Toujours Paris: Fashion Tours, French Gifts, and a Love Story That Started with a Cartoon
How a Cartoon Cat Sparked a Lifelong Love of Paris
My fascination with Paris began early, inspired by a somewhat unexpected source — the animated movie Gay Purr-ee (featuring the vocals/voiceovers by Judy Garland and Robert Goulet). I was probably 5 or 6 years old when I first saw it, and re-watched it whenever it was shown on TV for several years after that. My interests in art, and in French style and culture all bloomed from that seed.
It wasn’t until just after my 50th birthday that we had the resources to travel there. It was such a thrill to finally visit the city I’d long dreamt about. Over the years, I’ve managed to integrate and reconcile the reality with my romanticized version. And I’ve lost not one whit of love — Paris is still my “happy place.”
My interest in fashion and style also dovetailed with my Paris obsession. I pored over any article I could find about French style — though I’ve come to appreciate that what’s often called ‘French style’ reflects a specific aesthetic more than how Parisians actually dress. Even so, I still find it inspiring:
Why We Still Love French Style | Paris-Inspired: Striped Shirts with a Fresh Twist
See Paris Fashion for Yourself: Join Me This September
Interested in seeing Paris fashion and style for yourself? There are still a few spots available for my Paris Fashion Tour this September!
Enjoy the camaraderie of a small group of women while discovering Paris fashion history, heritage artisans and brands, charming neighborhoods, delicious food, and some of my favorite shopping spots. September is la rentrée — a golden time to visit when the weather is still warm and the tourists have thinned out.
And Emma from Tour With Absolutely has kindly offered my readers an Early Bird discount of up to €250 if you book by March 29. (Plus additional discounts for return visitors or traveling with a friend, up to €500 total!) This seven-day, six-night tour is perfect for solo travelers or traveling with friends. You can see the complete itinerary HERE. The first tour sold out quickly, so don’t miss this opportunity to join me in Paris, and save by booking now.
If travel to Paris isn’t on your schedule, here’s another way to experience France at home…
A Little Bit of France at Home: My French Country Home Box
In-between Paris visits, I love getting a “French Fix” at home, by way of the My French Country Home Box from Sharon Santoni. These subscription gift boxes are always such a delight to open and discover. From an early age, I’ve loved poking around in antique stores, and wondering about the lives of people whose “treasures” I’d hold in my hands. So I was very much looking forward to the February box, the centerpiece of which is Sharon’s new book, “The Art of Antiquing in France.”
What’s Inside the February Box
Sharon has taken her passion for and knowledge of antiques and brocante shopping, and compiled it into a gorgeous book filled with information, tips, and sumptuous photos.
Here’s everything else tucked inside this beautiful box:
- Pretty printed cotton napkins and placemats from Chamois
- Fragonard Fleur d’Oranger body lotion with shea butter (smells & feels heavenly!)
- A set of antique silver knife rests
- Print of an illustration by Yves Damin of Place Vendome
- A unique artisan vase (perfect for a single stem)
- Charming catch-all tray from Boncoeurs with antique postcard print (I love these little trays, so useful!)
And just look at the pretty interior of the box! These sturdy boxes are great for storage or gift boxes. The next box, coming in May, is themed “Spring Dining.” These uniquely French products make wonderful gifts for Mothers’ Day, birthdays, housewarmings, and other special occasions. (All boxes ship from France with no customs duties.)
Whether you join me on the cobblestone streets of Paris this September or unwrap a little piece of France on your doorstep, there are so many beautiful ways to feed a love of French style. The Paris Fashion Tour and the My French Country Home Box are two of my favorites — and honestly, why choose? Life is short, Paris is always worth it, and a little French magic goes a long way. I’d love to have you along for the journey, wherever it takes you. À bientôt!
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You brought back such fond memories when you mentioned the movie Gay Purr–ee! I loved that movie as well.
And to think that Ron and I cancelled our Paris visit coming April yet again…We are terrible.
Greetje
Oh how delightful! I too remember Gay Purr-ee from my childhood in the early 1960’s. Loved it!
I counted and I think I’ve been in Paris 12 times. We have family in France, and when visiting, it’s easy to slip in a trip to Paris. While most of the city is every bit as lovely as advertised, it is still a big city with all the ugly to go along with that. I have known more than one person who was disappointed in the experience because it was not up to the hype. Be prepared to see French women dressed in sloppy, ill-fitting garb. Many of those women are probably tourists from elsewhere. While I’m a wet blanket here, I just offer a tale of caution so the trip doesn’t become a huge disappointment for first-time visitors.
I really appreciate this post because that is what happened to us – and we were on a full week tour of Paris. Your description was our experience. There was, of course, beautiful things to see – eat – shopping – but overall, it did not match the hype. So many beautiful places to see in the world – we are glad we visited Paris and glad to move on.
Hi Susan,
What a wonderful origin story for your love of Paris, I love it! I never saw that cartoon, now I’ll need to look for it! (age 66 here)
I, too, loved Gay Purr-ee. I didn’t realize the composer was Harold Arlen – I always thought it was a Jule Styne show. I learned something new.
One of my preschool teachers was from France. She taught us French words and how to prepare string beans. That put 4 going on 5 me on the way to becoming a Francophile. I remember Gay Purr-ee too!
Susan, I’m already living vicariously on your trip to Paris. While cooking from David Lebovitz’s blog today I read this article about a Parisian spot for drinks and food called the Dirty Lemon https://www.davidlebovitz.com/dirty-lemon-bar-restaurant-paris-ruba-khoury/. It sounded great, and was founded to offer a woman-friendly destination. It sounded worth trying.
I remember watching Gay Puree as a kid as well…it was one of my faves, too. One of my early memories was watching the program on a stormy night whilst tornado warnings scrolled across the bottom of the screen; my mother later declared that she heard a roar that she believed was a funnel cloud going over the house. I am really surprised she let us sit in the living room watching a cartoon instead of putting us in the closet, but warnings weren’t as accurate then and she may not have thought we were in particular danger. But the magic of VHS meant that I could share the cartoon with my kids…who still quote bits of it in their 30’s…