Paris Essentials

Stays

Hôtel National Des Arts et Métiers

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Located between the Marais and Montorgueil, the new Hôtel National Des Arts et Métiers designed by Raphael Navot is a blend of timeless French design and modern innovation, a palette of sophisticated raw materials awaiting behind a classic Haussmann facade. The 65-room hotel has an Italian restaurant and two bars onsite: the moody Herbarium cocktail lounge on the first floor, and the Hotel National Rooftop. If you’re not staying at the hotel, be sure to come for cocktails on the roof, as they welcome non-hotel guests with no prior booking to lounge on the daybeds with a view of the city. 4-Star | $$

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Hôtel Caron de Beaumarchais Paris Marais

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Nestled among the buzzy boutiques, galleries, and restaurants of the historical Marais quarter and just blocks from the Seine, this boutique hotel housed in an 18th-century townhome transports you back to the theatrical elegance of Paris in the time of Beaumarchais. The interior is inspired by the works of the 18th-century eponymous playwright and his most famous piece, "The Marriage of Figaro". The 19 rooms all feel as if you've entered a private boudoir, adorned with antique wooden beams and cheeky art. Be sure to book a front-facing room with a balcony. We recommend ordering their breakfast spread of flakey croissants, coffee, and fresh fruit to enjoy a morning sitting on the balcony overlooking the historical heart of Paris. 3-Star | $$

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Les Bains Paris

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Once a 19th-century public bathhouse turned era-defining nightclub where the likes of Mick Jagger, Bowie, and Yves Saint Laurent would be spotted, Les Bains had already lived many lives before being re-envisioned as a boutique hotel. Deep jewel-toned velvets and Carrera marble set a luxurious tone throughout both the rooms and public spaces of this five star hotel, an elegant take on this cultural phenomenon. At Les Bains you will find innovative global cuisine, a bar, salon, and a spa are all at your fingertips, steps from the Haute Marais district. The hotel’s restaurant Roxo is a destination in its own right, where dining below an undulating reflective red ceiling that forms into shapes of giant water drops reminds you of the hotel’s beginnings. Tables are set over the legendary black-and-white-checkered dance floor, and if one meanders downstairs, they will find a neon-lit, mosaic-tiled pool for a fitting late night soak. 5-Star | $$$

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Château Voltaire

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A few blocks from the Tuileries Gardens, this stylish boutique hotel spans three buildings from the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries. The design is a cross between London’s Chiltern Firehouse and Los Angeles’s Château Marmont- think fringed velvet furnishings, intricate wood work and layered ambient lighting. The property consists of 32 rooms and a restaurant from Thierry Gillier. 5-Star | $$$

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La Fantaisie

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One of two newly opened hotels in Paris designed by Swedish interior designer Martin Brudnizki, La Fantaisie is a homage to the 9th arrondissement. The lobby is a gloriously cozy lounge that honors Paris’ literary salons, and the lush courtyard garden, rooftop bar, and onsite spa offer respite after a long day of sightseeing. 5-Star | $$

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J.K. Place Paris

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Tucked away on the Left Bank minutes from the Seine, you'll find Florentine designer Michele Bönan’s first hotel outside of Italy- effortlessly delivering Parisian-chic. The 29-room boutique hotel is located among the galleries of Paris’s Latin Quarter. The interiors boast a curated collection antiques shops finds, including discarded sketches for old Hermès collections. 5-Star | $$$$

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Museums

In one of the greatest art capitals of the world, it can be difficult to choose which museums to visit on your trip and which to save for the next. If it's your first trip to Paris, you go to the Louvre and Musee d'Orsay- but if you have time for additional museum visits (which we highly recommend!) or are returning to Paris, these are our top picks for an art filled day:

Musée National Picasso-Paris

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Located at the Hotel Salé in the Marais, a rich heritage mansion from the 17th century where the largest public collection of Picasso’s work is on display. Alongside the many paintings are also his letters, sketches, and poetry, a close look into the life of the famous painter in the city where he spent most of his artistic life.

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Musée Rodin

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On the rive gauche you'll find largest collection of the master bronze sculptor’s work in the world. The museum contains most of Auguste Rodin's significant creations, including The Thinker, The Kiss and The Gates of Hell. It features 6,600 sculptures and 7,000 objets d’art, inside and outside of the mansion. You can spend the afternoon making your way through the beautiful gardens admiring the extensive collection of prolific sculptures.

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Musée de l'Orangerie

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Experience Monet’s water lilies in the panoramic oval rooms on the upper floors. The museum also contains works by Cezanne, Matisse, Picasso, and Renoir, among others

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The Centre Pompidou

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Though the building was controversial when it opened in 1977, today The Centre Pompidou is the undisputed grande dame of Paris’s contemporary art scene. Catch an incredible view of the city as you near the top of the elevators.

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Musée de Montmartre

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Once home to Renoir as well as Dali and Picasso, it’s easy to see why the artists chose the charming neighborhood of Montemarte as their residence and a source of inspiration. Walk through the museum of artist studios in the oldest building of Montmarte. These studios were the homes and meeting places of many artists, most notably Pierre-August Renoir, and are meant to be experienced as they were then, with art displayed on easels and antique furniture scattered about. Out back, the cafe and gardens overlook the local vineyards, Vigne Montmartre, and the plains to the North of Paris.

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Fluctuart - Centre d'art urbain

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Fluctuart is the world's first floating urban art center, a sleek multi-level gallery and bar that explores various movements in urban and street art. The architecture itself references the Seine, with floor-to-ceiling glass windows on either side representing the banks of the river and creating a vibrant scene lit from within at night. (Open until 1am on the lively rooftop bar). The visibility also plays into Fluctuart’s mission of making art accessible to everyone and challenges the notions of traditional museums. Admission to the gallery is free to all, making this a great alternative to the typical boat tour. Enter the space from the deck, where your feet are just above the water below you, and make your way up to the roof for a spritz and the charcuterie + fromage board. Enjoy this vantage of Paris from the boat deck over the waters of the Seine. After a cocktail or two, browse both their temporary and current collections downstairs and pick up a coffee table book to bring home from the bookstore.

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Gardens

Take a leisurely walk along the Seine before heading to one (or multiple!) of the intricate, manicured gardens of Paris- perfect for a lunchtime picnic or people watching in the iconic green Senat chairs. 

Jardin du Luxembourg

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Jardin du Luxembourg in the heart of the Sixth Arrondissement is a sprawling green oasis featuring elements of Italian, French, and English landscape design. You can spend an entire afternoon exploring these beautiful gardens and completely forget that you are in one of the most major, metropolitan cities in the world. See Luxembourg palace and wander through the rose gardens, watch or play a game of boules, or have a picnic between the manicured trees of Esplanade Gaston-Monnerville.

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Jardin du Palais Royal

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The landscaped grounds surrounding this 17th-century palace feature tree-lined paths perfect for a calm and contemplative walk. Hard to miss is the Colonnes, a once controversial art installation by the conceptual artist Daniel Buren. The black and white striped stumps in the courtyard stand in stark juxtaposition to the elegant Palais Royal, a symbol of the contrast between classes and the critical hierarchies of power. Stop by and decide for yourself how you feel about the installation, or at least to capture an interesting photo before lounging in the garden.

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Tuileries Garden

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Located next to the Louvre in the 1st, Tuileries represents the pinnacle of French landscape design with its formal, manicured garden.

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Boulangeries & Patisseries

Start your mornings at a boulangerie for the most important meal of the day: croissants. 

Boulangerie Utopie

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Head to Boulangerie Utopie and get the sesame roule, brioche, or practically anything on the menu as many believe this spot has the best pastries in all of France. And yes, the line is worth the wait.

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Du Pain et des Idées

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This world famous bakery is known for their hearty rustic loaves and pinwheel-shaped chocolate-pistachio escargot pastries. The late-19th-century interior is a must see, look up to see the hand-painted glass ceiling.

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Tapisserie - Charonne

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Opened by the chef-owners of the Michelin restaurant Septime, this bakery is a must-visit for their tarts, cream puffs, éclairs and other well-done French classics with a fresh twist.

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Aux Merveilleux de Fred

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Steps from the Seine in the Marais, this shop specializes in merveilleux, a specialty from Northern France: delicious mounds of coated meringue.

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Maison Aleph

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Located in the heart of the Marais, this boulangerie specializes in Levantine pastries that nod to the owner's Syrian heritage while staying rooted in French technique.

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Cafe's

Where to stay caffeinated:

Café de Flore

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After an afternoon in the gardens head to Saint-Germain-des-Prés for a coffee or a glass of wine at Cafe de Flore. Sit out on the sidewalk and enjoy the city’s iconic cafe culture and the energy of Boulevard Saint-Germain. An iconic destination to see and be seen.

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Noir - Coffee Shop & Torréfacteur

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This café beautifully merges earthy tones and soft lines to create an atmosphere that references Provençal ambiance. The perfect stop for espresso and specialty coffee - Noir roasts their own beans in a facility-café in the heart of the Marché aux Puces.

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Télescope Café

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Fashionable and cozy coffee bar serving mostly Scandinavian coffee roasters, great for a tea or latte.

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Boot Café

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Set in a former cobbler's workshop, this is a tiny, chic spot for to go coffee on a shopping day.

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Bistro's & Brasseries

For quintessential Parisian atmosphere serving traditional French dishes:

Au Moulin à Vent

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A narrow bistro in the 5th arrondissement serving traditional French food, a convivial ambiance and good wine.

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Bouillon Pigalle

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A fresh take on the traditional Boullion, with the interior of a modern diner, (think white subway tile and red vinyl booths), plants hanging above the seating, and punchy graphics. The prices are unheard of, with most starters under €5 and both mains and carafes of red wine under €10. Order the escargot, the veal or the beef bourguignon (or both, why not), and don’t forget the pomme frites.

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Brasserie Des Prés

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A buzy restaurant that references the vibrant history of Paris's Latin Quarter. Velvet booths, antique mirror walls, and a quintissentially Parisian terrace are the perfect setting for craft cocktails and small plates. Upstairs, you'll find records spinning under a dazzling disco ball installation at their bar, Groovie.

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Brasserie Rosie

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Located in the foodie haven of the 11th arrondissement is Brasserie Rosie, a restaurant paying tribute to the 19th-century lighting shops that used to line the streets of the Bastille area. Diners sit on plush velvet banquettes and classic Thonet cafe chairs with dozens of vintage chandeliers hanging overhead. Come for homey dishes and stay for a glass of bubbly.

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Chez Janou

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Classic Provençal fare like chou farci and moules gratinées - but the main reason you come here is for the unmissable chocolate mousse.

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Le Café des Musées

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Classic bistro fare. Order the beef bourguignon and thank us later.

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Restaurants & Michelin

Septime

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A pared-back design feels intentional to let the food take center stage. This is a fine dining experience with a surprise tasting menu for destination foodies.

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Le Servan

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This sister-run neo-bistro in the 11th arrondissement features a seasonal menu where chef Tatiana’s French training is infused with flavors from Southeast Asia. Her cooking is deeply rooted in her Philippino family history, one that she is proud to share as she cooks on display from the open kitchen in this Michelin-starred restaurant. The cozy interior features a gleaming brass bar with intricate crown moldings and a fresco ceiling left perfectly untouched. The glass storefront and mirrored walls keep the space feeling light above the original tiled flooring. What to order: Start with the blood sausage wontons and sweet chili sauce or the oysters in a lime, chili dill dressing. For mains, opt for the crispy skin-on chicken in a truffle sauce or the merlu fish with curry butter. You also can’t go wrong with the milk-fed veal sweetbread, a French classic. Top off your meal with the Paris-Brest – a choux pastry ring filled with praline cream, or go for something seasonal such as the rhubarb tart with sorbet à la framboise.

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Parcelles

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Nestled into a quiet block of the Marais, this small restaurant packs tremendous flavor into a short, seasonal menu complemented by wines from the South of France, Italy, and Spain. Fresh dishes of zucchini fritters and a cherry tomato & stracciatella salad are alongside staples (hint: the unmissable hazelnut tiramisu).

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La Tour d'Argent

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A destination for serious foodies and wine lovers. With a wine list of 300,000 bottles and iconic dishes that have helped shape Paris's culinary heritage, dining here a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The storied interior from the 19th century looks out over the Seine to an incredible view of the city's major monuments.

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Frenchie Pigalle

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This hot spot within the Grand Pigalle Hotel is perfect for sharing small plates amongst the ceramic-tiled walls, handmade by a local artist.

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Derrière

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This “cheeky” restaurant welcomes you into what feels like a quirky Parisian apartment, with the option to dine in the kitchen, boudoir, living room, or (as we would recommend-weather permitting) the outdoor terrace for what feels to be an intimate, invite-only dinner party beneath the glow of string lights. Classic comfort dishes like Duck Confit and Sweetbread are the stars here, with the deserts changing seasonally. If they have the chocolate and pistachio “petit pot”, don’t think twice about indulging yourself. And if you happen to hear music coming from the antique armour near the toilettes, best to ignore it. Or take your chances and peek inside the cabinet alla chronicles-of-Narnia for a speakeasy delight.

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Robert et Louise

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Aside from the coat of deep red paint slacked on the exterior, you may walk right past the entrance of this classic bistro on Rue Vieille du Temple, but you’d surely be sorry you did. Founded by the eponymous Robert and Louise over 60 years ago, their daughter and her husband now run the restaurant and have ensured its relevance today. Wood-fired meat from the open hearth of a massive stone fireplace takes center stage- think smoldering ribeye, t-bone steak, and leg of lamb (don’t forget the garlic butter snails). Rustic French cooking doesn’t get better than this. (Tip: Sit downstairs in the cozy wine-cave-like basement clad in stone where the second bar is located.)

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Bars

Le Perchoir

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When in the 11th arrondissement for dinner, stop at Le Perchoir for a drink at sunset. Depending on the time of year you are in Paris, this could very well be after dinner as the sun doesn’t set until 10:00pm in the summer months. In any case, you may end up staying until close at this swanky rooftop bar with music, cocktails, and 360-degree city views of the city- a local favorite.

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CRAVAN Paris 6e

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Cocktail bar located in a magnificent 4-story venue dating back to the 17th century. A spot for both locals and visitors to try their house-made infusions alongside oysters from Normandy.

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Le Mary Celeste

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A neighborhood cocktail bar for both locals and visitors alike, this oyster bar in the Marais was named after a 19th-century ship that sailed from New York and was later found adrift and abandoned with only one thing left on board: alcohol. In a nod to the namesake, the interior leans tropical with bright pops of color among the wood and a patch of bright green paint streaked across the brick walls. The central bar spins out creative cocktails with literary quotes for descriptions and the kitchen serves light, seafood-focused fare. Alongside your orders of raw tuna and shellfish, be sure to try their signature deviled egg topped with deep-fried rice.

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Grouvie

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The stylish little bar above Brasserie des Pres, for a chic night out in Saint-Germain-des-Prés.

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Fréquence

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One of Paris' top listening bars, this intimate vinyl-only cocktail bar spins soul and reggae in the 11th.

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Lavomatic

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Disguised behind a laundromat, you enter through the secret door (washing machine), and head up a narrow wooden staircase. You then enter the super modern and saturated bar, veering young and full of energy.

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Galleries & Shops

Between sight seeing and museum visits, be sure to leave some space in your itinerary to visit some of Paris’s incomparable galleries and shops.

Merci

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This beloved Paris shop is much more than it appears from its discreet courtyard exterior, with ivy-covered walls and a vintage fiat reading merci on the streets of the Marais. Inside is a 16,000-square-foot concept store sprawling over three stories filled with furniture, homewares, a bookshop, and a cafe. From the fashion aficionado to the interior design-minded, there is no shortage of inspiration or gifts to be found. The shop regularly holds gallery exhibitions, one of their latest coinciding with Maison & Object: “Upcycling: A New Lease on Life." The concept of the exhibition is renewal, a mission in sustainable practice that has been important to the owners from the beginning. Each object has a story behind it, crafted from natural materials and given a new life.

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Yvon Lambert Gallery

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This renowned modernist bookshop and gallery in the Marais founded in the 80’s helped shape the neighborhood into what it is today, a hub for the worldy art crowd and creatives. This was one of the first locations that American artists were ever showcased in Paris. Browse the extensive collection of art and photography books, and pick up a limited edition exhibition print.

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Patrick Seguin

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A haven for midcentury design enthusiasts, Galerie Patrick Seguin is a furniture gallery and exhibition space in the 11th arrondissement featuring the best of twentieth-century french modernism. Patrick Seguin has devoted his career to ensuring the works of Jean Prouvé, Charlotte Perriand, Pierre Jeanneret, Le Corbusier, and Jean Royère are internationally recognized for their importance in art history. The former warehouse interior was reimagined by Ateliers Jean Nouvel in a clean, stark white paint from floor to ceiling, leaving space for collectors to imagine the timeless pieces in their own homes.

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Bobby

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A Paris staple with the best curated designer vintage

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L'Appartement Sézane

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The original Appartement on rue sainte-fiacre, the Parisian street where Sezane was born. Designed as a dream Parisian apartment.

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Le Bon Marché

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Visit Paris’s oldest and most iconic department store for all your luxe needs, or for excellent window shopping if you’re on a budget. The interiors are just as beautiful as the merchandise, with the bright sky-lit atrium and iconic tiled escalators.

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Markets

Marché des Enfants Rouges

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One of the best-kept foodie secrets of all may be the Marché des Enfants Rouges, the oldest covered market in Paris. It was established in 1615 in the Marais and has been recognized as a historic monument since 1982. Make your way through the dense aisles between the independently run stalls, a vibrant melting pot of international food from Moroccan cous cous at Le Traiteur Marocain to a Japanese bento box from Chez Taeko. Pay a visit to the famed Chez Alain Miam Miam and watch Alain himself grilling hearty sandwiches topped with fromage comté melting on the crêpe pan.

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Sights

Beyond the Eiffel: 

Pont Alexandre III

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Take a leisurely walk along the Seine to Pont Alexandre III, the most grandiose of all the bridges along the river. Stop to admire the sweeping views and the gold statues standing centennial on either side.

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Basilique du Sacré-Cœur de Montmartre

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Start your day with a little climb to Sacré-Cœur. The Romanesque-Byzantine style basilica is located at the highest point of Montmarte and is well worth the trek up for the unmatched panoramic views of Paris. Soak in the scenery and then make your way through the narrow, cobblestone streets of one of Paris’s oldest neighborhoods.

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Champ de Mars

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Opt for an afternoon picnic on Champ de Mars for the best Eiffel Tower experience- avoid the crowds and lines by not going up.

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Rue de l'Abreuvoir

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No trip to Montmarte would be complete without seeing what is widely regarded as the “prettiest street in all of Paris”. Rue de l'Abreuvoir begins at La Maison Rose, the historic restaurant standing at the corner in a charming pink house with green shutters. Continue down the winding cobblestone street to the bottom where you’ll have the best view, looking back at the dome of Sacré-Cœur peeking out over the beautiful houses covered in ivy.

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Et voilà! Bon voyage!