Paris, Je t’aime
ideas for your next trip to Paris…
Paris is my happy place. I fell in love with the city long before I visited or knew anything beyond a bonjour. From my first trip there as a high school exchange student to travel to returning in my early twenties to live and attend culinary school, I only fell harder. There were all the obvious reasons~ the food! the architecture! the culture! the shopping!~ but also smaller ones like the smell of cigarette smoke (and I hate cigarettes) or diesel fumes or even the Metro which became Proustian moments…so oui, je t’aime Paris.
And lucky moi, last week a girlfriend (equally in love with the city) and I spent a few days soaking up all that je ne sais quoi.
I arrived with restaurant reservations, a list of boulangeries & patisseries, and memories of favorite neighborhoods I wanted to again explore. During the days, we walked all over the city and spent time in cafes and gardens people watching…the people watching in Paris really is zee best. Each evening we ate at one of the many incredible bistros around the city.
We stayed in the 7th arrondisement in a charming (seriously the only word to describe it) hotel on the Rue du Bac and it was the most perfect location. The 7th is an upscale neighborhood, more residential than touristy, yet so convenient to everything. It was just a few minutes walk to the heart of Saint Germain des Pres and a 10 minute walk to the Seine (and just over the bridge to the Jardins des Tuileries and the Louvres).
Below are a few favorites you should definitely add to your list if you’re planning a trip!
Dessert first…
There are so many incredible spots it’s impossible to narrow down to just a few but definitely visit Jean-Paul Hévin et Le Chocolat Alain Ducasse for amazing chocolates (the praline filled dark chocolate bars are unbelievable). For pastries, don’t miss the macarons from Pierre Herme (he’s regarded as the king of French pastry and his macarons are considered the gold standard- be sure to try the Ispahan ~ a rose, raspberry, & lychee beauty), don’t miss the financiers et brioche aux pralines roses from Eric Kayser, and please head over to Angelina for the hot chocolate ~ there’s the gorgeous and crazy busy original tea room location in the 1st but on the Rue du Bac is a small outpost where you can purchase the gorgeous pastries (try the Mont Blanc!), the famous hot chocolate to go, and beautiful tins of sweets and even the hot chocolate to make at home. Lastly, you MUST try the merveilleux from Aux Merveilleux de Fred which are meringues covered with a dome of whipped cream and rolled in delish things like chocolate shavings or crushed candied hazelnuts…with all the pastries we sampled these were a standout.
I didn’t JUST eat pastries though…these restaurants are absolute must-visits if you’re in the mood for classic French bistro-style dining
L’ami Jean
Found on a quiet side street in the 7th, it feels like it’s off the beaten path but once you step inside the packed spot and squeeze into your seats, you’ll hear almost as much English spoken as French (the night we were there, Padma Lakshmi was seated next to me on the banquette and tucked in the corner was a James Beard Award-winning NYC chef and his family). The menu offers vague dish descriptions but just order and know that everything is EXCELLENT. And no matter how full you are, get the famous rice pudding. Served with candied hazelnuts and a spoonful of confiture du lait (similar to dulce de leche) it is ridiculously delish…we shared the huge portion and polished it off before we knew it.
Josephine Chez Dumonet
A super classic French bistro, Chez Dumonet is regarded as one of the very best in Paris. Dishes are generous and rich~ if you love duck confit you must order here. I had the boeuf bourguignon which was served in a ceramic dish and was perfection with unctuous beef, smoky lardons, earthy mushrooms, and plenty of red wine. Desserts are made to order so you select and order with your meal. As much as I wanted to try the huge and gorgeous Grand Marnier souffles we’d seen being delivered to other tables, we ordered the millefeuille and it did not disappoint. One is a generous dessert for two and the puff pastry was so deeply caramelized it absolutely shattered at the touch of a fork, so delicious with classic and just-sweet-enough vanilla pastry cream.
Bistrot Paul Bert
A bustling, old school bistro, I’ve visited multiple times over the years because it’s just so good. From the crisp and airy gougeres set down with your drinks to the classic plats ~ think steak frites and sole meuniere~ every ingredient is carefully sourced, super seasonal, and perfectly executed. If the Paris Brest is on the dessert menu, order it! A ring of choux (cream puff) pastry filled with praline pastry cream, it was crazy good (and kicked off several days of a praline obsession).
A few more favorite things…
Wander around the Marais and then stop at Breizh Cafe for galettes (savory Normandy-style buckwheat crepes made with organic buckwheat flour and Bordier butter). Visit the Musee de l’Orangerie in the Jardin des Tuilleries and then head over to Angelina for pastries and chocolate chaud. My favorite garden is the Jardin du Luxembourg and if you have children with you they will especially love sailing the remote control boats and the merry go round. If you cook and/or bake, head over to the 1st and visit G. Detou and E. Dehilleren. The first is a tiny shop crammed with the best selection of pantry items including mustards, oils, spices, nuts, vanilla in all forms, and a huge selection of French chocolates at unbelievable prices (the shop carried my favorite cocoa powder for a third of the price in the states and in my excitement I purchased three 1 kilo bags which I then carried around for hours through the Marais). Stepping into the storied E. Dehillerin, which has been a source of kitchen wares since 1820, feels like going back in time. Here you will find every type of tool for the kitchen from myriad whisks and knives to tart molds to all the gorgeous copper pots and pans you could ever want. When I lived in Paris over 20 years ago and people visited me, one of the first places I would take them is La Grande Epicerie AKA the world’s most gorgeous food hall. Within you may visit the patisserie for a strawberry tarte almost too beautiful to eat, grab loaves of freshly baked bread from the boulangerie, ogle at the beyond gorgeous cases filled with prepared dishes which would make the fanciest picnic ever, and then roam the aisles which are FILLED with everything you can image (the yogurt section alone takes up 2 1/2 walls!). I always find so many gifts for people here and if you want to save time and can’t make it to the individual shops you can also find exquisite Marriage Freres teas, Angelina chocolates + hot chocolate powder, Christine Ferber jams (what I always stock up on) here, and specialty chocolate bars like those of Michel Cluizel here. Make sure you make time to sit at an outdoor cafe and relax. Our first morning we walked over to Cafe de Flore, a quintessential Parisian art deco cafe made famous for hosting some of the most brilliant artists and philosophers since it opened in 1880. It’s probably the most well known cafe in Paris (along with its next door rival Les Deux Magots) and, while touristy, still a great spot along the busy Boulevard Saint-Germain. And last but not least, visit at least one outdoor market (check out this website for a comprehensive list of Parisian markets).