Jan Constantine in Paris

Hello again! The past two weeks have been a little empty in the way of blog posts because Jan has been away on holiday to Venice and Paris, but now she's back we have plenty to tell you! First up, we have a little information for you on what Jan did on her last day away.
Brasserie Julien in Paris is a relic from the glorious age of Art Nouveau. Jan says, "It's always a toss-up, on a brief visit to Paris, as to which brasserie to go to - either Julien's or Flo's - as both jewels are in the same area of rue de Fauborg St-Denis. For sheer aesthetics, Julien's wins hands down.

"For Art A-Level, I studied the woman in Art Nouveau, and I wrote about the wonderful paintings of ladies depicting spring, summer, autumn and winter in the style of Alfonse Muncha by a Parisian artist of the day that graced the walls of Julien's in Paris."

Photographs taken of the paintings on Brasserie Julien's walls

"I ate there very regularly when I was in Paris as a young fashion designer visiting the shows and exhibitions. The food and atmosphere are still wonderful today, but the fresh flowers and the lady who used to bustle up and take my hat and coat are gone, and sadly it isn't as busy as it once was - maybe a sign of the times we are in. The surrounding streets are still the same - filled with eastern smells, smoke and prostitutes - which makes it all the more sublime when you go inside, taste the aperitif of the day and try to decide which exquisitely traditional Parisian dish to have."

Julien's was first opened in 1787, though it that time it was known as Le Cheval Blanc, and was converted into a brasserie in 1903. Aside from the paintings shown above, Julien's also has a floral stained glass roof made by the Guenne company in 1925, which highlights the famous Gismonda, depicting Sarah Bernhardt, as well as Arnaud Jean-Baptiste Segaud's peacocks.

If you're looking for a spot of history and a delightful place to eat next time you're in Paris, Jan thoroughly recommends Julien's as the place to go!

As it says on the back of the menu, "The elegance of the Belle Epoque lives on at Julien."