3 Days in Paris

Written By The Mod Traveller

Last month, Mark and I left our littles behind with my parents and jetted off to Paris for a long weekend. My stepdaughter, Ava, is studying abroad in Florence for the semester (lucky her!), so we jumped at the chance to meet up in what I consider the best city in the world. The food! The architecture! The style! I’ve been in love with Paris ever since I studied abroad there ages ago.

Since this would be Ava’s first ever visit to Paris, I set out to craft an itinerary that would cover a lot of ground while leaving room for time to wander. While I love having a destination in mind, it’s those serendipitous moments of meandering that lead to the most poignant memories I have from all of my travels.

One of my favorite ways to visit a city is to pick a neighborhood (or two or three) to explore for a morning or afternoon. I select a few landmarks and/or restaurants we might visit and then create a walkable map via Google, kind of like this one, to help me visualize.

Many of you have been asking what we saw and where we dined and drank. So here you go… our itinerary just as I mapped it out for Ava and Mark along with a few notes about the experience and/or what I would do differently next time around.

FRIDAY

  • Arrive at Charles de Gaulle and taxi to hotel. I typically take the RER train from the airport to the city (it’s cheap, easy and efficient), but it made economic sense for our larger group to take a taxi this time around.

  • Check into Hotel Dame des Arts. Our pied-à-terre for the weekend could not have been better. Aptly described by Condé Nast Traveler as “the right stuff on the Left Bank,” this former Holiday Inn (yes, you read that right) has been redesigned into a stylish boutique hideaway with Eiffel Tower views from the rooftop.

  • Walk to Breizh Cafe or Cafe de Flore for lunch, no reservation needed at either. The former is well known for its crepes and the latter offers a menu that will please anyone (think: sandwiches, salads, omelettes, etc.). I’m partial to Flore, so I can nab a seat outside and people watch along St. Germain-des-Prés. It’s honestly my favorite thing to do the moment I get to Paris.

  • Walk along the Quai Voltaire to the Musee d’Orsay (visit ~ 2 hrs).

  • Walk to Pierre Herme for take away pastries/macaroons (try the ‘Isaphan’) to eat in the park or pop into Bread & Roses for sit down tea and scones.

  • Walk by Église Saint-Sulpice to observe its historic exterior.

  • We had planned to walk through the Luxembourg Gardens, but we arrived too late! I had forgotten that the police lock the gates about an hour before sunset.

  • Walk back to the hotel to rest. I am a firm believer in daily downtime, especially when I’m visiting a city and spend the majority of the day on my feet.

  • Evening drinks at Cravan. Our cocktails were tiny, but uniquely flavorful. We booked a table at Bar 1 (2nd floor), which had an art deco theme. Next time, I’d opt for the bustling Grand Bar on the ground level or Bar 3 for an intimate experience—both of which seemed to have a better vibe than Bar 1.

  • Dinner reservation at Chez Julien. This charming bistro lived up to its reputation. Candlelit tables, well-heeled staff and all of the classics done just right.

SATURDAY

  • Most hotels in Paris offer breakfast. Ours featured a lovely buffet with all of the usual European suspects like stinky cheese and charcuterie plus a few welcome surprises like chia pudding and freshly squeezed grapefruit juice.

  • Walk from the hotel to the Luxembourg Gardens for a morning stroll.

  • Take a taxi up to the Arc de Triomphe and then walk down the Champs-Élysées. The French equivalent of Rodeo Drive and Fifth Avenue offers everything from Hugo Boss and Louis Vuitton to Zara and Nike.

  • Walk east past the Place de la Concorde through the Tuileries Garden and onto the Louvre. Here’s where I messed up… We had pre-purchased passes, but even with our timed entry tickets, the line was an hour plus wait. No thanks. We decided our time in Paris was too short to spend it huddled under an umbrella in the rain, so we capitulated to our hunger pains and ducked into Café Marly, an elegant refuge under the arcades of the Louvre. Next time I want to visit the Louvre, I’ll book a skip-the-line guided tour!

  • Walk around Ile Saint-Louis and try some ice cream at Berthillon. With the chill of the rain, we opted for a latte at Noir in lieu of a cone.

  • Walk to Ile de la Cite, home to Notre Dame. Although the church is under construction, it’s still magnificent.

  • Walk back to the hotel to rest.

  • Take an evening Green River Cruises pontoon boat ride along the Seine. Although it ended up raining pretty heavily on ours, watching the Eiffel Tower sparkle from our boat was magical.

  • Dinner reservation at Tekés, the new Israeli restaurant by the team behind the once celebrated Balagan. The vegetarian menu is playful and inventive with cocktails to match.

SUNDAY

  • Take the metro to Porte de Clignancourt to visit the Marché aux Puces de Paris Saint-Ouen aka the flea market. First we went to Marché Dauphine to browse vintage clothing, records and books. We then headed over to Marché Paul Bert Serpette to ogle some seriously gorgeous furniture.

  • Lunch reservation at Bonne Aventure, a total gem and probably my favorite meal of our trip. The menu rotates regularly and is small (3-4 starters and 3 mains), but you can expect each dish to be seasonal and well executed. The place also has a very local vibe, hip but relaxed, with a nice wine selection.

  • Take the metro to Saint-Paul and walk around the Marais. Historically known as the city’s Jewish Quarter, this neighborhood is one of the few where restaurants and shops are actually open on Sundays. We browsed a few boutiques and strolled through Place des Vosges.

  • Walk back to hotel to rest.

  • Aperitif al fresco at La Palette followed by dinner at Colvert. We snagged a last minute reservation at this modern bistro helmed by Chef Arnaud Baptist, a French Top Chef contender, and loved the inventive menu and cozy ambience.

other places i love in paris

I’m inevitably missing many, but here are some of my other Paris recommendations.

misc musings about paris

  • Unlike in the U.S., many of the top Michelin starred restaurants in Paris are closed on weekends. If eating at Arpège, for example, is at the top of your list, make sure you visit Paris on a weekday.

  • Many bistros, even casual ones, take reservations. Do yourself a favor and book both your lunches and dinners in advance. If you’re staying at a hotel, your concierge can assist. Alternatively, contact the restaurant by email or WhatsApp.

  • Parisians tend to eat later than Americans. A typical time to eat lunch would be around 1pm and dinner around 9pm. Plan accordingly!

  • Even if you don’t speak French, one of the best tips I’ve ever received is to approach a French person and ask “Parlez-vous anglais?” This translates to “Do you speak English?” It shows respect to at least ask if the person speaks English before making the assumption that they do (which they probably will).

The Mod Traveller http://wwww.themodtraveller.com
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