Paris, France

The City of Light is romantic anytime of year. The charming cafes are prime for people watching, and the crusty (yet still tender) baguettes will leave a soft spot in your heart. You’ll be planning a return trip in no time. None of these recommendations are sponsored -- just little gems I've discovered during my travels.

 
 
 
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Food & Beverages

FOOD

  • Chez Monsieur  |  Get the Blanquette de veau served in a copper pot — melt in your mouth delicious. Pairs well with red wine (obvi), and save room for their creamy cheesecake for dessert. We discovered this through a write-up in Departures magazine, and it was one of the best meals we ate.

  • ASPIC | This was the only reservation we made in advance — an impressive 7-course chef’s tasting menu made with fresh ingredients. We cleaned our plates on every course, and opted for the reasonably priced wine pairing with our meal. With seating for only 20 guests, reservations are required for this intimate & friendly setting.

  • Miznon | Get the whole roasted cauliflower (seasoned with big flakes of salt) and leave very happy. Veggies are front and center at this low-key Israeli restaurant.

  • KUMA | Down the street from Miznon, we continued our progressive lunch with Katsu Curry at this tiny 6-seater Japanese restaurant. While a limited menu, the dishes we tried were scrumptious. The co-owners recently left fine dining to open this new, cozier spot.

  • Du Pain Et Des Idees | When Nourishing Notes provides food recommendations, you go without thinking twice and thank her later (Julie’s the one who also put Miznon’s cauliflower on our radar…). We devoured the butteriest, flakiest croissant at this traditional bakery. It was nearly impossible to restrain myself to just one…

  • Boulangerie Blouet  |  Baguettes are a dime a dozen in Paris, so we joined the longest line of locals spilling out onto the sidewalk. The queue moves swiftly and our patience was rewarded. We returned to this shop multiple times for our morning “walking baquette” before hitting all the sites. Pro Tip: On the weekends they have a special chorizo baguette filled with olives.

BEVERAGES

  • Le Bar  |  Located within the swanky La Réserve Hotel just off the Champs-Élysées, we enjoyed a fancy cocktail on the emerald green velvet couches surrounded by colorful books in the library. We went just before happy hour and had the whole place to ourselves.

  • In general, the wine is relatively inexpensive and we were pleasantly impressed by many of the French white wines we tried. My advice? Post up at an outdoor cafe at least once a day — all their seats face towards the street for maximum people watching (plus many provide blankets for the colder months).

  • Coffee wasn’t too memorable for us, but I think that’s because we were ordered more milk-based drinks when it’s more of an espresso culture.

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Activities

LOCAL ATTRACTIONS

  • Museums

    • Musée d'Orsay |  One of my favorite museums across the globe. Originally an old railway station, this stately museum houses the largest collection of impressionist paintings without being too overwhelming. Come for the art, stay for the architecture & their signature (and Instagram-worthy) clocks on the top floor. I patiently waited in line with many other tourists to snap a photo, and the wait was worth it.

    • The Louvre  |  I’ve truthfully never been inside. The museum is MASSIVE and a tad overwhelming for me. Unless seeing the Mona Lisa is on your life-long bucket list, I prefer to swing by the west side of the museum just after sunset — by then, the crowds have thinned and the lights of the Pyramid are illuminated.

  • Churches

    • Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris |  Unfortunately, this was still closed due to the massive fire that damaged the church so we could only admire it from afar, but they do have an exhibit around the perimeter that gives you some history and details.

    • Sainte-Chapelle de Paris | We’re kicking ourselves for not knowing about this place in advance. Located on the same tiny island as Notre-Dame, their 1,113 tall stained glass windows look stunning. Definitely bookmarked for next time.

    • Sacré-Coeur |  Worth the hike on a clear day. Your calves will burn from climbing up all those steep steps, but it has great views of the city and Montmartre is a fun neighborhood to explore.

  • Classic Sites

    • Eiffel Tower |  It sparkles at the top of every hour! There’s a restaurant and champagne bar at the tippy top, but we opted for the ticket only to their second landing (which was plenty high and does also have a cafe that serves bubbles). We cheersed and snapped some nice photos of downtown. Don’t be deterred by a small crowd — the queue moved quickly.

    • Palais Garnier |  The opera house is quite grand and worth a quick self-guided tour. There’s one super opulent gold room which makes you want to get all gussied up for a royal night out at a show.

    • Arc de Triomphe |  We never made it all the way west to see this monument up close, but we admired it from afar down at the end of the Champs-Élysées. This monument honors those who fought and died for France in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, and beneath its vault lies the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier from World War I.

    • Panthéon |  This grand building houses a massive pendulum suspended from the incredibly high ceiling (which proves the Earth’s rotation), and the basement crypt is filled with famous folks like Voltaire, Victor Hugo, and Marie Curie. The building itself is stunning, but worth a peek inside if you’re in the area.

    • Musée de l’Armée Invalides |  Located near-ish to the Effel Tower, you can see Napoleon’s grand tomb along with a museum full of army history.

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helpful tips

  • Lodging: We set up camp at Hôtel de NELL, a luxury 5-star hotel located in the heart of the 9th district — nestled perfectly near all the attractions without swimming in a sea of tourists. With a keen focus on design, the room was rather spacious by European standards (we were upgraded after the knew we were celebrating our honeymoon). Plus, they had quite possibly the sexiest bathtub I’ve ever seen.

  • Airports:

    • You can easily get from Charles de Gaulle airport to downtown Paris for 38 Euro (it took approx. 30 minutes). There was a transit strike when we were in town, so we didn’t even bother attempting public transportation from the airport.

    • Important note when booking travel: Paris-Beauvais Airport is not ACTUALLY located in Paris proper — it’s 60 kms northwest of the city. Primarily used by low-cost carriers, the distance shouldn’t necessarily deter you (we would have simply reconsidered our early morning flight time to avoid a 4:30am wake up call). The airport runs a frequent charter bus service for 15 Euros one way from a depot close to the Arc de Triomphe.

  • Currency is the Euro and most people accept credit cards (although cash tips are the norm).

  • This is a fairly spread out city and you’ll want to explore every nook and cranny by foot (we clocked 16 miles one day!). Comfortable shoes are a must.

  • Favorite neighborhoods: Montmartre (I’ve never been able to properly pronounce this, but this large hill in the 18th arrondissement is an artist haven with terrific views) and Marais (low-key and filled with little gems of international food spots, like Miznon and KUMA).

  • Favorite local Instagrammers: @vutheara, @wonguy974, @seemyparis, and @katiemitchellphotography.

  • Check out The500HiddenSecrets.com for a beautifully designed guide to the city's local gems.