Bibliothèques à Paris - Pratique. Letter From Paris. 6 unusual things you must do in Paris. By Irina Raileanu on Apr 19, 2013 in Accommodation, Attractions, Bars, Europe, Featured, Food and Drink, France, Going Out, Hotels, Leisure Travel, Regions, Restaurants, Spas & Pampering, Speciality Travel, Travel Miscellany, Western Europe - Read 63747 times Spring is a time when Paris resembles all of its most flattering cliches.
The city is suddenly awash with cherry and apple blossoms, acting as umbrellas to the streets below them. The air lingers with uncertainty, because both sunshine and showers are definitely expected to feature throughout the day. Tourism is at its hilt and even blase natives start to really see the city again, perhaps inspired by the infectious enthusiasm. L'Art de la Curiosité. Clown Montmatre. Alasinglinglin. Owners Natalie, Philippe and Bruno offer a toast to Paris’ freshest hipster enclave, Village Popincourt, with their small, jovial vintage-furniture shop: studied, smartly-curated jumble of curious, brightly-hewn lamp shades, comfy (if dusty) couches crafted with fading velvet and mid-20th-century Scandanavian-form tables and chairs in emergent-ergonomic style.
The light-hearted, eclectic vibe is suffused by the warmth and attention of the owners, while the eyes feast on vintage wares from days gone by—most of the furniture dates from the 1950’s, 60’s and 70’s. An easygoing joie de vivre saturates this small shop and charming touches—like a red, black and white mural featuring handyman’s tools (highlighting the use-value in mending and restoring gently-worn desks and armoires) or a veritable school of chairs hung from sturdy nails tacked into Alasinglinglin’s store walls—make for a beautiful, rummage-worthy affair on an overcast, drizzling afternoon.