Paris

36 Hours in Paris

Palais Royale

There is never enough time to see all that the City of Lights has to offer, but spending 36 hours in Paris is a good place to start.

Depending on your interests, you can begin your visit with breakfast at Cuisine de Bar, a great little cafe near St Sulpice. Once you have eaten, take a stroll through St Germain, visiting the Jardin du Luxembourg, the Pantheon, and the shops and markets along Rue Mouffetard.

From there you could spend an afternoon at one of the city’s top museums like the Louvre, the Musee d’Orsay, or the Centre Pompidou. If you’ve already seen them on a previous visit, there are plenty of smaller museums in Paris that are worth visiting. A few of my favorites are the Musee Rodin, the Musee Picasso, and the Musee Marmottan (for Impressionism). The Musee du quai Branly is another good choice for those that like indigenous art.

Exhausted from exploring museums, take a break at one of Paris’ best cafes or in one of the city’s parks.

Once you are refreshed, go for some shopping along the rue du Faubourg Saint-Honore, at the famous grands magasins, or in the city’s top boutiques.

After a long day of walking, you’ll have worked up an appetite. You can go to dinner at one of the city’s many great restaurants to refuel. Use this restaurant map to find one nearby.

If you still have energy left after dinner, you can explore the city’s nightlife scene. Paris has a great variety of bars and clubs to choose from, whether you want a quiet drink or a big night out.

The next day you can explore some of the city’s top neighborhoods. From Montmartre to the Canal Saint-Martin, there is more than enough to keep you busy for a day. If you get hungry, head to the rue des Martyrs, a street full of cafes, restaurants, and patisseries.

If you haven’t done so yet, you can also visit the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, the Sacre Coeur, or the Notre Dame for great views over the city.

When your 36 hours in Paris come to a close, head to one of the many locations of Relais de l’Entrecote to have a classic farewell steak frites for dinner before heading home.

Best Cafes in Paris

Cafe

Paris has as many well-known cafes as it does museums and fashion houses. Whether you want to read a book, write a book, or visit the place where your favorite book was written, Paris has a cafe that will suit your mood.

If literature isn’t your cup of tea, there are plenty of cafes with ample space for discussing your favorite subject or just watching the passers-by.

Here is my list of the best cafes in Paris.

1. Cafe le Paris
Address: 93, ave des Champs Elysees, 75008, Paris, France
Metro: George V

For those looking for a non-touristy cafe in the heart of touristy Paris, Cafe le Paris is a hidden gem. Located on the bustling Champs Elysees, Cafe le Paris is frequented by Parisians who work in the area. With friendly staff and affordable prices (especially compared to other cafes on the Champs Elysees), Cafe le Paris is a great place to stop for a quick cafe au lait during a long day of sightseeing or afternoon of power shopping.

2. Cafe Les Deux Magots
Address: 6, place Saint Germain des Pres, 75006, Paris, France
Metro: Saint Germain des Pres

Known for being an intellectual center of Parisian thought and debate, Cafe Les Deux Magots was a regular meeting place for French literati like Sartre, Gide, and Simone de Beauvoir. Situated on a busy street corner, the cafe gets packed inside and out with visitors paying homage to France’s past masters.

3. Cafe Les Editeurs
Address: 4, Carrefour d l’Odeon, 75006, Paris, France
Metro: Odeon

Lined with dark wood shelves that overflow with books, the atmosphere of the cozy Cafe Les Editeurs is enough to make even the most logophobic person start writing or discussing heady ideas. Offering both a full menu of coffee and tea drinks and a menu of food items, cafe Les Editeurs is the best place to revel in Paris’ cafe culture.

For information on tipping in France, you can look at this page.

Paris Parks: The 8 Best Parks in Paris

Parc Monceau

Paris has some of the best city parks in the world. I could fill volumes writing about all of them, but these are my top 8 picks.

1. Le Bois de Vincennes (12e)
Metro: Porte de Charenton, Porte Doree, Liberte

Le Bois de Vincennes, home to the Chateau de Vincennes, is a sprawling park in the eastern part of Paris. With its zoos, museums, four lakes, and sporting arenas, the park attracts visitors from all over Paris.

2. Jardin des Plantes – Botanical Gardens (5e)
Metro: Censier-Daubenton, Monge, or Gare d’Austerlitz

Opened to the public in 1650, the Jardin des Plantes is located in the heart of Paris. The space contains a botanical garden, the Museum National d’Histoire Naturelle, a zoo, an aquarium, and several gardens. It is a great place for families to visit in Paris.

3. Le Bois de Boulogne (16e)
Metro: Porte Dauphine, Porte Maillot

Spanning over 2,000 acres, Le Bois de Boulogne is one of the largest parks in Paris. The park was developed by Napoleon III in the 19th century on what was formerly a royal hunting ground. The Bois de Boulogne is popular for jogging, boating, and family activities during the day, but its popularity as a gathering place for prostitutes in the evenings makes it best to be avoided at night.

4. Jardin des Tuileries (1er)
Metro: Tuileries

The Jardin des Tuileries, once the garden for the Tuileries Palace which burned down in 1871, is located between the Louvre and the Place de la Concorde. The Tuileries is a perfect place to rest or have a picnic after a visit to the Louvre.

5. Jardin du Luxembourg (6e)
Metro: Odeon, RER: Luxembourg, Port Royal

The beautiful Jardin du Luxembourg surrounds the Luxembourg Palace, which was constructed in the 17th century by Salomon de Brosse for Marie de Medici. The Luxembourg Gardens, as they are known in English, feature colorful flowers, sporting areas, and even beekeeping units.

6. Place des Vosges (4e)
Metro: Bastille, Chemin Vert, Saint Paul

The Place des Vosges is the city’s oldest square. It was built in the early 17th century by Henri IV and was initially called the Place Royale. Today it is a peaceful park that is a great place to sit and watch the world go by.

7. Parc Monceau (8e)
Metro: Monceau

Park Monceau was built in the 18th century by the Duke of Chartres, Phillippe d’Orleans. The park is full of Romantic-era ruins, sculptures, ponds, and gardens, and is a great place to relax on a sunny day in Paris.

8. Parc des Buttes-Chaumont (19e)
Metro: Buttes-Chaumont

Located away from the bustle of the Paris city center, the Parc des Buttes-Chaumont is one of the best romantic spots in Paris. The Buttes-Chaumont was laid out in the English style by Baron Haussmann in the 1860s.

The park is complete with a man-made lake and waterfalls, a Roman-style temple, and steep hills offering beautiful panoramic views of the Paris skyline.