Paris Travel Guide | Part V

Destination
Paris, France
Sleep
AirBNB
Eat
Cafe de la Poste | Tout Autour du Pain | Maison Philippe Conticini Paris | Bobi | Le Grand Vefour
Shop
CHANEL | Bouquet des Vins | Jonak | Fragrance – Fleurs et the
See
Musee Picasso | Musee Rodin | Place Dauphine

Paris… it’s hard to know what I can say about this city that I haven’t already said. It is, and always will be, my favourite place on earth, my home away from home, the place I long to return to even though I know every street by heart. If you’re planning a trip, I recommend consulting the first four guides I’ve written in addition to this one – click on the name of each guide to read it: guide one, guide two, guide three and guide four. If, on the other hand, you’re just curious about more places we love in Paris, scroll down and enjoy…

Stay
Paris is full of incredible hotels. Sometimes I recommend them, sometimes I don’t – but the truth is, we haven’t stayed in one since 2016. We always use AirBNB in Paris, and I highly recommend it. It’s a different experience from a hotel, but allows both more freedom and more space, which is always at a premium in the French capital.

Eat
The list of amazing restaurants in Paris is nearly endless. To be fair, there are some mediocre ones, too – but those, at least, still offer a Parisian ambiance, which is hard to beat. There are so many places we love. These five, although I’ve written about some of them, have never made it to a guide before, and are all worth a visit.

Cafe de la Poste – 124, rue de Turenne
This adorable (and deceptively petite) cafe in le Marais is home to my favourite salad in Paris. Seating is mostly out on the sidewalk, or terrasse, which can be crowded, but it’s worth waiting. Once you’re seated, service is speedy and friendly. And the food, especially the carrot salad, is absolutely delicious.
Tout Autour du Pain – 134, rue de Turenne
Just down the street from the Cafe de la Poste is our favourite bakery in the city. We’ve been doing daily pastry runs here since 2012, when the location of our Airbnb permits it. They are known for having some of the best baguettes in the city, but personally, I’m an even bigger fan of their pain au chocolat. If you get there early, you can often get them with the chocolate still warm and a bit melted inside, which is the best.
Maison Philippe Conticini Paris – Multiple locations in Paris
My favourite patissier’s eponymous shops truly must not be missed on a visit to the French capital – you can read my full review of the relatively new locations that serve and sell monsieur Conticini’s delectable creations here.
Cafe de Flore – 172, boulevard Saint-Germain
There is only one Cafe de Flore. It’s so emblematic of Parisian cafes that it’s almost cliche, but it remains wonderful in spite of that. The prices are high, and the service is old school, but the cafe creme is divine and the experience is worth it – you can read more about it here.
Le Grand Vefour – 17, rue de Beaujolais
The Vefour will always have a special place in our hearts because Ian interned there many years ago. But now that we’ve finally eaten there ourselves, I can firmly recommend it. Walking into the restaurant feels like stepping back in time – between the red velvet banquets and painted cielings, the place is a true piece of the city’s history. You never know who might have dined at your table, once upon a time. Photos of long ago patrons, including Colette and Chagall, turn up in unexpected places. And the food, elevated French classic, is one of the best representations of what people love about French cuisine. The desserts deserve a special mention – I will remember the waiter pouring warm chocolate over my profiteroles and ice cream for the rest of my life.

Shop
Paris is, it will surprise no one to know, an incredible place for a shopping trip. But in an increasingly globalised market, most of what is available in Paris is also accessible elsewhere. Still, there are some special local places, and some shopping experiences you just can’t have anywhere else…

CHANEL – 31, rue Cambon
…one of which is shopping at the original CHANEL boutique at 31, rue Cambon. Coco lived upstairs (and also nearby at the Ritz.) The store looks like a CHANEL store, but it’s filled with history, not to mention an incredible selection of CHANEL pieces that may not be available anywhere else, since selection varies by store. This is the only boutique that offers shopping bags with the store address written on them, and those white bags are covetted for a reason. Every CHANEL lover should treat themselves here at least once.
Bouquet des vins – 91, boulevard Beaumarchais
Our local caviste, or wine seller, since 2012. This is a small shop on a very busy street that you might otherwise miss, but we continue to go, even if we aren’t in the nieghbourhood, for the impeccably curated selection and attentive service.
Jonak – Multiple locations in Paris
Just before we moved to Paris for the first time in 2009, I found an old issue of Chatelaine magazine that broke down all the stores where average Parisians shopped. In the nascent days of social media, this was an incredible find and saved me a ton of in-person research. Very few of the brands I discovered in that article still appeal to me, but Jonak is an exception. Season after season, they offer on-trend collections of high quality, made in Europe shoes at prices that are entirely fair considering the materials and craftsmanship. And they now ship to Canada!
Fragrance – Fleurs et the – 14, rue Saint-Sebastien
This little concept florist is just down the street from our old apartment and I know I would have way overspent there if it hadn’t just opened recently. Parisian flowers are the prettiest, but are generally sold quite casually – crafted bouquets are just beginning to increase in popularity, and this shop does beautiful ones. They also make tea, if you want to sip while you wait.

See

Visiting Paris means being spoiled for choices when it comes to visiting museums, churches and historic monuments. How does one narrow it down? Honestly, it’s next to impossible. But, over the years, I’ve found some favourite places I go back to over and over.

For me, churches don’t hold much appeal – I’ve been to most of the major ones, sometimes twice, but rarely recommend them because they’re never highlights for me. I love museums, so that’s what I visit (and recommend) most often. But I also love just wandering the city. You never know when you may stumble upon someplace wonderful.

Musee Picasso – 5, rue de Thorigny
A wonderful museum, house in one of the most beautiful buildings you’ll ever have the chance to see – you can read more about visiting here.
Musee Rodin – 77, rue de Varenne
If it isn’t my favourite Parisian museum (and it probably is), the Musee Rodin is certainly the one I’ve visited most often – and I talk about why here.
Place Dauphine
A lovely square on ile de la Cite that we stumbled upon, just wandering, many years ago and continue to revisit. It’s impossibly photogenic and usually quiet. As an added bonus, its home to a host of lovely cafes.