Morning at Marché Pyrénées
June 12, 2025
We woke up at 6 a.m. and had breakfast with the food stocked in the Airbnb fridge. For a morning stroll, We walked to the nearby market, Marché Pyrénées (see on map).The market mainly sold vegetables and fruits, with a small fish shop but no meat or cheese stalls. I just browsed around without buying anything.
A Walk in Parc des Buttes-Chaumont
Then I headed to Parc des Buttes-Chaumont (see on map) in the 19th arrondissement. It’s a large park with lots of elevation changes. I wanted to climb up to the viewpoint in the middle of the lake, but it was closed for renovation. The bridge leading there was also off-limits. A Parisian friend once told me, “That park is always under renovation. ”I wonder if the day will ever come when we can actually go up to that viewpoint. We also wanted to rest at the stylish café-restaurant inside the park (see on map), but it didn’t open until 10 a.m.
Back to the Market and a Cozy Café
From Armand Carrel – Mairie du 19ème (see on map), We took a bus back to the morning market and bought apricots and peaches (€1.6), plus zucchini, eggplant, and potatoes (€2.42).Since card payments were accepted only for purchases over €5, We paid in cash.
Before returning to the apartment, We stopped by Candle Kids Coffee (see on map).The café was full of guests with dogs, and a friendly corgi—probably the café’s own—was lying on the floor waiting to be petted. It was adorable. Two café lattes, a Basque cheesecake, and a carrot cake cost €21.50. The cakes were surprisingly salty at first, but I grew to like them after a few bites.
Lunch and a Disappointing Apricot
Back at the apartment, We tried one of the apricots I had just bought—but it was terrible: sour, hard, and unripe.
While buying them, the shopkeeper was busy chatting with another customer, so I picked them myself. In hindsight, I should have waited and asked him to choose some ripe ones for me.
For lunch, I boiled two large potatoes from the market and topped them with fondue cheese from the fridge.
Afternoon at Parc de Belleville
In the afternoon, We walked to Parc de Belleville (see on map) nearby.
It was bright and quiet, with a relaxed atmosphere—very different from the slightly uneasy feeling I had the night before.
Still, with graffiti-covered walls, people begging, an abandoned mattress, and makeshift shelters inside the park, it didn’t feel like a great spot for a picnic.
Along the Champs-Élysées
We took the metro to Charles de Gaulle–Étoile station (see on map) and began walking along Champs-Élysées.
“This is that Champs-Élysées from my old music textbook!” I thought, feeling a little nostalgic.
The street was incredibly crowded, and the heat was almost unbearable.
I’d always thought June in Paris was perfect for sightseeing—dry, sunny, and pleasant—but that day was too hot to enjoy being outdoors.
Overwhelmed by the heat, we ducked into the Galeries Lafayette (see on map) food court to cool off.
When We saw that a protein juice cost €9, We realized it was way beyond our casual budget, so we quietly left.
Tea Time at Ladurée
After walking under the blazing sun, we finally reached Ladurée (see on map).
At first, We just planned to buy two macarons to eat on the go, but We was tired and wanted to sit, so we went upstairs to the restaurant floor.
A set of four macarons cost €15, while a single one downstairs for takeaway was €2.9—so eating in was a bit pricier.
We ordered four macarons, an iced coffee (€9), and an iced chocolate drink (€11), and took a long, relaxing break.
The total came to €40. The ceiling was draped with soft fabric, porcelain lined the walls, and the wallpaper was charming. It was calm and quiet—perfect for resting.
A Quick Stop and a Handy App
We also stopped by Galerie Vivienne (see on map), but it was under renovation.
Since we used the metro and buses a lot in Paris, We had installed an app called Bonjour RATP on my iPhone.
It lets you buy metro and bus tickets directly and use them just by tapping your iPhone.
However, it takes a few seconds for the purchased ticket to appear in your Wallet app, so if you try to buy one right before boarding, it can feel a bit slow.
You can also register it as an Express Card in Wallet. Once you’ve bought several tickets, the system automatically selects the right one each time you tap. It’s incredibly convenient.
