A warm thanks to you, Renée, this was a pleasure and I'm truly happy to be a part of your Substack series. I am so fond of what you do and communicate, and feel that we share the same values and mission in terms of our travel philosophy. Keep up the great work, I'm looking forwards to following along, cheering from the sideline!
Marie, thank you for saying that. ❤️ It means so much coming from someone whose work I genuinely admire. I think we do share a very similar philosophy about travel, and that's exactly why I knew this conversation would resonate with readers. I'm so glad our paths crossed here on Substack, and I have a feeling we'll finally get that coffee chat in Paris one day.
@dreamplanexperience and @parisiansundays, if I make it to Paris in September, I would absolutely LOVE to meet you both for a coffee ❤️
There's something so special about finding kindred spirits who share a love for Paris, beauty, writing, creativity, entrepreneurship, and the desire to contribute something meaningful to the world.
I think it would be such a joy to spend a few hours together in our favorite city. Fingers crossed. xx
One line stayed with me: “It’s not the postcard version of Paris. But it’s certainly an authentic one.” That feels true beyond travel. The most meaningful experiences in life often aren’t the ones that impress us immediately—they’re the ones that slowly find a place in our hearts. Beautiful conversation.
That's such a beautiful observation. It's easy to dismiss something that doesn't make an immediate impression, but I've found that the things we return to often become the ones we value most. Thank you for sharing this and your thoughtful comment about @Parisian Sundays I Marie G. piece.
Thank you for such an intimate experience of Paris through the little gems you enjoy. I felt like I was there with you, enjoying all these experiences 💜
Lovely to connect with you. I've been to Paris twice and stayed in the Latin Quarter, visiting Notre Dame, Le Marais, Montmartre, the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre and of course, lovely cafes. I've also travelled through France and love the Loire Valley and its châteaux. Enjoy your travels 💜
Thank you for taking the time to read it. Yes, I agree, @Parisian Sundays I Marie G. has a beautiful style of writing that brings the reader along with her.
Absolutely a pleasure! I love to travel and also read travel stories through another person's eyes, as we all experience the world in our own unique way. Enjoy your travels 💜
If that’s the case, you’ll enjoy this monthly series then. Each month is a new writer on Substack with the goal of travelling through their eyes and experiences.
I loved this quote so much I shared it on a note in my own feed: "...the local cafe...the park bench where everyday life unfolds." It encapsulates everything I believe about travel.
Renée and Marie, this was a delightful conversation and one I fully subscribe to. I travel like that too. I want to return to just about every place I ever visited because I loved those places not for the fame but for what they truly are, what I discovered, what I enjoyed, ate, noticed, photographed, for the conversations and experiences I had, my photos belong to me like best friends. When living in France for 12+yrs, I never was on the Eiffel Tower, BUT I saw it from many other buildings, I always recommended to take the views from Tour Montparnasse (now in a longish total renovation) or the terrace of Les Galeries Lafayette et al. Canal St Martin enchanted me not with its famousness but with the 'real life', the sitting together, all mixed up with strangers and habitués, eating, drinking, sharing, talking. As I love water, nothing pleases me more than walking along the canal, taking one bridge and coming back over another. My best liked place is and will always be Jardin du Luxembourg for all the same reasons, I loved walking the little streets, the many forgotten lanes and shops with true workmanship and fantastic caractères owning them. There isn't one line I couldn't agree with! It's a very lovely interview or talk and I shall try to come back to both of you when time (and failing eyesight) permit it ❤️
What a beautiful comment. ❤️ I smiled all the way through it because I could picture every place you described.
I especially loved what you said about your photos belonging to you "like best friends." I don't think I've ever heard anyone describe travel photographs that way.
And I couldn't agree more about seeing the Eiffel Tower from Paris rather than on it. The Tour Montparnasse and Galeries Lafayette terraces are wonderful examples of that, along with the many streets that out of nowhere the Eiffel Tower pops through.
Thank you for sharing your own way of experiencing France. It's comments like yours that remind me this community is full of people who don't just visit places, they build a relationship with them. I hope to see you here often.
Thank you so much for this wonderful feedback, Kiki! ♥️ I’m truly grateful that you took the time to share your experiences and perspectives — it certainly sounds like we have a lot in common too. This is such a rich way of traveling — and living, I think! Noticing the small things, seeking slow moments and local habits.
I already subscribe to Marie, so this was delightful! For me, if I could live within a 15-minute walk of Rue Monge metro, I’d be a very happy woman. I love that neighbourhood.
A warm thanks to you, Renée, this was a pleasure and I'm truly happy to be a part of your Substack series. I am so fond of what you do and communicate, and feel that we share the same values and mission in terms of our travel philosophy. Keep up the great work, I'm looking forwards to following along, cheering from the sideline!
Marie, thank you for saying that. ❤️ It means so much coming from someone whose work I genuinely admire. I think we do share a very similar philosophy about travel, and that's exactly why I knew this conversation would resonate with readers. I'm so glad our paths crossed here on Substack, and I have a feeling we'll finally get that coffee chat in Paris one day.
I appreciate it🙏 And so happy to see all the lovely feedback to the post! I’d love to interview you back, too. Maybe when we meet in September?
I would love that.
@dreamplanexperience and @parisiansundays, if I make it to Paris in September, I would absolutely LOVE to meet you both for a coffee ❤️
There's something so special about finding kindred spirits who share a love for Paris, beauty, writing, creativity, entrepreneurship, and the desire to contribute something meaningful to the world.
I think it would be such a joy to spend a few hours together in our favorite city. Fingers crossed. xx
If not this September, I’m sure we can manifest a future opportunity.
I would love that too! If not in Paris, maybe in the south in October, I’ll be traveling for a few weeks then. 💛
One line stayed with me: “It’s not the postcard version of Paris. But it’s certainly an authentic one.” That feels true beyond travel. The most meaningful experiences in life often aren’t the ones that impress us immediately—they’re the ones that slowly find a place in our hearts. Beautiful conversation.
That's such a beautiful observation. It's easy to dismiss something that doesn't make an immediate impression, but I've found that the things we return to often become the ones we value most. Thank you for sharing this and your thoughtful comment about @Parisian Sundays I Marie G. piece.
Thank you so much, I am happy to read that it resonated. And you have a very good point here, it's absolutely true beyond travel. I
Thank you for such an intimate experience of Paris through the little gems you enjoy. I felt like I was there with you, enjoying all these experiences 💜
Thank you so much for your lovely feedback. Nothing makes me happier than giving someone the feeling of being there.
Lovely to connect with you. I've been to Paris twice and stayed in the Latin Quarter, visiting Notre Dame, Le Marais, Montmartre, the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre and of course, lovely cafes. I've also travelled through France and love the Loire Valley and its châteaux. Enjoy your travels 💜
Visiting Loire for the first time this fall, can’t wait!
Thank you for taking the time to read it. Yes, I agree, @Parisian Sundays I Marie G. has a beautiful style of writing that brings the reader along with her.
Thank you, and thaw same right back at you😘 I love the concept of this series too. 🙏
Absolutely a pleasure! I love to travel and also read travel stories through another person's eyes, as we all experience the world in our own unique way. Enjoy your travels 💜
If that’s the case, you’ll enjoy this monthly series then. Each month is a new writer on Substack with the goal of travelling through their eyes and experiences.
I loved this quote so much I shared it on a note in my own feed: "...the local cafe...the park bench where everyday life unfolds." It encapsulates everything I believe about travel.
Wonderful. Thank you so much, Missy🙏
It makes me happy that it spoke to you.
Renée and Marie, this was a delightful conversation and one I fully subscribe to. I travel like that too. I want to return to just about every place I ever visited because I loved those places not for the fame but for what they truly are, what I discovered, what I enjoyed, ate, noticed, photographed, for the conversations and experiences I had, my photos belong to me like best friends. When living in France for 12+yrs, I never was on the Eiffel Tower, BUT I saw it from many other buildings, I always recommended to take the views from Tour Montparnasse (now in a longish total renovation) or the terrace of Les Galeries Lafayette et al. Canal St Martin enchanted me not with its famousness but with the 'real life', the sitting together, all mixed up with strangers and habitués, eating, drinking, sharing, talking. As I love water, nothing pleases me more than walking along the canal, taking one bridge and coming back over another. My best liked place is and will always be Jardin du Luxembourg for all the same reasons, I loved walking the little streets, the many forgotten lanes and shops with true workmanship and fantastic caractères owning them. There isn't one line I couldn't agree with! It's a very lovely interview or talk and I shall try to come back to both of you when time (and failing eyesight) permit it ❤️
What a beautiful comment. ❤️ I smiled all the way through it because I could picture every place you described.
I especially loved what you said about your photos belonging to you "like best friends." I don't think I've ever heard anyone describe travel photographs that way.
And I couldn't agree more about seeing the Eiffel Tower from Paris rather than on it. The Tour Montparnasse and Galeries Lafayette terraces are wonderful examples of that, along with the many streets that out of nowhere the Eiffel Tower pops through.
Thank you for sharing your own way of experiencing France. It's comments like yours that remind me this community is full of people who don't just visit places, they build a relationship with them. I hope to see you here often.
Couldn’t agree more, and such a good point regarding the photos! I haven’t either. ♥️
Thank you so much for this wonderful feedback, Kiki! ♥️ I’m truly grateful that you took the time to share your experiences and perspectives — it certainly sounds like we have a lot in common too. This is such a rich way of traveling — and living, I think! Noticing the small things, seeking slow moments and local habits.
All the best,
Marie
Another great chat! Really enjoyed it.
Thank you so much, Anna! Happy to see that you liked it🙏
Thank you for taking the time to read it, Anna
I already subscribe to Marie, so this was delightful! For me, if I could live within a 15-minute walk of Rue Monge metro, I’d be a very happy woman. I love that neighbourhood.
Have you visited Square Paul Langevin along Rue Monge during cherry blossom season? It’s one of my favourite areas.
No, never been at the right time for cherry blossoms.
You’ll have to time your visit here for late March and early April, it’s incredibly beautiful