Different kinds of paper for pastel painting

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This tip is from Jennifer Blenkinsopp at ArtWanted.com:

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I have just tried papyrus paper for the first time. It's not bad.

I've also tried watercolor paper but the best is Downer Rowney pastel paper, in my opinion.

 

 

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My first choice for a pastel paper would have to be any decent hand-made watercolor paper

A very close second and, in some ways, also my first choice is Waterford Watercolor, Rough

After that; anything with plenty of "tooth" and strong enough to withstand some scraping and a lot of water and fixatives. (I tend to make a watercolour wash using pastels and a wet paintbrush to create my initial background colours, layout and colour scheme... after that, I always go over the top with fixatives - except in the final layer where I never use them)

Canson Me Tientes is great when I want to really force myself to go easy on the application of pastel and try to keep to a more traditional style of pastel painting with at least a bit of the original paper colour showing through...