Wander: Paris
Last updated: 1/1/19
After receiving my college diploma, I moved to Paris to be an Au Pair and live out my foreign fantasies with a beautiful family of 5. It’s typically after I say this first sentence in a conversation that someone nearby says, “I’m going to Paris in a few months! What should I do?” Like anyone who’s been literally anywhere, I rattle off a few of my favorite sites, stores and areas to visit. Do those people remember what I’ve said? No. Did I do right by them in providing actionable travel advice? No.
But you, lucky friend, random reader, esteemed colleague, former lover -- you reap the benefits of four years of procrastination! Without further ado, here’s what I would do in Paris if I were you.
Santé.
Important tidbits
Paris is essentially divided into two: the left (south) and right (north) banks.
The metro is amazing -- take it absolutely everywhere. Tickets are cheap (~ 2 EUR / trip), so buy a “carnet” of 10 tickets to save time on your next metro trip. Note that it has operating hours and does not run 24/7!
Dust off your high school French. The use of “bonjour” “merci” and “au revoir” will go a long way. Although most people speak English, the tourist assumption that everyone you interact with speaks English feels kind of rude. “Parlez-vous anglais?” will get you in the francophile’s good graces, and they’ll typically either transition into English or find someone who can.
That Parisian style thing is real. Escalate your sense of “casual” if you care about blending in with the crowds.
Don’t be thrown off by untamed male eyebrows. Apparently, it’s something of a badge of honor because they can be unkempt AF.
Tipping isn’t required but definitely appreciated (former Parisian server / bartender speaking). A few Euros is fine.
I don't touch on accommodations in this post. My advice is to stay in République, Bastille, or the Marais. Airbnb's a great way to find unique places and live like a real Parisian (read: in a cramped space full of character).
Wander around and get lost -- it’s the most exciting and romantic way to explore the city.
When in doubt: Go to Monoprix (or any other little supermarché) and buy wine, a baguette, some camembert, sliced saucisson and un tableau de chocolat and head to the quais -- the banks along the Seine. It’s the most romantical thing you can do in Paris. My favorite spot is on the southeast side of the Notre Dame (below).
Key
👀 - See
🏃 - Do
🍔 - Eat
🍷 - Drink
🛍 - Shop
✳️ - An EP Fave
These recommendations are organized by the 20 arrondissements - or districts - that spiral out from the two islands in the middle of the Seine. HERE WE GO.
Ile de la Cité / Ile de Saint Louis
👀 Sainte Chapelle - Incredibly ornate 13-century chapel with more beautiful stained-glass windows. It’s on the same little island (Ile de la Cité) as Notre Dame, so you can knock them both out at the same time.
👀 🏃 Notre Dame - OG church that was first built in 1163. The stained-glass windows are gorgeous, and you can even go up in the bell tower (for a fee) to try on Quasimodo for size.
🍔 Berthillon - Phenomenally delicious ice cream in a supes cute location.
1st - Chatelet - Les Halles
👀 🏃 The Louvre - Not for the faint of heart; this is as beasty of a museum as they come. Also, the Mona Lisa is super small and always has a crowd, so prepare yourself for that. I happen to love this museum, but I’d recommend coming with a plan of things you want to see. Hot tip: If you’re under 26, the museum is free for you on Fridays after 6pm.
✳️ 👀 🏃 Orangerie Museum - This is actually my favorite museum because it showcases eight of Monet’s waterlily murals -- they’re enormous and flush to the museum’s curved walls. Having seen his estate in Giverny, the display and architecture of these pieces do a great job of transporting you.
🍔 Verjus - American-owned, sexy, tiny, classy, expensive little resto. Those are a lot of words, but it’s *très* cool.
3rd + 4th - Le Marais
✳️ 🍔 Chez Alain Miam Miam - Alain has two outposts, one storefront of his own at this address and a booth in Marché des Enfants Rouge (keep reading for more on MER). Alain is a wacky guy who makes serious sandwiches. He flirts with all the ladies, takes care and time with every single patron, and flirts with the ladies. Furreal. He’s been featured on Vice, and about a million food-travel guides, and it’s 1000% deserved.
Protip: Ask for “un sac à papier” right away so you can wrap half of this sucker and eat it for wine-drunk snack at 10pm, because let’s be honest, you’re probably drunk that early and on your way to bed.
🍷 Le Barav - Failproof wine bar with quality meat and cheese boards. Another place where you can pick your wine from the shop, then enjoy it in-house.
👀 🏃 Musée Carnavalet - This museum is housed in a beautiful private mansion of a well-known writer from Louis XIV’s time. This area is great for Sundays when most shopping is shut down. It’s closed for renovation until 2019. If you’re reading this from the future -- specifically 2019 -- try to go see it.
👀 Place des Vosges - A choice picnic (or pique-nique if you already fancy yourself a Parisian) spot. It’s the oldest planned square in Paris and is lined with gorgeous 17th-century buildings, one of which was home to THE Victor Hugo. NBD. (V. Hugo’s house is free to visit, too!).
🍔 La Trinquette - Not too expensive little spot with tasty wine from Languedoc Roussillon ( a region in the south of France). Get there early to get a table and definitely order one of their platters to munch on.
🍔 Chez Janou - Traditional Provençal French cooking, a good standby if you’re in the area and in a pinch.
✳️ 🍔 Le Marché des Enfants Rouges - The oldest covered market in the city (400 years old!). It’s a culinary destination with options from Japanese bento boxes to Lebanese sandwiches. Worth the detour. Some recommendations.
🍔 Merci - Coffee shop, restaurant, clothing store, a bookstore with beautiful people and interesting wares. You become a little bit cooler the moment you walk in.
✳️ 🛍 La Vaissellerie - My go-to for kitchen wares. Dishes, whisks, wine openers, and everything else I don’t have time to list -- this is a wonderful place to get a Parisian souvenir that you or the person you’re buying for will actually use. The Saint-Antoine location is my favorite. I start at Place de la Bastille and walk it all the way down through the Marais and straight to the Tuileries.
🍔 Jouannault - Top, top cheese shop (a Marie rec). They have a huge selection, are incredibly knowledgeable and also have a modest wine selection so if you’re on your way to a picnic, you can get something to pair.
🛍 Diwali - Beautiful scarves and statement jewelry pieces. On the pricier side, but don’t let that deter you.
🛍 Freep’star - A three-store boutique chain with vintage clothes and accessories that reminds me a bit of a Brooklyn thrift shop. It’s always pretty crowded, so mentally prepare for that before you walk in. There are plenty of treasures to be found, just give yourself the time to find them.
🛍 Kilo Shop - CLOTHES BY THE KILO -- HOW COOL IS THAT I MEAN COME ON?!
5th + 6th - Latin Quarter
✳️ 🍔 L'avant Comptoir du Marché - An absolutely stellar recommendation from my friend Marie. This place gets crowded, but don’t let that stop you. Menu cards of tapas-style dishes dangle from the ceiling, and an absolutely killer wine list (get the Macon Chaintré from Chateau Villette, it will SLAY you) will have this place burned into your memory for the rest of your life. I’m dramatic, but this is real. Next door you’ll find L'avant Comptoir De La Mer
Sorry, was tipsy when I shot this. Tuna tartare with raspberry, buckwheat and coriander at L'avant Comptoir De La Mer
🏃 Le Caveau de la Huchette - Sort of touristy, vibey underground jazz club. Worth a visit if that’s your scene.
✳️ 👀 🏃 Jardin du Luxembourg - the favorite garden of all Parisians. It straddles the 5th and 6th arrondissements and is simply glorious. If you’re in the sporty mood, there’s a nice loop that people run around.
🍔 Guenmaï - A small resto with attentive staff -- serves mostly vegan although there are meat and fish options on the menu.
🍔 Mamie Gâteaux - Adorable French country-style antique store with tasty quiches, tarts and a popular lunch menu.
🛍 🍔 Coopérative laitière du Beaufortain - A convenient little spot for Beaufort cheeses just north of the Jardin. They have a great cheese selection, some choice dried sausages, baguettes from a nearby bakery, and canned gifties to bring home. I like to stop here between the Jardin, the massive Monoprix on Blvd Saint-Michel, and the banks of the Seine. Perfect. Picnic. Route.
🛍 Pierre Oteiza Paris 6ème - I’m not a huge paté / fois gras fan, but many many people are. This is a wonderful (and affordable) little spot that also has a great selection of cured meat and cheese. Great gifts.
7th - Invalides
👀 🏃 Eiffel Tower / Champ de Mars - No descriptor needed. Pro tip: another great picnic spot. Bring champagne. All of it.
8th - Champs Elysées
✳️ 👀 🏃 Champs Elysées/ Arc de Triomphe / Place de la Concord - Another one that’s kind of a no-brainer. Don’t eat at any of the places on the Champs Elysées, they’re crazy overpriced.
9th
🍷 Les Reines de Buchon - Cheap champagne / wine bar with good charcuterie plates.
🍷 Le Rouge et le Verre - Cute wine bar with an extensive wine selection (you can pick your wine from the wall, and enjoy it in the bar, or take it to go). The service is outstanding, and although a little pricey, the food’s great too.
👀 Printemps Haussmann - One of Paris’ most famous high-end department stores. The bi-annual state-mandated sales are the time to go (and actually buy something). The window displays outside the building are also worth seeing.
👀 Galeries Lafayette - Same story, different name.
10th - Canal St Martin / Republique
👀 🍔 Le Marché Saint-Quentin - It’s the largest covered market in Paris with meats, cheeses, fruits, veggies, and delectables of all kinds. Depending on your route, it’s also a great pitstop on the way to Montmartre.
🍷 Chez Jeanette - This was my host parents’ go-to neighborhood spot to drink. They were the coolest late 30-something people and their coolness is definitely reflected in the “bobo” clientele you’d find at Jeanette’s.
🍔 Chez Juhlès - This was my go-to spot for cheese, wine, and other antipastis. If you’re in the area, pop in and grab some cheese and bread and head to the Canal for a crazy-authentic Parisian experience.
🍔 The Pink Flamingo - Probably one of my best recommendations. The Pink Flamingo has delicious, experimental / funky pizza in close proximity to the canal. You have the option of placing your order, then heading to the canal clad with a pink balloon. THEY DELIVER YOUR PIZZA TO YOUR BALLOON. If that doesn’t impress you, nothing will.
🍷 La Cinquante - A little rough around the edges, but this spot has great music, oysters, and it’s cheap. Great option if you’re looking for a relaxed, local, chill vibe.
11th - Bastille
Le Châteaubriand - I can’t claim this recommendation (thank you, Shalom!) but this is quite possibly the BEST meal I’ve ever had in my life. Tasting menu only. ~75 EUR per person. Impeccable wine. I mean, lookit:
ravioli in soup with a celery reduction
baby clams in a frothy butter sauce
🍷 Les Disquaires - One of the few places in Paris where you can enjoy free (and quality) live music. It’s young, hip, and has cheap drinks. Go.
✳️ 🍔 Rue de la Roquette (11th) - Street lined with bars and restaurants, making it a great place to bar hop. Younger crowd, and hip (not as hip as Canal Saint-Martin, though).
🍔 L’Autre Boulange - Wood-fired breads. The baguettes and rustic French pastries are yum. They have some funky hours, so make sure you check them before heading out.
12th
Jouvence - (h/t Marie) A wonderfully comfy yet refined nook halfway between Bastille et Nation. I’ve only been for lunch, but the lunch prix-fixe was a bargain because the ingredient quality and preparation are incredible. Service is phenom (Serge!). Get the madeleines.
A tuna masterpiece
Tarte tatin and madeleines
18th - Montmartre
👀 Sacré Coeur - SC and the neighborhood of Montmartre are always full of tourists but still worth seeing -- I recommend going close to sunrise if you can swing it to avoid the crowds and get that beautiful soft light for photos. There tend to be tricksters down at the bottom of the hill near the merry-go-round who try to put little bracelets on your wrist then make you pay for them. Just tell them to “non merci” or “laisse-moi tranquille” if you’re feeling sassy.
🍔 Un Zebre à Montmartre - If you’re going for value, this is a great spot. Nestled underneath the hills of Montmartre, this is a nice reprieve from the otherwise touristy neighborhood. Great for people watching. Steak frites always super bien.
🍔 La Fourmi - Easy French bar if you’re in risqué district that is Pigalle.
Misc
🍷 Le Calbar - If you’re craving a really great cocktail, go here. You’ll get the mixology you crave, and undoubtedly have a lovely chat with their friendly staff.
🍔 Pho 14 - This.Place.Is.Outstanding. Authentic, reasonably-priced Vietnamese food.
🏃Catacombs - This is a “gotta-do-once” kinda thing, but only if you’re not claustrophobic. Underneath Paris there are quarries and tunnels left from digging out limestone to build the city. Back in the late 1700s, they dug out many of the cemeteries that were overcrowded and stuffed all the bones underneath the streets of Paris. It’s creepy and cool.
👀 Montparnasse Tower - An absolute eyesore, but it’ll get you one of the best views of the city.
👀 🏃 Père Lachaise Cemetery - A magical cemetery on Paris’ eastern side, Père Lachaise is home to over 1 million dead people, including: Molière, Chopin, Jim Morrison, Colette, Oscar Wilde, and Felix Faure. The crypt architecture is just heart stopping. Don't forget to pack a snack.
Père Lachaise Cemetery
Marie Antoinette's Hamlet at Versailles
👀 🏃 Versailles – Be there when it opens as it is always crowded. Go on a day when the fountains are on -- it costs extra but it totally worth it. Marie Antoinette’s Hamlet is my favorite part. It feels like you’re onset of Beauty and the Beast.
🏃 🛍 Brocabracs - Perhaps my favorite Parisian pastime are these pop-up flea markets. The link will take you to the Paris flea market homepage. On the right-hand side, you’ll see a list of all the events happening by “arrondissement” or neighborhood. Definitely put this on your list if you’re visiting over a weekend! Oh, and remember to negotiate prices.
🏃 🛍 Vide greniers: Yard sales Parisian style!
Need more recs from people who aren't me?
https://www.theinfatuation.com/paris/guides/best-paris-restaurants
