Best of Paris

Paris is one of those destinations that you never just visit once, especially if you appreciate fashion, architecture and great food. In the past, I’ve roamed the streets, going from crêperie to café, boutique to shopping arcades, museums to gardens in the beautiful summer weather. The landscapes and lush trees were more bare on this wintry visit to Paris, however, the true beauty in travelling in low season is experiencing the local culture more authentically with less tourists crowding the streets.

If you’re thinking of taking some day trips and visiting grand museums with outdoor terraces and gardens, it’s great to reserve your trip to Paris for the summer, since many of the outdoor activities are closed during low season. See Day Trips from Paris for the short list.

Don’t be discouraged if you end up going in the winter though. Paris is great all year round. There is so much that the city has to offer. Their metro is very accessible. Most trains come every 1-5 minutes and you can get anywhere in Paris within 30-45 minutes.

Good food, great sites and a wonderful sense of adventure will make any trip unforgettable. I didn’t get to do everything I wanted on this trip, but had tons of fun hunting for the best crepes, croissants and sandwiches while making time to return to my favourite spot to have hot chocolate in the city! This trip was about taking it easy, strolling through all the neighbourhoods eating great food (fine dining & street food) and stopping into cute shops and cafés in between. Since it was cold, we often sat indoors people watching through the window, but it’s truly not the same as sitting at a table outdoors. Afterall, that activity in itself is quintessentially Parisian, right?

Paris is incredibly photogenic. Today, I thought I’d share some of the best spots I visited in the city.

*****

Best Crêperie

Crêpes are good all over the city. Below are ones I’d go out of the way to eat at again:

Chez Alain Miam Miam – Located inside of a small market in Marais, this crêperie always has an incredibly long line. The shop owner is fun, friendly and a master of fresh sandwiches and crêpe that are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. I highly recommend visiting. I tried the sugar crepe and ham and cheese sandwich, both of which were delicious. The sandwich is the best I’ve had in a long time. Go there early in the morning or on a weekday off lunch hour. 39 rue de Bretagne 75003 Paris France Marais Nord, 3ème, Marais

Crêperie la Place – Okay, so this isn’t in Paris, but it is the best I had on this trip and near the Château de Versailles . You can order to go, but I recommend the3 course for about 15 Euros. It comes with a cider, savory crêpe and dessert crêpe. 17 Rue Colbert, Versailles, Île-de-France

   Best Croissants

I’ve yet to have a bad experience at a bakery in Paris. They’re truly all very nice in Paris, but I wanted the best croissant I could fine. Flaky on the outside, buttery, light and soft on the inside. If you go for a great croissant, you must have it early in the morning or fresh – not the end of the day.

Des Gâteaux et du Pain – There are two locations. Visit the website for details here.

Du Pain et des Idées – 34 rue Yves Toudic, 75010 Paris

Laurent Duchêne 238 rue de la Convention 75015 Paris. Other locations here.

Best Desserts

Pierre Herme has been noted as some of the best macarons you can find in Paris. There near multiple arrondissement, so you should be able to find one on your route quite easily. Multiple locations.

Angelina Paris is my favourite spot to visit for hot chocolate and pastries, but their lunch menu is really nice, too. I enjoyed the foie, the pastries and of course their hot chocolate – enough that I buy a couple of hot chocolate mixes to take home with me to make when I can’t fly back and visit for one. 226 rue de Rivoli, 75001 Paris, France.

Laduree has grown and expanded internationally, but if you don’t have the luxury of being located near one, you need to visit one in Paris. I went to one with my beautiful friend Stella of Stella Asteria at the Champs-Elysées location. France, 75 Av. des Champs-Élysées, 75008 Paris, France.

Il Gelato Del Marchese is a great spot for gelato. 3 rue des Quatre Vents 6e Paris

Une Glace à Paris is another spot for gelato. 15 rue Sainte-Croix de la Bretonnerie 75004 Paris France

Angelina Paris

Antoine Restaurant

Best Restaurants

Antoine Paris is a Michelin Star Restaurant – They have a really affordable fix prix at lunch, but either way, you can’t go wrong with dining here, as you’re seated with a view of Eiffel Tower. 10, avenue New York, 75116 Paris

ABRI is a Michelin mentioned restaurant and is really affordable with  fantastic reviews. I didn’t get to stop in on this trip, but reviews say it all. 92 rue du Faubourg Poissonnière Paris

Best Shopping

Printemps Haussmann consists mostly of shop-in-shops. The first floor consists of bags and shoes. The second consists mostly of jewelry. 64, Boulevard Haussmann 75009 Paris – France

Galeries Lafayette Haussmann is a luxury department store with shop-in-shops like Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Dior, Chloe, Valentino and many designer luxury accessories and apparel. If you walk over a bridge connecting the buildings, you’ll find a pretty view of the city.

Avenue Montaigne near Champs Elysées – Satisfy all of your luxury shopping dreams at the most popular street full of luxury boutiques that include Chanel, Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana and many more. After shopping, rest your feet and indulge in some serious fine dining at Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athénée

Best Vintage Shopping
Didier Ludot is located near the Palais Royal, this place offers a selection of dresses, gowns and accessories. 24 Galerie Montpensier, Jardins du Palais Royal, Paris

Les 3 marches de catherine b – A wide selection of vintage luxury with a huge selection of Chanel accessories. Appointment required. 1 Rue Guisarde, 75006 Paris, France

Valois Vintage Paris – I haven’t been but have read great things and keep seeing that it’s worth checking out.

Best Views

Place Georges-Pompidou has an upper level deck where you can get a great view of Paris. , 75004 Paris

Trocadero is located across the Seine and garden at the Palais de Chaillot and makes for a magical photo of the Eiffel Tower.

Top Museums & Historical Sites

There are so many sites to visit, so I’m going to narrow it down to what I’d see in 2-3 days for those who only have a few days to visit

Petit Palais has a really beautiful tiled floor and ceiling. It’s a small museum housing a small collection of artwork, and free to visit. The golden gates alone are instagrammable.

Notre Dame Cathedral Paris, a Gothic architectural structure, is over 800 years old and only completed about 200 years ago. You’ll find a long line up but don’t be discouraged – it moves very quickly.

The Tuileries Gardens separates the Louvre from The Place de la Concorde. It’s best to see in warm seasons when the landscapes are green. I would recommend getting a baguette, fresh cheese and a bottle of wine for a picnic here.

Arc de Triomphe is probably known for it’s huge roundabout. Never ever try to cross the street here. To get to the Arc de Triomphe, go through the underground passage. If you follow me on Instagram, you’ll see that it makes for a fantastic photo.

Eiffel Tower is a no brainer. It’s the most visited paid tourist attraction in the world.  Even if you’ve never been to Paris, you know it’s located there, am I right?

Musée du Louvre is the home of some of the most incredible collection of artwork in the world. It even has the Mona Lisa. They say to properly see everything, you need 3 full days here. I’ve visited 3 times and that’s not even enough though. Even if you’re not an art fanatic, you absolutely cannot leave Paris without visiting.

Place Georges-Pompidou and Trocadero have also already been mentioned under Views, above.

*****

If I had to say what are 2 architectural destinations I’d associate Paris with, it’d be Eiffel Tower and the Louvre, and so I did a quick photoshoot at both locations. I know I said I missed the cold in prior posts, but it’s the wind that cuts right through you. This was one of those days, so I layered up with a black coat, fur stole, turtleneck, fitted leather jacket over faux leather pants, which luckily kept my body warm.  I always highly recommend bringing layers incase it’s warmer or colder than you expect it to be.

Sorry this was a long one, but I hope you enjoyed it and find it useful for your trip to Paris. Have you ever been? If so, what are your favourite places to visit? Where do you like to shop? Do you have a favourite restaurant/shopping destination? I’d love to hear in your comments below!

For more inspiration on style and travel, follow me on Bloglovin♥, Twitter and Instagram. Don’t forget to subscribe to my mailing list for special announcements and exclusive content.

Xo,

Miki

Photo credit to my one and only, Rise Again BJJ.