march-2012

168 | DESTINATION GUIDES More free monthly guides available at traveller.easyJet.com
Paris
France
cuisine in a stylish
setting with the beau
monde just around
the corner from the
Marais’ Place des
Vosges. Seared tuna
steaks and perfectly
cooked risotto are
served in a splitlevel
dining room
smartly decorated
with creamy white
leather banquettes,
black-and-white
vintage architectural
drawings and
cappuccino coloured
walls. Be sure
to reserve on
weekend evenings.
EXCLUSIVE Verjus
(47 Rue Montpensier,
tel: 01 4297 5440)
For a casual feel
with fresh, gourmet
cooking, try the newly
opened restaurant
and wine bar located
on a small road
behind the Palais
Royal, run by the
American couple of
Hidden Kitchen fame.
The dining room
is light and cosy,
with mismatched
furniture. The food
is contemporary,
perfectly balanced
fl avours in the meat,
fi sh and vegetable
dishes. Two tasting
menus are priced
at €50 and €70.
AFTER DARK
LOW KEY Lizard
Lounge (18 Rue du
Bourg-Tibourg, tel: 01
4272 8134) Cocktails
and a low-key, friendly
atmosphere attract a
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MARCH 2012
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young, international
crowd to this bar in
the Marais. Head
downstairs to the
second DJ bar for
an extended happy
hour and dancing
until the wee hours.
LIVE MUSIC
Le Bataclan (50
Boulevard Voltaire,
tel: 01 4314 0030)
A Parisian institution
dating back to 1864,
Le Bataclan is an
elegantly shabby
theatre where the
latest rock, indie
and pop stars
perform nightly.
The atmosphere
is intimate and
dynamic. For March,
the eclectic schedule
includes The Fall (7th)
Korn (12th), and Al
Andalus Flamenco
Nuevo (31st).
LATE & LIVELY
Violon Dingue (46
Rue Montagne Sainte
Geneviève, 5th,
tel: 01 4325 7993)
Students fi ll both
levels of this Latin
Quarter favourite,
with a late happy
hour (8pm–10pm)
and dancing on the
lower level until dawn.
The street-level bar
is more like a typical
scruff y pub with
sports on the TV and
a large selection of
beers and cocktails.
THIS MONTH
SHOP Browse over
20,000 art books
covering topics
from architecture
and photography to
fashion and design
in the Artcurial
Contemporary Art
Bookstore, just off the
Champs-Elysées in
the historic Hôtel
Marcel Dassault
(7 Rond-Point des
Champs-Elysées,
tel: 01 4299 1619).
SEE Paris is the place
for cinema lovers, and
this month you can
catch the Printemps
du Cinéma festival
from 18–20 March,
with all fi lms just
€3.50 (printempsdu
cinema.com).
GO Rebuilt from
the old wine-bottling
district, Bercy (in the
12th) is now home
to the romantic
Bercy Park, the
Cinémathèque
Française, and Bercy
Village, a pedestrianonly
street lined with
bars, boutiques and
cafés. It’s accessible
via the driverless
Météor (metro line
14), making it a snap
to reach from the
centre of Paris in just
a few minutes.
HOTEL DE
BELLEVUE
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Adjacent to the
commuter hotspot,
Gare du Nord, is this
quaint hotel with
just 38 rooms.
Breakfast included.
From €88, book at
hotels.easyJet.com.
ESCAPE A day-trip
to Versailles isn’t
just about the Sun
King’s chateau. The
town is also known
for the Quartier
Notre-Dame’s many
antique and crafts
shops (around the
Passage de la Geôle)
and the historic
outdoor market,
Marché Notre-Dame
(the best day to go is
Friday morning). This
indulgent shopping
trip is just 20 minutes
from the Gare St-
Lazare (destination
Versailles – Rive
Droit). For more
information, call
the Versailles
Tourism Offi ce on
01 3924 8888.
NO WAY!
The City of Paris is
the offi cial owner
and manager of 96
religious monuments,
some dating back
to the 12th century,
of which 85 are
Catholic churches,
nine are Protestant
churches, and two
Jewish synagogues.
Their architecture,
artworks and even
organs are protected
as historical
treasures, and part
of the city’s budget
is used to help
with much-needed
restoration works (for
example, the façade
of the Eglise St
Paul-St Louis in the
4th arrondissement
is currently under
scaff olding for
extensive cleaning).
Heather Stimmler-Hall
Pisa
Italy
DIALLING CODE +39
CURRENCY €
FLY FROM
Berlin, Bristol,
London (LGW, LTN),
Paris (ORY)
FROM THE
AIRPORT
Pre-book your taxi
at easyJet.com.
A local taxi costs €7.
CPT buses go to
the centre. Route
3 stops at Pisa Central
station. Tickets: €0.80.
Visit the Europcar
desk for special
easyJet rates.
BON APPETIT
UP TO €30
La Mescita (2 Via
Domenico Cavalca,
tel: 050 544 294)
A marketplace eatery
with a reputation
for fi ne cuisine. The
menu changes every
month but usually
includes sformatino di
melanzane (aubergine
souffl é in tomato
sauce) and ravioli with
baby prawns.
EXCLUSIVE
Il Nuraghe (58 Via
Mazzini, tel: 050
44368) A little taste of
Sardinia. Try delicious
octopus alla catalana,
ravioli alla sarda
(stuff ed with ricotta)
and for dessert the
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delectable, cheesefi
lled pastries
drizzled with honey,
named sebadas.
AFTER DARK
LOW KEY
Caff etteria delle
Vettovaglie
(33 Piazza delle
Vettovaglie) A café in
the old marketplace
where you can relax
after dinner with
a cocktail or glass of
wine and listen
to great live jazz.
LATE & LIVELY
Big Ben (Via Palestro,
tel: 050 581 158) A
very English pub in
style and decor where
you can enjoy a pint of
Irish or English beer.
THIS MONTH
SEE Gustopolis, a
gastronomic festival
featuring excellent
local Tuscan products,
hits Montopoli di Val
d’Arno (near Pisa)
on 6–7 March. While
there, enjoy the town’s
art treasures: entrance
to the town’s museum
and the Tower of San
Matteo are free.
NO WAY!
Although Pisans are
proud of their city’s
history and beauty,
they are quick to
point out their fellow
citizens’ negativity,
as in the saying: “if a
Pisan goes to a free
concert, he complains
about the queues; if he
goes to a concert for
which he has bought
a ticket, he complains
about the price.”
Silvia Falsaperla
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