Autumn in Paris is an exceptional time! Summer has left us, but in its place the capital becomes adorned with russet and gold. The atmosphere and colours are unique! The Hotel Doisy Etoile invites you to take advantage of this wonderful season and suggests some ideas for walks.


A stroll to the Parc Monceau to enjoy the autumn colours

The romantic and unusual Parc Monceau, a stone’s throw from the hotel, was built in the 18th century. This 8 hectare park is home to the most beautiful gardens in Paris. It also reveals surprising decorative elements. In the course of your walk you will come face to face with marvellous sculptures, a small bridge, a pyramid, a carousel, a Coliseum and a tranquil pond fringed by Corinthian columns.

Enjoy a pleasant walk in this enchanting park, which boasts a wonderful selection of plants, trees and flowers. Among the botanical curiosities is an oriental plane tree of 7 metres in circumference and a sycamore maple that reaches a towering 30 metres in height.

In autumn this delightful park is a riot of golds, reds, yellows and browns, distinguished by its beauty and elegance, superb flower gardens and unique atmosphere. Take a stroll and relish unforgettable moments in this haven of greenery and peace where nature and human creativity come together in perfect harmony.

 

Unusual bookstores for your browsing pleasure

Paris is home to some charming bookshops; places as fascinating as they are unusual…

The very arty bookshop OFR is a haunt of trendy artists and lovers of fashion and contemporary arts magazines, and is considered quite avant-garde by many. In this Ali-Baba’s cave of everything related to fashion, photography, design and architecture you can browse for books or enjoy one of the regularly scheduled eclectic exhibitions.

At tea time you should head for Shakespeare & Company, the most British of all Parisian bookshops. This temple of English literature invites you to get comfortable amidst an astonishing wealth of books and read quietly in a corner.

If you’re visiting Paris with your family, it would be a shame not to stop at the Librairie des Enfants. This enchanted grotto for children stocks some 6000 books, as well as CDs and much more.

In the heart of the Marais, the Belle Hortense is an ideal place to escape from the district’s hubbub. In this combination bookstore, wine bar and exhibition space you can settle yourself for a quiet read in pleasant surroundings while sipping a delicious nectar. It’s certainly the ideal place in which to discuss literature!

 

While you wait for winter, a selection of the best hot chocolate in Paris

Winter has not yet whispered his icy incantations but the chill of autumn will give you a craving for hot chocolate. Succumb to temptation and treat yourself to the comforting sweet scent and taste of childhood…

At Maison Lacombe, 5 minutes from the Etoile, you can enjoy a tasty hot chocolate accompanied by succulent pastries. Let yourself be tempted by a Mont Blanc dessert or a New York-style cheesecake… You’ll find the hot chocolate and delicacies are utterly irresistible!

Let’s continue this gourmet walk with the Chocolate Bar, the boutique-café of chocolatier Jean Paul Hévin, where the selection is amazing. Here, hot chocolate is king and simply divine…

In the Loir dans la Théière, whose name refers to the unlucky little dormouse who is dunked in the teapot during the Mad Hatter’s tea party in Alice in Wonderland, you can savour hot chocolate with a homemade lemon meringue pie and other fabulous desserts to die for! You’ll love the eccentric and eclectic décor of the place!

L’Heure Gourmande is an address to remember. This tearoom and its verdant terrace will seduce you when you stop by for a tasty break. Pastries and hot chocolate are offered amidst a quiet and intimate atmosphere.

 

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For more information:

- FIAC Paris
- Art Elysées

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Hotel Doisy Etoile, a 4-star boutique hotel a few steps from Champs Elysées