10 Days Wandering, Eating, and Drinking in Paris
I am so excited to share my Paris guide with you. This is a trip I have been dreaming of for longer than I can remember, and Paris does not disappoint. There is no one right way to do Paris, but this is how I like to travel…experience cultures and communities through food, and immerse myself in off-the-beaten-path experiences and sights. While I will share some of my tips for seeing some of the touristy checklists, what I really care about is the food and wine.
Arrondissements
Deciding where to stay in Paris is not as simple as just picking a hotel or Airbnb. There are 20 arrondissements (neighborhoods) in Paris, each with its own character, sights, and nightlife. What is most important to me may not be important to you. We like to walk the neighborhoods and be centrally located. And, while we like great restaurants and a good wine bar, we don’t necessarily want a crazy nightlife experience right outside our hotel window.
First, let’s look at a map of Paris:
For me, the center of the circle are the best neighborhoods to be centrally located for everything you may want to do on your visit, arrondissements 1-7. 1, 5, and 8 are where most tourists end up.
We chose the 2nd arr. for the – this is an often overlooked area to stay in, but let me state my argument. This is the smallest of all arrondissements, it has small charming streets with old-world covered passageways, old-covered shopping alleys, home to quirky boutique shops and independent restaurants. There are over 500 restaurants in the 2nd, with some of the most diverse eating in the city full of Japanese ramen shops, Korean bibimbap, and Sushi counters. It is also home to the gilded Opéra Comique Theater showcases operettas. In this eclectic arrondissement, garment wholesalers give way to hip stores around the Rue Montorgueil street market, one of the best streets for shopping for a picnic on the Seine.
Where We Stayed
- Hotel Square Louvois: This is where we stayed, and I can not recommend them enough. This is a small boutique 4-star hotel. The staff are exceptional, the location is perfection (10 minutes walking to the Louvre, and within 30 minutes of 95% of what we wanted to see), the rooms are well appointed, and much larger than I expected for a Paris hotel room. Most important are elevators and air-conditioning.
Where to Eat & Drink
Bouche Paris – This was our first meal in Paris, and it did not disappoint. Small plates, and delicious natural wine selection. The staff are gracious and very helpful to Americans. Dinner starts at 7 pm, and they do brunch service on Sundays
Racines – I have mixed feelings about this restaurant. It is stunningly beautiful in the Passage des Panoramas. The starters and natural wine list are superb, however, the pasta courses were a lot to be desired. But, the ambiance is worth a visit.
Ducasse sur Seine – This is part dinner and part experience. You absolutely must do a Seine River cruise, and there are many options, some include a meal and some do not. I will say the Ducasse sur Seine by famed French chef Alain Ducasse is a definite splurge and very special, and we went for it! You have an option of 4 or 5 courses, and of course, you can do wine pairings. We did the 5-course meal, with upgraded wine pairings and a glass of Dom Perignon to start the evening off right. The boat is stunning, the staff are attentive and knowledgeable, the wine pairings are beyond what you expect and you will never have better service than this. This is by far the best way to see the sights of Paris at night.
Severo – Is an old-school French Steak Frites establishment. This was the furthest away from our hotel in the 14th arr. This was also the only restaurant we had a hard time communicating with the server because he did not understand our French, or English for that matter. Charming atmosphere and is very much a local spot.
les enfants du Marché – This is by far one of our favorite dinners. This restaurant is really a counter-smack dab in the middle of the Marché des Enfants Rouges “The Market of the Red Children”. The oldest covered market in the Marais opened in 1615. The food is fun, and absolutely delicious with the best natural wine list.
Terra Bar a Vins – This is a fantastic wine bar situated around the open kitchen with access to chat with the chefs. Food is super tasty with a great natural wine list. They are first come first serve, no reservations.
Alluma – This was our last dinner in Paris and a great way to end our trip. You can choose a 6 or 8-course tasting menu. The staff are knowledgeable, and they speak English in the kitchen, which is unusual. If you are still around when the chef has finished service he will come out and chat with you.
Boneshaker Donuts – Delicious donuts and the best coffee we had in Paris.
Places on my list I didn’t get a chance to visit
Things To Remember
A lot of restaurants are only open 5 days a week, and not on the weekends. Reservations are important for most independent restaurants and are easily done online. Some restaurants have lunch service some days of the week, which, usually ends by 2 or 3. Dinner service does not typically start until 7:30 pm. Most will have an English menu for you, and most hospitality workers speak a fair amount of English. But always start with the most important word in the French language…Bon Jour!
Museums
I don’t know how many official museums are in Paris, but there are more than you can even imagine. With that being said, most visit the main core. My tip for your visit, book your timeslot ahead of time unless you enjoy standing in line for hours and hours. I’m especially talking about the Louvre. My other tip for the Louvre is to enter through the entrance in the Carrousel instead of standing in line at the pyramid, which, even with a timed entrance slot can be a wait. You can get to the Carrousel entrance by either taking the stairs that are on the other side of the roundabout across from the pyramid, or there is an entrance out on the Rue de Louvre. The Carrousel is basically a mall, but it is also where the upside-down pyramid is. And, if you decide not to battle the crowds you can still go down into the Carrousel and take a pic under the upside-down pyramid.
Now, if you plan your trip strategically, you can visit a lot of the museums for free. Most of them have free entrance on the first weekend of the month. They all do it a little differently, at different times, or on different days. You will still want to book your free time slot ahead of time unless you don’t mind standing in long lines. You can also book a skip-the-line dual entrance for Rodin and d’Orsay.
The Eiffel Tower is beautiful to see at night. Once the sun goes down they make it sparkle every hour on the hour. If you decide to climb that beast do yourself a favor and book your tickets ahead of time.
Versailles – I highly recommend doing a bike tour of Versailles. It is the best way to get around the town and see the property, and the guides are extremely knowledgeable. Ours was an art history major and had great stories about the royals. We used Boutique Bike Tours.
And, finally, my absolute favorite arrondissement was Montmartre. The streets are charming, and right out of a fairytale. There are endless shops to wander through, they have to go cocktails! and lots of delicious food markets to wet your palette.
