Visit to Paris
20 Best Under-the-Radar Things to Do in Paris
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You’ve been to the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre, but have you ever learned to cook French pastries or attended a classical music concert at a 13th-century church? On your next trip to Paris, try one of these 20 suggestions and discover Paris’s off-the-beaten-path activities, from hip market streets to hunting museums to hidden parks, and much more.
Swim in a cool pool
Paris’s aquatic gems are a great place to feel Parisian right down to your skin. Flooded with daylight, glass-roofed Piscine Pontoise—a model of Art Deco design tucked between Notre Dame cathedral and the Jardin des Plantes—is illuminated only by underwater lights ’til midnight on weeknights. Opened in 1924, all three pools of the picturesque indoor-outdoor Butte-aux-Cailles complex are fed by an underground spring. Care to swim in the Seine? Afloat on the river (but not in it, whew!), the popular Piscine Josephine Baker is the next best thing, with a retractable roof that keeps sunbathers happy. The recently renovated Piscine Molitor is open to guests at the MGallery Hotel only, but it may be worth the splurge for a dip in Paris’s most glorious pool.
PLAN YOUR TRIP: Visit Fodor’s Paris Guide
Explore an unknown Asian art museum
You don’t have to be an Asian art connoisseur to appreciate the Musée d’Ennery. This hidden gem reopened in 2012 after a total renovation restored the elegant mansion to its late-19th-century splendor. Once the home of passionate collector Clémence d’Ennery, the wife of a successful Parisian playwright, the 7,000-piece Musée d’Ennery was lovingly assembled over 30 years and donated, house and all, to the Musée Guimet. Exquisite Chinese and Japanese porcelains, stamps, figurines, carvings, and ivories, dating from the 12th to the 19th centuries, fill dozens of gorgeously inlaid cabinets punctuated by larger sculptures, furniture, and a spectacular collection of rare inlaid trunks. The museum accommodates small groups two Saturdays a month, so be sure to plan ahead and book early.
PLAN YOUR TRIP: Visit Fodor’s Paris Guide
Visit a Parisian salon
There’s no better way to plunge into French culture than to visit one of Paris’s bustling trade shows. Twice a year, the Salon des Vins et Vignerons Indépendants assembles more than 500 winemakers from every corner of France, all offering a taste of the goods. A small fee buys you entrance and a tasting glass, so you can sip, swill, or spit out all day long (there’s also an aisle for gourmet snacks and sandwiches). A nine-day extravaganza, the Salon International d’Agriculture features produce, foods from around the world, livestock, and all good things from down on the French farm. The world’s biggest chocolate event, the Salon de Chocolat, held every fall, features everything chocolate, from the bean to the finest pastries, plus tastings and a chocolate fashion show (yes, they even wear it).
PLAN YOUR TRIP: Visit Fodor’s Paris Guide
Explore an amazing Gothic cathedral
Everyone has heard of the great Notre Dame cathedral, but history buffs will send you straight to the Basilique Saint-Denis, a mere 20 minutes from central Paris on metro line 13. France’s most celebrated Gothic cathedral, Saint Denis was named for the patron saint of Paris, who in the year 250 allegedly walked to this site from the heights of Montmartre carrying his own head after his execution at the hands of the Romans. A masterpiece of Gothic and Romanesque architecture, the church was built over a 150-year period beginning in 1136, and is the final resting place of the kings and queens of France—including Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette—whom you will see in exquisite marble effigies. With so much history to take in, a guided tour in English, available by reservation, is recommended.
PLAN YOUR TRIP: Visit Fodor’s Paris Guide
Sip on a cocktail with a view
There has been an explosion of new cocktail bars in Paris, but taking in panoramic views of the city while sipping your drink is still a tall order. Though at different ends of the glamour spectrum, two hotel bars boast to-die-for views. On the higher end, the spectacular Peninsula hotel’s L’Oiseau Blanc, named after a French plane lost in a 1927 attempt to cross the Atlantic (a full-size replica is suspended outside), offers 360° views from the restaurant, bar, and terrace. More modest in presentation but not in awe factor, the Holiday Inn Notre Dame’s 43 Up the Roof bar is the sixth arrondissement’s best-kept secret. Open every night after 5 pm, an elevator takes you up to the top floor, where this terrace bar reveals the entire city in front of you.
PLAN YOUR TRIP: Visit Fodor’s Paris Guide
Grab a gourmet bite on the rue du Nil
Tucked away in an off-the-radar corner of the second arrondissement, this tiny street shelters the Frenchie empire and more. Well known to foodies, Frenchie—helmed by star chef Gregory Marchand—is one of the city’s most sought-after tables. With reservations at a premium, the excellent Frenchie Bar à Vins allows a taste of what the fuss is about plus a list of natural wines to please the most persnickety palates, all available by the glass. Marchand’s more proletarian Frenchie to Go is open all day for breakfast, lunch, or a coffee break. But for a cup of Joe, you might cross over to L’Arbre à Café, a coffee connoisseur’s dream, focusing on rare single-origin beans and coffee accoutrements. Knowledgeable staff help select a coffee sure to please you, to drink at the café or to take home. A few steps away, Terroirs d’Avenir supplies gourmands—and Paris’s top restaurants—with France’s best produce, cured meats, cheeses, and much more.
PLAN YOUR TRIP: Visit Fodor’s Paris Guide
Take in a film at a historic movie theater
In 2013, the Louxor cinema, a masterpiece of Egyptian-inspired Art Deco architecture, reopened its doors after a total restoration. A designated historic monument situated in the scruffy, but up-and-coming Pigalle neighborhood, the cinema screens art-house films—many of them American—and offers a café-bar with a terrace and views of Sacré-Coeur. La Pagode is exactly that, a pagoda brought lock, stock, and barrel from Japan and converted into a cinema. Restored to its original glory, La Pagode shows international and art-house films (and tea can be had in the Japanese gardens). Dating from 1932, the illustrious Grand Rex boasts Europe’s largest screening room and a Baroque-inspired decor, complete with frescoed ceilings and fountains. The Fondation Pathé opened in 2014 in a historic building—complete with sculptures by Rodin—restored with a shimmering 21st-century addition by Renzo Piano. The foundation contains a movie museum, featuring historic posters, cameras, and projectors, plus a small, state-of-the-art screening room.
PLAN YOUR TRIP: Visit Fodor’s Paris Guide
Relax and refresh in a museum garden
Paris’s small museums offer a rare and intimate view of Parisian life as it was lived by artists and connoisseurs behind the elegant façades. Hidden away near the Luxembourg gardens, the luminous Musée Zadkine was the home of Russian-born sculptor Ossip Zadkine and his wife, painter Valentine Prax, from 1928–67. Famous for its sculpture-filled garden, this is where Parisians come to lounge and dream. The Musée de la vie Romantique, the 19th-century home of Dutch painter Ari Scheffer, whose art collection and works are on display, boasts Paris’s most charming garden tea salon, open mid-March to mid-October with a full lunch and tea menu to enjoy en plein air. The recent renovation of the Musée Rodin—the sculptor’s studio in a grand 17th-century mansion—extends to its spacious gardens, where visitors can relax on a bench, enjoy the flowers, or grab lunch or a snack from 10 am until 5 pm.
PLAN YOUR TRIP: Visit Fodor’s Paris Guide
Dine chez nous!
Who hasn’t dreamed of experiencing what it’s really like to live in the City of Lights? Answering a new travel trend to get up close and personal, VizEat invites travelers to dine at a Parisian’s home for a real taste of la vie Parisienne behind closed doors. Whether you want an informal dining experience en famille or a romantic gourmet dinner for two, the sky’s the limit. Ever wondered about those mysterious French dishes like tête de veau or lapin à la moutarde? VizEat allows you to select from a huge variety of menus, locations, and styles to suit your inclination.
PLAN YOUR TRIP: Visit Fodor’s Paris Guide
Take a workshop
It’s one thing to wander the Louvre, but quite another to take a family workshop to create your own graphic novel or try out photographic techniques in the Luxembourg Gardens—just a few of the dozens of art-inspired classes offered for adults, kids (age 6 & up), and families. But that’s not all: Les Art Décoratifs, the contemporary arts center 104 Centquatre, and the Musée d’Orsay all offer workshops throughout the year for inspired visitors to immerse themselves in French with something to show for it. Although most teachers speak some English, if you’re uncomfortable winging it, American artist Kasia Dietz teaches a workshop to create your own super-chic Paris-inspired tote to immortalize your impressions of Paris.
PLAN YOUR TRIP: Visit Fodor’s Paris Guide
Go on a chocolate crawl
Chocoholics on a bender should head straight to storied Saint-Germain-des-Prés, where no fewer than a dozen world-class chocolatiers convene within a few blocks. Across from stately Saint-Sulpice, a lifelike chocolate orangutan lounges in the window of sculptor-chocolatier Patrick Roger, whose copy of Rodin’s Balzac recently graced the newly opened Musée Rodin. A few blocks away, chocolate artist Jean-Charles Rouchoux’s fish, dogs, busts, and other objects make novel gifts and superb snacks. Star chef Alain Ducasse’s new boutique, on an ancient cobbled square across from the historic church of Saint-Germain, carries all the luscious confections made in his factory on rue Keller. Other not-to-miss boutiques include Henri Le Roux (creator of the salted caramel), the legendary Maison du Chocolat, Belgian standout Pierre Marcolini, and rock star pastry chef and chocolatier Pierre Hermé. On opposite sides of the Luxembourg gardens, don’t miss wizard Franck Kesterner and Christian Contant’s delicately perfumed ganaches.
PLAN YOUR TRIP: Visit Fodor’s Paris Guide
Explore a hidden architectural gem
One could easily miss this soaring masterpiece of Belle Époque architecture hidden away in the Gare de Lyon train station. Whether you’re on your way to the Riviera or not, this eye-popping brasserie is a destination unto itself. It’s a marvel, with French boiserie woodwork, gilding, and murals by leading 19th-century painters depicting railway scenes and portraits of famous Parisians (can you spot Sarah Bernhardt?). The brasserie’s all-day hours make it the perfect stop for a coffee, a meal, teatime, or a drink at the sumptuous bar, plush with oriental rugs and grand chandeliers. After a top-to-toe renovation in 2013, a new and improved menu was introduced featuring all the French classics or a gourmet plateau répas (€35) beautifully packaged to take along on your train trip to Provence.
PLAN YOUR TRIP: Visit Fodor’s Paris Guide
Explore Paris’s historic market streets
Paris’s legendary market streets are rich and textured monuments to daily life that speak of the city both past and present. A quintessential example, the downhill stretch of colorful Rue des Martyrs, from the Abbesses metro stop to Notre Dame de Lorette church, packs in chic jewelers, antiques shops, cafés, coffee bars, gourmet and traditional grocers, and fine pastry shops for one of the most pleasant walks in Paris. Everything needed for a French feast spills over the cobbled pedestrian walks of rue Montorgueil: fresh produce, wine, cheese, oysters, and pastries. Once an offshoot of Les Halles markets, it is also home to the city’s best cookware shops, including E. Dehillerin, a favorite haunt of Julia Child. Every day is market day on rue Mouffetard, an ancient thoroughfare in the fifth arrondissement immortalized in Hemingway’s A Moveable Feast. Wall-to-wall vendors, grocers, bars, and cafés line this narrow street all the way to the Place Contrescarpe.
PLAN YOUR TRIP: Visit Fodor’s Paris Guide
Learn to cook a quintessentially French dish
Forget the trinkets and T-shirts; learning to cook a French specialty is a souvenir for a lifetime. Whether it’s a featherweight macaron or one of those buttery croissants that’s hard to find at home, after a few hours at Le Foodist, you’ll be ready to impress your friends with culinary skills acquired firsthand in Paris. Better yet, combine your lesson with a trip to a typical Parisian market then sit down to a meal of your own making or hone your cheese and wine pairing skills at an expert-led tasting. There’s no limit to what you can learn at these lively and inspiring classes—all taught in English. At the École de Cuisine Alain Ducasse you can learn to make a baguette or the secrets of bistro or haute cuisine. Though pricier, the classes are also taught in English and are backed by a name that’s synonymous with the best.
PLAN YOUR TRIP: Visit Fodor’s Paris Guide
Dance the night away at a ball
Seasonal public balls are a long-established, deeply Parisian tradition that few tourists know about, let alone experience. To celebrate Bastille Day, two nights a year—on either July 13 or 14—every city hall in Paris and its suburbs hosts a bal des pompiers (firemen’s ball), starting at 9 pm and lasting into the wee hours of the morning. Dancing, eating, drinking, and revelry (and sometimes a lighthearted striptease by the famously beefy firemen) are all part of the fun. Popularized in the Paris cabarets and suburban guinguettes of the 19th century, the bal populaire was a working-class pastime fueled by high spirits, plenty of wine, music, and dancing. Once a month at the marvelous 104 Centquatre, one of Paris’s reigning contemporary arts centers, locals gather under garlands of light to dance to live music. The balls are free and have a different theme each month, listed on the Centquatre website.
PLAN YOUR TRIP: Visit Fodor’s Paris Guide
Explore an abandoned railway
Part of a huge, many-year restoration project spearheaded by Paris City Hall, La Petite Ceinture (little belt), a 19-mile-long abandoned railway that rings the city, is Paris’s final green frontier. A haven for biodiversity—with more than 200 plant and 70 animal species—the future of the Petite Ceinture is unsure, as Mayor Hidalgo’s plan for restaurants, cinemas, housing, as well as gardens and green space, is hotly contested by neighborhood organizations and environmental groups. Nevertheless, every year or two, beginning in 2008, portions of the line—which goes above and below ground and includes bridges and tunnels—have opened to the public for hiking and exploration. In the 13th arrondissement you can reach the newest section open to the public at 60 rue Damesme; in the 16th, a larger green space, between the Porte d’Auteuil and Gare de la Muette, has elevators and wheelchair access, and in the 12th, a 600-foot-long-nature train can be accessed at 21 rue Rottenbourg. Adventurers can hop in anywhere along the line to find the favorite lairs of Paris graffiti artists and hidden entrances to the catacombs—if you dare.
PLAN YOUR TRIP: Visit Fodor’s Paris Guide
Discover the art of the hunt
If you think a museum of the hunt sounds uninteresting, think again. Situated in the beautiful 17th-century Hôtel Guénégaud, the Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature is one of Paris’s most imaginative and appealing small museums. Focusing on hunt- and nature-themed art, elaborately inlaid antique weaponry (with amusing videos on how they were used), and taxidermied game animals, the museum also features multimedia exhibits, and dozens of surprising and humorous revelations and discoveries—drawers open to reveal antique treasures, animal tracks (or scat), or artworks.—so visitors are actually on a hunt of their own. The museum hosts excellent nature-themed contemporary art exhibitions and every Thursday night offers a special “nocturnal visit” that might be a concert, a nighttime walk to discover Paris’s wildlife, or a performance featuring frog sounds. The museum also funds a conservation-focused foundation.
PLAN YOUR TRIP: Visit Fodor’s Paris Guide
Attend a concert at a historic church
There’s no better way to make the spirit soar than to experience a live concert in a historic Paris church. Savor the strains of Bach’s sonatas for solo violin under the glorious jewel-like windows of gothic masterpiece Sainte-Chapelle (built in the 13th century to house a holy relic from Christ’s crown of thorns). Concerts begin at 7 pm and last an hour. Package tickets, including dinner or a post-concert glass of champagne, are a nice way to round out a festive evening. The Église Saint-Germain-des-Prés, Paris’s oldest church, is a famous neighborhood venue for its popular series of classical concerts and the Saint-Germain-des-Prés Jazz Festival (May 19-31, 2016). Upcoming classical concerts include the music of Bach, Fauré, Handel, Beethoven, Vivaldi, Schumann, and Pachelbel. Concerts start at 8:30 pm and last an hour and a half.
PLAN YOUR TRIP: Visit Fodor’s Paris Guide
Visit a village within the city
On any sunny day in the Mouzaïa (also known as the Quartier d’Amérique) the sound of birdsong fills the air as residents tend their luxuriant gardens. A slice of the countryside in Paris, charming Mouzaïa is one of Paris’s last hidden neighborhoods, where some 250 unique cottages, dating from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, were built over Paris’s old gypsum quarries. Originally built as some of the city’s first low-income housing for laborers, these storybook one- and two-story cottages are now some of Paris’s hottest real estate, populated by artists, writers, and even celebrities. These protected historic enclaves near the lovely Buttes Chaumont park can be found along the rue de Mouzaïa and the rues du Général Brunet, de la Liberté and Bellevue, starting at the metro stop Botzaris. For a bite, stop in to the La Table de Botzaris (10 rue du Général Brunet) or Aux Petits Joueurs for some music with your meal, or experience Paris’s last guinguette (19th-century café for music and dancing) at Rosa Bonheur in the Parc de Buttes Chaumont.
PLAN YOUR TRIP: Visit Fodor’s Paris Guide
Head to a medieval chateau and garden
A hop, skip, and a jump from central Paris on metro line 1 (Chateau de Vincennes stop) lies one of France’s largest and best preserved medieval chateaux. Originally a royal hunting lodge amid the wild forests of Vincennes, the Château de Vincennes has housed both kings and criminals during its long history—including the Marquis de Sade—and witnessed the massacre of 26 French resistance fighters at the hands of the Nazis headquartered there. The chateau’s stunning Gothic chapel (under renovation until 2017) housed the famous crown of thorns relic until its more famous cousin, Paris’s Sainte-Chapelle (which was modeled after Vincennes) was completed. Situated just behind the chateau, Parc Floral is not to be missed. Paris’s most beautiful and extensive gardens, host a program of outdoor classical, jazz, and pop concerts throughout the summer, two cafés, and a huge park for kids.
PLAN YOUR TRIP: Visit Fodor’s Paris Guide
The world’s most beautiful city, Paris also possesses the world’s most thrilling shopping, where famed international names mingle with small, made-in-France labels known only to Parisians and the privileged few. With exciting new boutiques opening all the time, it’s a challenge to keep up. Here we offer a black-book selection of ten of the newest must-sees—offering everything from luxury bags to gourmet delights—so you can shop Paris like a pro.
By Jennifer Ladonne
Paulie and me
The union between New Yorker Paul Chambel and Paris fashion veteran Lilia Chambel resulted in a beautiful two-year-old son and the exciting new concept store Paulie and me. A marriage of New York City cool and Parisian chic, the store is a handpicked treasure trove of young A-list designer clothes, bags, jewelry, shoes, accessories, and more.
Must-buy jewelry includes Clara Jasmine’s lace-print cuff bracelets, rings, and necklaces in 24-carat-gold-plated copper; delicate chain necklaces and bracelets by Sweety Jane; and Marion Godart’s sculptural, jewel-laden necklaces in brilliant colors. You’ll also find lightweight leather totes, super-stylish shoes by the Brazilian label Cavage (unique to the shop), and huge limited-edition scarves in featherweight cashmere by Maison Passage. Don’t miss the 50-percent-off corner!
PLAN YOUR TRIP: Visit Fodor’s Paris Travel Guide
L/Uniform
The mission is to elevate the humble canvas bag to the status of a fashion essential. L/Uniform’s gleaming new minimalist boutique, on the fashionable quai Malaquais, showcases the label’s classic collection of chic, streamlined bags in durable cotton-linen canvas. Light, sturdy, and fortified with colorful piping and leather handles, the bags—which range from laptop carriers to ample travel sizes—make an excellent alternative to leather and can be personalized with monograms and limitless colors.
The sleek No. 11 carryall can work as a market tote or a chic handbag, and the No. 2 schoolbag, a style favored by Parisian kids, is as adorable as it is versatile. You can choose from a range of canvas, piping, and monogram colors for variations that make the bag, manufactured artisanally in the beautiful perched village of Carcassonne in southern France, entirely your own.
PLAN YOUR TRIP: Visit Fodor’s Paris Travel Guide
Mesdemoiselles Madeleines
Though French to its tender core, the homey gateau immortalized by Proust has of late been upstaged by the flashy macaron. Thanks to Mesdemoiselles Madeleines, the buttery, shell-shaped sponge cake is making a comeback. Traditionally served nature or flecked with orange or a sprinkling of ground almonds, Mesdemoiselles Madeleines’ sophisticated versions come in more than three-dozen flavors—sweet, savory, or crowned with a cream-filled dome.
The teatime pastry is exciting enough to star at any meal. Take Apolline, flavored with grapefruit zest and a Sicilian pistachio-cream-filled dome, or Maxime, a mix of Rhône Valley raspberries lightly perfumed with Moroccan rose. Savory versions come in basil, lemon, and feta cheese topped with pignoli nuts or red onion and crème fraîche with chives. The cakes come in several sizes and can be purchased individually or mixed and matched.
PLAN YOUR TRIP: Visit Fodor’s Paris Travel Guide
Borgo delle Tovaglie
Set in a soaring loft space in the city’s up-and-coming 11th arrondissement, on the edge of the upper Marais, the new home concept store Borgo delle Tovaglie reflects the neighborhood’s stylish boho vibe. A fabulous array of essentials for the home awaits you, including sheets, pillows, tablecloths, curtains, and other classic items in Borgo’s luscious Italian linen and dreamy seasonal colors: Caribbean blue, mint, stone, graphite, lavender, coral.
Both classic and contemporary, the store is an eclectic mix of old-world quality and up-to-date chic, with a collection of one-off lighting, unbreakable melamine dishes in yummy colors to harmonize with your table linens, and stylish printed throw pillows and rugs. The in-store café is a neighborhood favorite, the perfect spot for a plate of artisanal charcuterie and a glass of wine or an espresso and a homemade dessert.
PLAN YOUR TRIP: Visit Fodor’s Paris Travel Guide
Le Bon Marché – Le Soulier
Your reasons for rushing to Le Bon Marché have just multiplied with the unveiling of the famous left-bank department store’s glamorous new Le Soulier shoe salon. The soaring new space, set under a nineteenth-century glass ceiling, highlights a list of crème-de-la-crème designers and plenty of new names to discover. Small salons dedicated to haute couture stars Chanel, Céline, Prada, Jimmy Choo, Valentino, Balenciaga, and Tods open out onto a floor space dressed with comfy modern sofas for maximum trying-on comfort.
The contemporary designer space offers the latest from Dries Van Noten, Lavin, Nicholas Kirkwood, Proenza Schouler, Chloé, and Givenchy, and the “creative spirit” section underscores edgy young designs from the likes of Markus Lupfer, Play Comme des Garçons, Golden Goose, Band of Outsiders, and Isabel Marant. It’s one-stop shoe shopping excellence.
PLAN YOUR TRIP: Visit Fodor’s Paris Travel Guide
Louboutin Cosmetics
Glamorous women can now match their talons to their soles—the famous fire engine-red immortalized by the designer’s mile-high stilettos is the star of his new boutique beauté. Set in the historic nineteenth-century covered passage Vero Dodat, where Christian Louboutin got his start, the tiny boutique resembles a shrine to the hallowed “Rouge Louboutin” along with thirty other high-fashion shades of nail polish.
The lacquer comes in a faceted jewel-like bottle with a gleaming 8-inch cap, the exact height of his famously vertiginous shoes. At €45 a bottle, it’s not cheap, but two layers of Louboutin’s gloss is said to equal twenty coats of the regular stuff. Think of it as an investment. The men’s and women’s shoe boutiques are right next-door for easy mixing and matching.
PLAN YOUR TRIP: Visit Fodor’s Paris Travel Guide
Verbreuil
Opened in January, Verbreuil’s new jewel-box of a boutique, two steps from the Luxembourg Gardens, offers a gorgeous new take on the luxury handbag. Designed by a mother and her three daughters, the bags anticipate a chic Parisian’s every desire, combining elegance, sophistication, and staying power in each of the six ultra-sleek silhouettes. The bags’ timeless architecture has a vintage feel brought up to date with high-tech details meticulously engineered for the utmost beauty and functionality.
The Canoun, in crocodile with a buttery calfskin interior, has three pockets for day and a removable strap to seamlessly transform into an evening clutch. The streamlined Duo, Verbreuil’s take on the tote, is ample enough for a small computer or tablet, yet refined enough to go anywhere, anytime. Handcrafted in France by skilled artisans, the bags are small marvels of design know-how, combining top-quality skins (crocodile, python, calf) with a pared-down aesthetic that’s unmistakably luxe.
PLAN YOUR TRIP: Visit Fodor’s Paris Travel Guide
Jérôme Dreyfuss
Jérôme Dreyfuss’s spirited handbags have graced the arms of chic Parisians since 2002. Though the designer introduced his shoe collection in spring 2013, his first boutique dedicated to shoes just opened in April, at 1 rue Jacob on the city’s storied left bank. In keeping with Dreyfuss’s signature bohemian chic outlook, the shoes run the gamut from high-glamour pumps in pretty flower-print toile to jaunty red suede moccasins and studded black suede booties with towering stilettos.
The flat Wanda sandal’s hippy-chic design is pure Dreyfuss: a braided-leather thong and cut-leather band that comes in five scrumptious colors, including orange, forest green, and pale pink. Sneakers in metallic python or tie-dyed lambskin are this season’s standouts. Match them with a bag from his flagship boutique across the street at No. 4.
PLAN YOUR TRIP: Visit Fodor’s Paris Travel Guide
Papier Tigre
For those who still relish putting pen to paper, Papier Tigre’s sophisticated and colorful take on stationary, cards, notebooks, and all things paper will bring joy to your heart. The Paris papeterie combines a fresh aesthetic with plenty of whimsy in cards with messages like bisous (kisses), original revolving calendars that list each month’s seasonal fruits and veggies in French and English, and a do-it-yourself family tree with apertures for four generations of photographs and slots for names and dates.
There’s also dreamy scented candles and sachets for closets, drawers, and suitcases by Kerzon, pens and notebooks by Moleskine, embroidered jewelry by Macon & Lesquoy, framed artwork, bags, and even nail polish. Its central location near Les Halles, the Centre Pompidou, and the lively rue de Montmartre shopping mecca make it a convenient place to drop in
PLAN YOUR TRIP: Visit Fodor’s Paris Travel Guide
Perrin
This fifth-generation glove-making family launched its first handbag collection in 2006 to resounding success. With the opening of a gorgeous new boutique in February, Perrin cinches its place as one of Paris’s most exciting small handbag and accessories brands. A stone’s throw from the Tuilerie Gardens, the opulent new boutique provides a fitting backdrop for a glamorous collection of ultra-contemporary clutches.
Fashioned in a variety of rainbow-hued leathers and fitted with bracelets or glove-like handles in leather or metal for better, well, clutching, the bags recall the company’s glove-making origins while confidently expressing their own flair. Irresistible models in fox fur or stingray complement even the most elegant outfit. If clutch bags aren’t your thing, check out the fabulous ball bag in sky-blue crocodile or the sleek Hobo Baggala in supple leather and a crocodile shoulder strap. There’s also a line of chic sunglasses and a delicious selection of buttery, handmade gloves in calf, crocodile, or goatskin.
PLAN YOUR TRIP: Visit Fodor’s Paris Travel Guide
Paris flings open its doors to an easy, breezy summer in its great urban landscape this season. City terraces, parks, and quayside spots are ideal for dining al fresco, picnicking over an outdoor concert or movie, walking, biking, or lounging on a green chair in the Luxembourg Gardens. Here’s a selection of events and activities en plein air to get you out both day and night.
Exhibitions
In summer’s must-see exhibit, English sculptor Anish Kapoor takes on Versailles’ formal gardens as his workspace, using the classical fountains and parterres in imaginative, surprising, and disorienting ways through five installations scattered throughout the landscape—including a fountain whirlpool and a stupendous Sky Mirror—and a sixth in the historic Jeu de Paume (through November 1).
While in the gardens, check out Escales dans les jardins de Versailles, featuring 80 artworks of the palace gardens created by people with autism.
Summer Festivals
A roster of international musicians, actors, and dancers convene at quartier d’été, Paris’s most expansive summer arts festival (July 14–August 9), set in more than 30 indoor and outdoor venues around the city. On July 14, choreographer Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker’s Violin Phase (free), set to the music of Steve Reich, will be performed at the Saint-Eustach church.
The 24th edition of Classique au Vert (August 1–September 13), Paris’s premier outdoor classical music festival, held in the Bois de Vincennes’ exquisite Parc Floral, features world-class performers in more than fifteen open-air concerts. Picnic under the trees to the dulcet strains of the Ensemble Orchestra of Paris, Vincent Peirani, or the Pelléas Orchestra for a mere €6 admission to the park.
For more than 20 years, La Villette’s vast lawn has hosted Paris’s biggest movie screen in what has become a major summer event. This year, Cinéma en Plein Air will screen 25 films by the likes of Scorsese, Hitchcock, Miyazaki, and Polanski (many in English) for rapt moviegoers picnicking under the stars. Admission is €7; July 22–August 23.
Since 2003, Rock en Seine has been Paris’s most hotly anticipated rock festival, where the crème de la crème of rock talent convene in one of Paris’s most spectacular gardens. This year, more than 60 artists, including The Offspring, The Libertines, Marina and the Diamonds, The Chemical Brothers, and My Morning Jacket, will ignite five stages (August 28–30). Tickets sell out fast, so plan ahead!
Outdoor Dining
Michelin–starred chef Christophe Moret designed the menu at La 8 Iena, a stylish outdoor terrace in the heart of the beautiful Shangri-La hotel, where you’ll find a summery spread of fresh salads, plenty of vegetables, grilled meats, and refreshing drinks. Come for lunch, dinner, or a snack and a chilled glass of Champagne.
Attached to deeply hip concept store The Broken Arm, a bright little café excels in quick and delicious gourmet snacks, light meals, and very good coffee. A wide sidewalk terrace across from a charming Parisian park makes it a perfect outdoor stop while exploring the Marais.
On the leafy boulevard Saint-Germain, Ralph Lauren’s elegant boutique houses Paris’s prettiest outdoor garden café, Ralph’s, with a sophisticated menu to boot. Set among the splendid boutiques of the 6th and 7th arrondissements, it’s a great spot for a tranquil reprieve between shopping forays.
Prepare a Picnic
What are summers for if not for picnics? Grab a prepared meal on the go or find all the makings for your own al fresco feast. La Grande Épicerie is the city’s largest gourmet grocer and part of Le Bon Marché department store (7th arrondissement). Elsewhere, the newly opened La Maison Plisson is a thrilling way to sample the best of French regional delicacies, from fruit and veggies to charcuterie, cheese, pastries, and bread (Marais, 3rd arrondissement).
Outdoor Fun
There’s no time like summer to catch cool breezes off the water while taking in Paris’s top sights. Whether it’s day or night, a romantic candlelight dinner or fun with the kids, these companies offer an array of cruises to suit every taste. Vedettes du Pont Neuf offers a wide range of cruises with smaller boats and easy access. Bateaux-Mouches provides state-of-the-art tours from glass-enclosed boats, and the wonderful Batobus allows you to hop on and off at nine of the city’s top destinations all day long for €10 (€7 for kids).
Add sun and 5,000 tons of sand and you’ve got the thirteenth Paris Plages, the urban version of the Riviera on the Seine. Concerts, pop-up cafés, exercise classes, dance events, and more make for a dreamy summer on the beach.
In the beautiful Tuileries Garden, in the very heart of Paris, there’s summer fun for the whole family at the Fête Foraine des Tuileries (June 27–August 23). The carnival boasts more than 60 attractions including 20 different rides for kids of all ages, like the famous Ferris wheel and a French double-decker carousel.
Party at a Château
For an unforgettable evening spent in unparalleled splendor, Vaux le Vicomte’s Candlelight Evenings illuminate the château and grounds with 2,000 candles. At evening’s end, visitors are treated to a spectacular fireworks display that can be viewed from the estate’s many glorious vistas. Visitors can also enjoy an elegant gourmet dinner on the terrace facing the château at Les Charmilles restaurant, or Champagne and macarons on the Terrasse du bénitier.
Along with the Château de Versailles’ Grandes Eaux Nocturnes, a spectacle of lights, color, and fireworks, the palace hosts a range of events incorporating music and dance. Les Nuits de l’Orangerie features a production of the ballet Romeo and Juliet, and the Sérénade Royal de la Galerie des Glaces recreates a Sun King-style ball complete with period music and costumes.
Attention Shoppers!
Let the hunting begin! The famous Paris soldes (sales) begin on June 24, when the grands magasins Galeries Lafayette, Printemps, and Le Bon Marché open their doors at 8 am sharp. Every boutique in Paris will be offering anywhere from 20–60 percent off retail prices.
No matter how many times you’ve been there, Paris always feels timeless. But in recent years, the city has gone into high gear with a surprisingly robust slate of new openings that have altered the cultural landscape. With eye-catching performance spaces, cute boutiques, and must-visit restaurants and bars, the City of Light feels brighter than ever. If it’s been a while since your last visit to Paris, make sure you don’t miss these ten hot spots on your next trip.
By Kate Donnelly
Philharmonie de Paris
Set inside the sprawling Parc de la Villette, Jean Nouvel’s ambitious Philharmonie de Paris opened earlier this year with a striking aluminum façade. Inside the new concert hall, world-class acoustics come courtesy of the work of leading opera designers Harold Marshall and Yasuhisa Toyota. The space, which seats 2,400, offers a wide range of programming, including performances by the resident Orchestre de Paris.
PLAN YOUR TRIP: Visit Fodor’s Paris Travel Guide
Maison Kitsuné
In the hip Upper Marais district, the popular fashion label Maison Kitsuné opened its largest Paris outpost in May on the Boulevard des Filles du Calvaire. Stocked with tees, totes and sweatshirts, the shop sits above an inviting 35-seat café with custom-made marble walls and a breezy California vibe. With floor-to-ceiling windows, the café’s rooms were inspired by the paintings of David Hockney.
PLAN YOUR TRIP: Visit Fodor’s Paris Travel Guide
Guy Savoy
Earlier this year, Michelin-starred chef Guy Savoy moved his signature restaurant from a dark, modern space in the nineteenth arrondissement to a grand space—an intimate series of dining rooms with tall windows revealing stellar Louvre and Seine views—befitting his elegant cuisine. The earthy, artichoke soup with black truffle warrants special mention, as do roasted duck paletot with sweet, bitter, and peppery flavors; and a whole grilled sea bass.
PLAN YOUR TRIP: Visit Fodor’s Paris Travel Guide
Papier Tigre
For all things stationery, head to the minimalist boutique Papier Tigre, the brainchild of three young designers, near the Centre Pompidou. There’s a smartly curated stock of aesthetically pleasing goods, mostly made in France, including stationery, colorful patterned goods, often-changing collaborations with artists, calendars, gift wrap, decorative objects, postcards, scented candles and notebooks. We promise you’ll be inspired to write an actual letter by hand again.
PLAN YOUR TRIP: Visit Fodor’s Paris Travel Guide
Fondation Louis Vuitton
In the lush Bois de Boulogne, legendary French fashion house Louis Vuitton opened a contemporary, Frank Gehry–designed structure made of twelve balloon-like glass “sails.” Inside, the Fondation Louis Vuitton’s permanent collection includes pieces from Rothko, Matisse, Koons, and Basquiat. In addition, there’s a rotating series of special exhibitions and a 350-seat auditorium for viewing performances and observing Ellsworth Kelly’s rainbow-colored stage curtain. Outside, get lost in the rooftop gardens overlooking the leafy park and, downstairs, take Instagram-worthy photos amongst Danish artist Olafur Eliasson’s cool mirrored columns.
PLAN YOUR TRIP: Visit Fodor’s Paris Travel Guide
Lockwood
Opened by the Lehoux brothers (the duo behind hip spots like Ten Belles), Lockwood starts its days as a coffee shop with wooden tables stocked with beans from local, artisanal roasters and an assortment of sweets. In the evenings, however, it transforms into a cozy cocktail bar that invites you to sip aperitifs, a wide range of whiskeys, and cocktails like the Penicillin (whiskey, honey, lemon, and ginger). Downstairs, rotating cocktails are mixed and paired neatly with easy-going dry meat platters, hamburgers, and quesadillas.
PLAN YOUR TRIP: Visit Fodor’s Paris Travel Guide
Le 8 Iéna at Shangri-La Hotel
At the elegant Shangri-La Hotel Paris, under the helm of new executive chef Christophe Moret, a seasonal outdoor courtyard called Le 8 Iéna is a great place to spend an afternoon. Inside this hidden spot, sip refreshing cocktails with small plates that include bright salads (think classic niçoise) and light French and Asian dishes like beef and chicken satay. Under Moret’s helm, there’s a range of lovely vegetarian options including green-pea carpaccio and of course, everything pairs well with a sparkling flute of Champagne or crisp Sancerre.
PLAN YOUR TRIP: Visit Fodor’s Paris Travel Guide
Hero
Three-level Korean food haven and canteen Hero (you can’t miss the pink-neon signage) is outfitted with natural wood, handcrafted lanterns, hand-painted wallpaper, and a freshly minted outdoor terrace. The menu includes crispy fried chicken (yangnyeom) with one of three sauces that range in heat, fluffy pork buns, a roasted pork-rib sandwich, and kimchi macaroni and cheese. On the drinks list, there are natural wines and cocktails made with homemade lemongrass syrup, fresh-squeezed lime juice, and the Korean beer Hite. Later, you can opt for shots of soju.
PLAN YOUR TRIP: Visit Fodor’s Paris Travel Guide
Steel Cyclewear and Coffee Shop
On a quiet, discreet street in the eleventh arrondissement, the grown-up bicycle shop (from the in-the-know founder of the French-English lifestyle magazine Steel) allows both amateur and advanced cyclers to meet for group rides. Afterwards, the niche storefront becomes an extended place to sip specialty coffee and snack on lemon poppy cake and breakfast muesli. The airy, light-filled space offers a bevy of stylish gear like helmets and clothing from around the globe.
PLAN YOUR TRIP: Visit Fodor’s Paris Travel Guide
Palais Galliera
The city’s most fashion-forward museum, Palais Galliera, Musée de la Mode, emerged from an extensive makeover in September 2013 that made it more stylish than ever. Only open during temporary exhibitions, the grand structure was formerly the nineteenth-century palace of Marie Brignole-Sale, Duchess of Galliera. Popular past exhibitions have focused on costume design, fashion history and iconic French designers including Jeanne Lanvin and Azzedine Alaïa. This November will see the opening of a show dedicated to Elisabeth, Countess Greffulhe, an icon of the Belle Époque through the Roaring Twenties.
PLAN YOUR TRIP: Visit Fodor’s Paris Travel Guide
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