PARIS
Restaurants & Bars
La perouse - this is my favorite restaurant of all time, it’s pricey, you can get a private room reserved, I think before it was an extra $100 euro but worth the experience. If you can’t go for dinner maybe you can pop in for a drink at the bar. We went when it first re-opened but since then it got really popular with celebrities and models so you do have to book ahead. Food is amazing but the history is really cool.
Le Bouillon Charter - This was a really cool experience. There are many Bouillon restaurants throughout Paris, they have a very interesting history. They started out as casual places to eat at good prices in the 1860s. They serve very simple home style everyday French dishes and are super cheap. Many of them still serve some of the original menu items.
Qasti Bistro (not to be confused with the Qasti cafe that is more of a take away across the street)
Le Plomb du Cental
moroccan food, we ended up here by accident it was a really cool experience and very good moroccan food
Au Pied de Cochon. A great historical restaurant. Beautiful interior, great drinks. Restaurant specializes in pork.
Grenouilles . Good spot in Montmartre to grab a sandwich and beer. Recommendation is the Raglette where they pour the heated cheese on top.
Dessert & Bakeries
Angelina Cafe. Since 1903, famous for hot chocolate and the mont blanc pastry (chestnut chocolate mix). The 226 Rue de Rivoli is the original. They also have a bistro style food menu besides the pastries and champagne. (1st Arrondissement)
Bo&Mie is a chain but super good and famous for special filled croissants.
Laduree, established in . Original location 16 rue Royale, Paris
Bachir is a must try Lebanese ice cream. Must try is ashta with pistachio.
Stohrer - one of the oldest pastry shops in Paris. But we love this whole street, there are a lot of very cute shops and restaurants. (Rue Montorgueil)
Tutti Sensi is a great ice cream shop in Montmartre
Sightseeing & Museums
Montmartre is a must see. Keep in mind that most of the restaurants here are very touristy and not top culinary experiences. I recommend the sandwich shop above, ice cream, great place to shop for little souvenirs.
Canal Saint-Martin. This is a great local treat. Nice local neighborhood with lots of little boutiques and canals that fill up and down with water to move the boats through. Grab a bottle of wine with some snacks and sit on the edge of the canal to enjoy the day like a local.
Le Musee de la Chasse was one of my favorite random finds. It is a museum of hunting and curated with perfection. It features historical art related to hunting, other hunting related antiques, hunting rifles from all over the world and a mix of modern art with a little dark humor. Not super will known, well air conditioned, small crowds, and reasonably priced (kids free).
Centre Pompidou is an overwhelmingly large modern art museum. It has many galleries and you can buy tickets to part of the museum. The great thing about this place though is that if you go to the top (which by the way you can do without even buying a ticket to the museum) you get a gorgeous view of all of Paris. Go into the building and go to the right to the escalators and keep climbing up, you can’t go all the way to the roof top without a ticket because they will ticket you to go through to the exhibits but go as far as you can and you will get the most amazing view of Paris. This is also the neighborhood where a lot of Lebanese restaurants are, including Qusti and Bachir ice cream.
Musee d'Orsay. We did atour with the linked company. They were sold online but I emailed them and they created a custom private tour for us. The guide got us past the line and all through the museum based on what we wanted to do and see and then guided us to a location of our choice before leaving us on our own to explore.
Shopping
Paris with Kids
Le Tete dans les Nuages was a really great arcade, especially for little kids. The space was clean, bright and roomy. It has a large selection of games that are smaller in size, allowing little kids to reach. Great way to have a break from the heat.
Square du Temple playground is located in a nice neighborhood with lots of great lunch spots around. The playground has sand, wooden houses and misters.
National museum of natural history has a lot to see and explore The building itself is a very impressive architectural masterpiece.
Mad golf was a nice break from running around town. It is indoor miniature golf, nothing special but gave the kids something fun to do and a little break from sightseeing.
Galerie des enfants inside the Centre Pompidou is a really great indoor playground. Shoes off, kids must be accompanied by adult and I think you have to show your ticket to the museum but otherwise is free.
1st Arrondissement
Be Parisian: Grab a book and read on one of the many chairs and benches in Tuileries Garden
Louvre - go early and take some photos, there are many restaurants inside look them up ahead of time, I heard that there is a secret entrance from the metro that can help avoid big crowds to get in, I also recommend a skip the line tour, there are also limited night tours after the crows leave, check out viator, trip advisor and Airbnb Example Example Example Also after the tour you can go off on your own. We did this a lot all through Europe and sometimes we would just take off after the tour guide got us in, but the savings from waiting in time and being guided in were worth it and made it super stress free
Samaritaine - one of the older department stores, near it is a lot of other shopping, across is the Louis Vuitton flagship store and cafe, they have really cool displays and downstairs they normally have art or other exhibits going
Just walk, all around you there will be just tons of stuff, explore go into buildings churches, etc.
Montmartre
Suggest going early to beat the crowds for photos but staying a little later when the little stores open, most of the restaurants here are touristy and not so great but I recommend the sandwich place below and ice cream is the way to go, as well as some cute shops.
They have a petit train that you can buy tickets for and hop on at Sacre Ceur. I highly recommend this to see the village and then hop off back where you got on and go wakl around. If you go early in the morning it will be very nice because you won’t get the crowds
It is at the top of a hill so suggest being dropped off by uber at the top of the hill and then making your way down, you do not want to climb up. I would start by Sacre Ceur and then head into the village from there. There are a lot of good restaurants a little down but in the village itself it is very touristy so you won’t get great food or service.
Other
La perouse - this is my favorite restaurant of all time, it’s pricey, you can get a private room reserved, I think before it was an extra $100 euro but worth the experience. If you can’t go for dinner maybe you can pop in for a drink at the bar. We went when it first re-opened but since then it got really popular with celebrities and models so you do have to book ahead. Food is amazing but the history is really cool. Reference History.
(Rue Montorgueil) Is a great street for food shopping. Lots of old shops and resstaurants. Frommageries, etc. Including Stohrer (above).Other
Saint Germaine is a really cute neighborhood to go out at night with lots of bars with outdoor seating and lots of floral greenery on the buildings
Canal area - get a bottle of wine and some glasses, pick up some cheese bread etc and have yourself a picnic on a nice day sitting on the canal watchin gthe boats with the rest of the locals (not Sunday, Sunday all will be closed and dead)
Wish List (Some places that we have not been yet but have on our list)
Moulin Rouge VIP
La Maurice - this is next to Angelina, we have not been but it looked very beautiful. It’s not cheap but it is by Alain Ducasse a famous French Micellin starred chef.
La Maison Rose - I’ve always wanted to go here. It is beautiful at the end of the village. Dali and Picasso used to hang out here. History
Cunard & Champagn
Where to Stay
Champs-Elysee Airbnb - my parents and sister stayed here and loved it, prime location.
Town of Versaille Airbnb - my parents stayed here when they went to Versaille location was perfect and it is former residence of first surgeon of King Louis XIV
Citadines Saint-Germain-des Pres - perfect location, rooms are OK but a bit dated and no room service but location is superb.
Getting Around
Uber - works good but can be tough to get during peak hours, rain, etc and can take a long time with traffic
G7 - this is the paris taxi version of uber, download the app now and make an account with all info so you have it available. It was a great second option when uber got too pricey or was not available.
Batobus - 2 day pass is 27euro, great way to see paris from a different vantage point and to get around between popular attractions, it’s right next to you so will be convenient.
Metro - the metro seems overwhelming but is pretty easy to use if you have a map and fast and inexpensive. You can buy a booklet with 10 passes to use, sometimes its a great backup option. I also highly recommend taking line 2 to see the eiffel tower, it’s a really cool experience. You get a very cool view of the tower from the window and then you take exit - a lot of people don’t know about it but you come out and come around to the left and there will be a big platform with an amazing view of the eiffel tower
Safety
Pickpockets
Avoid looking like an easy target and being careless with your wallet, phone and other valuables.
Recommend crossbody turned to the front, avoid putting things into back pocket, avoid backpack.
Pay extra attention in crowds, tourist areas, around street performers, in metro
Strangers flag - avoid anyone approaching you. Most people don’t need to ask tourists for directions or help.
Gypsy/Migrant tricks
Tend to hang out in crowded tourist areas, like Louvre and Eiffel Tower
Ring trick - they pick up a ring off the floor and approach you to ask if you lost a ring, then they tell you it’s a gift to you, then they demand money and say you stole it
Petition - they come with a petition while little kids run around and pickpocket you
Bracelet trick - they put a bracelet on your hand as a gift and then demand money and don’t leave you alone. Also anything else, just don’t let anyone hand you anything
Bad Neighborhoods
Lower Montmarte area- the street where moulin rouge is is fine but if you walk too much towards the east it gets very sketch.
Protests/Riots
Keep eye on news for potential protests, they can quickly turn into riots. In those cases avoid certain areas, especially malls, and retail shopping, sneaker stores at night. If you go in the area of Place de la Republic just do a quick google search first, all official legal protests start here so it is good to double check. (Republic square)
Tips & Tricks
Sundays. Most local spots are closed, this is a good day for museums, tourist spots and nature.
Museums. Recommend booking a guide that gets you through the line. Sometimes this gets you even ahead of the “skip the line” upgrade, depending on museum and tour type, especially useful for popular spots like Musee d’Orsay or Louvre. If booking direct tickets book online, it is easier to read through all the options and sometimes there are two lines (1) line to buy (2) line to get in. Booking tickets online often allows you to just walk right in, eg. Centre Pompidou.
Luxury shopping. You need your passport in order to get the vat discount paperwork.
European Heritage Days happen once a year, this year end of September. It normally consists of several days where national treasures are free to visit. However, don’t get stuck on free entry, instead take advantage to go into some places that are closed to the public except for these few days where they allow visitors.
Google Map Lists. Make a wishlist of places you want to go in google maps, especially restaurants. Take a look at it when you are out an about. That way when you are ready for lunch you can visit something on your list instead of trying to search through tourist spots to avoid traps. Good way to hit your spots without making special trips just to go somewhere.