Book Review: Old-Fashioned Corners of Paris

Anyone yearning for a flavour of past-time Paris, which has begun to slip through our fingers in the face of increasing commercialisation, will get their fill from this little book. In a bid for authenticity, Destournelles reveals cafes, markets, movie theatres and jazz cellars which are still running according to old-fashioned customs.

Quotes from the likes of Zola and Proust add a level of gravitas, as do descriptions embellished by anecdotes reflecting Destournelles’s familiarity with every location.

These singular sights appear in no particular order, but this just adds to the pleasure – it’s like stumbling across them during an amble through Paris. The photography has a sepia tint which reinforces the book’s nostalgic core, tapping into childhood memories and a timeless past where everything is handmade, unique and steeped in family tradition. It elevates the retro trend to new heights, yet in the most charming way possible.

Old-Fashioned Corners of Paris by Christophe Destournelles, $18.95, The Little Bookroom, New York

From France Today magazine