This itinerary has been a hit so many times – I go back to this one time and again when I’m asked for recommendations on Paris. I judge it’s usefulness from the many short emails over hotel wifi I’ve received with some version of “ In Paris! Tried that restaurant you recommended! It was awesome! Great recommendation thanks!”
Since this trip, I’ve compiled a ton more things to do in Paris – so this is just Paris (I) – many more Paris itineraries to come!
Day 1– Arrive, Relax, Enjoy, Eat a Crepe
Day 2– Visit My Favorite Paris Sights
- Morning:
- Stumble upon a bakery for breakfast of croissants
- Go to an Outdoor Market to pick up picnic fixins’
- Afternoon:
- Picnic on the lawn under the Tour Eiffel
- Roam around: Sacre Couer, Monmartre, Latin Quarter, Champs Elysee
- Evening:
- Dinner at Pain, Vin, Fromage – if you can find it. I almost gave up until I turned one last corner and there it was.
Day 3 – Unique Paris Day
- Catacombs
- Wine Class in the wine cave at O’Chateau
- Shopping at Bazar Hotel D’Ville Department Store
Day 4– Get out of the City – Day Trip with Fat Tire Bike Tours.
- Early Morning: Open Air Market for Breakfast: Marché du Président Wilson
- Morning/Afternoon: Day Trip: Bicycle Trip to Vernon and Giverny with Fat Tire Bike Tours.
- Which includes: a visit to a small farmers market to pick up wine and cheese to enjoy by a beautiful river, a leisurely french countryside bike ride, and a wander through Monet’s gardens.
- Evening:
- Treat yourself to the best dinner at Relais de L’Entrecote (great recommendation from my friend Debby!)
Day 5 – Continue Exploring Paris
- Morning: Get in line early to explore the underground catacombs
- Afternoon: Wander through Le Marais
- A beautiful neighborhood with so much french-ness about it
- Evening : Dinner at Chez Paul
- Located in the 11th Arrondissement (thanks for another great recc, Debby!)
Day 6 – Paris off the beaten path
- Day Time: Bois de Vincennes
- Explore the park!
- Explore: the 14th-century Chateau de Vincennes. Daumesnil lake at the wood’s west end which has two islands (including one with a cafe atop it). Take out a boat and picnic.
- Night: Night Bike Tour with Fat Tire Bike Tours
- Fat Tire Bike Tours are too awesome to only enjoy one in a trip. This one has you riding speedily as a large group through some of Paris’ most beautiful sights at night.
Day 7– Day Trip to Brugges
- This was really expensive. It was a fantastic day trip and we got to visit a friend, but man was it pricey. I actually don’t recommend doing this, but I’m keeping it on here because that’s what we did.
Day 8: – Go Home
I always bring my research with me on my trips so that I have a solid amount of restaurant options and additional activities to try out in case I find extra time. This is the research I compiled in 2011 so I can’t vouch that all the restaurants/info is still up to date, but in case it’s useful, I’m going to just dump it all right here:
CAFES and RESTAURANTS
REFUGE DES FONDUES
17 rue des Trois-Freres, 75018 Paris, France Ph: 0142552265 Metro: Abbesses (Exit Abbesses Metro, Walk down Rue Yvonne le Tac, Left on Rue de Trois)
Small restaurant located near Montmartre with incredible atmosphere : the wine is served in baby’s bottles, Easy meal choice : cheese or meat fondue ? Red or white wine? ?
PAIN, VIN, FROMAGE
Pain, Vin, Fromages, 3 Rue Geoffroy-l’Angevin, 75004 Paris
Phone: 01 42 74 07 52
Métro: Rambuteau (Exit Rambuteau and walk down Rue Geoffroy L’Angevin)
Lactose intolerant folks stay away! They serve basically just bread, wine, and CHEESE!
LA BARATIN WINE BAR
Le Baratin (3, rue Jouye-Rouve; 33-1-43-49-39-70 Metro: Pyrenees ) Intimate wine bar with antique tile floors and worn wood tables.
BLE SUCRE (Thanks Debby Zhou for the Recc!)
Square Trousseau 7, rue Antoine Vollon (12th) Tél: 01 43 40 77 73 Métro: Ledru-Rollin
CHEZ PAUL (Thanks Debby Zhou for the Recc!)
11th arrondisement, very French bistro, its BOMB, make sure you get their profiteroles for dessert
Le Relais de l’Entrecôte Paris***
Steakhouse in the 17th arrondisement, it’s awesome cause you only get steak, they put sauce on it and you get 2 portions, then all these fries and don’t skimp on the desserts! Location closest to Hotel: 15 Rue Marbeuf 75008 Paris, France. Ph: 01 49 52 07 1.
LE BARON ROUGE
if you go to the Marche D’Aligre, this is right next to it. An intimate bar where you can order wines at ridiculously reasonable prices (about 2.50€ – 4€ each). A popular and very French spot. 1, rue Théophile-Roussel, 12eme. Tél: 01 43 43 14 32. Metro: Ledru-Rollin (Line 8).
FOOD NOTES
CAFÉ GOURMAND***
Instead of eating a huge pudding after diner, this is an idea for something a bit smaller. “Café gourmand”. Cafe= a small black expresso. Gourmand = an artistic array of miniature puddings. You generally get three: a mini triangle of brownie, an eggcup-sized crème brûlée and a taste of something like clafoutis.
RELIGIEUSE AU CHOCOLAT
A chocolate éclair, only more so. A religieuse is easy to spot because it is made up of two round éclair-like parts, a little one stuck on top of a larger one. Where to try: Patisserie Lenotre, 44 rue d’Auteuil, 75016 Paris.
O’CHATEAU WINE TASTING CLASS***
1 Hour long class, Starts daily at 3PM, 30 EUR, 3 wines tasted, Bread and Glass included. Location: 68, rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau in the 1st arrondissement. Need to make reservation in advance- Details and Directions provided after reservation. http://www.o-chateau.com/paris-wine-tasting/tastings/introductory-tasting/
Métro Louvre -Rivoli (Line 1) or Etienne Marcel (line 4). 6-minute walk from the Louvre. (Etienne Marcel exit seems closer. Exit Etienne Marcel, walk down Rue Etienne Marcel toward Rue Francaise. Left @ Rue Jean-Jacque Rousseau)
COFFEE GUIDE
Café noir/ café express /Un cafe = Dark, strong espresso coffee This will be served with sugar cubes in a small espresso-sized cup –The sugar cubes are generally placed on the saucer. un Café noisette = Café Noir with a bit of milk
Un grand creme /Un cafe au lait = Strong espresso coffee with milk
Un cappuccino = Espresso coffee in a normal-sized cup, with steamed milky foam.
Un déca/Un décaféiné/ Un (café) faux = Decaffeinated coffee
Café filter/Café Americain = American-style filtered coffee
SIGHTS AND ACTIVITIES
BAZAR de L’HOTEL de VILLE
Amazing Home-Store on Rue de Rivoli , Metro stop: Hôtel de Ville
CATACOMBS
The ancient walls are lined with bones and skulls, neatly stacked in deliberate patterns. You can take a guided tour through the place via the official entrance. The entrance building is a small dark building door located on the other side of the street when exiting the metro station Denfert-Rochereau. The sign above the actual entrance to the bone-lined tunnels reads “Stop – Here is the empire of death”.
http://www.catacombes-de-paris.fr/english.htm
1, Avenue of Colonel Henri Rol-Tanguy 75014 Paris Tel.: 01 43 22 47 63
Subway and the RER b: Denfert-Rochereau
OPEN AIR MARKETS
Marché du Président Wilson: Open-air market on the 16ar. A bit higher quality for the good stuff of France.
Avenue du President Wilson, 16ar open Wednesdays from 7h to 14h30 and Saturdays from 7h to 15h. Metro: L’Alma Marceau (Market starts just west of this metro stop)
Marché Rue Mouffetard: One of the oldest streets in Paris houses a bustling, permanent street market at its southern end. Metro: Censier-Daubenton or Place Monge
SHOP THE CANAL
On sunny weekends visit Canal St.-Martin — fast becoming a charming little boutique shopping area.
THE PONT des ARTS
The Pont des Arts is a pedestrian bridge over the Seine. It crosses the river to the Louvre and has a beautiful view of the river. On Friday nights it’s packed with young people pickinicking and hanging out.
LA MOSQUEE
39 rue Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire 75005 Paris Tél: 01 43 31 38 20 e-mail: contact@la-mosquee.com The Hammam houses a succession of steam baths which get hotter and hotter. Around you are mosaics, marble coverings and columns. There’s a restaurant where you can sip tea and eat Middle Eastern delicacies and a gift shop. Women: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday from 10:00 am to 9:00 pm, Friday from 2:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Jewish Museum (Musee d’Art et d’Histoire du Judaisme): Entrance Fee: 6.80 €, Metro: Rambuteau, Hôtel de Ville, Hours: Monday to Friday: 11.00−18.00 Sunday: 10.00−18.00, Last ticket sales at 17.15, Closed Saturday. Address: Hôtel de Saint-Aignan71, rue du Temple 75003
PARKS
Suggested by Debby Chen- Visit the big parks on the outskirts of Paris proper. Visit either Bois de Vincennes or Bois de Boulogne.
Bois de Vincennes– A lake and 14th-century fortified chateau, the Chateau de Vincennes. The man-made Daumesnil lake with two islands (including one with a cafe atop it). Boating and picnicking. An artificial grotto. Location: Main entrance at Avenue de Paris, Vincennes (just east of Paris’ 12th arrondissement) Metro: Chateau de Vincennes, Porte Doree, Porte de Charenton (Line 1, 8, 12).
Bois de Boulogne- The closest metro station to Bois de Boulogne is Porte Dauphine on line 2. Two lakes connected by a waterfall were built. The Lower Lake contains two islands which are connected by a footbridge. Row-boats are available for rent here from mid-February to mid-November, Monday-Friday, 12-5:30 p.m. and on week-ends, 10-5:30 p.m. Rental fees start at 10 euros for one hour. It is 2.5 times larger than Central Park in New York City.
TRAVEL and DAY TRIPS
PARIS to BRUGGES
Paris Gare du Nord train station has trains to Brussels, then switch Brussels to Brugges.
Trains leave every day at the :01 and :25 from the Paris Gare du Nord station to Brussels Midi station. Operated by Thalys. Brugges to Brussels- trains depart once an hour.
- Tour boats. It’s essential to take a ride on one of the tour boats around the canals – it’s only a few Euros and it’s the best introduction to Brugges. A boat tour will show you places which are otherwise unreachable, as not every canal runs next to a street. €6.90.
- Frites with mayonnaise are SO GOOD here. Stay away from the central market place (“Grote Markt”) and the Burg Square when eating.
- Laurenzino, Noordzandstraat 1. Best freshly baked Belgian waffles. With chocolate, caramel, whipped cream or anything else you want
- Damme is a small village near Brugge. Some of the riverboats go there on a half-day cruise. It’s a very scenic trip, the landscapes are picturesque, and the village of Damme even more so. One can also go there by bike and by local bus. It takes about 15 minutes by bus.
BICYCLE TRIP to Vernon and Giverny with Fat Tire Bike Tours. (8.5 Hour Day)(EU 65) http://fattirebiketours.com/paris/tours/monet-bike (
Train to Vernon, get Bicycles, Market for Picnic Supplies, Lunch in park, Monet’s Garden
Meeting Point: St. Lazare Train Station We meet at the front of platform #22 inside the St. Lazare train station (Gare St. Lazare) in Paris at the appropriate times. Metro lines 3, 12 and 13 all run to the station.
Through May 15, Tour runs Wed & Saturday @ 10AM.
PARIS to LILLE
1 hour Eurostar ride to from Paris Gare du Nord Train Station à to Lille Station (Lille-Flandres or Lille-Europe) Lille, located to the north of Paris just below the border of Belgium, is a medieval city with modern elements. Lille offers visitors an historic look at rich architecture, market places and local French cuisine.
To see in City-Center:
- Old quarter of the city, known as Vieux Lille, and enjoy the quiet, cobble-stone streets, the variety of stylish designer shops, gourmet restaurants, and the modern Cathédrale Notre Dame de la Treille. More notable streets like Rue de la Monnaie and Rue Esquermoise are definitely worth the trip.
- La Vieille Bourse. Right between two picturesque squares, Place du Général-de-Gaulle and Place du Théâtre,
- The main square, Place du Général-de-Gaulle, better known as the “Grand’place”, has many lovely historic houses, a fountain with the statue of a goddess, “la Grande Déesse”, etc.
- Place Rihour, surrounded by restaurants, houses the tourist information centre inside its main attraction, the Palais Rihour.
- A bit farther from the city centre is la Citadelle, an interesting example of defensive military architecture.
- The open market, Marché de Wazemmes, is open every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday morning, but the busiest day is definitely Sunday. Vendors sell everything from fresh fruits and vegetables, books and stationery, suitcases and shoes, etc.
- Enjoy yummy stuffed waffles at Meert (probably the most beautiful pâtisserie in France) on the Rue Esquermoise right next to the Grand-Place (Station: Rihour on Line 1)
REIMS
With France’s highly efficient TGV fast trains, you can visit Reims (rhymes with “sconce”) in a comfortable day trip from Paris. Reims is known as the City of Champagne due to the 155 miles of underground chalky caves crisscrossing beneath the city — these provide the perfect temperature and humidity for storage of the golden bubbly.
bikesandbordeaux.com 