I was commissioned by American Express Travel to provide fresh, up-to-date intelligence and digital copy for their Paris Destination Guides.
A sample of my contribution can be read below.
© Claire Oldman
Paris in Pictures
The photographer Brassai took some of the most memorable images of the city of light. The Hotel de Ville hosts Pour L’Amour de Paris, a free exhibition of his work, until March 8, 2014, bringing together his well-known romantic pictures and his lesser-known shots, many taken at night and capturing life on the streets of Paris in the 1920s and 1930s.
Paris’s Hippest Arrondissement
The lovely Canal St Martin district is full of new boutiques and cafés. Visit Le Comptoir Général and wander around the multi-use ephemeral space, before crossing the canal to browse at art bookstore Artazart. Stop off at Tuck Shop – an adorable, laid-back café, serving great coffee and homemade treats with a smile, before exploring the many small boutiques along the surrounding streets.
In the Path of Edith Piaf
Follow the Little Sparrow and begin outside 72 rue de Belleville in the 20th arrondissement, the chanteuse’s birthplace. Head downhill to the market along Boulevard de Belleville, then go to 5 rue Crespin du Gast, now the Edith Piaf museum (open by appointment only 1-6pm Mon-Wed; call 43 55 52 72). End with a wander around the enormous cemetery of Père-Lachaise.