This blog post is the thing that got me most excited about going home after a 10 day vacation!
April’s trip to Paris was probably like my tenth, and it never gets old or boring, in fact it gets more interesting as I dig deeper to visit and experience things I haven’t before. When I asked for your recommendations on Instagram, I noticed that each of us has their own way of loving this city (or not loving it)… Many are into food experiences and walks, while others are into culture and history, and maybe into vintage and/or luxury shopping. Whatever it is that ticks, we can always find it in this charming soulful city.
As promised, I compiled for you a list of recommendations for Paris. An me being the organizational freak I am, I divided the list into two main parts, the first is places and areas I’ve visited, tried and loved, and the second is a compilation of your answers from Instagram and which I haven’t had the chance to try.
Each destination name is clickable and will guide you to the relevant information.
Let me start by confirming for the n’th time that there is no area more charming for me that the Marais, especially Place des Vosges, Rue des Rosiers and Vieille de Temple. It’s the perfect quarter for art, food, architecture, and fashion lovers lovers.
« Visited, Tried, Loved » List of places in Paris by category:
Areas & Markets:
Marchē des Enfants Rouges: The oldest covered market in Paris established in 1628. Good for an exploration walk, a stop for a bite, or buying fresh flowers, fruits and vegetables.
Passage Jouffroy: A 19th century glass & iron shopping arcade, with a hotel and restaurant.
Montmartre (Sacre-cœur): Another one of the charming areas where you can view the city from top, visit the sacre-coeur church, and enjoy the atmosphere in its cobblestone streets. This area reminds me a lot of « Le fabuleux Destin D’Amelie Poulin » which remains one of my favorite all time movies made from cinematography to music.
Rue de L’abreuvoir: In Montmartre, this street is a narrow passage that was used a long time ago to bring water to animals of the area. It ends today with Place Dalia where you can find a life-size sculpture of the famous singer. Fun fact: This is a street where a few scenes of « Emily in Paris » were shot.
Rue des Rosiers: A charming floral passage of 300 meters in the heart of Marais.
Rue du vielle de temple: The street I love the most where you can find awesome vintage finds, local brands stores and international mid to high end brands such as Maje, Sandro, The Kooples… Make sure to stop somewhere for a coffee or a glass of wine.
Area of Eglise St. Severin: I personally discovered this area by complete randomness and found it so appealing with its narrow alleyways, its bustling bistrots and local shops. From Rive Gauche, I crossed all the way to reach the Marais.
Marchē aux Puces: There are several flee markets in Paris but my favorite area is around the Boulevard Périphérique closer to Montmartre. They usually open on Saturdays and Sundays so feel free to roam the area on those days after around 10 am onwards to find little gems for your home or closer here and there. Make sure you’re hydrated and have patience, as you will definitely need time to explore, find and then negotiate prices.
Cafes and Restaurants:
Carette: A classic for Breakfast or Brunch. I always have the scrambled eggs with herbs and a croissant nature. If my stomach fits, I add the mont blanc at the end 🙂
Le Meurice: The famous Le Meurice always gets me going for a fancy Afternoon tea or even an elegant tasty breakfast.
Big Love: Part of the Big Mamma group, it’s a stylish and casual Italian eatery. I personally loved their pesto pasta and their pizzas are extra delicious.
Obermama: Also part of the Big Mamma group, it’s an Italian Restaurant with a wide variety of choices. Honestly, everything we ordered was super yummy.
L’Aller Retour: A small Viande & vin restaurant where I had one of my favorite Pave D’Angus with fries. Highly recommended.
Derrière: An upscale French bistro that can be suitable for a weekend brunch.
La Coupole: A Classic Art Deco French Restaurant on the famous Blvd Haussmann. I wasn’t a fan of the onion soup (although many mentioned it was a great choice there), but I really like the pave de saumon as well as the artichoke salad. The moules et frites also looked very appetising.
Gigi: A High-end restaurant overlooking the Eiffel Tower. Good for a romantic dinner for two. The music goes a bit loud too soon but the food and the ambiance are great.
Marlette: Nestled in an alley in Montmartre, this little breakfast place was recommended by a friend. I loved their sandwiches especially the avocado and salmon tartine with poached egg.
Tranchē: A small bakery in Montmartre where I had one of my favorite Almond Croissants.
Loulou: Loulou was open at the time of my visit in 2022 and I really loved my food experience there. Its location at the louvre and Les Jardin Des Tuileries was enough to charm me away.
Takumi: A Japanese patisserie near the Opera, their Japanese cheesecake is to die for. My friend recommended the Yuzu choux a la creme, however I didn’t really like it. Well, I’m not a fan of choux a la creme to start with.
Cedric Grolet: Too famous to elaborate on… All his desserts and croissants are to die for!
Murphy’s House: I passed by for a quick drink and loved the energy! Nice Irish pub to watch a football match.
Gentlemen 1919: A highly recommended hidden gem near Champs Elysees, This is a barber shop from the front and a bar/cigar lounge from the back. If you are a cigar smoker, make sure to book in advance as the smoking area is quite small.
Café de L’Homme: An elegant cafe/Resto overlooking the Eiffel Tower. If you were lucky with a table outside, I recommend booking around sunset time.
Café des Tuileries: One thing I am always hunting for in Paris: The best croissant! And apparently, this cafe has a buttery crunchy well balanced one! I visited it two days in a row and had the same two choices for breakfast: Croissant nature and tartine et confiture.
Le Café des Chats: For animal lovers, it is a cute must-visit for breakfast or a cup of coffee with friendly cats all around you for you to pet but never to disturb 😉
For Art & Culture, I will list a few places for you to explore more about and measure your interest in 🙂
For shopping, I will be brief with a few of my favorite places in Paris where I go every time I’m there, even if it’s only for window shopping.
Passage Jouffroy
One the heart opening experiences I had during my visit was a roadtrip to Normandie. We stopped in a small colorful town called Beaumont-en-Auge where we had a short walk, a glass of wine and a casse croute. The beautiful scenery on the way, the calm and positive energy of the town, the history of Normandie was all worth the 3 hours ride.
Places recommended but not visited:
Fringe: Hip spot for specialty coffee and vegan cakes
Chez L’Ami Louis: French Restaurant in Marais.
Monsieur Bleu: Chic eatery at the Palais de Tokyo
Papilles: All Day Brunches with craft coffee and a famous carrot cake.
Sanukia: Japanese restaurant specialized in Ramen
Nodaïwa: Traditional Japanese Unagi Bar
La Bossue: Patisserie and brunch
Beef Bar: Upscale Steak restaurant.
Dinand par Ferdi: Burgers, mac & cheese and churros.
Miss Ko: Sushi Restaurant with a modern take on bao buns and ceviche.
The Bar du Marchē: A nice bistro to stop for drinks and a bite
Kong: High end Asian fusion gastropub with city views
Orient Extrême: Japanese Restaurant with three branches across Paris
Boulangerie Mamiche: Known for their croissants and brioches.
Cachē: Chic fish and seafood restaurant
Le Train Bleu: Classic french restaurant in Gare de Lion with a beautiful interior.
Du Pain et des Idees: A french bakery known for its Croissants
Anahuacalli: Mexican bar place with great Margueritas
Carton A french bakery with great croissants
Stohrer: A french pâtisserie, recommended for its desserts as well as its croissants.
And since the list is endless, don’t forget to comment with your favorite french spots!
