Bonjour!!
Paulina here. I’m getting this city guide going because Paris is the first European city I ever visited - a lifelong pipe dream fueled by Turner Classic Movies and an undergraduate degree in creative writing (cigarettes and berets, anyone?). It is the city where I learned I can be enchanted by a mailbox.
Paris is huge, heavily graffitied, and as intimidating to traverse as the halls of the Louvre itself. Each neighborhood or arrondissement has a laundry list of cafés, bistros, restaurants, monuments, museums, wine bars, bakeries, and shops to fill your days. I’m going to cover as much ground as possible, knowing full well there will likely be a ‘Paris: Part Deux’ in our future. These recommendations are mostly experiences I have personally had, but I’m also throwing in a few suggestions from admirable sources - organized geographically. Chef James has a wealth of insight when it comes to France and his (snarky) contributions are in italics.
Chef James: My first trip to France was for the vendange (grape harvest) in the fall of 2009. My business partner and good friend Ed Mamou sent me to work on a vineyard, stage in kitchens, and experience rural French life in Auvergne. It was eye-opening - a culture shock and transformative experience. I was newly 25 and had only a couple weeks’ notice before I left for the 5-week stay. I would say I was willing to do all the work asked of me but unaware of how to tap in to a new country. I look back with a very thankful attitude but recall it being a difficult trip to acclimate to and my point of view was not primed for a new environment. It probably started my obsession with being smart about travel though. Which lead me to this Substack!
I have since returned to France many times. Mostly for the Champagne region but have managed to cover ground from Brittany to Marseille. I should warn you now that Paris is NOT one of my favorite cities in the world. In fact, I think it’s a product of being over-fetishized and glamorized. I like Paris. There’s plenty to like! But it’s not even my favorite city in France let alone Europe let alone the world! So by all means, go. Enjoy! But let it be what it is. Don’t overthink it and don’t let the idea of Hollywood/Instagram Paris distract you from discovering what it really is to you.
The best part about Paris, for me, is dining. Whether it’s a cappuccino or a multicourse meal or a bowl of ramen, the Parisians go hard on dining. If you’re doing a grand French trip hitting many cities, you may want to enjoy the international selections Paris has to offer, since many smaller cities don’t diversify nearly as much.
Traveling in France as an American
I think it’s safe to expect some stereotypical exchanges in France. Servers aren’t usually in a rush to wait on you. Even if someone understands English, they often prefer not to speak it. In Paris, toilets can be tiny, hard to find and certainly not handicap accessible. I often tease that the French don’t poop because of all of the cheese and they build bathrooms based on that. In general, be patient, stay cool, don’t wear shorts and you’ll be fine.
The subway in Paris is awesome and easy enough to navigate. There’s plenty of great neighborhoods to walk and a bucket list of food items to try. Moules et Frites, Steak au poivre, pate en croute, Jambon beurre on baguette, pastis, oysters, omelette, eclairs, escargot, crepes, soufflé, croissants! Make a checklist. Try them all. I think that’s the best part of Paris. NYT did a comprehensive piece last year and it’s a great collection.
You can tell by now that I have some polarizing opinions about Paris. But if you avoid the crowds, run away from the Eiffel Tower, skip the Louvre and find all the jazz bars and cozy restaurants and drink a million cappuccinos and walk the old streets and smoke cigarettes (I don’t smoke, 99.999% of the time, but in Paris, sometimes…) and eat baguettes and ham and charcuterie and mussels and liver and poached fish and escargot and drink copious amounts of Lillet and vermouth and champagne you may find that it’s a pretty cool place!
The cocktail scene isn’t as strong as other cities of the world. Maybe it’s the culture, or the lack of respect for ice or maybe no one wants to come in and work for 12 hours juicing citrus and snipping herbs for drinks. But wine and aperitifs are more plentiful than full on cocktails. I recommend wine bars more than cocktail bars in general here. When in doubt, order a gin & tonic. My international libation of choice!
Recommendations by neighborhood
1st and 2nd arr.
Where to stay
Hôtel Madame Rêve; Art Deco former post office and Eiffel Tower views.
Cheval Blanc Paris; Riverfront hotel with spa amenities.
Where to eat & drink
Sébastien Gaudard; gorgeous pastries. Or Telescope café to start the day.
Ellsworth; cozy, romantic and hip - menu is seasonal and they feature a natural wine list.
Le Grand Colbert; brasserie from 1910 with exuberant vibes and quintessential dishes like steak and oysters.
Aux Lyonnais; a hat tip to bouchons in Lyon (from 1890!), now owned by Alain Ducasse.
La Poule au Pot; my husband’s favorite restaurant ever? So charming.
Juveniles; compact wine bar with bistro fare.
Chez Georges; an institution.
yam’Tcha; market-sourced menu of French-Chinese fusion with a rare tea menu (one Michelin star).
Bar Hemingway; an ode to the writer inside the Ritz.
Harry’s New York Bar; the boulevardier cocktail was invented here.
What to do
The obvious choice would be to visit the Louvre. But we have many other options if the prospect is much too much…
Walk the grounds of the Jardin du Palais-Royal or Tuileries.
Visit Monet’s water lilies at the Musée de l’Orangerie.
Shop for ceramics at Astier de Villatte, or home goods at Brigitte Tanaka.
Visit the book store Librarie Galignani.
3rd & 4th arr. (The Marais)
Where to eat & drink
Robert et Louise; grilled meat over a wood fire.
Pontochoux; hip Japanese curry.
Café Charlot; for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Chez Omar; for North African.
Parcelles; a modern bistro with a swoon-worthy wine list. One of the greatest meals of my life. From Chef: This is the kind of meal that had me lost in the sauce. Brilliant cooking. This place is the best of Paris. If you can get in, base your whole trip around it.
Les enfants du marché; natural wine and seafood in the back of a historic food market.
What to do
Vintage clothing shopping at Pretty Box.
More iconic book stores.
A beautiful stationery store, or flower shop.
Visit Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature; museum of hunting and nature.
5th, 6th and 7th arr.
Where to stay
Hôtel des Académies et des Arts; art-focused boutique hotel.
Hôtel Monte Cristo; inspired by the Dumas book.
Where to eat & drink
Ten Belles; sourdough bakery and coffee roaster.
Allard; the perfect bistro.
Café Varenne; one of Ina Garten’s favorites. Say no more.
Kodawari Ramen (Yokochō); Michelin-worthy ramen you will most likely have to wait for. The turn-time is short and the space is cramped. They also have a seafood-focused ramen concept in the 1st arr.
Le Petit Thaï; for when you haven’t had a fleck of spice for days.
La Crèmerie; dainty wine bar.
Arpège; if you’re chasing a three-Michelin star experience from Alain Passard.
La Coupole; technically in the 14th but a must-visit! Transports you to a different time.
What to do
Visit Musée d’Orsay for their impressionist collection.
My personal favorite: Musée Rodin sculpture garden is captivating, yet quick if you’re killing time between meals.
Deyrolle; a taxidermy store.
Librarie Elbé; for vintage posters.
If you’re on the hunt for heirloom ceramics.
9th, 10th, 11th, 12th arr.
Where to stay
Hôtel Panache; chic and well-priced.
Hôtel Rochechouart; has rooftop bar and accolades from Condé-Nast.
Where to eat & drink
Urfa Durum; a delicious and budget-friendly Kurdish sandwich.
Vivant; natural wine bar with dramatic interior touches.
Tapisserie; a bustling, tiny bakery by the owners of Septime. I stop here on every trip and bring home bagged granola. Or I’ve heard Mamiche is lovely.
Au Passage; another natural wine bar with ‘small plates.’
Le Chateaubriand; must have reservations.
BRUTOS; I would fly to CDG just for their rotisserie chicken Sunday lunches.
Mokonuts; cozy and open for breakfast/lunch.
Le Clown Bar; a laid-back, charming interior and a Korean-inspired small menu. Order a magnum of some sort of ancestral method sparkling and enjoy the people watching.
What to do
Fréquence for vinyl, cocktails & wine.
Visit La Trésorerie to shop for all things home.
This is A LOT - and there’s even more in our Google Map!
An overnight stay in Champagne
The train from Paris to Champagne is quite manageable and definitely worth it. Even one day in Reims can get you out of Paris and into a wine region so resplendent you’ll wish you booked an entire week. We have visited Champagne and it’s sub-regions three times in three years, with Paulina returning in a few weeks. The governmental delineation of the wine region is large - one of our favorite champagne houses is in Urville which is 2.5 hours south of the capital city of Reims (unfortunately pronounced ‘rrah-ns’). For a single night in Champagne, recommend staying in Reims or Épernay to make the most of your time in a central location. It’s not required to rent a car, as Über and cabs are available readily and hopefully you’ll be taking advantage of incredible wine lists and tastings all day.
Where to stay
La Caserne Chanzy Hotel & Spa (Chef’s choice) is in the heart of Reims with gorgeous views of the Reims Cathedral and a lovely restaurant/bar in the lobby.
For modern honeymoon vibes, stay at the Royal Champagne Hotel & Spa. This is one of the most luxurious hotels I’ve ever stayed in. Panoramic views of vineyards and an epic breakfast buffet, plus the concierge can assist you with any of your booking or transportation needs.
Another high end option is Domaine Les Crayeres - situated in a stunning French château with old-world charm. There are two restaurants within: two-Michelin star Le Parc and a more casual brasserie: Le Jardin. The wine lists are reason to visit alone.
Another favorite: is Les Avisés in Avize. Run by the Jacques Selosse estate (a producer with a transformative cult following), the space is quaint with only a few rooms. The prix fixe lunch is wonderful.
Although the chalk soils of champagne are great for growing champagne grapes - they are not ideal for growing produce. There’s a long list of Michelin restaurants in the area that provide lofty culinary experiences, and we’ll include some here. We like to keep things casual and re-visit our favorite haunts.
From Chef: If you find yourself drinking more than you’re eating, Reims also has a few Turkish kabob shops that I definitely frequent. My palate can fatigue of all the tame French flavors and a little harissa or garlic sauce wakes me back up! The best formal meal I’ve had in Champagne is at Les Crayeres (linked below). I definitely recommend doing nice lunches and doing wine bars at night. Sacré Burger is a casual place to make an easy dinner reservation. They also happen to have a great champagne list.
My favorite tastings have been at: Champagne Drappier, Ruinart, Charles Heidsieck, Lilbert-Fils and Bollinger. Check with the wineries before visiting; many require tasting reservations or industry invites. But don’t overdo it with visits to wineries. Pick a couple and the explore the wine bars and restaurant lists. That’s where the best drinking and tasting opportunities are.
Drappier in Urville is a lovely destination and my favorite family outside of my own, but maybe not the best choice on limited time. Instead, consider a night in Troyes, the coziest walkable town ever.
Where to eat
Pastries and coffee at Boulangerie Les Halles. Both their sweet and savory offerings are beautiful.
Casual lunch or dinner
Sacré Bistro or Sacré Burger - both known for their wine lists and laid back atmosphere.
Atome: a natural wine shop with a killer charcuterie program and a few small plates. Our friends Eric and Aline run this progressive shop in the heart of Reims - reservations strongly recommended. They’re also importers who collaborate with winemakers for their own champagne labels. Be prepared to stay for hours. Buy wine to bring home.
Glue Pot: imagine your favorite pub had an epic champagne list and served jalapeño poppers and mozzarella sticks. End your night here.
Le Wine Bar by Le Vintage: A must-visit. Our close friend and brilliant wine mind, Camille, runs the floor and will have great recommendations from their incredible list. Also, visit their sister shop Le Vintage to purchase some bottles to ship home.
If you find yourself in the south of Champagne, we also loved Le Garde Champetre - they also have a few small rooms.
Le Garde Champetre, Glue Pot, lunch at Ruinart.
Upscale dining
Assiette Champenoise - three-Michelin stars, focused on ingredients from the Champagne-Ardenne region.
Racine - Japenese chef with a lovely champagne pairing.
A note on Lyon
Chef James: After Champagne, you could add a couple nights and stay in Lyon. I really like Lyon. It’s cosmopolitan, walkable and friendly. Lyon is France’s bread basket and is famous for its robust and blue-collar cuisine. If you’re looking for a destination meal it is most definitely Paul Bocuse. I recommend going bonkers for lunch there. Magnums of champagne, roasted birds, truffles, wild game, foie gras, you name it. Decadent, opulent, brilliant. One of my favorite meals in Europe. They walk the line of being outdated or overindulgent but never cross it. It’s an epiphany of realizing your grandparents were cooler, smarter and tougher than you. Go with it. Sink in. We also had great pizza here.
Bouchons are not to be missed when in the area - they are a part of Lyon’s history from the 17th century, known as ‘inns’ with rooms and hearty meals to fuel weary travelers. The dishes are calorically dense and homey and most of the interiors are frozen in time.
Being a Francophile at home
Our French film favorites:
New wave crime drama Breathless and more Givenchy costuming in Bonjour Tristesse.
The visually stunning Umbrellas of Cherbourg
Chef’s new favorite Le Samourai
The Bourne Identity for Parisian visuals.
Drink Pastis or a champagne cocktail. Nothing is more Parisian than champagne and oysters, shipped direct to your home.
I am constantly scouring Etsy for vintage French plate ware and glassware.
Watch the 100th episode of Anthony Bourdain’s ‘No Reservations.’
David Liebovitz is an incredible resource via Paris by Mouth and My Paris Kitchen.
What are you favorite spots in Paris? Ask any questions in the comments - Q & A coming up next!
XO
MGTG
