Paris Without the Crowds
Leisurely Champagne sipping, oysters and art, a shopping spree with kids, and more unexpected itineraries.
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A trip to Paris doesn’t have to be a cliché. We asked authors, wine critics, artists, and other people with great taste and deep knowledge of the city to share the highlights from their favorite trips (sans all the obvious spots).
Rare Champagne
“Consider going in June for the Fête de la Musique, when a lot of Parisians have disappeared to Marseille.Le Bon Georges, near the Saint-Georges Métro stop, is a good place to sit with a bottle of Champagne and ease in: They’ve got some incredibly chic, rare stuff. I like to stay atHôtel Pulitzeror atHôtel Madame Rêve. Last time, the restaurant at the top of my list was an African-fusion spot in Belleville calledTouki Bouki.It did not disappoint.”— Hannah Crosbie, wine writer forTheGuardian
Floating Music Venues
“The Paris independent-music scene is undersung. It has rooms like Petit Bain(technically a boat) andFGO-Barbara, which has some of the best sound I’ve heard in Europe. I like to stay atHôtel Hana. It’s pretty new with design that lives somewhere between France and Meiji-era Japan.”— Todd Eckert, founder and president of Tin Drum
Empty-Street Biking in August
“August in Paris gets a bad rap, but I find it magical. While many locals flee, the ones who stay know how to enjoy the city. Get your Vélib’ pass in order; Paris has become a biking city. I often stay atHôtel Henriettein the 13th and on the 7 Métro line. I go to a Monoprix for a €5 bottle of rosé, some cheese, and a baguette (supermarketfromagein Paris is better than the best Americans can get) and head down to the Seine with a blanket for a sunset picnic and impromptu dancing.”— Glynnis MacNicol, author ofI’m Mostly Here to Enjoy Myself
A Gallery Bonanza
“I visit some of my favorite galleries in the world:David Zwirner,Almine Rech,Thaddaeus Ropac, andMax Hetzler.Also, Fondation Louis Vuitton and the Bourse are musts for museum shows and architecture. TheAzzedine Alaïa Foundationis heaven — take a coffee in the café and look through their books. Go toGalerie Cipangofor gold jewelry, have oysters atHuîtrerie Régisnearby, then thumb through the graphic works atPaul Prouté; they sold me Goya etchings priced by how gory they were. On the long walk back toward the Marais, where I stay atHôtel Providence, we drop byBerthillonfor ice cream.”— Natalie Frank, interdisciplinary artist
Crumbling Interiors, Then Steak Tartare
“I love to treat myself toL’Hôtel. It’s famous for its interiors by Jacques Garcia and for being the place where Oscar Wilde lived his last days and died without paying the bill.Sennelier, an art-supply shop on the Quai Voltaire, has fabulous products and store clerks who know what they’re talking about.Hôtel de la Marineis a museum with a focus on 18th-century aristocratic life. Every square inch is a wonder; you could go for the wall treatments, made from crumbly paint, and leave satisfied. I eat at Au Petit Fer à Cheval, with its vested-aproned wait staff, once each trip. Get the steak tartare and the tarte Tatin.”— Thomas Engelhart, decorative painter
Eating Like a Local Chef
“Have lunch at Le Baratin; it’s where chefs go on their day off. Walk along Canal Saint-Martin and sit on the edge with a bottle from La Cave de Belleville — something funky, cloudy, and alive. Dine atVivant 2(moody, French Japanese–ish fare),Sugaar(dirty martinis, scallops swimming in butter), and the theatricalBouillon Pigalle(escargot for €7). Late night is for the supreme ice-cream parlor and natural-wine spotFolderoland some snacks and dancing to DJ’d vinyl atBambino. Sleep at the boutique gemLa Planque Hôtelin the ever-cooler Tenth.” —Samantha Bui, senior marketing manager at Nothing Tech
Rodin and Deco Hotels
“I always make time to visit the sculpture garden at theRodin Museum,Galerie Chenelfor its ancient Roman and Egyptian art, and theGrand Palais. Stay atHôtel HanaorHôtel Balzac— the latter is in the Eighth and draws on the Art Deco period. Have a meal and people-watch at Brasserie Lipp. For shopping, the clothing-and-home shopCristaseyahas my heart. For lingerie, I go toYasmine Eslami. AndOgata, besides being my absolute favorite restaurant, sells the most gorgeous matcha bowls, Nuri Wasara sake cups, and pencil-thin porcelain teacups.”— Annika Zobel Agerled, stylist and founder of Akua Objects
The Double Club Life
“I stay atLa Demeure Montaigne. Golf’s like my therapy, andBirdieland, an indoor urban golf club in the Second, has a bar with snacks and is a good place to go with buddies. For clubbing, I likeCovaandL’Arc, and it’s best to get a table.Defloweris great for an everybody’s-on-top-of-everybody-else vibe.”— Jason Cabinda, retired NFL fullback and sports commentator
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