On Paris curiosities

A conversation with Vanessa Grall of Messy Nessy Chic

While some tourists queue for hours to snap the same Eiffel Tower selfie, or buy factory-produced macarons at Ladurée, or claim to be diehard Paris fans but never venture beyond the Marais, others know that the city’s greatest assets require venturing beyond the obvious. I think that’s why you’re here, reading this newsletter :) A concealed doorway that leads into some twisted urban underbelly. An umbrella repair shop that's been fixing parasols since 1845. A small museum dedicated to magic. Even the Seine harbors secrets—at low tide, mudlarks sift through centuries of discarded treasures, from medieval pottery shards to lost wedding rings.

No one has uncovered the oddities, offbeat places, and eccentric or seldom-told stories more thoroughly than Vanessa Grall, better known as Messy Nessy. Her website has been a treasure trove of intriguing tales and unusual finds for more than a decade and her books have continued that tradition. Since last year, that focus has extended to a tight curation of books, objects, arts, and ephemera in her very own store, Messy Nessy’s Cabinet in the 5th arrondissement.

I am delighted to have Vanessa on my podcast (enfin!) to talk about how this whole Messy Nessy project began, her move to Paris (she’s French-American but raised in London), the stories she feels impelled to unearth and share, and the joys of being a shopkeeper. We also discuss those wildly successful “spy cam” videos she shares on the Messy Nessy Instagram.

Listen to our conversation on Apple podcasts or Spotify (links above) or wherever you stream your podcasts! Bonus: Vanessa has kindly shared a few wildcard suggestions for experiencing Paris the Messy Nessy way below the jump. These are a few of her favorites from her Wild Cards deck. Enjoy!