Paris, Mon Amour ❤️🥐🇫🇷

I'm currently writing this from the airplane on my way home, munching on a Ladurée pistachio macaron. I’ve just woken up from a dream that our plane was circling beneath incoming missiles. I sat up in a panic before reminding myself that the war is over.

A few days ago, I put a poll on Instagram asking whether anyone would be interested in a blog post sharing my favorite places in Amsterdam and Paris. I was happily surprised by how many people voted yes, so here we are.

I'm starting with Paris because I simply have too many places I want to share.

For those who don't know me, I love Paris. It's my happy place. If I could live anywhere in the world, it would probably be there. Every corner feels like a different kind of beauty and a new adventure waiting to happen.

And in defense of the French, they've always been incredibly kind to me. I've visited Paris many times and have never personally had a rude encounter. What some people interpret as rudeness, I often see as directness.

Paris is also one of the few places I genuinely enjoy visiting solo. There's simply too much to see, eat, and explore, and I prefer moving at my own pace without having to negotiate plans.

These aren't necessarily the most famous places in Paris - just the ones I find myself returning to again and again. I really don't like people who gate keep, so consider this me sharing all my favorite spots.

Where to Stay

Le Marais

If you're visiting Paris, stay in Le Marais.

It's full of independent boutiques, great cafés, beautiful streets, and some of the city's best people-watching. It feels lively without being overwhelming and is one of the neighborhoods I always find myself gravitating toward.

Coffee & Breakfast

Matamata Coffee

This is a non-negotiable stop every time I visit Paris.

The coffee is excellent, the street is beautiful, and the surrounding neighborhood is one of my favorites in the city.

Grab a coffee and sit outside to people-watch. While you're there, stop by Oh My Cream, which has one of the best selections of beauty, skincare, and wellness products. I ended up spending so much money here lol! Wander later around nearby shops like Rouje and Nose, then simply get lost exploring the surrounding streets.

Boulangerie de l'Isle + Bonjour Jacob

I'm not a huge pastry person, but the pain au chocolat here is the best I've ever had.

Perfectly crisp on the outside, soft and buttery on the inside.

As soon as you're done, walk next door to Bonjour Jacob for coffee. The neighborhood is beautiful, relaxed, and worth spending a few hours exploring without a plan.

Mamiche

This was on my list this trip, but I never got around to trying it. Everyone seems to rave about their pastries, so I'm including it here for my next visit - and maybe yours too.

More Great Coffee

A few more favorites:

Terres de Café – Multiple locations across the city and consistently excellent. Cortado - Where all the cool young Parisians grab their coffee from.

Motors Coffee – Fantastic coffee.

Maison Fleuret – Feels like drinking coffee inside a

library. Great cakes, beautiful atmosphere, and books everywhere.

Noir – Reliable specialty coffee with several locations around Paris.

A Perfect Paris Day

The Louvre + Loulou

If you've never been to the Louvre, it's worth doing at least once in your life.

Go see the Mona Lisa, wander through the galleries, and check it off your bucket list.

Buy your tickets online beforehand to avoid the queues.

Afterward, head to Loulou for lunch (reservations are essential). Sit outside if the weather allows and enjoy the view overlooking the gardens.

Loulou is one of those slightly pretentious places that actually delivers on the food.

After lunch, spend some time wandering through the nearby gardens and simply enjoy being in Paris.

Crêpes

Breizh Café

My favorite crêpe in Paris.

Order the Nutella crêpe. The edges are incredibly thin and crisp, and their chocolate spread is homemade.

La Droguerie

For a quick street-food crêpe, this is my favorite.

It's in a slightly rougher part of town than most places on this list, but it's absolutely worth the visit.

Casual Lunch Spots

Paris does casual lunch food incredibly well.

Paperboy Paris

A cool vibe! Get the tuna tataki sandwich with avocado.

Light, refreshing, and perfect in the summer.

Janet by Homer

Excellent sandwiches and a great lunch stop.

Ferdi

Great burgers.

Cody's Bagels

I haven't actually tried this one yet, but it looks so good that I'm including it anyway.

iRASSHAi

A casual cafe for Japanese food and a supermarket with Japanese products.

Beautiful Places for Coffee, Lunch & People-Watching

Hôtel Costes

The terrace is iconic.

The food is fine, but the atmosphere is the reason to go. Personally, I'd visit for coffee and cheesecake in the afternoon rather than lunch.

That said, if you've never done lunch at Costes before, it's probably worth experiencing once.

L'Avenue

Very similar to Costes.

Beautiful terrace seating, excellent people-watching, and a great atmosphere. Make a reservation in advance.

Loulou

Still my favorite of the three.

The food is significantly better, and the outdoor seating overlooking the gardens is beautiful.

Restaraunts

Freddy's

Tiny, always busy, doesn't take reservations, and absolutely worth it. La Renommée

Excellent food. Make a reservation.

Biche

Le Grand Colbert

Bistrot Paul Bert

Frenchie

I haven't actually managed to eat here yet, but every local I've spoken to seems to mention it.

Frenchie has been recommended to me over and over again as one of the restaurants you should try in Paris, so I'm adding it to this list because it's firmly at the top of my own list for next time.

Bistrot Paul Bert

A Paris classic for traditional French food.

Le Pompon

For a slightly dressier evening, good music, and a lively atmosphere.

La Société

Always a solid choice.

Coco

Great for either lunch or dinner.

Oobatz

Apparently this is considered one of the best pizza spots in Paris right now. They offer some really interesting and creative flavor combinations, but I decided to go with the chef's surprise option.

They asked if there was anything I didn't like or wouldn't eat, and I told them tomato sauce and duck. A few minutes later, they surprised me with a white pizza topped with mozzarella, ricotta, and spinach pesto.

It was absolutely delicious.

Shopping

A few places I always enjoy browsing:

Sézane

Souleiado (beautiful French fabric dresses)

Jeff de Bruges (for gifting chocolate)

PLAQ (for chocolate) – One of my favorite chocolate shops in Paris, located on one of the cutest streets in the city. Even if you're not buying chocolate, the street itself is worth a visit.

Maison Sennelier (a dream for artists)

Galeries Lafayette

Le Nom (custom hand-painted handbags)

Bérénice

Oh My Cream (for skincare and wellness products)

Moida K- Beauty (for the best Korean beauty products. Stop by here before or after Bourse De Commerce because it’s close by)

Museums, Sights & Neighborhoods

Bourse de Commerce

One of my favorite museums in Paris for contemporary art.

Before you go, stop by iRASSHAi for lunch. Excellent if you love japanese food! It's a Japanese café, restaurant, and grocery shop nearby.

The Louvre

As mentioned above, if you've never been, you should absolutely go at least once - if only to see the Mona Lisa.

Fondation Louis Vuitton

A little out of the way, but worth the trip.

The building itself is stunning, and the exhibitions are usually excellent.

Fondation Cartier

I really wanted to visit this year but didn't have the time, so this is me continuing my anti-gatekeeping policy.

The Seine

One of my favorite things to do in Paris is simply walk along the river in between visiting cafes from one side of the bridge to the next.

Place Vendôme

One of the most beautiful squares in Paris, surrounded by elegant architecture and luxury storefronts.

Eiffel Tower & Arc de Triomphe

They're touristy but they're worth seeing if it's your first time.

Montmartre

I personally find it too touristy, but it's still worth visiting once if you've never been. The views over Paris alone make it worthwhile.

To Conclude

Paris is one of those cities where the best moments often happen between the plans.

The coffee you stumble upon. The street you accidentally wander down. The bench you sit on for twenty minutes while watching the world go by.

So use this list as a guide, but leave room for getting lost too.

That's usually where Paris is at its best.

And if you're looking for something specific that didn't make it onto this list, I do have other places saved. Feel free to send me an email and I'll happily share more recommendations.