I have discovered a stationers in Paris today and it could well become my favourite.
It’s tucked away in this tiny passage named after Molière, close to the Rue Saint-Martin.
It’s called L’Écritoire.
It’s a tiny shop, but it has everything – pens, nibs, ink, sealing wax, seals, Crown Mill paper and envelopes, cute bookmarks in the shape of flowers, silhouette pop-up cards of Paris… I am in love. I bought two pen nibs, initially thinking I’d get one. Nibs start from 2€ a piece. They have many and various.
On the same passage there is another shop selling paper in Japanese prints called MiSAKi iiNUMA. I am also in love with this. Yes, paper starts at 4€ an A4 piece, but it is artisan paper, cut by hand, gorgeous stuff. You can get a set of different squares for 10€. It is pricey, but it’s a beautiful shop, and an independent business run by an artist, and that is what I am definitely out to support.
I wound up traipsing in Paris as I woke this morning conscious that I have today and tomorrow to get shopping done before my birthday and the week ahead generally. My cupboard is also looking somewhat bare. So I pulled out Ines de La Fressange’s Bible on the City of Lights, Parisian Chic Encore!: A Style Guide, to see what else I might be able to see today.
Mission was not very accomplished as I left the house rather late in the end, but it was good to get out and just wander for a bit. And, honestly, I would make a pilgrimage just to go to a good stationer’s any day.
After I left le Passage Molière I tried to see if I could go to Shakespeare and Company, and got rather lost. I was walking vaguely in the right direction but certainly not the fastest way to get there. I ended up exploring the Galerie Vivienne, which reminded me of a very Zolaesque version of Oxford’s Covered Market. Almost nothing was open, it being a Sunday, and it being the evening, but I enjoyed window shopping. I also saw a small exhibition on undersea photography. The most striking images to me were a shot of a myriad of bubbles rising, a beautiful capture of a red, red coral and the topaz water surrounding it, and a drowned statue of Jesus, with his arms raised to a surface very far up – I think this was called “Our Lord of the Deep”. The exhibition is called “L’eau-delà” (which is a play on “eau” – water – and “l’au-delà” – the beyond), the photographer is celebrated neurologist and diver Carole Azuar (love to see another doctor out there combining passions!), and it is at the Galerie Martine Moisan, 8 Galerie Vivienne, and it is open until the 25th November.
I think I realised how small Paris was today. The centre, at any rate. My grandfather is right – given a day, I could probably see most of it. Maybe I should try.
On my way back I unforgivably missed a free show at the Opera Garnier – it was a ballet. There was a crowd amassed outside. A sea of umbrellas and raincoats. Getting to Auber was a struggle!
I look forward to next week. I think I have a plan hatching for the 14th – I’ve just learnt today that I need to map things better!
Oh, and I also now have a French mobile plan thanks to my efforts this afternoon! Yay!
So no, I didn’t succeed in doing everything I hoped I would today, but, you know what? – We celebrate the wins. I went on an adventure. It was good. I had something to talk about with my landlady when I came back. We had a really lovely conversation. I can go to bed happy 😊
And tomorrow, I will do well. So will you ❤️
At Least Afloat 