Paris

Situated a block from the Canal St.-Martin in the 10th arrondissement, Du Pain et des Idées is your favorite corner bakery—only better. The owner, Christophe Vasseur, was named best boulanger in Paris in 2008, and for good reason....

One of the most talked about hotels in Paris, Hotel Costes is located in one of the most fashionable streets, Rue Saint Honore. The hotel is best known for its fine bar and courtyard cafe and for its sexy atmosphere and crowd. If you don't book a...

Step off the beaten path that leads to Jim Morrison’s grave at Père Lachaise and head instead to the lesser-known, yet extraordinary Montparnasse Cemetery. Locals bring metro tickets to leave on Serge Gainsbourg’s grave in...

Tasting the city's best baguettes is one thing, but wouldn't it also be great to learn how to make them? Award-winning baker Benjamin Turquier, shown, runs the bakery 134 RdT and placed in the top 10 in this year's annual Best Baguette in Paris...

The Paris café scene has always been compelling, but the actual café (coffee) is often forgettable. That's all changing, thanks to places like Coutume, Kookaboora and Telescope, where obsessive (and often mustachioed) baristas are redefining the...

Before wandering around Paris for two days, I asked my French friend Nadine, "where do I eat?" She directed me to Cafe Louis Phillipe for a lovely French lunch. The beautiful blue cheese, walnut, and endive salad arrived first, followed by a roast...

The Place du Tertre was made famous by Amelie Poulain a fictional film character who delighted millions about a decade ago. Her home was the neighborhood of Montmartre in Paris. An art market held on the Place du Tertre attracts folks to the area...

After three splendid "French" meals my wife had hit a wall. We canceled our degustation meal at an "oh so hard to get a seat" Parisian Michelin 2 star restaurant and headed out by foot from our hotel. My wife, skipping ahead came across Le cherche...

RUE CLER Delights

Located in the Marais, L'As Du Falafel likes to boast about its connection to rocker Lenny Kravitz. Specifically that he has endorsed the falafel sandwich here. You don't need me to tell you this. Just go here: it's posted all over the walls. The...

We found a great little Vietnamese restaurant called Cocottes & Donabes at 11 rue Linne (near the Jardin des Plantes). The owner was as nice as could be and the restaurant was clearly a gathering place for locals. We spent more time talking with...

Here at the très chic Boulangerie Fauchon, on the Place de la Madeleine in the heart of Paris, the loaves can look almost too good to eat. In French, the idiomatic equivalent for 'window-shopping' is "leche-vitrine," which literally means...

Go for the scene, not the food, and enjoy the Art Deco décor and great people-watching at this buzzy Left Bank landmark. Despite a limited menu and steep prices, the place is packed day and night. Order a chocolat chaud and sit on the...

When I’m in Paris, I have the same breakfast every morning at Le Comptoir Des Saints-Pères on the corner of rue Jacob and rue des Saints-Pères. Each day I sit at the same stool, in the same place at the bar, and a man named Philippe serves me "le...

The Latin Quarter has a great dining atmosphere for those after budget friendly meals in a lively environment. street after street crammed with restaurants that are bursting at the seams with decorations, tables and persuasive waiters. Many have...

The historic Androuet fromagerie has been sourcing and maturing exceptional cheeses since 1909. Their shop on rue Mouffetard is staffed by friendly English-speakers who will be happy to explain and vacuum-seal your selections, including the...

There is nothing better than taking a cooking class from all places but in Paris. In my recent visit to Paris, I was invited to participate in a market cooking class. We went shopping for the ingredients in a local outdoor market and then got back...

So, you think you know Paris? There are hundreds of memorable streets and boulevards in the City of Lights. But, for my money, Rue Montorgueil is the best. It is compact, only three blocks long, with a metro stop at each end. In between, you have...

Paris boasts an unusual elevated park, La Promenade Plantée, built atop an abandoned elevated railway viaduct in the 12th arrondissement. It starts a block east of the Place de la Bastille and stretches for 2.9 elevated miles. Landscape architect...

Paris is a city of lovers...of dog-lovers. Yes, there are the couples embracing on the Seine--impossibly romantic and timeless...but anyone who's been to the City of Light also knows that Parisians, even within the constraints of their urban...

In the 14th district of Paris are the Catacombs, also known as the underground ossuary (or l'Ossuaire Municipal) where 6 million skeletons are stacked in an orderly fashion and date back several centuries ago. This was done because Paris...

Just down the street from the charming Carreau du Temple, an open-air market square in the Haut Marais that recently reopened after heavy renovations, sits OFR: a bookshop-cum-gallery that houses an extensive collection of multilingual art and...

In its heyday, La Couple was one of the most important gathering spots of the Roaring Twenties. Set in the Montparnasse district, where American jazz flourished, the Art Deco hotspot attracted the likes of Josephine Baker, as well as famous...

If you have a sweet tooth or if you are looking for the best chocolate milk or mont blanc cake in Paris, look no further. Angelina Patisserie is the place you should head to. Located just across Jardin de Rivoli, Angelina doubles as Patisserie and...

Perfect for exploring the trendy 10^th arrondissement, Le Citizen Hotel overlooks the Canal Saint-Martin, footsteps from where Amélie skipped stones in the French movie of the same name. The location is convenient for walking or using public...

We don't know if Chopin, Molière, Colette, Jim Morrison, Édith Piaf, Oscar Wilde, and other famous denizens of Père Lachaise were disturbed by the keening sounds of Bruce Ackley's soprano saxophone on this cold January afternoon. But a security...

In the Belleville neighborhood of Paris, this wall that would otherwise be nondescript brick is covered in unlikely art, with the caveat: "beware of words." A bit of artistic 3-D in the 20th arrondissement, by the artist Benjamin Vautier. (To see...

Wandering among the Renaissance buildings in the Marais district in Paris, this courtyard in the 15th-c. Hôtel de Sens gave me one of my favorite visual memories of the city--this corner balcony. You just have to love the irreverance of the...

The location for the most charming scenes in the movie Amélie, this once-forgotten neighborhood is now a destination for the young and fun-loving. As soon as the weather turns warm, picnickers line the paths along this...

Most visitors venture to the Marais for two things: falafel and shopping. I go for the gelato. Unlike the majority of Italian ice cream shops who brandish their mountainous flavors in the windows to entice passersby, Pozzetto (Italian owned and...

One of the things I enjoyed the most while in Paris was finding little spots, which Paris has lots of, that ooze that quaint charm. Even better was stumbling upon moments, such as this stand off between father and son...presumably over the bike? I...

In 1963 artist Marc Chagall was commissioned by the French Minister of Culture to repaint the Paris Opera House ceiling. The artist choice was controversial because, although a French nationalized citizen, Chagall was a Russian Jew, and a modern...

Before the French Revolution, this park used to be the site of the Royal Palace. Today, the garden, which separates the Louvre from the Place de la Concorde, is a place where Parisians and tourists stroll amid Rodin and Maillol statues or relax...

There's nothing like touring Paris by bike. Even though I prefer walking, just for the sake of discovering hidden places, there is something quite fun and energetic about getting on a bike from time to time.

The Eiffel Tower decks and Sacre Coeur Montmartre overlook Paris, but they are so crowded. One has to fight for a picture of the gray rooftops and spires of the Parisian skyline. The rooftop cafe at the Printemps department store in Paris has all...

It was my last day in Paris, and I was lounging in the sunshine in the Luxembourg Gardens. Children were launching small sailboats across the fountain pond, guiding their course with long sticks if they drifted too close to the edge. One little...

Nemo is one of Paris' most famous "pochoiristes" (stencil artist) known for his mischievous silhouetted characters. He originally started painting these wistful, unlikely scenes around his working class neighborhood of Belleville to greet his kids...

Serendipitous light on a September afternoon--a rainbow arcing over the Eiffel Tower and ending at the gold dome of L'Église des Invalides in central Paris. (Under that dome, emperor worship continues--Napoléon I lies buried in a crypt in the...

Early spring, Paris can be a moody place. Flowers just beginning to poke up through damp soil under low grey skies, a rainstorm solidifies into sleet...then the clouds lift right at sunset, and the swollen Seine takes on the green of a newly...

Cannot get enough of these old typers. This one was in one of the flea markets in Paris. Wonder what prose was written on this baby?!

Ah, the Paris Plage. I love the dichotomy of sand volleyball and the Hotel de Ville. In addition there were paddle boats for the little kids, and the banks of the Seine are covered with sand, beach chairs, street performers, and food.

Since 1831 Deyrolle has been the taxidermist for Parisians. In the two-story shop on the lovely Rue du Bac, you'll find everything from domestic animals and large exotic mammals (lions! zebras!) to insects, shells, birds, and educational...

When I visited Paris this past May, I stayed at the Hotel Saint Germain (http://www.hotel-saint-germain.fr), a lovely boutique hotel in the Saint-Germain-des-Pres area of the city. It is a wonderful, safe neighbourhood, full of little restaurants,...

For a first-time visitor to Notre Dame, investing in the audio guide is essential to immerse in and understand this overwhelmingly significant Paris icon. There's a lot to see and absorb—history, architecture, artifacts,...

Strolling over the Pont des Arts, in spite of the tourists, and the cliché, bereted accordian player busquing for a Euro... even with the lovers buying locks to place on the fencing, and the nasal wail of the Bateaux Mouches loudspeakers floating...

This former royal palace is one of the largest museums in the world, and its art collection is considered one of the most comprehensive. It contains around 400,000 works, although—mercifully, perhaps—not all are on display at any one...

If you've ever walked along the banks of the river Seine, you've probably seen long green boxes and their vendors plying souvenirs, postcards and a variety of other knick-knacks. But did you know that these Bouquinistes - all 240+ of them - are...

A boon to taco-starved expats when it opened five years ago, this taqueria-meets-cocktail lounge has been consistently good since day one. Tuck into tacos, tostadas and deliciously chunky guacamole in the narrow taqueria, then head past the...

After ‘sans gluten’ found a place in the Parisian lexicon last year thanks to Helmut Newcake and more recently Noglu, vegan is the next buzzword to be embraced by locals in Paris. I still remember when dining out in the city was a daunting...

You'd think that having a Meilleur Ouvrier de France (a prestigious crafstman title) at the helm of a restaurant would imply steep prices, but at Semilla, you're in for both a great meal and a great deal. The international influence is strong...

No phone, no reservations. Things might seem strict and serious at Top Chef finalist Pierre Sang's first restaurant in Paris but it's all creative flavor pairings and playful presentations in the kitchen. On the inside - warm, exposed stone walls,...

With their Paris supper club Hidden Kitchen, Americans Laura Adrian and Braden Perkins regaled guests with a sensational 10-course meal with wine pairings around a communal table in their apartment. The food was nothing short of transcendental;...

Frenchie (the restaurant) is nearly impossible to get into, but the wine bar across the street provides a taste of chef Gregory Marchand’s housemade charcuterie and pasta, as well as small plates such as homemade smoked trout and burrata cheese...

Most locals point to Breizh Café in the Marais for the city's best crêpes but my loyalties lie with Chez Imogène, a tiny, no-frills restaurant in the 11th arrondissement. Traditional buckwheat galettes and sweet dessert crêpes take pride of place...

A friend of my roommate is a chef in Paris. I asked him for a few recommendations for myself and a colleague on Tuesday night. We wanted a really great dinner. So after looking at each option, I headed over to Spring in my neighborhood. It ended...

The streets radiating from rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis are booming with destination restaurants and bars. This isn't postcard Paris, but it's a lively (chaotic but safe) reflection of the diversity found in France today. Mixed in among the African...

Chef Flora Mikula just opened Auberge Flora near the Bastille Market (which runs Thursdays and Sundays). Three themes—vegetables, nature, and bohemia—define the decor, which complements Mikula’s Provencal cooking. From $157. 33/(0) 14-700-5277....

Cedric Casanova imports products from Sicily to supply to Alain Ducasse and many other top chefs in Paris. He also sells them at his boutique, which you can reserve for a dinner party. —Matali Crasset 2 rue Sainte-Marthe, arr. 10, 33/(0)...

Paris is known for many things but until recently, ethnic fare wasn't one of them. In the hip neighborhood south of Pigalle, YOOM is my go-to spot for wildly delicious dim sum in an environment that is both cozy and contemporary - not the dive we...

The hubbub about burgers in Paris may have slowed since the end of last year but the movement continues to evolve; the Anglo staple is now an ever-present fixture on menus, from basic brasseries to upscale nouveau-bistros. Patty fans are more...

The oldest Basque restaurant in the city, L'Ami Jean has been helmed by Brittany-born chef Stéphane Jego since 2002. Known for his passionate temperament—which is reflected in his cooking—Jego has taken the flavors of his...

L'Autre Café is situated in a cozy corner of the 11th arrondissement, just a few steps away from the Parmentier metro. It's open 7 days a week and I often found myself planning my days to end in this area so I could stop in and linger for a bit...

For many Americans, the lobster roll is symbolic of carefree summer but it's also the latest food trend to sweep the well-fed streets of Paris. When Mathieu Mercier, a former filmmaker from Switzerland, discovered the lobster roll during a trip to...

The chef here, Raquel Carena, is Argentine, and she cooks from her heart. The food is so original. She does beautiful dishes like mackerel tartare with smoked vinegar. Her husband is in charge of the excellent wine list. —Matali Crasset 3 rue...

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From New York to Tokyo, the world’s food scene is heavily informed by outside influences. In Paris, this translates to cuisine that isn’t narrowly French but rather brimming with ethnic flavors. That includes the unequivocally popular and...

Owned by Julien Cohen, son of Marie-France Cohen, founder of iconic upscale shops Bonpoint, Merci and Bonton, Pizza Chic oozes cool minimalism: large accordion windows that give the impression of a terrace in the warmer months, black and white...

For Michelin-starred chef Eric Frechon, opening a 110-seat restaurant in the heart of Paris's busiest train station (Gare St.-Lazare) was effectively a way to reconnect with his democratic, bistro past. The Bristol Hotel chef is an avowed...

I visit this relaxing, friendly restaurant near the Parc des Buttes-Chaumont for its interesting wines and good, simple cooking—grilled sausage with potato puree, for example. —Matali Crasset 22 rue du Plateau, arr. 19, 33/(0) 1-42-38-18-65. This...

The space might not look like much, but the "ravioli," which are really Asian-style dumplings, are made from scratch every day. Ten ravioli—stuffed with vegetables, pork, or seafood—cost just 5 euros. It’s one of the best buys in Paris. —Matali...

Launched by a twenty-something business school grad and entrepreneur who was inspired by the flavor combinations available in America, Blend is unique on the undeniably oversaturated burger scene in Paris. Both locations, one in the 2nd behind rue...

With the precipitous rise of gourmet street food and market-fresh neo-bistrots, it's not surprising that Boris Leclercq's eponymous steak joint 'Chez Boris' opened near the Champs-Elysées last year with little fanfare. The conceit of this...

One part tourist trap, one part beloved café, Les Deux Magots is a legendary spot that everyone should visit at least once when in Paris. Most famous as the place where the likes of Simone de Beauvoir, Jean-Paul Sartre and Ernest Hemingway...

Pain et Chocolat is an adorable salon de thé in the 7th arrondissement, run by a lovely older couple. A friend of mine took me for lunch 4 years ago shortly after they opened and it has remained one of my go-to spots, morning or noon, ever since....

Exit greasy meats, messy eggs and milky tea. In France, breakfast is not the most important or most filling meal of the day, but rather the most relaxed, leisurely one. Picture this: a freshly-baked, buttery croissant with home-made apricot jam,...

The torrent of Anglo eateries that have popped up across Paris in recent years can largely be attributed to the searing success of Rose Bakery. I had my doubts years ago when I first heard about the internationally-staffed organic canteen - how...

Welcome to Finland! Well, sort of. L'Institut Finlandais, a non-profit organization situated in the heart of the Latin Quarter, gives pride of place to Finnish culture, savoir-faire, creative fiber, language and gastronomy in all its forms. With...

The great macaron debate may forever wage on but from the first time I tucked into a small box of Pierre Hermé's dimunitive cookies, perfectly crisp on the outside and melt-in-your-mouth soft on the inside, I knew I'd remain loyal to his...

Right next to the glorious Arch de Triumph are exquisite shops and street performers lining the pathway to a small location of the most delectable macaroons in the world- Ladurée. One cannot go to Paris without stopping by one of these stores; I...

I've tried many chocolates and candies in Paris—some stellar and unforgettable—but the only confiseur and chocolatier that makes me smile when I think about it is Fouquet. Aside from the impressive selection of candied fruits, dragées, and...

A few steps away from the Champs Elysees, Arc de Triomphe and the exclusive Avenue Montaigne shopping district, the Philippe Starck-designed Le Royal Monceau encompases everything that luxury now means in Paris. Starck has renovated it to be a...

Within the 18th arrondissement in Paris France, high atop the city, resides the wonderfully beautiful, hilly neighborhood of Montmartre. This diverse and eclectic section of the city can be a bit busy with tourists, but the views of Paris and the...