tunnels is closed to the public but you can explore this eerie section, which contains the neatly stacked bones of over six million people removed from the city’s medieval cemeteries. www.catacombes-de-paris.fr
50 Euros
- Late lunch at La Renaissance bistro €25
This Belle à‰poque bistro still has its 19th-century gas burners and plate-glass shutters. It serves traditional French cuisine to a loyal, mainly local clientele. www.bistrot-larenaissance.fr
- Vintage shopping at the marché aux puces €13
La Renaissance is a short walk from Paris’s largest flea market. At weekends you can pick up great vintage items for just over €10. www.marchesauxpuces.fr
- Buy macarons at Ladurée €12
Catch Métro line 13 south from Porte de Saint-Ouen to the Champs-Elysées. At number 75 you’ll find this famous macaroon bakery, which first opened in 1862. www.laduree.fr
150 Euros
- Lunch on the Seine €50
Bateaux-Mouches’ lunchtime cruises depart from Pont de l’Alma at 1pm on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. www.bateaux-mouches.fr
- Imperial massage at the Guerlain Spa €90
Head to 68 Avenue des ChampsElysées for 60 minutes of pure pampering. www.guerlain.com
- Take tea at Mariage Fràres €10
This tea shop on Rue du BourgTibourg is one of the most upmarket in Paris. Also worth a visit for its charming Tea Museum. www.mariagefreres.com