St.Germain des Pres

Everyone knows about Paris' grand shopping boulevards and streets, the Champs -Elysées, Rue Du Faubourg St. Honoré and Boulevard Haussmann come to mind, but they are all Rive Droit (Right Bank). What if you are a Rive Gauche (Left Bank) kind of person? Paris is separated by more than just the river Seine. For a long time it was separated by a mindset. In the 19th Century, the right side was opened up by Baron Haussmann. Napoleon III commissioned Haussmann to reconfigure vast portions of the city, creating wide boulevards and buildings of the period. It was one of the most ambitious building projects in the world. In the process of opening Paris up, it created a nostalgia for a closed, more historic Paris. The Paris of narrow streets, tiny sidewalks and small old buildings became romantic preferences. The Left Bank of Paris retains the old romanticism of Paris. Strongly influenced by the cafe culture of St. Germain des Pres and the student culture of the Latin Quarter, the Rive Gauche became known for outspoken, liberal politics, bohemian living, and the place to be seen. Never mind that today it is the wealthiest part of Paris with the most expensive property values. The intellectuals have left the cafes and been replaced by tourists, yet this is still one of my favorite areas. The shops are one of a kind, with sales people friendly enough to welcome customers, yet sophisticated enough to keep from being too pushy. Many famed boutiques and restaurants, like Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior and Ladurée have places along Rue Bonaparte, which is arguably the Rue Du Faubourg St. Honoré of the Rive Gauche. Everything is this area is smaller and more intimate. You might easily be the only patron in a shop, so it is great time to strike up a conversation with the sales person. I did this once with a young woman at Muriel Grateau and she became a good friend throughout my trip. I ended up buying some beautiful table linens from there and I like to think our friendship was not due to making a sale...Oh of course not!