A Woman's Paris ~ Joie de Vivre

By Barbara Redmond

French luxury. I admire a few objects of luxury in front of me: a perfume bottle with a scent extracted from the Mimosa of Grasse, chocolates from the number one chocolatier in France available only in Lyon, and a Grand Cru Classé du Médoc blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc from a château in Bordeaux―my fruits of adventure an discovery―placed on a suede-covered bench nestled inside my bedroom window against the backdrop of Paris.

Frenchwoman and friend Laurence Haxaire and I walked the hills of Grasse with a world-renowned scent and flavour extraction scientist to meet the men and women who hand-pick the Mimosa, whose oils, when extracted, will be blended into the perfumes of Creed and Guerlain, among other French perfumes. During the February harvest, the Mimosa blooms stain the hills of Grasse a brilliant gold with its small delicate yellow flower.

Taste with your eyes closed, I was told as I closed my lips around a bite of a savory macaroon whose flavour burst―musty and dense, salty and sweet―like a spring walk in wild woods. Here, behind the counter, where the chocolatier and his wife were working hand in glove, we sampled the richness of France and the gastronomic history of Lyon through its chocolates and confections and were inspired by the imagination of this chocolatier.

Now I am in Paris, but the clay soils from the hilltop château overlooking the vineyards and town of Saint-Émilion are still on my boots. And on my mind: the desire to know more about the Bordeaux wines we tasted. The excitement of returning home with a bottle (or more), of wine I blended to suit my taste. From Grasse, I want the sensation of walking through the fields of Centifolia Roses in May, Jasmine flowers in September and wandering among the Mimosa shrubs in February pleased to be creating my own perfume with a “nose,” a parfumière who creates perfumes from a mixture of natural and synthetic scents from the nearby city of Cannes. I want to be inspired by the pairing of wine with chocolate and be surrounded by the gastronomic flavours of Lyon. The sensations and pleasures of Bordeaux, Grasse and Lyon linger in my memory and I long to experience more.

Together with Laurence and the many women and men we have met on our ten-day journey, I have been immersed in the culture, traditions and people of France. I have experienced the sensations and pleasures, albeit in small measure, which define why I love Paris and France.

In September, Laurence and I will return to France with a few same-minded friends. We will search for that joy of living, joie de vivre, that is the heart of Paris and France, its luxury, elegance and tradition. We will visit behind the scenes to uncover the savoir-faire, the ability to create the most beautiful objects. And, like reading a favorite poem for the hundredth time, we will continue to discover new reasons to love this place.

Barbara Redmond, publisher of A Woman’s Paris®, is a long-time Francophile and travels to Paris every chance she gets. Her stories about Paris and France have been published in AWP® and republished, with permission, by other blogs and publications. Barbara has presented programs on French fashion and food, and has been a guest speaker for students planning their study abroad. She serves as an advisory board member at the University of Minnesota College of Design and is an active student mentor. Barbara has been recognized for excellence in art by international and national organizations and publications. Prints of her fine art paintings are in collections in Europe and North America and are available for purchase.

You may also enjoy A Woman’s Paris® post, Ballet Flats in Paris: And God made Repetto, by Barbara Redmond who shares what she got from a pair of flats purchased in a ballet store in Paris; a feline, natural style from the toes up, a simple pair of shoes that transformed her whole look. Including the vimeos “Pas de Deux Coda,” by Opening Ceremony and “Repetto,” by Repetto, Paris. (French)

French Lingerie: Mysterious and flirty, by Barbara Redmond who shares her experience searching for the perfect lingerie in Paris boutiques and her “fitting” with the shop keeper, Madame, in a curtained room stripped to bare at Sabbia Rosa. Including a French to English vocabulary lesson for buying lingerie and a directory of Barbara’s favorite lingerie shops in Paris. (French)

Paris photo shoot in search of the perfect Moroccan slipper, by writer Lisa Rounds who tells of her adventures in the North African neighborhood of Barbès in Paris searching for the perfect slipper in red, of course, for a Cosmo photo shoot. Lisa shares her story of “living the dream,” working for a publishing company in Paris.

Scarves à la Françoise: The lingua Franca for stylish women, by Barbara Redmond who shares her experience trying on scarves and tying them at the home of her French friend in Lyon. Arriving at the famous silk manufacture in Lyon, André Claude Canova, Barbara and her friend gently tapped on the window even though the shop was closed.  The shop girl let them and they all enjoyed hours of playfully draping, twisting and knotting scarves and shawls. An experience spurred by the ubiquitous nature of women and scarves: our common language.

Imperfect Perfection: The new French woman, by writer Kristin Wood who reminds us of the words attributed to Henry David Thoreau, the famous American author and philosopher who eschewed material excess and extravagance… “Simplify, simplify, simplify.” Kristin writes about the predicted trends of the “undone” makeup look, and the “de-blinging” of luxury items. What better place to introduce these two trends on a grand scale than in Paris?