Ragni Örsals Pearls in Paris

Richard Juhlin’s partner Ragni Örsals gives tips on her gems in Paris. [ read the full champagne story ] 

Estimated reading time: 9 minutes

Many of you have probably wondered what it’s like to live with a champagne expert like Richard. You’ve seen me with a glass in my hand on a Champagne Friday movie a few times. But the truth is that we have many other things that unite us more than champagne moments. I actually prefer drinking wine with my sisters and my friends as it’s a little less nerdy than when Richard and his friends rant about terroir and dosage levels.

My two sisters and I, strangely enough, have the same birthday; December 29th. As anyone with a birthday during the last week of December knows, your birthday tends to disappear somewhere between Christmas and New Year’s and it rarely gets the attention it would have if we were born on any other day of the year. We therefore decided that we would celebrate our common day in January in my beloved Paris instead. Said and done, which resulted in this little mini-guide. The text below is probably missing a bit of Champagne hesitancy if you compare it to what my dear husband’s Paris guide would look like, but it leads straight into the timeless Paris that I enjoy strolling around the most.

Hotel Chopin

When it comes to accommodation in this magical city of light, there are only two options for me; 5-star or Chopin. Hotel Chopin is one of the oldest hotels in Paris, opening its doors in 1846. It gets its name from the fact that it is located at the far end of Passage Joffroy, the passage that Polish composer Frederic Chopin strolled through every day on his way to work. It is a very charming little boutique hotel that only has two stars but all the more soul, charm and heart. At Chopin you walk up crooked winding stairs with creaky floors, the hotel cat Clarinette scratches behind your ears and eat delicious croissants in the tiny but very cozy breakfast room. It is simple but classic, clean and incredibly cozy. As I said, there is soul here. You have to be there in good time as it is almost always fully booked. I have only managed to get a room once before, so I was very happy when I finally did.

Café Valentin

It’s not just the hotel that’s good for my winter-stressed soul, the whole Passage Jouffroy, with its ogive-shaped glass roof and beautiful marble floors, has its own magic. There’s such a variety of exciting, beautiful and odd things in the passage. Everything from antique walking sticks to an incredible toy store that’s a must if you like dollhouses, with just about everything you can imagine and then some in miniature. Here you’ll find Café Valentin, which with its classic pastries, hearty onion soup and brittle old windows overlooking the passage is an extremely pleasant place to spend a long lunch. Antique dealers and art dealers sell curiosities of every imaginable kind. You can walk around for hours, and forget that we’re in 2026, because inside my favorite passage it’s still the early 20th century. Chopin is located in the ninth arrondissement near the Opera, within walking distance of most things, at least if you, like us Norwegians, love to go for walks even in cities.

One of the best things I know is to stroll around Paris and look at all the beauty. It was winter there too, of course, but in eight degrees Celsius you can still walk around without freezing to death, unlike the inhospitable treatment of the Stockholm winter. We avoided taxis and the metro during the day and walked most of the time. This time we had our sights set on the slightly smaller shopping streets, and the small museums. Perhaps a paradox to so genuinely dislike the worst tourist streets when you are a tourist yourself, but for me it really is. To have time to see all of Paris’ famous landmarks, my best tip is to take a taxi around the city early in the morning and tick them off your list. Otherwise, there is a big risk that you will not see the Arc de Triomphe for everyone. If I may say so, a three-hour queue to go up the Eiffel Tower is a waste of time. But we are all different, so if the top of the Eiffel Tower is your thing, go for it! I either take a walk along the Seine, or stroll around my passages with a coffee in hand.

Some extra cozy shopping streets I recommend are Avenue Victor-Hugo in the 16th arrondissement, Rue Saint Honore in the 1st and Rue de Grenelle in the 6th.

Le Samaritane

When it comes to classic department stores, I like to go to Le Samaritane on Pointe Neuf. Here you can find the big luxury brands but also completely unique items. Their beauty center is brilliant and I have often had my blow dry done there, they take the time to put each lock of hair in small clips so I get exactly the result I want. Something that only my own hairdresser does at home. Le bon Marche is another must if you want to be charmed by the aesthetics of Parisian department stores. Otherwise, the coziest way to shop is still on foot outdoors, if it’s not raining. Shopping for a long-awaited bag becomes a greater experience if it’s quieter around, and you are treated like the Queen you want to feel like, and under no circumstances does it feel dignified to queue when you’re going to spend healthily. Avoid the worst tourist areas at all costs, like the Champs-Élysées 100-meter queue for Louis Vuitton. No thanks!

Gastronomic excursions

Since it was our birthday, we wanted to splurge and go to the most classic, most Parisian place we could think of, namely Tour D’Argent. This world-famous Michelin-starred restaurant is said to be the oldest in Paris, dating back to the 16th century. The classic establishment is completely my style with a thoroughly sober feel and a stunning view of the Seine. Richard and I were actually there on our second date ever. Unfortunately, I don’t remember as much of it as I would have liked because I got sick and had a fever during dinner that time. Apparently, we drank, among other things, a 1969 Legras Saint Vincent that Richard still refers to. It was time to give the famous Silver Tower (La Tour d’Argent) another chance.

Ingri and I ate lingustine and their famous numbered duck in three servings, and drank their own house champagne La Tour d’Argent Rosé and Blanc de Blancs from Richard’s good friends R&L Legras in Chouilly. Happy and stuffed, we sat and looked out over the Seine and the twinkling lights of Paris until we were the only company left a little after midnight.

We also ate at the one-star restaurant Benoît. In a way, the restaurant was even cozier, with its original decor and a traditional French ambience down to the last detail. Here we also drank the best champagne of the trip, a lovely 2002 Femme de Champagne from Duval Leroy. It was as delicate as an early spring day, subtly floral with a hint of lemon and vanilla pastries. The food itself was also good, but perhaps bordering on too rustic for a one-star restaurant. Their classic dessert Les profiteroles Benoit is worth a visit in itself, however, and also check out the soap dispenser in the bathroom, engraved in 1912, which triggered an acute craving in all three sisters.

Museum

We managed to visit the Musée Historie De Paris Carnavalet in the Marais which is a good introduction to the city. The museum opened in 1880 and tells the history of Paris, from pre-historic Paris to the present day. There is so much to see here! I really found a new favorite museum and have already decided to come back and stay even longer. I also recommend their exhibition “Les gens de Paris, 1926–1936 Trough the lens of population censuses”.

If you, like me, have a thing for old Catholic tombs and the Gothic, take a walk through the Sacré-Cœur cemetery, just for the atmosphere and the beautiful tomb monuments. A visit to the Opera Garnier is also recommended and you can see a performance, or go on a guided tour. We didn’t do that this time as the tickets were completely sold out. Unfortunately, you are not alone in Paris. The densely populated world metropolis and its popularity mean that it is teeming with tourists almost everywhere. In some places there are so many people that you almost lose track of where you are and what you are seeing. That is why I especially appreciate the small gems where you don’t feel like you are being completely invaded, the quiet streets, the museums where you don’t have to stand in line for half a day, the most classic patisseries that are as far away from the big chains as you can get.

As you can see, this little trip has been less about noble drinks than you are used to. I am not as obsessed with bubbles as my husband, although I also enjoy drinking good wines. I am more obsessed with finding the eternal in the city. The old passage that tells us that so many people have walked here before me, and so many will walk here after. It is dizzying to feel the wings of history in every cobblestone, in every building. Paris is so rich in impressions that everyone has the chance to find their own melting pot and write their own little personal story in the city of dreams.