Le Chat et la Souris, tucked down the Rue Henry Monnier in the 9th arrondissement, is a curious little place. With no name on the outside, this rather eccentric vintage boutique is home to all manner of offbeat treasures, from vases that wouldn’t look out of place at your grandma’s to the quirky bracelets and earrings hand made by the owner, Isabelle Anglade. Elsewhere, you might find pieces of furniture like a telephone worthy of a role in a Cold War-era spy film or some delightfully obscure Caribbean jazz and blues 12-inches (of course, they only sell second-hand vinyl). When we go, three elderly ladies enter, swiftly followed by members of French rock group Housse de Racket – proving the shop’s clientele to be as diverse as its stock.
TRANSLATION: FLORA HUDSON