A day in Paris
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Walk along the River Seine
Eiffel Tower Paris
See the city on foot
Word to the wise: If your feet aren’t up for it, take one of the Bateaux Parisiens for a Seine cruise, which is particularly sensational by night when the monuments are illuminated.
Talk of the town: Couples hang a padlock on the bridge Pont des Arts and throw the key into the water to symbolise their love.
A good place to start is Pont-Neuf, Paris’ oldest bridge dating back to 1576. Cross over onto Ile de la Cite to see Notre Dame, Palais de Justice, and the eerie Hotel Dieu, Paris’ oldest hospital. Continue west along the Left Bank, stopping for a drink at one of the bohemian cafes, or trawl through the wares of the antique street booksellers, bouquinistes. On your right you’ll pass the Louvre – the pedestrian Pont des Arts bridge can take you over, if you wish – then onwards past the Musee d’Orsay. If you keep going you’ll reach the Eiffel Tower, which in total is a 4km walk. There are many places to stop for a rest, that is if you don’t find yourself enticed down a side street to explore.
See & Do
Montmartre and the Sacré-Cœur
Admire the artists' view of Paris
Word to the wise: For those disinclined to walk, Montmartrobus is specially designed for the winding one-way streets here, and takes in the place Pigalle, rue des Abbesses, finishing at the Montmartre town hall.
At the heart of this legendary artistic enclave is the Butte Montmartre, crowned by the white domes of Sacré C?ur. This grand Roman-Byzantine church is packed with stunning mosaics, statues, relief sculptures and stained glass. At 130 meters this is the highest point in Paris, with hoards of tourists making the pilgrimage up the steps from square Wilette, or via the funicular, to admire the views over Paris.While Montmartre was once a hub of creativity, home to Degas, Picasso and Renoir, now it is overrun with souvenir touts, overpriced eateries and so-called portrait artists battling for your custom, especially around the place du Tertre. If you want to see Sacré C?ur take the prettier route starting at the place des Abbesses, which avoids the worst congestion, and when you return you can amble by the quirky shops and boutique cafes.
Fee: Basilica: Free
Crypt and Dome: EUR 5
Open Hours: The Basilica, Daily: 6am - 10.30pm
The Dome, Daily: 9am - 7pm (Winter: 6pm)
Address: 35 rue du Chevalier de La Barre, 18e
Phone: +33 1 53 41 89 00
Sacré-Coeur's webpage
See & Do
Food Markets
Satisfy your inner foodie at the numerous French markets
Noteworthy for: There are over a hundred food markets in Paris, and they are the perfect place to pick up authentic Parisian presents from homemade jams to organic wines.
Word to the wise: Don’t touch the produce unless invited to do so: indicate to the shopkeeper what you want, and he or she will choose for you.
Here are a few to choose from:
Marché les Enfants Rouges
Rue de Bretagne, 3e
Tue-Thur: 9am – 2pm, 4pm – 8pm
Fri-Sat: 9am – 8pm
Sun: 9am – 2pm
Paris’ oldest covered market – founded in 1628 – is hidden away in the Marais, and a favourite amongst Paris' BoBo’s for the numerous stalls at which you can not only buy but actually eat food from authentic French to Japanese.
Marché Raspail
Boulveard Raspail between rue de Rennes and rue du Cherche Midi, 6e
Tue, Sun: 7am – 2.30pm
A very chic slice of Paris market life, the prices reflect the clientele. Organic fruits, vegetables, meat, fish and lots of cheese.
Marché President Wilson
Avenue du President Wilson between rue Debrousse and place d’Iena, 16e
Wed, Sat: 7am – 2.30pm
Another well-heeled market, this is where the city’s top chefs come to buy their produce.
Marché Bastille
Boulevard Richard Lenoir, 11e
Tue, Sun: 7am – 2.30pm
This is probably the biggest and the best open-air market in Paris, with street entertainers and musicians.
Shopping
Louis Vuitton
Prepare to be wowed
Word to the wise: Security may make you wait in line to enter this store due to the enormous demand.
This is not just a shopping experience. The largest Louis Vuitton in the world, this flagship branch on the Champs-Elysées pulls out all the stops for that wow factor. A ‘bag bar’, bookstore, jewellery department, contemporary art museum, video installations and vintage collection showroom are just some of the extras alongside the ready-to-wear collection of men and women’s clothing.Enter up the pitch-black lift into the enormous Espace Vuitton, take a look upwards at the mighty crystal ceiling out to the views over Paris and just try not to be blown away.
Open Hours: Mon-Sat: 10am - 8pm
Sun: 11am - 7pm
Address: 101 avenue des Champs-Elysées, Champs-Elysées, 8e
Subway/Metro: Champs-Élysées - Clemenceau?
Phone: +33 1 53 57 52 00
Louis Vuitton's webpage
Shopping
Colette
A cult of cool
Word to the wise: While the store can get pricey, especially upstairs where the clothing verges on couture, there are plenty of affordable finds.
This is Paris’ original and much-imitated concept store, and the first word in cool. It may be a mecca for pretentious fashion types – that includes the staff – but you can’t help be blown over by its offerings. Live gigs, an art gallery, cutting edge designer clothes and even its own bar – Colette is as much a showroom as a shop.
Open Hours: Mon-Sat: 11am - 7pm
Address: 213 rue Saint-Honoré, 1e
Subway/Metro: Tuileries? or Pyramides?
Phone: +33 1 55 35 33 90
Colette's webpage
Restaurants
L'Atelier De Joël Robuchon
Gastronomy at its most decadent
Popular plate: Go for the Discovery Menu – a sample eight dishes – if you want to put your culinary experience into the master’s hands.
Word to the wise: Bookings are taken for the first sittings only at lunch and dinner: 11.30am and 6.30pm respectively.
Borrowing from Spanish tapas style eating, you are given a wide choice of mouth-watering mini-dishes such as foie gras, caviar or scallops, encouraging you to take your time as your dine. Eating at a U-shaped bar you can watch the chefs working their magic. Unlike many fine dining experiences, the emphasis is on conviviality: the décor is welcoming and the staff friendly and relaxed. This is not a place that needs to intimidate you into being impressed.
Price sample: Discovery menu: EUR 199 per person
Main course: EUR 19-68
Tasting portions: EUR 14-44
Open Hours: Daily: 11.30am - 3.30pm, 6.30pm - 12midnight
Address: 5 rue de Montalembert, 5e
Phone: +33 1 42 22 56 56
L'Atelier De Joël Robuchon's webpage
Restaurants
Etienne Marcel Cafe
Hipster bistro-bar
Word to the wise: The service is often under par and rude, as is often the case with trendy design bars, and the whole venue aspires to being unashamedly snooty.
Noteworthy for: The fortnightly Sundays @ Cafe Etienne Marcel have become the go-to event for gay Paris from 9.30pm to 5am.
A Costes brothers venture, they set out in 2002 to make this place the before-going-out dinner venue du jour, and it is still buzzing. There is a great south-facing sunny terrace, and good music in the evening. The bistro-bar has a reliable menu of classics at prices far less than the furniture with especially good French fries.
Price sample: Main course: EUR 10-24
Open Hours: Daily: 11am - 2am
Address: 34 rue Etienne Marcel, 2e
Subway/Metro: Etienne Marcel
Phone: +33 1 45 08 01 03
Etienne Marcel Cafe's webpage
Restaurants
Crêpes à Gogo
A casual and quick crêperie
Word to the wise: Great for a budget breakfast on the go.
It’s in the name, really. During a long day sightseeing, this is good for a stop-gap snack between meals and handily located near the Luxembourg Gardens. This crêperie has a diner feel and serves a range of savoury and sweet crêpes and galettes – a crêpe made of dark flour – as well as hot drinks and other snacks. The menu varies from the classics – sugar and lemon – to the more unusual such as the Mexican.
Price sample: Set menu: EUR 12
Breakfast: EUR 20
Open Hours: Daily: 7am - 12midnight
Address: 12 rue Soufflot, 5e
Phone: +33 1 43 54 22 80
Crêpes à Gogo's webpage
Bars & Nightlife
Showcase
Cavernous club for music-crazed insomniacs
Noteworthy for: Unlike most clubs in Paris, it's big enough to nab your own bit of dancefloor and sometimes even a big leather Chesterfield sofa all to yourself.
Under the arches of the Pont Alexander III bridge, this cavernous club offers somewhere spacious to dance until daybreak. When it first opened its doors, it set the bar for nightclubs in Paris with its industrial chic décor – a warehouse feel with vintage furniture – and while it has lost some of the hype, it still attracts big name acts such as will.i.am and Carl Cox, and a youngish, trendy and thankfully unpretentious crowd.There is a mix of electro, rock, house and more alternative music nights, but there is always a queue. On Sunday, they serve a brunch buffet and dedicate an entire room to playing movies and putting on magic shows.
Fee: Free before 12midnight then EUR 15-20
Age: 18
Open Hours: Fri-Sat: 10pm - 5am
Sun: 11am - 3pm
Address: Under the bridge Alexandre III, 8e
Phone: +33 1 45 61 25 43
Showcase's webpage
Bars & Nightlife
Kong
Japanese kitch design bar
Word to the wise: Have a cocktail during happy hour (6pm - 8pm) and watch the sun set over the Seine from the spectacular domed-ceiling restaurant upstairs.
Talk of the town: In one episode of 'Sex and the City', Carrie is seen on the terrace of Kong.
Located on the top floor of the flagship Kenzo store in front of the Pont Neuf, this Philippe Starck- designed bar is full of Japanese bric-a-brac from Hello Kitty to Pokemon, yet despite this it attracts a fashionable Parisian crowd sipping cocktails on the terrace and lapping up the view. Expect just as fashionable door staff intent on keeping it that way so be sure to dress up.
Price sample: Cocktail: EUR 10-17
Main course: EUR 27-38
Open Hours: Daily: 10.30am - 2am
Address: 1 rue du Pont Neuf, 1e
Subway/Metro: Pont Neuf
Phone: +33 1 40 39 09 00
Kong's webpage
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