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Paris Says Its, Uh, Monument is Bigger Than New York's

Someone's got issues.

That was our second thought when we saw this postcard in prime position at a Paris newsagent. Our first thought was "what the hell, is this a Vegas postcard or something?"

No, it seems that size really does matter to Parisians. Not only do they feel the need to boast about the size of their, uh, tower by plastering it in all its phallic glory over every piece of tourist tat, but also they're fully invested in the "our monument is more monumental than your monument" game, even though—yes—this Statue of Liberty does exist in Paris, though realistically on a far smaller scale. We can thank Photoshop for this fantasy depiction.

Poor old Lady Liberty. What we need now is for Dubai to make a similar postcard pitting Monsieur Eiffel up against the Burj Khalifa. That'll make the Parisian smugness wilt just a little.

[Photo: juliab]

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Wish You Were Here: The Sixth Floor of the Pompidou Centre, Paris

Paris in the spring time may be lovely and all, but it's not all that. That's the opinion we formed spending this weekend experiencing Paris in the winter.

Cold it was—bitterly cold—for this level of Europe at least. On Saturday at least; yesterday, in reaction to Saturday, we wore eight (yes, eight) layers, and predictably, it warmed up enough to make five or six totally manageable.

But the upside of the chill was that there wasn't a cloud in the piercing blue sky, meaning the sun was able to flood the streets. The riverbanks too; check out the delightful walk we took along the Seine at lunchtime.

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Foreign Grocery Friday: The Spaghetti Bolognese Chips of Paris

Mmmm, chips. Mmmmm, spaghetti bolognese. Mmmm, spaghetti bolognese-flavoured chips. What?

Yes, spaghetti bolognese chips are what we found ourselves eating in Paris recently. Mainly out of morbid curiosity—we assumed they’d be inedible. But in fact…

The taste: Well we’re not going to say they were amazing. They weren’t. But hey, it’s very rare that a chip is inedible. We’ve had tomato-flavored chips before and these were similar, just with a kick of herbs, which actually wasn’t bad. Still, we won’t be rushing to buy them on our next trip. No, we’ll go for the cheeseburger or pepperoni pizza one next time. Mmm, cheeseburger chips.

The price: Cheap. Like 2-3 Euros for a full-size bag, to satisfy the snack appetites of several people.

Where to find them: Corner stores around Paris, likely next to the "fromage" flavor. They really aren't all that rare, but it does take a little open-mindedness to go for these over the more recognizable chip varieties.

[Photo: juliab]

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From Nice to Monte Carlo in 7 Minutes on Heli Air Monaco

How do you make flying to the Cote d'Azur even more glamorous? By taking a helicopter transfer from Nice International Airport to Monaco, of course.

We were lucky enough to hop this speedy leg of a long journey from the U.S. to Monaco on a recent work trip, and we can't recommend it enough. Sure, the drive from Nice to Monte Carlo doesn’t sound bad at around 30 minutes (or, we’re told, 20 minutes by scooter). But why not reduce that trip to seven minutes and throw in staggering views and the inimitable glamour of helicopter travel?

Heli Air Monaco has over 20 daily flights between the airport in Nice and the Principality—from 110 euros each way. For this price, you get the aforementioned speed, views, air of fabulousness, and the ease of checking your bags straight through from the helipad in Monaco to wherever your final destination may be.

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Wish You Were Here: Off-Season in France's Rhône Valley

Look at the quality of that light. It doesn't get any better.

Our "Wish You Were Here" series is less intended as a bragging ground for us Jaunters than it is meant to inspire our beloved readers to follow suit and trek to the gorgeous places we feature. But you'll have to let us crow a little bit with the latest installment.

After spending some quality time in France's Rhône Valley over the weekend, where temperatures hovered in the 80-degree range, we were tempted to start poking around for property and leave city life behind for good. Check out the quality of light in this photo. This trip revealed so many breathtaking sights we had to remind ourselves to breathe at certain points.

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Paris' Coutume Café Boasts Imported Beans and a NYC-Imported Barista

This week, Jaunted correspondent Heidi Atwal takes us along to Paris, uncovering the hidden bits found in between sessions of copious macaron and butter consumption. And we do mean copious. Make sure to check in daily for dispatches from the City of Light.

It was a passing tip in a free magazine we picked up on London's streets that led us to Paris' Coutume Café, a coffee shop as decidedly anti-Starbucks as it gets. With a barista flown in from New York to head up their java producing operations, a carefully curated selection of imported beans, and monthly coffee tasting sessions for hardcore aficionados (think wine tasting, only sniffing and dry tasting rather than swirling and sipping), it's clear that Coutume is a place where the art of Joe is taken very, very seriously.

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Wish You Were Here: Paris' Jardin des Tuileries

Overcast, sure, but the Jardin des Tuileries still offers undeniably pretty views.

This week, Jaunted correspondent Heidi Atwal takes us along to Paris, uncovering the hidden bits found in between sessions of copious macaron and butter consumption. And we do mean copious. Make sure to check in daily for dispatches from the City of Light.

Exhausted after braving throngs of too-cool-for-their-own-good shoppers at Paris' Colette boutique, we stumbled away from Rue Saint-Honoré with a boxful of Pierre Hermé macarons under our arm in search of some late afternoon respite. Wandering just up the way we found our way to the Jardin des Tuileries, which lies in between the Louvre and Place de la Concorde and affords visitors a great opportunity to people watch and take in amazing views of the Eiffel Tower.

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The Newbie Traveler Leaves His Smoking Jacket Home for the Night Train to Rome

What would your life be like if you hadn't yet traveled to Europe? If you'd spent years reading travel novels and fantasizing over guidebooks, but hadn't made the big leap? This is the case for Andy Miles, who in his late twenties is embarking on his first trip to the continent and walking us through the emotions and observations of a true Newbie Traveler. Read his previous adventures and follow along all week as Andy takes us along on his inaugural Euro journey.

This was the moment I had been looking forward to for months. A night train from Paris to Rome. It just felt too good to be true. I expected to chugga-chug through the French countryside, gazing upon family-owned wineries untouched by modern innovations for hundreds of years, sheep on rolling hills and romantic stone archways. In my fantasies, I'd do this while sipping Perrier and conversing with my fellow passengers in the dining car—while wearing a velour smoking jacket, of course.

Later, after an Old Fashioned or four, I'd wrap up my conversations about the current European economic climate and retire to my room for an evening turndown service graciously provided by our train car's attendant. An assortment of Italian chocolates to leave my palate with a taste as sweet as the evening had been? Yes, please!

Unfortunately, the night train to Rome was nothing like that. Nothing at all.

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An American in Paris...Does His Laundry

What would your life be like if you hadn't yet traveled to Europe? If you'd spent years reading travel novels and fantasizing over guidebooks, but hadn't made the big leap? This is the case for Andy Miles, who in his late twenties is embarking on his first trip to the continent and walking us through the emotions and observations of a true Newbie Traveler. Read his previous adventures and follow along all week as Andy takes us along on his inaugural Euro journey.

Romance is not lost on me. I like fine wines, nice dinners, and I'm not above admitting that Love Actually is one of my favorite films. However, just because you're in Paris doesn't mean it can be all moonlit meals and strolls by the Seine 24/7. I don't care what country you're in—dirty socks are dirty socks. Even Napoleon had to wash his pantaloons now and again.

Without the creature comfort of the washer and dryer back in my San Francisco apartment, I was forced to seek laundry asylum elsewhere. Luckily, there was such an establishment not far from my hotel. I packed up my unmentionables and headed out in search of cleaner pastures.

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The Newbie Traveler Says Bonjour to a Very First Visit to Paris

What would your life be like if you hadn't yet traveled to Europe? If you'd spent years reading travel novels and fantasizing over guidebooks, but hadn't made the big leap? This is the case for Andy Miles, who in his late twenties is embarking on his first trip to the continent and walking us through the emotions and observations of a true Newbie Traveler. Read his previous adventures and follow along all week as Andy takes us along on his inaugural Euro journey.

It's already been one year since my first international trip—to London. It seems like only yesterday I was basking in the glow of the on-demand entertainment system of the Boeing 777 that whisked me up and over the United States through the cold, maple syrup-flavored airspace of our northern comrades only to touch down several "Frasier"-filled hours later in the United Kingdom. However, this time around, instead of just being a newbie in London, I was a newbie in three other amazing cities: Paris, Rome, and Zurich.

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The World's Best Vending Machine is Now Available in France

Those arriving in Paris for the very first time might immediately search out the Eiffel Tower or The Louvre, but if you’d prefer a tastier first impression of course there’s always the baguette. Finding a freshly baked loaf of bread as soon as you land might soon be a reality, as Jean-Louis Hecht has created one of the greatest inventions of our time—the fresh baked baguette vending machine.

Alright, we might be slightly exaggerating, but still this is pretty clever and fairly awesome. Especially for times when running to the local boulangerie isn’t an option, like during long stretches over the summer when it seems like the whole country heads out on vacation.

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Three Excellent French Brasseries Found Inside Airports

Cafe Rouge at LHR T4.

What food do you reach for before hopping on a plane? For many, it's hearty (burgers, pizza, pasta), snacky (chips, candy, chocolate) or healthy (sushi, salads, granola), but what about Frenchy? Don't walk through your next airport terminal so quickly, or else you may miss some of the most interesting airport cuisine out there. Yep—we're talking about French Brasseries.

It's rare to find them, but when you do, we recommend stopping in for some Moulet et Frites, frogs legs, or just a simple Café au lait. Here's three great French Brasseries found at major airports:

· Cafe Rouge at London-Heathrow Terminal 4
Reminiscent of the classic Orient Express trains, Cafe Rouge at T4 is lengthy but thin, with clean lines and subtle art deco touches. Like a proper brasserie, its position makes it ideal for people watching, a sport made all the more intriguing by the fact that you're still before security. Someone awaiting your arrival could always pop up here for a Croque Monsieur and eavesdropping on tearful farewells. Plus, it's open from 5am clear until 10pm. Honorary mention: Chez Gerard in Heathrow's Terminal 3.

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