VERVEMAGAZINE.IN 215M
y favourite walk in Paris (to be undertaken
every time I visit) is about beautifully
proportioned buildings, perfectly laid-out
gardens and aesthetic gratification. Resulting,
definitely, in an inevitable rising of the spirits,
even in gloomy weather. It is a stroll in parts and a brisk march
in others, depending entirely on my mood of the day. And yes,
it can (and does) take hours as pit stops are part of the deal,
most certainement.
But first, it is imperative that I book a hotel that is
conveniently situated to accommodate my favoured ramble.
It must be located in the central 8th arrondissement, slap-
bang in the middle of touristic Paris. This is where I love to
be, and the five-star boutique hotel Hyatt Paris Madeleine, on
the Boulevard Malesherbes, is the perfect choice. Already,
the small foyer entices as it opens onto the cosy area of La
Chinoiserie, with its majestic glass roof made by the Eiffel
workshops. The spaced tables here, discreet service and
crackling fire make it the perfect place for relaxed lunches or
an occasional jazz night under the skylight. A quick check-in
later, facilitated by the Hyatt E-concierge, which has already
taken care of details like extra pillows, I am ensconced in a
Junior Suite. It is delightful, with its large bed, comfortable
seating area and best of all, rolling views of the rooftops of
Paris. And rising above them all, the iconic Eiffel Tower, which
seems to change its silhouette with the rising and setting of
the sun and innumerable times in between. It is sometimes
a-shimmer with the sunlight striking the metal facade, and at
others, shrouded in a bank of ghostly clouds.
Early breakfast at the hotel’s restaurant, Café M, is a must
before I set out.... A delicious platter of eggs scrambled lightly
in cream, with bacon, fresh croissants and a hearty pot of tea
are perfect sustenance to start with. After, I step out into the
bracing air and very quickly reach the Place de la Madeleine,
with the enormous pillars of L’église de la Madeleine rising
before me, putting me in the right mood for the architectural
sights ahead. I soldier on, content in the knowledge that whenSCAPES | FOCUSFACING PAGE: VIEW OF THE JARDIN DES TUILERIES
TOP, LEFT TO RIGHT: THE PRESIDENTIAL SUITE AT THE HYATT PARIS
MADELEINE; A SUITE BEDROOM AT THE HYATT PARIS MADELEINEI return, located just behind the hotel, I will find the city’s finest
grand magasins or department stores, the beautifully domed
Galeries Lafayette and the bustling Printemps Haussmann.
My walk ideally begins at the Louvre Palace in the 1st
arrondissement. I can never tire of the beauty of architect
I M Pei’s glass-and-metal pyramids in the main courtyard of
the museum, set against the classic French Renaissance-style
facade of the buildings; the large pyramid serves as the main
entrance to the Louvre Museum. But today I will not descend
into the underground lobby with its snaking queues, but rather,
move briskly past and into the Jardin des Tuileries — the city’s
finest French formal-style landscaped gardens dotted with
sculptures by Rodin and Giacometti, among others — that I
absolutely love to wander in. I head to one of the two central
ponds, where families bask in the sun, children with candy
floss careen around and men in their portable chairs enjoy
the newspaper. On a cold day, I might pop into the Musée de
l’Orangerie in the south-west part of the gardens and delve
into Monet’s impressionistic depiction of water lilies.
The gardens seem to create a bridge between the Louvre
and the Place de la Concorde, with its two magnificent
fountains and, most of all, standing straight and tall, the
Egyptian obelisk decorated with hieroglyphics, a gift to France
that I cannot stop looking at. At this point, I might just nip
through one of the streets and return to the hotel to grab
some tapas for lunch or a quick bite from Chef Sébastien
Roux’s refined room service menu. I might even play truant and
disappear into the calm environs of the hotel spa for the rest
of the day. Or, I may continue my trek towards the Avenue des
Champs-Élysées, passing first the splendid geometrical glass
roof of the Grand Palais, where the international art fair FIAC
is held annually, and the Petit Palais, which houses a fine arts
museum. Passing these magnificent buildings, I saunter up the
crowded avenue, with its high-end shops and cafes, stopping
only at the light green doors of Ladurée for a cup of tea and
perhaps a lemon or pistachio macaron, among the best in the
city. As the hot tea scalds my throat and the macarons heal
my sweet cravings, I contemplate the way ahead, to that most
majestic of Parisian structures right at the other end — that
most iconic landmark, L’Arc de Triomphe, that stands sentinel
in this city of magical monuments.