Wednesday, May 20, 2026

Yesterday I went to buy stamps

 

Yesterday I went to buy stamps for the May Paris Letter,

Because my big Post Office had just sold the last 3 international timbres/stamps to the girl ahead of me! Crazy no?  

I went to Le Carré d’Encre yesterday - the only place besides 

Musée de la Poste
to Always have INTERNATIONAL stamps. 

*Never ask for ‘Overseas/outre Mer 🌊 stamps. You will get exceptionally, pretty stamps good only for Guadeloupe, Reunion, Mayot, Tahiti etc.

                                                Carré d’Éncre has 

Endlessly,

Enticing 

Stationary items 

To drool over

If you’re into silly paper bits n’ pieces.

After the stamp shop,  I go drool at the usual suspects

At Galeries Layette Gourmet. Not as nearly as tempting as all the stamps I can’t buy.

Galeries Lafayette has a  PRADA marché as you enter

With discretely embossed PRADA perfume cards perfect for your letter 💌

Dior is thinking Cakes 🍰 for Mother’s Day, which falls on May 31

And butterflies 🦋 

I have been thinking 🤔 


I started sketching ✍️ 2 years ago with BEAR’s 🐻 assistance.

Tea time 🫖 at Café Varenne.

I added in a sprig/brin of muguet/lilies of the valley for May.

On Saturday, I dropped by, longing for a bowl of soup - it was chilly 🥶 I was too early. The kitchen doesn’t open till 🕛 noon ☹️

I did briefly think of switching to an onion soup 🥣 letter instead, but Bonnie said it was too wintry a subject 👎

And briefly fell down the Paris Opera rabbit 🐇 hole for a bit till I came back to my senses 🙄 

Always a good 👍 idea to stick with 

The date you came with….

Ta da.

And into la poste 📮before I change my mind again 🤔

Friday I am off to ROUEN for the weekend to sketch ✍️ with Urban Sketchers France 🇫🇷 annual event (with brave Carolyn from WA). There will be lots to show & tell.


36 comments:

  1. Mimi_79:19 AM

    What is your favorite food at Café Varenne? I enjoy their chevre salad with the tasty green beans. It's quite different from the standard chevre chaud salad in other cafes.

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous9:39 AM

      What’s that cream puff with vanilla ice cream and hot chocolate sauce called? 🙄 I did a post on it…theirs is very good 😊

      Delete
    2. Anonymous11:05 AM

      Profiteroles?

      Delete
    3. Anonymous1:32 PM

      Yes! Thank you 🙏
      https://parisbreakfasts.blogspot.com/2024/05/profiteroles-i-have-eaten-chez-clement.html

      Delete
  2. Anonymous9:24 AM

    Your emails/posts bring me joy. And inspo for the next trip. Thank you.

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  3. Thank you for this lovely post. I’ll be sure to add Le Carré d’Encre and Café Varenne to my must-visit list for my next Paris trip!

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  4. Anonymous10:03 AM

    Yum, café Varenne makes me think of profiteroles!!! Thank you for bringing back such great memories! 😘❤️🤗from🇨🇦

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    1. Anonymous1:31 PM

      THANK YOU! Yes exactly 👍
      https://parisbreakfasts.blogspot.com/2024/05/profiteroles-i-have-eaten-chez-clement.html

      Delete
  5. Anonymous10:14 AM

    Love your navy outfit with the scarf! Tres chic..

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous1:34 PM

      Thanks!
      Now I know what to wear to ROUEN! 👍

      Delete
  6. Anonymous11:14 AM

    Loved this post Carol. Your May Paris Letter is beautiful. You look wonderful in the photo you shared and I enjoyed the variety of things you shared with us. Your newsletters always bring me joy and wonderful memories of Paris. Merci. -Suzanne P.

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous1:34 PM

      Thank you Suzanne ❤️

      Delete
  7. Anonymous12:02 PM

    Always fun to see you in your posts!

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous1:35 PM

      😬 I prefer to hide 🫣

      Delete
  8. Wonderful to learn about the Carré d'Encre shop! Thank you! I'll have to remember to visit when I am next in that neighborhood. Petit bémol, as they say: I'm sure you know that the paper items at Carré d'Encre are "stationery," not "stationary" - though I suppose they are also stationary until you pick them up or move them! :-)

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    1. Anonymous1:36 PM

      I’m dyslexic…can’t spell.

      Delete
    2. Ah, sorry. But you write so well! and your watercolors are divine. Those are what matter!

      Delete
  9. Anonymous12:18 PM

    Bonjour Carol
    I love 💕 your posts they are so full of wonderful interesting things in France 🇫🇷
    Your sketching ✍️ with Bear a treat to see
    the real deal artist 🧑‍🎨 with muse (Bear)in France 🇫🇷 Merci for taking us along with you on your adventures it makes me smile 😊 love love love ❤️ 💕❤️ your artwork

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous1:39 PM

      THANK YOU SO MUCH ❤️ 🇫🇷 🖼️

      Delete
  10. Anonymous1:06 PM

    This last street in Rouen is, I believe, where we stayed a couple nights on my "Impressionists" trip with Road Scholar. One art museum there is exquisite! Ever been there? Musee des Beaux-Arts.

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous1:38 PM

      I showed the museum last October, but did not get upstairs to see the paintings 🖼️ This time I will.
      https://parisbreakfasts.blogspot.com/2025/10/fete-du-ventre-rouen.html

      Delete
    2. Anonymous2:56 PM

      I did visit 2015 I think when they had a special Impressionist exhibition

      Delete
  11. Sukicart2:17 PM

    Love the picture of you and extra excited to see Bear with you. Tell him hi from me.

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  12. Anonymous2:45 PM

    🐻 👋 ❤️ Suki!

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  13. Bonnie L6:23 PM

    Love Cafe Varenne. They have a traditional (American), turkey dinner on Thanksgiving day. And, there are way more locals eating that turkey than Americans. Your Café Varenne watercolor is gorgeous!

    I’m joining the chorus in noting how cute & chic you look in that photo with Bear. ❤️ Have a fabulous time in Rouen. I’m looking forward to your soupe à l’oignon letter!

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous3:53 AM

      Hmmm…maybe I should take 🐻 to Rouen..?

      Delete
  14. Dorrance6:28 PM

    Those postage stamps are divine…love the barge in “Paris”.

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  15. Anonymous2:32 AM

    That looked like the perfect day!

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    1. Anonymous3:55 AM

      My ‘escape’ day…going to the stamp shop…
      But I had to stop getting yummy MARSHMALLOWS at Jeff de Bruges 😬 going sugar-free ☹️

      Delete
  16. Anonymous2:39 PM

    We went to the Musée de la Poste this afternoon and found it really interesting! And it got us to Montparnasse to explore. Thank you!

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous3:01 AM

      Isn’t La musee de la Poste a fun, witty Place!
      I must go visit the new uniform exhibit!

      Delete
  17. Anonymous7:59 PM

    Love this! From (Sketchbook Wandering)

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous3:01 AM

      Hi 👋 Rita ❤️

      Delete
  18. Anonymous3:22 AM

    This piece feels incredibly warm and comforting. Something as simple as buying stamps turns into a gentle little journey filled with color, emotion, and the unique charm of Paris. The way the writer notices small details — the stamp shop, the streets, the food, and the atmosphere around them — makes readers feel like they are quietly walking alongside them.

    What I especially love is how natural and unforced the storytelling feels. There’s nostalgia, curiosity, and even a touch of humor about the international stamps being unavailable, which somehow makes the experience feel even more human and relatable.

    Stories like this remind us that happiness often lives in ordinary moments: wandering through a city, admiring shop windows, smelling coffee from a nearby café, or simply sending a letter to someone we care about. In such a fast-moving world, this kind of writing feels calming and sincere.

    And somehow, after reading it, I suddenly feel like sitting in a quiet café and writing a postcard to someone I miss.

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  19. What a mission to get international stamps! The stationery shop is great though, I would love looking around there.
    Funny how ideas seem not quite right but then you try a couple of others and turns out the first one was fine. Look forward to getting my Cafe Verene letter!

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