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A Paris Year: My Day-to-Day Adventures in the Most Romantic City in the World
Part memoir and part visual journey through the streets of modern-day Paris, France, A Paris Year chronicles, day by day, one woman's French sojourn in the world's most beautiful city. Beginning on her first day in Paris, Janice MacLeod, the author of the best-selling book, Paris Letters, began a journal recording in illustrations and words, nearly every sight, smell, taste, and thought she experienced in the City of Light. The end result is more than a diary: it's a detailed and colorful love letter to one of the most romantic and historically rich cities on earth. Combining personal observations and anecdotes with stories and facts about famous figures in Parisian history, this visual tale of discovery, through the eyes of an artist, is sure to delight, inspire, and charm.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2017
190 people are currently reading
2553 people want to read
About the author
Janice MacLeod
14 books207 followersJanice MacLeod is best known as a Paris author and artist. She is the best selling author of Paris Letters, her memoir of how she became an artist in Paris. She created a letter subscription service called Paris Letters, which are illustrated letters sent through the mail.
Her next book, A Paris Year, is an illustrated journal detailing the life of an artist in Paris. It is hailed as One of the Most Beautiful Books by USA Today.
The third Paris-based book is Dear Paris, an anthology of all the Paris Letters created by MacLeod over 10 years. This was hailed by Forbes as One of the Most Romantic Gift Books.
She lives with her family in Canada and Paris.
Her next book, A Paris Year, is an illustrated journal detailing the life of an artist in Paris. It is hailed as One of the Most Beautiful Books by USA Today.
The third Paris-based book is Dear Paris, an anthology of all the Paris Letters created by MacLeod over 10 years. This was hailed by Forbes as One of the Most Romantic Gift Books.
She lives with her family in Canada and Paris.
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June 12, 2025This delightful, visual, book does not cover every single day of the year that MacLeod spent in Paris but the days that she does write about are filled with short stories or anecdotes about famous people and places in history. The graphics are unique and fun and you’ll invariably want to read about each and every day she has selected to comment on. Despite a few shortcomings regarding needed text editing, the book as a whole is sumptuous the way it is. -Anna Q.L.
Find a Copy at Scottsdale Public Library
Find a Copy at Scottsdale Public Library
September 19, 2017
A very in depth and interesting view of the wonders of Paris, however, this book is very poorly edited. There are so many errors which I would never expect. The worst was the use of "you're" as opposed to "your", never thought I would see that mistake in a published work.
May 31, 2018
Another charming book from Janice MacLeod. This is written like a diary with many photos and watercolor paintings that relate to the diary entry for that day.
July 20, 2017
No matter how many books you read about Paris, none are likely to be as visually impressive as this one. Filled with the author's watercolor illustrations as well as quirky photographs, A Paris Year provides personal and historical anecdotes that transport the reader into everyday life in that city. A lovely gift for anyone who's been to Paris and/or hopes to return. (One shortcoming: I counted at least five grammatical mistakes and typos that a publisher like St. Martin's Press should have easily caught. Distracting for word nerds.)
July 4, 2017
A Paris Year is part of the OMGThereAreSoManyNewParis/FrenchBooksBeingReleasedThisYear extravaganza. I did, ultimately, very much enjoy this book, but I have a lot of problems with it. My main one is that it is not quite what it is described as. Here's a portion of the description:
"Part memoir and part visual journey through the streets of modern-day Paris, France, A Paris Year chronicles, day by day, one woman’s French sojourn in the world’s most beautiful city."
Firstly, there are not actually 365 days represented here, Close to it, but there is not an entry for each day. When I realized this I flipped through the book to make sure I didn't have pages missing.
Secondly, there is not a single entry for each day. Many are, but many span more than one day and they are not necessarily consecutive days. It's like they picked the order of the entries they wanted, picked the days they wanted represented, and let them fall in the order they were both in. Aside from the days not making sense, I was hoping for separate and (mostly) unique entries for each page. Instead, much of the time one page will be a pretty picture of a store, say a fromagerie, with a blurb about how nice the owner is, and the next page will go into more detail on the owner. Thus dragging this one day into several. I didn't like that; instead of expecting to leave each thought on the previous page, you had to check to see if it continued or not. One story goes on for 8 pages!
Thirdly, on page 135 "you're" is used instead of "your." HELLO, editing! Hire me?
Fourthly (is this a word?), the visuals come as Janice's illustrations as well as her photographs. Her illustrations are absolutely beautiful and I could stare at them for a large chunk of time each. I'd put up wallpaper with them on it. They're really wonderful. Her photography...not so much. The photos that were crisp and not blurry were fine, no complaints there because it is Paris after all, but a surprisingly large amount of the photographs were very blurry. In a bad way. I feel that with how beautiful the rest of this book is, the outside included, only the very best photographs should be used.
Fifthly (this was really hard for me to spell), on page 161 there is a picture of the Degas mausoleum (which is in the Montmartre Cemetery) under one of the pages dedicated to Père Lachaise. This is incorrect! And bothersome! !!
These 5 examples made the quality feel like it was put together independently with no professional editing, which is not up to my standards for a $25 book. And it was not published independently, so that reflects poorly on the publishing house in my opinion.
All these irks and errors said, I still did enjoy reading the rest of the book. The above really bothered me though. Aside from the beautiful illustrations, there were two pages that really stuck out to me as my favorites. Page 185, titled "Michel de Montaigne," is about a writer who died in 1592 and who is "known for legitimizing the essay as a form of literature." My favorite excerpt from this page is, "In India, people rub the truck [another error I just found! I'm sure this is supposed to be "trunk." WHO PROOFREAD THIS BOOK?????????] of Ganesh... for good luck. In Rome, people will rub the foot of St. Peter. But in France, they rub the shoe of a writer." *heart eyes*
On page 194 there is a lovely description about how many chairs you find together in a park and what mix of people was likely to have been there before you.
And I really did love reading about important people and events in French history mentioned.
Up until writing this review and the last paragraph, I was set at rating this book a 3.5 and being generous with a 4 for online purposes. After finding even more errors and proofreading mistakes, I don't feel good about any higher than a 3. Email me next time and I'll proofread it for free.
TL;DR Beautiful illustrations, fun facts, horrendous (or no) editing and proofreading was done.
"Part memoir and part visual journey through the streets of modern-day Paris, France, A Paris Year chronicles, day by day, one woman’s French sojourn in the world’s most beautiful city."
Firstly, there are not actually 365 days represented here, Close to it, but there is not an entry for each day. When I realized this I flipped through the book to make sure I didn't have pages missing.
Secondly, there is not a single entry for each day. Many are, but many span more than one day and they are not necessarily consecutive days. It's like they picked the order of the entries they wanted, picked the days they wanted represented, and let them fall in the order they were both in. Aside from the days not making sense, I was hoping for separate and (mostly) unique entries for each page. Instead, much of the time one page will be a pretty picture of a store, say a fromagerie, with a blurb about how nice the owner is, and the next page will go into more detail on the owner. Thus dragging this one day into several. I didn't like that; instead of expecting to leave each thought on the previous page, you had to check to see if it continued or not. One story goes on for 8 pages!
Thirdly, on page 135 "you're" is used instead of "your." HELLO, editing! Hire me?
Fourthly (is this a word?), the visuals come as Janice's illustrations as well as her photographs. Her illustrations are absolutely beautiful and I could stare at them for a large chunk of time each. I'd put up wallpaper with them on it. They're really wonderful. Her photography...not so much. The photos that were crisp and not blurry were fine, no complaints there because it is Paris after all, but a surprisingly large amount of the photographs were very blurry. In a bad way. I feel that with how beautiful the rest of this book is, the outside included, only the very best photographs should be used.
Fifthly (this was really hard for me to spell), on page 161 there is a picture of the Degas mausoleum (which is in the Montmartre Cemetery) under one of the pages dedicated to Père Lachaise. This is incorrect! And bothersome! !!
These 5 examples made the quality feel like it was put together independently with no professional editing, which is not up to my standards for a $25 book. And it was not published independently, so that reflects poorly on the publishing house in my opinion.
All these irks and errors said, I still did enjoy reading the rest of the book. The above really bothered me though. Aside from the beautiful illustrations, there were two pages that really stuck out to me as my favorites. Page 185, titled "Michel de Montaigne," is about a writer who died in 1592 and who is "known for legitimizing the essay as a form of literature." My favorite excerpt from this page is, "In India, people rub the truck [another error I just found! I'm sure this is supposed to be "trunk." WHO PROOFREAD THIS BOOK?????????] of Ganesh... for good luck. In Rome, people will rub the foot of St. Peter. But in France, they rub the shoe of a writer." *heart eyes*
On page 194 there is a lovely description about how many chairs you find together in a park and what mix of people was likely to have been there before you.
And I really did love reading about important people and events in French history mentioned.
Up until writing this review and the last paragraph, I was set at rating this book a 3.5 and being generous with a 4 for online purposes. After finding even more errors and proofreading mistakes, I don't feel good about any higher than a 3. Email me next time and I'll proofread it for free.
TL;DR Beautiful illustrations, fun facts, horrendous (or no) editing and proofreading was done.
July 21, 2018
This is the book I wish I had written.
I wish I had traveled to Paris, lived there for a year, and wrote and illustrated a book about the day to day happenings in Paris. It's a book filled with clever little thoughts about Paris, and beautiful little watercolors of Paris, and fun facts about Paris.
It's a delight.
Shhh! Don't tell her, but I think I'm getting this book for my sister for her birthday.
I wish I had traveled to Paris, lived there for a year, and wrote and illustrated a book about the day to day happenings in Paris. It's a book filled with clever little thoughts about Paris, and beautiful little watercolors of Paris, and fun facts about Paris.
It's a delight.
Shhh! Don't tell her, but I think I'm getting this book for my sister for her birthday.
January 20, 2023
My favourite of all the Paris books, but don't tell the others. They'll get jealous.
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October 8, 2020This stunning book is more scrapbook style
than narrative, but through the author’s
charming watercolors and little snippets of
Parisian life, MacLeod transports you to the
multitude of tiny little neighborhoods that
make up this monumental city. This book is
a fabulous gift for any Francophile in your
life.
than narrative, but through the author’s
charming watercolors and little snippets of
Parisian life, MacLeod transports you to the
multitude of tiny little neighborhoods that
make up this monumental city. This book is
a fabulous gift for any Francophile in your
life.
January 5, 2018
Book blurb: Combining personal observations and anecdotes with stories and facts about famous figures in Parisian history, this visual tale of discovery, through the eyes of an artist, is sure to delight, inspire, and charm.
This is a travel memoir setup in the form of a yearly calendar. I too keep travel journals, and always love to see how others log their journeys. This is a delightful read with lots of local history, insider secret spots, photographs, and drawings, and I wish I had read it before my visit the City of Lights. Highly recommended for Francophiles, armchair travelers, and anyone looking for journal inspiration.
This is a travel memoir setup in the form of a yearly calendar. I too keep travel journals, and always love to see how others log their journeys. This is a delightful read with lots of local history, insider secret spots, photographs, and drawings, and I wish I had read it before my visit the City of Lights. Highly recommended for Francophiles, armchair travelers, and anyone looking for journal inspiration.
July 17, 2017
A Paris Year is an enchanting book, created by an artist for readers with the soul of an artist. Each page stimulates the senses. The descriptions of food - and the pictures of it - jump off the page and make you feel as though you must rush out and find a way to taste that very thing right now. Who can talk about Paris without talking of its food? Then there is the palette of colours, different according to season or mood. Pinks and bright greens for spring, olives for fall, blue and yellow for winter. The author's watercolours and photos capture these hues to perfection. There are the Paris stories, and the stories about Paris, the obscure facts, and the ones you knew but needed to be reminded of. It's a cornucopia of delightful tidbits sure to make you fall in love with Paris or rediscover what you loved about it in the first place. And just as the author inserts little hidden photos of herself in the book, along with personal stories with an extra splash of humour, she inserts other little Parisian gems of the sort you might find staring down at you from the walls or up at you from the crosswalks. The book is a mine of gems waiting to be discovered, with another treasure unearthed each time you read it.
The book itself is elegant and of good quality paper and cover. A Paris Year is the perfect book to get for someone who's traveling to Paris and wants to visit neat little treasures off the beaten path. (The pictures and stories come with addresses so you can find them again). It's the perfect gift to buy for someone who has never been to Paris and is longing to take a virtual tour and feel as though she's wandered its streets. Every photo and illustration vibrates with life. It's the perfect gift to offer a tired mom who lives in the suburbs of Paris and never takes the time to go explore its wonders, but who is now reconsidering ... (That last one would be me, and in full disclosure I did receive this book for free but with no strings attached or requests for a review).
And of course, it's the perfect book to buy for yourself. I guarantee it's one you won't be quick to part with.
The book itself is elegant and of good quality paper and cover. A Paris Year is the perfect book to get for someone who's traveling to Paris and wants to visit neat little treasures off the beaten path. (The pictures and stories come with addresses so you can find them again). It's the perfect gift to buy for someone who has never been to Paris and is longing to take a virtual tour and feel as though she's wandered its streets. Every photo and illustration vibrates with life. It's the perfect gift to offer a tired mom who lives in the suburbs of Paris and never takes the time to go explore its wonders, but who is now reconsidering ... (That last one would be me, and in full disclosure I did receive this book for free but with no strings attached or requests for a review).
And of course, it's the perfect book to buy for yourself. I guarantee it's one you won't be quick to part with.
August 20, 2017
Ooh, la la! This book was such a sweet little read. I honestly could have read this book in a day, but I'm glad I read only a few pages a day. It was like a mini escape to Paris everyday during the most stressful time on my job. Love the colors and Paris travel tips. I can't wait to go back!
March 1, 2022
Ah yes, the supposed letters from Paris Letters - the book that started my own watercolour ventures back when I first read it around 2015/6. I don't know what exactly were my expectations but this didn't hit the exact sweet spot. Though in their defense, I wasn't in any headspace for any spot except the "non-reading" kind so the fact that I finish this was a feat in of itself.
Things promised in this book:
1) Pretty art of paris
2) Pretty pictures of paris
3) Random itsy bitsy info of things that you may or may not be interested to read
...basically my version of analog instagram. Which I ain't complainin'.
Things promised in this book:
1) Pretty art of paris
2) Pretty pictures of paris
3) Random itsy bitsy info of things that you may or may not be interested to read
...basically my version of analog instagram. Which I ain't complainin'.
August 30, 2017
Exquisite, moving, captivating, this account of Janice MacLeod's year in Paris cannot fail to amuse, enlighten, delight and stir your emotions. You must get the hardcover to fully revel in her lovely artwork. I have both the hardcover and the Kindle version, and I'm afraid (secretly glad!) this one deserves to be consumed as a real book -- keep it on your coffee table and thumb through it at random. It's a literary box of chocolates.
March 8, 2018
This was an extremely pleasurable read. The author has such a lovely style of writing that is informative and witty. Sometimes journals can be kind of dry, but not MacLeod's. It's highly entertaining, and oh so beautifully illustrated. She includes photos and her watercolor sketches. I read it while reading Hemingway's "A Moveable Feast" . . . a perfect companion read as the author quotes Hemingway several times. It's a book you could browse through off and on to give yourself a lift.
August 2, 2018
Let me go to Paris! Now now now! This sweet little book really brought the city to life. A pleasure to read.
July 10, 2021
Janice MacLeod is a Canadian artist and writer living in Paris. This journal is such a treat, full of interesting tidbits and photos and some of her paintings. I feel like I have just returned from a lovely Paris visit.
July 25, 2017
This book should be required reading for anyone planning a trip to Paris. I find this book fascinating, and I love MacLeod's photos and illustrations. The book literally looks like a visual journal or daily diary. I discovered so many interesting things about Paris that could only be shared by someone who has lived there. For example, there is a thing in Paris called carriage green. What is it, you ask? Get the book and find out! Chock-full of history, festivals, landmarks, and anecdotes, I couldn't help but plan my next trip to the City of Light. And thanks to A Paris Year, I've decided what time of the year I'd prefer to go as well as which places in the city are "must sees." A Paris Year is insightful in what it's like living the expat life.
May 12, 2021
A Paris Year is just the kind of travel journal I hope to write myself some day! This book was an absolute delight. It plunged me into the seasons and colors of Paris. I got a touch of romantic Art Nouveau. I loved the delicate balance of photographs with water color journaling. I could almost taste the crepes and baguettes and I got to follow in Hemingway's steps. Each entry starts with that particular Saint's feast day and Macleod balances history, architecture, art, writers, and food all so beautifully. I could imagine immersing myself in my own travel observations. A Paris Year is an inspiration!
October 14, 2023
Simply delightful! If you are a true Francophile, you will love this book.
January 28, 2024
This book was awesome. Every single page was visually pleasing and the style was fun and different to read. It sucked me in and made me want to visit Paris and keep my own travel journal.
June 12, 2023
A must read for anyone who loved their visit(s) to Paris, or for anyone who dreams of spending a year there.
October 22, 2018
Rounding up but felt meh and as delighted as I was here and there with some tidbit, I was ready to be done with this by the end. The concept is pretty fantastique - a journal-style melange of writings, quotes, observations, photos, and the author's absolutely stunning drawings and paintings of Paris. I want nearly every one of these illustrations in a print, they're marvellous.
But the writing falls flat - it's sometimes judgey or a little snobbish (or just uncomfortable - foreign bureaucracy is tough and frustrating, but calling it "mentally ill" is too much and why are you using "mentally ill" as an insult anyway?) or else the observations are drawn out over multiple entries so the format of an entry a day doesn't make much sense (and multiple day meditations on buying cameras, carrying cameras, tourists and their cameras is not what I wanted to read). Some observational bits strive for some depth but never make any substantial point. Like attempting to define what's "typique" and photographing two different Parisian women and saying as different as they look (one was in fancy tights and feels, the other pants and older) they still would go home with baguettes and prepare dinner the same way. What was the point of that? As the French say when something has gone wrong, oh la la.
I think the highlight was her descriptions of street art and its artists. It showed something unique of the art culture there and her ability to find some interesting, easily overlooked corners and culture of the city. Worth it for the art, and the loveliness of some of the stories.
But the writing falls flat - it's sometimes judgey or a little snobbish (or just uncomfortable - foreign bureaucracy is tough and frustrating, but calling it "mentally ill" is too much and why are you using "mentally ill" as an insult anyway?) or else the observations are drawn out over multiple entries so the format of an entry a day doesn't make much sense (and multiple day meditations on buying cameras, carrying cameras, tourists and their cameras is not what I wanted to read). Some observational bits strive for some depth but never make any substantial point. Like attempting to define what's "typique" and photographing two different Parisian women and saying as different as they look (one was in fancy tights and feels, the other pants and older) they still would go home with baguettes and prepare dinner the same way. What was the point of that? As the French say when something has gone wrong, oh la la.
I think the highlight was her descriptions of street art and its artists. It showed something unique of the art culture there and her ability to find some interesting, easily overlooked corners and culture of the city. Worth it for the art, and the loveliness of some of the stories.
June 16, 2021
I sought out this book for armchair travel and to relive good memories of my short time living in and visiting Paris. I enjoyed the photography and the watercolors, and I picked up tidbits of information about Parisian and French culture, especially when it came to saving papers and books and how they circulate through flea markets. The author’s attention to colors gave me a fresh lens through which to view the beauty of Paris. Since the book was set up as a calendar of sorts I expected seasonal reflections and it made sense when the topic corresponded to the particular day (of celebration, or a link to a French cultural figure). At the same time I felt like I was missing some key background information that perhaps other readers know from social media or the author’s other works. I tried to piece together why or how the author seemed to have a leisurely life in Paris and I tried to piece together where the narrative was heading. Still, it was a nice visual experience that brought back good memories of similar interests in literature, art, and cafes.
July 27, 2017
3.5
With the accompanying illustrations, this book was a joy to flip through for the hour or so it took me to get through it. While I can't say I'll be adding this to my own library, I still highly recommend it to those who love reading about Paris.
With the accompanying illustrations, this book was a joy to flip through for the hour or so it took me to get through it. While I can't say I'll be adding this to my own library, I still highly recommend it to those who love reading about Paris.
February 4, 2018
Nice photographs, lovely illustrations, and some history. Not a diary per se, but more a description of Paris through the various seasons.
March 6, 2018
So wonderful! I adored this book!
March 10, 2022
Love this book for its artistry and photos. It reads like a travel diary and takes you to some of the less touristy spots.
March 13, 2022
As a Francophile, I enjoyed reading through the short snippets Janice MacLeod wrote during a year in Paris. The pictures, drawings and observations were a great delight.
December 17, 2017
A visual treat, filled with the author's own illustrations and photographs. In the format of a daily planner, MacLeod offers a mix of observations of Parisian life, history, and travel advice. P.S. to the publisher--hire a proofreader...too many typos.
February 25, 2018
So neat. Drawings and photos of Paris over a year. Brought back great memories and makes me want to go back! :)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 242 reviews