44 Nights in Paris: Camille, Bastille

Bastille is one of my favorite arrondissements in Paris. I spent time there with Antoine on a very sunny Saturday in April 2007, and I’ve always wanted to go back.

Sometimes I set out on little field trips during my little Paris residency, and did my best to navigate the dodgy weather. My day in Bastille started out cloudy and ended up rainy. I had my umbrella so I wasn’t terribly concerned.

Landing in the center of Bastille, I decided to just walk and walk until I found somewhere I’d like to stop. I was doing just that when Antoine messaged me. He just wanted to know where I was and what I was doing. Interesting timing.

I told him I was in Bastille, thank you for asking ... and that I was getting hungry, where am I having lunch?

Camille is nice, he offered.

Finding it on my maps, I began to follow the lengthy route to get there. It was so worth it. The streets got tiny, the lining of shops was so fun to walk along, and all of the new-and-interesting all felt just so extraordinary.

When I landed at Camille, something else wonderful happened that I hadn’t expected.

For most of the time I was in Paris, I resisted taking myself out to lunch and especially dinner. I did it a few times in the beginning, and I always just felt so alone. Paris is so romantic, the City of Light, of course the City of Love ... which I absolutely adore except that all diners seemed coupled up or with someone. I rarely was. Lydie and I didn’t go out to eat, we ate at my house. I really only went out for morning petit dejeuner with coffee, because my journal kept me company.

Arriving at Camille, I was asked if I had a reservation. I did not. I was warmly welcomed and asked to surrender my jacket for safekeeping anyway. The very kind host guided me to banquette of tiny tables very close to each other, along the back wall. He seated me at a tiny table next to two Asian men’s tiny table to the right, and made sure I was comfortable. Within time my lovely, very kind lady server greeted me. I felt destined for an extraordinary time.

And so it was. I enjoyed a glass of Champagne, with a foie gras salad, and the most divine steak frites. The most delicious part was, I didn’t feel alone. I was so close to my gracious banquette companions (a husband and wife were very soon seated on my left; the handsome Asian men were to my right), I felt like I was with company and it just all felt so good.

Camille also has a tiny blackboard menu that was within my view, with Soup du Moment. I don’t know that I’ve ever been in such a charming place, it just kept getting better. There was even a very narrow spiral staircase – painted deep emerald green - to the ladies’ room that I now wish I had a photo of. The service was so kind, and on my way out the same greeter gentleman brought me my white jacket, as if he’d taken special notice not to miss that beat.

I truly felt that my angels – through Antoine – had guided me to Camille to change my mind about dining out, and I was so grateful for that experience. My little field trip just kept getting better. On my way out I noticed a sign for the Picasso Musee’. I adore Picasso, I had to go.

When I went to buy my ticket, it was nearly 3pm and I was a little concerned about seeing all of the exhibits. It turned out that more than half the museum was closed for construction and tickets were only 7 euros (usually 23 euros) to see only part of two floors. It was perfect.

Can you guess? I love Bastille now, all the more.