I admit I’m more of a countryside kind of girl who enjoys narrow tracks through vineyards and tiny villages where there tends to be less traffic and noise, but I do still love a few days in Paris when it works out for my travel schedule. If you haven’t been to Paris before (or even if you have), it’s a beautiful place with some amazing history, art, architecture and – of course – food!

If you don’t have the equivalent of the down payment on a house to spend staying at the luxurious George V, stay at my favorite boutique hotel: Relais Hotel du Vieux Paris. It’s a tiny little hotel on a side street – quintessentially French rooms (lots of toile!) with great service and an excellent location. It’s right around the corner from Notre Dame and easy walking distance to lots of restaurants and bars.

You can arrange to have breakfast at the hotel, but it’s cheaper and I enjoy walking around the corner to La Gentilhommerie (no website) where you can sit outside (or inside) with a coffee and a croissant. There are a zillion other little cafés in that area where you can get a coffee, as well – and nothing beats popping into a boulangerie and taking your croissant to-go as you begin your day strolling by the Seine.

A great friend loves staying at the Relais Saint Honoré, well-situated in the First Arrondissement. I hope to have a reason to be in Paris and check it out soon!

There’s also a great coffee shop with pastries and sandwiches adjacent to the famous book shop, Shakespeare and Company. It’s a 5-minute walk from the Hotel du Vieux Paris (directly across the Seine from Notre Dame), and the book shop is a must-see, making it really difficult to abide by their no-photos rule.

Exit the hotel and take a stroll past all the tourist-laden restaurants and duck into this dive: 5 Mars Rue de Verneuil (you can book a table online). Amazing food – and they have a bottomless chocolate mousse that is to die for! A tiny little local haunt. Delicious!

This great restaurant does not take reservations, but it is walking distance from the hotel and has all the traditional French brasserie items like steak frites and more – order your wine by the carafe (rather than by the bottle) here: Brasserie Isle Saint Louis.

The Louvre is popular and amazing, of course, but I really enjoy the Musee D’Orsay. If you want to do the Louvre, definitely get a guide – it’s impossible to find anything yourself and you’re likely to wind up frustrated. I’ve done this one before (“Crash Course” at the Louvre), and highly recommend. Truly, if you try to do the Louvre on your own, make a plan in advance and arrive with lots of patience. 

I’ve never toured with him, but Gil Soltz comes highly recommended from a few folks. He owns a company called Moontown Walking Travel – he offers a wide variety of private tours and (an American) speaks English. He’s lived in Paris for many years and appears to offer a fun twist on the standard Paris locales.

Also make a visit to Musée de l’Orangerie (Monet museum) – last entry of the day is 5:15pm.

Check out Little Red Door for cocktails (opens at 6pm) – I haven’t been, but it’s been recommended to me by locals and I can’t wait to check it out next time I’m in town.

Go to the Ritz and make your way to Bar Hemingway – tiny little bar with big ambiance and Ritz-worthy cocktails.

Buy a piece of art in the square atop Montmartre – and pop into the Fragonard shop at the bottom of the hill (right across from the funiculaire entry) – they have French-made soaps, beautiful linens and high quality souvenirs and gifts.

In Paris for an anniversary or big milestone? Splurge on dinner at the Jules Verne (book through AmEx) – they’ve renovated it since I was last there, and it’s supposed to be amazing. (It was amazing before…the views cannot be beat.) Did I mention this restaurant is mid-way up the actual Eiffel Tower? YEP.

Shop for a piece of jewelry at Cécile et Jeanne in the Morais neighborhood – I bought a necklace there a few years ago and get compliments every time I wear it!

I love making a stop at Le Bon Marché for great shopping (and it’s worth it even just to browse) – it’s a huge French department store with pretty much anything you could possibly be looking for. Their perfume floor is a sight to behold, and the lingerie section takes up nearly half a floor (and has all the French brands you’ve ever seen in Vogue and Cosmo).

If the weather cooperates, shop for your favorite cheeses, meats/patés, breads and sweets at a market you stumble on along the Seine – find yourself a bottle of wine, snag some plastic cups and napkins from the hotel, then camp out on a bench or grassy area and have a Parisian picnic.

French pharmacies are ahhhmazing! They have all kinds of facial and body products – my favorite brands are Caudalie and Avene (you can get them at places like Blue Mercury in the US, but they’re more expensive here, of course). In the French pharmacies, they almost always run specials on products (just keep in mind the 3-ounce limits on carry-on luggage for your trip home). Shopping in some of the larger pharmacies with bigger selections can be a bit of a sport. They have pharmacies at Charles de Gaulle airport, too – but only BEFORE security. Keep in mind that the shops after security don’t have as much selection of these products as the pharmacies outside customs.

A few more must-shop spots:

E. Dehillerin: the oldest kitchen store in Paris – stop by even if all you do is walk the aisles and snap a few photos

Officine Universelle Buly: absolutely divine bath products and other fun luxury items that can be personalized while you shop – the packaging is positively gorgeous

Marin Montagut: some of the most precious Parisienne souvenirs you’ll find – the cutest and most unique boutique

Chapon Chocolaterie: beautiful chocolates, hot chocolate, and authentic French chocolate mousse

Galeries Lafayette: a gorgeous French shopping mall with allll the things you could possibly need or want

Depending on which terminal you end up flying out of at CDG, there’s a Ladurée shop – famous for macarons. My favorite flavor is Strawberry Bonbon! YUM! You can custom-select a box of 6 or more – they make great souvenirs for folks you left at home and they hold up well on the flight (every time I go to France, my niece makes me promise I will not forget to bring her a Ladureé treat – and she has started collecting and saving the precious little boxes).

If you want to visit Versailles (which is beautiful!), here’s a tip to make the day more enjoyable and help avoid some of the crowds: Book a table at the restaurant onsite – Ore – and when you finish your lunch they’ll let you use their super secret back door entrance to the palace so you skip the line (which is usually long, even if you already have online tickets). You must get your tickets online in advance at the Versailles website – get the tickets that have the audio tour AND allow you into the gardens, too, because you MUST see the dancing fountains. My advice: get there before lunch – go straight to the gardens. Rent a golf cart to ride around all over the expansive grounds (it would otherwise take you all day to walk it all), then go to lunch at Ore, then head inside the palace. I’ve toured the gardens in the afternoon, and have often found there to be a long line for the golf carts. There’s a Ladurée at the end of the palace tour (in the gift shop), which is a fun way to finish up! 

More restaurants:

Le Fumoir – typical French brasserie, and you can book a table on their website.

Chez Francoise – you can book a table on their website (it’s a place you’d never find on your own and the location seems like it must be wrong when you arrive, then you realize it’s where all the locals go and it’s some of the best food in Paris!) – if you book lunch, you’ll find yourself in the company of French business executives, though it’s completely unpretentious.

Loulou – if you decide to do a Louvre tour, book this place for lunch beforehand (or dinner after) – it’s basically right there on property, fabulous ambiance, great food.

Monsieur Bleu – overlooks the Eiffel Tower – it has a touristy feel, but they have great food and great views.

Café de Flore – often featured in TV shows and movies, it’s a charming spot for a coffee or a croque monsieur

Check out this article from Condé Nast on The Most Beautiful Restaurants in Paris – there are many on this list I’d love to try!