It’s been awhile since I last updated this blog {three years to be exact!}. Wow, how time flies! Since I’ve last blogged, I moved back to California and got married {I hope to share highlights from the best day ever on this blog}! It’s time to remove the cobwebs to make way for a new post on a city that is very dear to my heart. Let’s dive in!
The hubby {will call him “T”} and I embarked on a 10-day trip to Paris, France with no set itinerary other than to relax, eat and drink all day, every day. We recently were in Paris for our honeymoon back in September but loved our time there so much, we decided to go back. At first, we thought a 10 day trip to only Paris would be too long and too much considering that we typically only spend 3-4 days max in any city we’ve traveled to. But in hindsight, 10 days flew by and it left us wanting to visit this city even more frequently.
I hope this comprehensive Paris travel guide will help make planning for Paris easier for you!
BEST AREA TO STAY IN PARIS
Le Marais, hands down.
There are lots of cute boutiques, restaurants, cafes and bars in the 3rd/4th district. We used Airbnb for the first time in September to book a last minute trip to Paris during our honeymoon in Europe and loved the experience. For extended stays, I highly recommend staying at an apartment so you can do laundry {be sure to include washer + dryer in your search filter}, get a great sense of the Parisian life {bring back goods from the market} and enjoy having it the comfort of a home.
BEST RESTAURANTS / EATS IN PARIS
We had so many delicious meals in Paris. Here are some of our favorites!
Keep in mind:
- Make reservations, especially for dinner {call or make reservations in person}. A lot of the restaurants are small and book up really fast!
- There are no reservations at Holybelly or Kunitoraya. Get in line early at Holybelly or you’ll miss out on breakfast and will be waiting in a long line!
- L’avant Comptoir is a standing bar. If you prefer to dine at a seated table instead, dine next door at their cafe, Le Comptoir du Relais.
BEST SNACKS / FOOD IN PARIS
Some notes about French wines, baguettes, cheese and foie gras …
- French wines – I have to admit when it comes to European wines, I am clueless. Most wines I love come from Napa Valley. But on this trip, I discovered wines from Bordeaux and ordered it at every restaurant that carried wine from this region. It’s similar to a Merlot/Cabernet and it can be bold and dry… just how I like my wine!
- Get baguettes at a Boulangerie – The French take their baguettes seriously. There are laws in place for how and where baguettes can be made. If you see Boulangerie or Boulanger in the name or on the store signage, they bake and sell their breads on premise. Shops that bake them from frozen dough or from dough brought in from a factory or have the breads brought to the shop are Depot de Pain. For the freshest and tastiest baguettes, look for “Boulangerie/Boulanger”.
- French cheese – there is so many, especially brie! Some personal favorites include any camembert {similar to brie, made from cow’s milk}, comte {a hard cheese from unpasteurized cow’s milk}, and brie in the smaller disc size, so gooey and delicious!
- Foie gras – visit Pierre Champion for the foie gras in the refrigerated area. Go to Contesse du Barry to get terreine in various flavors {packaging is cute + colorful}, goose and duck foie gras as gifts.
BEST EXPERIENCES IN PARIS
During this trip, we did very few touristy things. We love French food so many of our experiences involved food. Here are some fun things we did.
The French cooking class is typically 5-6 hours long and worth every penny. You get to learn how to shop for the freshest ingredients, how to be efficient in the kitchen and much more. Don’t forget to book in advance! Oh a visit to Versailles is a must as well!
BEST PLACES TO SHOP
- Le Marais area for cute, local boutiques with amazing leather goods, etc.
- Printemps de L’Homme {64 Boulevard Haussmann} for a one-stop shop for all the name brand, luxury items which I highly recommend purchasing in Paris. It’s slightly cheaper than the US due to the tax refund for items purchased over $170 euro.
- Chanel {31 Rue de Chambon} – the flagship, oldest Chanel store. This location carries more inventory than the other stores and the shopping bag is a souvenir in itself as it has the “31 Rue de Chambon” imprint. Ask the sales associate if you can take a photo on the famous mirrored staircase where Coco sat to get a view of the entire boutique.
- Sezane – Love everything about this French fashion brand.
And there you have it!
What are your favorite spots in Paris?
p.s. Look out for the next travel post on travel tips such as how to get your tax refund and how to make your stay in Paris as easy + comfortable as possible!