La Cigale: Cocteau, Kung-fu & Kick-ass Shows

Paris / Go Night
en by Meg Zimbeck /  Meg, 16. Feb 2010


La Cigalle Photo: Mu Foo

In the heart of the Pigalle sex district, just down the street from the storied Moulin Rouge, La Cigale is one of my favorite places to see live music in Paris. After the show I get a drink at 'the ant' - La Fourmi - or a late diner at the restaurant Cul de Poule, which means something like Chicken bum.

Published by
Meg Zimbeck

Yo Mama, Yo Music

Paris / Go Night
en by Meg Zimbeck /  Meg, 1. Feb 2010

An out-of-the-way corner of the 20th arrondissement has recently become the center of hipster Paris. It all started with La Fleche d'Or - a locally-treasured concert hall that teeters above abandoned tracks. Formerly a train station, this cavernous space has for years been drawing crowds with it's free nightly shows. That's right, free concerts - with two to three bands playing every night, often followed by a DJ. The talent ranges from local and "interesting" to internationally-known and brilliant. Up-and-coming artists often play their first Paris gig here before returning to bigger shows at la Maroquinerie and other venues.


Photo: la Flèche d'Or

The spacious outdoor terrasse provides a place to talk with friends without having to shout. In the summer, people often spend more time here than inside watching the bands. If you didn't have time to eat beforehand, an adjoining restaurant puts out decent (not great) food. Drink prices are high here - a small beer will run you €6, and a watery cocktail is €8. But considering the free entry, it's still a relatively cheap night out. 


Photo: la Flèche d'Or

I've seen countless good shows here (and quite a few bad ones, too), but my favorite took place last summer when Zach Condon (of the band Beirut) came to play with his idols, the Macedonian marching band Kocani Orkestar. The video gives an idea of the kind of joy that can erupt in this place.

The only downside of la Flèche d'Or is the post-concert journey home. But visitors can avoid that by staying in the hip new hotel Mama Shelter across the street.

LA FLECHE D'OR; 102 bis rue Bagnolet, 75020 Paris

Go further: Find out where in Prague Jason goes when he in mood for Czech art-rock and ZZ Top covers here and were in Stockholm Francis goes crazy at concerts with Swedish pop sensation Robyn here.

Published by
Meg Zimbeck

Beyond The Grave #6: Montparnasse Cemetery

Paris / Go See
en by Meg Zimbeck /  Meg, 20. Jan 2010

Is it strange, when visiting a vibrant city, to seek out the local dead? Why do cemeteries – full of old stones and ancient history - attract so many modern travelers? Momondo asked our city bloggers to unearth an explanation and give us the low-down on the neighborhood necropolis. You'll read about the best burials in Berlin, the most entertaining interments in Prague, the graves of American heroes in New York and a cemetery with a magnificant view of Istanbul plus tips on what JP Sartre likes on his Paris grave and about Soeren Kierkegaard's and Karl Marx's last resting places in Copenhagen and London. Are you ready to go beneath the surface?

Montparnasse Cemetery 


Photo: localsurfer

The daddy of all Paris cemeteries is Père-Lachaise, a sprawling estate of more than 100 acres near the city’s eastern edge. A real tourist mecca, Père-Lachaise draws hundreds of thousands of visitors each year...mostly to see Jim Morrison. By comparison, the Montparnasse cemetery feels like a quiet little backwater. And that’s exactly why I like it.


Photo: mufoo

I work a few blocks away from this, the city’s “second cemetery.” In the shadow of the modern (and rather ugly) Tour Montparnasse, this cemetery is the city's most literary. Home to hundreds of dead writers and publishers, it's also literary in a more personal sense - this is where I often go to read my book during breaks from the office. Over the years, the cemetery has served me well, providing a quiet place to read, a pretty walk after a big lunch, and a good reminder (after particularly stressful days) that life is short.


Photo: mufoo

I've probably walked through here fifty times, and I always start with a visit to Simone (de Beauvoir) and JP (Sartre). Their grave is right off the main entrance and always decorated with devotional objects. Flowers and Métro tickets (where did that come from?) are consistently part of the mix, along with letters, notes and postcards. Occasionally for JP, these letters are overwhelming left for Simone by other women. I used to worry about the etiquette of intercepting and reading these notes, but now I do so without shame. I sometimes retrieve the wind-strewn missives from less popular neighboring graves, and occasionally leave a word for JP when he’s not getting any love.


Photo: dimworld

Another popular grave belongs to the singer Serge Gainsbourg. Serge receives quite a few letters, but here you'll find more references to "awesomeness" and sex than on the grave of JP Sartre. Again... poor Sartre. Serge also receives quite a few drawings - sometimes of him, sometimes of things (women) that the artist thinks he might appreciate.

These three are the main attractions, but there are of course many other writers (Charles Baudelaire, Samuel Beckett, Susan Sontag), artists (Man Ray), intellecutals (Jean Baudrillard, Emile Durkheim) and other luminaries buried at Montparnasse. A good list can be found here.


Photo: mufoo

If contemplations of mortality make you hungry, there are two excellent options nearby. The first is Josselin, which makes (I am laying down the gauntlet) the best crêpe in Paris. A menu including the complète (a buckwheat crêpe filled with melted gruyere, ham, and egg), a drink, and a dessert crêpe is 10€. It's consistently great, owing in no small part to the copious Breton butter that slickens their griddle.

A more elaborate feast can be had at La Cerisaie, a pocket-sized bistrot just a few blocks west. The menu features hearty dishes from the southwestern region of France, and lots of wild game during the season. There's hardly any decoration and it's not exactly cheap - count on €30 per person without wine. Nonetheless, it's hugely popular among the gastronomic set. You'll need to book in advance to snag one of the few tables, even at lunch.

Published by
Meg Zimbeck

Deliciously Duped At Volpetti

Rome / Go Shop
en by Meg Zimbeck /  Meg, 20. Jan 2010

Call us cheesy, but momondo has gone crazy for coagulated milk. We've given our writers the mission of uncovering 'le meilleur fromage' in Paris, 'il migliore formaggio' in Rome, the stinkiest cheeses in New York and the hands-down best cheeses in London, Madrid and Brussels. So grab yourself some bread and wine and join us on this tour of the best cheese shops in Europe.

Rome 



Volpetti has been serving the working-class quarter of Testaccio since 1973. Over time, the deli has evolved into a foodie destination, a place to sample and buy some of the best products in Rome.

Volpetti’s employees are well-practiced in catering to the fantasies of food pilgrims. They were eyeing me from the moment I walked in – another foreign girl wearing a gluttonous grin.  I was taken by the elbow and shown a starter cheese, an accessible pecorino. “That’s nice,” I said while nibbling on a wedge. “Now what else can I taste?”

My particular guide, after sizing me up, returned with a cheese and a conspiratorial wink. “Try this,” he said, pushing a slice toward me across the cold marble counter. “It’s very good,” I conceded, and he began slicing white fig and pouring some sweet white wine. “Together,” he nodded, and I married the tastes before melting into the floor.

What happened thereafter is a bit of a blur. There were many more cheeses, a number of sausages, vinegars and oils. I was moving around in a euphoric daze, tasting everything, shouting “si!”

I approached the cash register with some hesitation while my purchases were being wrapped. Just how much would all this cost, I wondered, catching sight of a frightening sticker. With the Bagoss di Bagolino priced at 90€ per kilo, I was glad to have asked for a very small slice.

"Your total is 114€, Signora. And our credit card machine is broken.”

After emptying my wallet and also that of my friend, we left completely broke and with thoughts of a conciliatory cheese party back in Paris. Another smiling young woman was entering Volpetti as we were going out. “Good luck,” I told her. “You’ll need it.”

Volpetti Deli Shop, Via Marmorata 47, Rome

Go further: See where in Rome Sari gets her Betty Crocker mix and sugar-free jello.....

Published by
Meg Zimbeck

Full Moune Dancing in Paris

Paris / Go Night
en by Meg Zimbeck /  Meg, 30. Oct 2009

Recently it was the International Dance Day. At Momondo we totally support a day dedicated to dancing and we've decided to celebrate the day too. Therefore we’ve asked our city bloggers to come up with their favourite spots to go and dance or watch others do it. So put on your boogie shoes and let our bloggers guide you through the best dance spots in cities across the world.

Let's dance #7: Paris


Photo: the Moog

Let's be honest: I'm not really much of a dancer. More of a "sway-from-side-to-side" kind of girl, preferably while looking at my shoes. But every once in a while - usually after too much wine - I catch the bug and go in search of some boogie. My mental list changes all the time, of course, as places fall in and out of favor. For the moment, though, here are the Paris spots that are worthy of your dancing shoes.

Published by
Meg Zimbeck
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