A personal guide to seeing, eating, wandering, and falling in love with Paris

Built from favorite places, restaurant notes, must-sees, and a recent itinerary

You’ve heard this, Paris Is Always a Good Idea. Always.

Paris has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. My first visit was when I was a toddler, so that particular memory survives only in photographs and old 8-millimeter movies. But after many return trips, Paris remains my all-time favorite. The Eiffel Tower still takes my breath away, a café terrace can still turn an ordinary morning into an event, and there is always another street, passage, market, museum, or restaurant waiting to be discovered.

Friends ask me for suggestions when they get ready for their Paris visit. This guide is not meant to be a final checklist. It is a collection of places I love, places I would return to, and a practical route through Paris that balances the essential monuments with neighborhoods, food, beautiful walks, and a few memorable moments. I only mention restaurants I have been to and enjoyed, I am not here to list them all. This is a simple guide for the first time Paris visitors to add their favorite places and return to fill in what they missed.

The Must-See Shortlist

There are so many wonderful places to see in Paris, one probably cannot see them all in a lifetime. No list can capture Paris, but if time is limited, these are the places I would build around: the Eiffel Tower, Notre-Dame, Sainte-Chapelle, Musée d’Orsay, the Louvre, the Tuileries, Palais Garnier, Galeries Lafayette, Pont Alexandre III, Trocadéro, L’Arc de Triophe, Place des Vosges, Montmartre and the Sacré-Cœur, Place du Tertre, Galerie Vivienne, Passage des Panoramas, the Médici Fountain, and a long walk beside the Seine.

Then add the small pleasures that make the trip personal: a café table, a market lunch, a bakery discovered by accident, an evening view of the Eiffel Tower, a hidden courtyard in the Marais, or a glass of wine when you had planned to keep walking.

Paris by arrondissements.

Paris is divided into 20 arrondissements (districts) that spiral like, well, an escargot. I suggest you select four or five of the arrondissements to visit because it is impossible to truly appreciate Paris if you are rushing to see it all.

One arrondissement I would never skip is the 4th, Le Marais . This bohemian, artistic and lively district rewards wandering more than rigid planning. Its great pleasure is the mixture: aristocratic squares, ethnic food traditions, museums, fashion boutiques, hidden courtyards, cafés, antiques, and animated streets.

Begin at Place des Vosges, one of the most beautiful squares in Paris. Walk beneath the elegant arcades and visit Victor Hugo’s former home. From there, Musée Carnavalet tells the story of Paris itself, while Musée Picasso holds one of the world’s finest collections of Picasso’s work.

Then simply walk: Rue des Rosiers for ethnic Paris food; Rue Vieille du Temple for cafés and boutiques; Rue des Francs-Bourgeois for shopping; Rue de Bretagne for food shops and the Marché des Enfants Rouges; Rue de Turenne for antiques and galleries; and Rue Charlot for a quieter, design-oriented Marais.

Eat as you go. L’As du Fallafel is the famous stop on Rue des Rosiers (made famous by Lenny Kravitz who raved about it). Chez Alain Miam Miam is known for enormous sandwiches and galettes. Le Petit Versailles du Marais, a jewel of a tea room. Village Saint-Paul is the place to browse antiques, decorative arts, galleries, and hidden courtyards.

Paris Through Food

Paris is a city where meals are part of the sightseeing. Some places are beloved for the food, some for history, some for atmosphere, and the best combine all three.

Restaurant	Where	Why go
Le Comptoir	9 Carrefour de l’Odéon, 75006	A longtime favorite for excellent food at sensible prices. Lunch is the best strategy; arrive before noon because reservations are not taken. A Bourdain discovery.
L’Orangerie	28 Rue Saint-Louis en l’Île, 75004	A cozy Île Saint-Louis choice for oysters, foie gras, duck, crème brûlée, and wine.
Le Colimaçon	44 Rue Vieille du Temple, 75004	A warm Marais bistro for escargots, duck confit, and traditional French dishes. Authentic.
Les Gars dans la Cuisine	72 Rue Vieille du Temple, 75003	Creative contemporary French cooking, good value, and an excellent wine list. If you hit the right day, the funniest waiter ever!
Bouillon Racine	3 Rue Racine, 75006	A beautiful historic Art Nouveau bouillon dating to 1906; as much an architectural experience as a meal.
Benoit	20 Rue Saint-Martin, 75004	A Belle Époque-style bistro associated with Alain Ducasse, serving polished versions of French classics.
Le Grand Véfour	17 Rue de Beaujolais, Palais-Royal, 75001	A jewel-box historic dining room in the Palais-Royal. Ask for the historic room; the setting is pure old Paris. Name plates of famous clients adorn the velour seats.
La Tour d’Argent	15 Quai de la Tournelle, 75005	A special-occasion experience with a celebrated pressed duck tradition, remarkable wine cellar, and views toward Notre-Dame. One Star Michelin.
Le Cinq	Four Seasons Hotel George V, 31 Avenue George V, 75008	The ultimate splurge: grand service, luxury, and a truly memorable fine-dining experience. Three Stars Michelin.
Au Vieux Paris d’Arcole	24 Rue Chanoinesse, 75004	Behind Notre-Dame, wonderfully quirky and theatrical. The atmosphere is the reason to go.

Cafés, Pastries & Sweet Stops, but my favorite croissant is….

A Paris trip should include at least one morning when breakfast is the event. Les Deux Magots and Café de Flore are classics in Saint-Germain. Angelina is famous for rich hot chocolate. Carette is especially lovely at Place des Vosges. Café de la Paix gives you the grandeur of the Opéra district.

For pastry and bread, there are well known places such as Stohrer on Rue Montorgueil, Du Pain et des Idées, BO&MIE near Saint-Michel,  Cédric Grolet (this is the ultimate art and pastry combination), Mamiche, The French Bastards, and Le Comptoir du Ritz. On Île Saint-Louis, Berthillon ice cream followed by a walk along the Seine is a simple Paris pleasure. Poilâne remains a classic stop for its famous sourdough miche, and Ladurée or Pierre Hermé, are always tempting for macarons. However, my all time favorite croissant comes from a simple counter in the 5^th arrondissement, and I cannot go to Paris without having the butteriest croissant I have ever had, on Boulevard Saint-Germain. All other fancy breakfast places will take you back about 25 euros for breakfast, La Maison d’Isabelle’s croissant was less than 2 Euros on my last trip. I don’t have a picture to post, I ate it before I could think to photograph it!

Paris at the Movies

Part of the fun of Paris is recognizing places that seem to belong simultaneously to real life and at the movies. If you enjoy film locations, these restaurants and cafés add another layer to a day of sightseeing.

• Café des 2 Moulins — Amélie; 15 Rue Lepic, Montmartre.
• Le Grand Véfour — Midnight in Paris; 17 Rue de Beaujolais, Palais-Royal. An amazing experience.
• Au Pied de Cochon — Julie & Julia; 6 Rue Coquillière, Les Halles. Julia Child’s favorite bistro.
• Polidor — Midnight in Paris; 41 Rue Monsieur le Prince, Latin Quarter.
• Le Grand Colbert — Something’s Gotta Give; 2 Rue Vivienne. Famous for its roasted chicken.
• Le Procope — Paris-set film and literary associations ; 13 Rue de l’Ancienne Comédie. The oldest cafe in Paris.
• Le Train Bleu — Ocean’s Twelve and and Mr. Bean’s Holiday (the oyster scene is hillarious); Gare de Lyon. One of the most beautiful restaurants ever.
• Kong — Sex and the City; 1 Rue du Pont Neuf. Glass rooftop, a breathtaking view. Asian French fusion.

A Sample Five-Day Paris Journey

Day 1 — Luxembourg Gardens, the Seine & Notre-Dame

Since on this trip my favorite hotel was not available, I am staying close to the Luxemburg Gardens (RER connection to the airport is important), I start in the Jardin du Luxembourg, with its formal gardens, chestnut trees, fountains, statues, and the Médici Fountain. From there, drift toward the Seine and Île de la Cité. Walk around Notre-Dame, if lines are short, visit as soon as possible, this is a must in Paris. Then cross toward Shakespeare and Company. No need to line up and go into the bookstore, just enjoy the place and the atmosphere. This first evening is less about “seeing everything” than letting Paris announce itself.

Dinner: Le Procope. This historic Saint-Germain address is an atmospheric way to begin the trip, surrounded by the literary and political mythology of old Paris. Good old fashioned French food and beautiful restaurant.

Day 2 — Saint-Germain, Sainte-Chapelle & the Musée d’Orsay

Begin with breakfast at Les Deux Magots in Saint-Germain-des-Prés. It is famous and maybe a bit touristy, yes, but sitting there with coffee and a croissant is still one of those unmistakably Parisian rituals. You stop rushing and you partake in the favorite Parisian pastime: watching people go by. You can judge silently if you’d like, no one will know.

Late morning belongs to Sainte-Chapelle. Its magnificent stained glass is at its most luminous when daylight pours through the chapel. Then cross the river for the Musée d’Orsay, housed in a magnificent former railway station and filled with extraordinary 19th-century art—Monet, Renoir, Degas, Van Gogh, Gauguin, Manet, and many others.

Nearby detours: Café de Flore, Brasserie Lipp, the boutiques of Saint-Germain, or a walk along the Left Bank before dinner.

Day 3 — Giverny & an Eiffel Tower Evening

A first time visit for me, a highlight of the trip in the spring. Take the train from Gare Saint-Lazare for a day trip to Giverny and visit Claude Monet’s house and gardens. The water-lily pond and Japanese bridge are familiar from the paintings, but seeing the garden itself makes the work feel newly alive. This is only possible seasonally since the garden sets the schedule. Worth every minute. Have lunch in the quaint town before returning to Paris in the late afternoon.

Save the evening for the Eiffel Tower. I have seen it hundreds of times and it still has the power to stop me in my tracks. At night, when the tower sparkles every hour on the hour, it becomes the undisputed queen of the city. Even if you do not go to the top, walk the Champ de Mars or see it from Trocadéro, Rue de l’Université, or from Métro Line 6. Or just watch it from one of the bridges on the Seine.

Day 4 — Parisian Grandeur: Opéra, Galeries Lafayette & Fashion

Spend the morning around Boulevard Haussmann. Pass the Palais Garnier (it was being renovated so not open to visits but do go inside whenever possible.) Then enter Galeries Lafayette to admire the spectacular glass dome. Go up to the rooftop terrace for a free and spectacular panoramic view of Paris.

Across the street, Galeries Lafayette Le Gourmet is a destination in itself: pastry counters, chocolates, cheeses, wine, gourmet products, and casual places to eat. This is an excellent place to browse—and a dangerous place to arrive hungry.

In the afternoon, visit La Galerie Dior for a dose of Paris fashion history and theatrical presentation. Continue to the Arc de Triomphe down the Champs Elysees, the longest and fanciest shopping street.

Day 5 — Les Halles, Montorgueil & the Covered Passages

Begin around Les Halles and use the morning for wandering, shopping, or the very Parisian pleasure of a pharmacy stop for French cosmetics. Walk to Rue Montorgueil, one of the liveliest streets in central Paris. Stop at Stohrer for pastry, then wander through the historic covered passages. Galerie Vivienne is the beauty queen, while Passage des Panoramas offers a more eclectic old-Paris atmosphere.

Lunch: Kong. Its dramatic glass-enclosed dining room above the Pont Neuf area makes it one of the city’s most visually memorable restaurants.

After lunch, explore Le Marais and stay as long as your feet can handle it. See above for things to see and do.

A Few Practical Notes

• Reserve major museums, monuments, and popular restaurants online in advance when possible.
• If visiting several museums and monuments, compare the Paris Museum Pass with your actual plans before buying.
• Do not try to cross the city repeatedly in one day. Paris is best enjoyed neighborhood by neighborhood.
• Leave room in the schedule for wandering. Some of the best moments will not be on the itinerary.
• For small restaurants that do not take reservations, arriving at opening time can make the difference between eating and waiting. Go for lunch to the pricier restaurants, the menu is always more affordable.
• Comfortable shoes are essential; Paris rewards people who walk.

Final Thought

Paris is not a city to conquer. It is a city to revisit. This is certainly a short list of places to see. I did not mention a day in Montmartre, a picnic along the Seine, an in depth visit of the museums, especially the Louvre, but you get the point. See the masterpieces, certainly—but also sit down, look around, eat something wonderful, cross a bridge without hurrying, and allow yourself to be distracted. The goal is not to finish Paris. The goal is to leave with a few places you already miss. And to plan your return.