studentsineurope

Oriental Enchantment in Unlikely Paris

The architectural contrast makes La Mosquée an exciting and essential establishment to visit.

One of Paris’s must-sees is not Parisian at all, but the exotic, oriental and unique Mosquée de Paris.

The largest mosque in France is situated on a quiet street in the 5th arrondissement, about a 10 minute walk from le Marais. It’s a place not only for Paris’s large Muslim community, but for the multi-faith public as well.

The mosque’s obvious exterior leads to a white and picturesque terrace shadowed by cedar trees and singing with tiny birds, where sweet Moroccan-style mint tea and pastries can be taken on mosaic tables. Follow the aforementioned birds inside (yes, all the way inside) to an interior sectioned off with hand-carved wooden arches, illuminated with golds and jewel-tones and lined with plush benches – the perfect setting for either a North African meal or a hookah pipe.

The Mosque's interior (birds not pictured).

If tea, cuisine and smoke isn’t your thing then you’re nuts, but the mosque can be enjoyed in other ways as well. Visitors can browse the souk – a market typical to the Orient, or spend an afternoon in Le Hamaam, the mosque’s spa. Services range from €10 for a mini-massage to spa packages priced up to €320. Just don’t expect a couples massage – the Hamaam is open at separate times for men and women. While I did not visit the spa (too busy with the aforementioned vices), I’ve heard the services are relaxing and well worth it.

While the mosque is far from quintessential Paris, it’s an unforgettable spot providing an enchanted afternoon. Don’t hesitate to go.

La Mosquée de Paris, 39 rue Saint-Hilaire, 5th Arrondissement; 01 43 31 38 20. Visit the mosque’s web site for hours, menus and prices.

photos courtesy of Wikipedia and lamosquee.com