A socially awkward widow is forced to take boarders into her Paris home, in this smart, witty novel of love, loneliness, friendship, and metamorphosis. Living in France among people she hardly understands, Annie has had trouble leaving the house since the death of her husband. And since home happens to be a small place nestled in the heart of Paris, why would she ever want to? But when unexpected events threaten her beloved home, Annie has no choice but to find lodgers—quickly. After placing an ad, Annie attracts tenants with the kind of baggage she isn’t prepared for: a long-legged, cool-headed ex-model on the run from her abusive husband; a frail young woman harboring a possible death wish; a mysterious artist; and an infuriating blue-blooded Frenchman—and all soon threaten Annie’s way of life in ways she never anticipated. But when Annie finds herself reluctantly but actively engaged in the lives of her tenants she discovers she might just free herself in the process . . .

* A practical guide to discovering Paris' finest places, buildings, restaurant, shops, museums, neighborhoods, parks, hotels and cafés* Revised and updated edition"If you really want to get under the skin of a city, the 500 Hidden Secrets series, which covers a number of cities from Havana to Ghent, all written by people who know the cities inside out, is ideal. It's an innovative and refreshing take on the traditional travel guide." - The IndependentFor tourists who want to avoid the well-known tourist spots and discover the locals favorite addresses, and for residents who want to get to know their city even better, this handy little guide is eminently useful. Written by a true local, the book includes lists such as the 5 best vintage markets, the 5 best workplaces for freelancers and the 5 best concert venues. It features 500 addresses and facts that few people know, such as an elegant spice shop that sells condiments from all over the world, a small stationer's where the daylight streams in gloriously and you can find the most beautiful Japanese paper creations, or a little shop where gifts like embroidered serviettes are made to order.Contents: 120 Places to Eat or Buy Good Food; 45 Places to Go for a Drink; 60 Places to Shop; 35 Places for Fashion; 90 Places to Discover Paris; 35 Places to Enjoy Culture; 35 Things to do with Children; 20 Places to Sleep; 35 Places to Go Out; 25 Random Good-to-know Places and Urban Details.

Featuring 40 parks, squares and woodlands, posh and plain, both in Paris and surrounds, Cahill's illustrated guide will lead you off the beaten track to areas of Paris you might not otherwise encounter.

A peek behind closed doors in the City of Light. Go on a photographic tour of a side of Paris few have ever seen, created from the vast archive of glorious imagery belonging to the French interiors magazine Côté Paris. Hidden Paris reveals the capital city’s unique architecture and fabulous interiors in a range of styles, from classic French to retro, contemporary, bohemian, industrial and more. How to make a Paris rental apartment one’s own? Go with the author behind closed gates, through the courtyards, and into people’s stylish homes and chic apartments to learn the answers. Here are myriad examples of Parisians embracing what they have while demonstrating clever and effective ways of coping with the existing structures and architecture that they cannot change, to make beautiful spaces of their own. Carolyn Clifton-Mogg is a journalist who specializes in interior design, antiques and gardens. She has authored The Curtain Book: A Sourcebook, The White Home, Set with Style, China and Glass, French Country Living, Decorating with Antiques, Provencal Escapes: Inspiring Homes in Provence and the Cote D'Azur, and A Passion for Collecting. She also writes regularly for a number of magazines and newspapers. She lives in London.

NATIONAL BESTSELLER A missing person, a grieving family, a curious clue: a half-finished manuscript set in Paris Once a week, I chase men who are not my husband. . . . When eccentric novelist Robert Eady abruptly vanishes, he leaves behind his wife, Leah, their daughters, and, hidden in an unexpected spot, plane tickets to Paris. Hoping to uncover clues--and her husband--Leah sets off for France with her girls. Upon their arrival, she discovers an unfinished manuscript, one Robert had been writing without her knowledge . . . and that he had set in Paris. The Eady girls follow the path of the manuscript to a small, floundering English-language bookstore whose weary proprietor is eager to sell. Leah finds herself accepting the offer on the spot. As the family settles into their new Parisian life, they trace the literary paths of some beloved Parisian classics, including Madeline and The Red Balloon, hoping more clues arise. But a series of startling discoveries forces Leah to consider that she may not be ready for what solving this mystery might do to her family--and the Paris she thought she knew. Charming, haunting, and triumphant, Paris by the Book follows one woman's journey as she writes her own story, exploring the power of family and the magic that hides within the pages of a book.

A priest who blesses animals, winemaking firefighters, a tree in a church, an inverted phallus at a well-known entrance, an atomic bomb shelter under Gare de l'Est, a real Breton lighthouse near Montparnasse, unsuspected traces of former brothels, a patron saint of motorists, royal monograms hidden in the Louvre courtyard, the presentation of Christ's crown of thorns, a prehistoric merry-go- round, a sundial designed by Dalí, war-wounded palm trees, bullet holes at the ministry, religious plants in a priest's garden, a mysterious monument to Freemasonry at the Champ-de-Mars, a solid gold sphere in parliament, a Chinese temple in a parking lot, the effect of the Bièvre river on Parisian geography, a blockhouse in the Bois de Boulogne ... For those who thought they knew Paris well, the city is still teeming with unusual and secret places that are easily accessible.

In a tale of friendship, self-discovery and love, three women running away from their lives become unlikely friends in a beautiful house in the heart of Paris. Lost in France, a country she mistrusts, among French people she hardly understands, Annie has trouble venturing away from home since the death of her husband. And since home happens to be a small jewel of a house nestled in the heart of Paris, why would she ever want to? But when bankruptcy threatens her beloved house, her one anchor in life, Annie has no choice but to find renters, and quick. Leave it to someone socially phobic to phrase a want ad in all the wrong ways. With shimmering promises of ‘Starting over in Paris’ –– a concept she has no intention of applying to her own life–– Annie attracts tenants with the kind of baggage that doesn’t fit in suitcases. A long-legged, cool-headed ex model (everything Annie is definitely not) on the run from her abusive husband, a frail young woman harboring a possible death wish, a mysterious French artist, and an infuriating blue-blooded French man soon threaten Annie’s way of life in ways she never anticipated. But when Annie finds herself reluctantly yet actively engaged in the rescue of her tenants, she discovers that she might just save herself in the process.