You have probably seen and read hundreds of posts about Paris before. Whilst we will mention some of the iconic Parisian locations, we thought we’d share a few of the ‘slightly off the radar’ things we enjoyed from our stay in Paris.

We ventured to France’s capital, Paris, in early May, and were greeted with pleasant weather and minimal crowds. Whilst we haven’t been to Paris in peak tourist season, after our experience, we would recommend you consider visiting in a shoulder season.

Where we stayed: Latin Quarter/6th arrondissement

Our cute 6th floor apartment was a delight! The well lit space boasted views of Paris, including a cheeky sneak peak of the Eiffel Tower. Located in one of our favourite parts of Paris, just moments from the Luxembourg Gardens and a few minutes from the Odeon metro station. To walk into the ‘heart of Paris’ was around a 10-15 minute walk, but the area around the accommodation was well stocked with bars, restaurants, cafe’s and shops. The downsides? 6 flights of stairs up with only a small lift to take you half the way.. good for the step count! The tiny kitchen was definitely limiting if you want to prep meals during your stay. And the location wasn’t in the true heart of Paris for those wanting to stay right in the action.

Want to take a look? See our Paris accommodation here!

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SOME OF OUR PARIS HIGHLIGHTS:

People watching in Jardin de Luxembourg

The Luxembourg Gardens were one of our favourite parts of our time in Paris. After receiving a few strong recommendations to check them out, we were delighted when our accommodation was a 2-3 minute walk away. We spent a few afternoons sitting in the sun and watching locals and tourists alike. It’s a must for your Paris itinerary!

The Falafels at L’As du Fallafel

Have you heard already, the falafels from L’As du Fallafel are INCREADIBLE! Yes, they are that good! Our favourite meal in Paris? Possibly! We posted a little review about them due to how much we enjoyed them! See our L’As du Fallafel review here!

Wandering the streets of Paris

One of our favourite things to do on holiday is explore the city by wandering the streets without set plans. This allows us to experience and enjoy the area, also having the surprise of discovering something we never knew existed. In Paris we particularly enjoyed unstructured wandering of the La Marais and Latin Quarters, along with the 10th Arrondissement.

The Croissants!

You hear about it, you read about it, and it still doesn’t prepare you for how good the croissants are! We sampled a few of the amazing croissants of Paris in a little ‘Le Tour De Croissant‘. In particular, the croissant from Mamiche, located in the 10th arrondissement was phenomenal! Light, buttery and so so good! The croissant from Mamiche should be on your Paris to do list! Want to check out our thoughts and tour video diary (vlog)? Check out the Le Tour De Croissant post here!

The Speakeasy Bars of Paris

Venturing into a storefront, pulling down on a container of couscous, and the shop wall pealing back to reveal a gorgeous little bar was such an exciting moment! The mirage of speakeasy bars adds an element of wonder to your bar hopping experience. Paris has an excellent speakeasy bar scene, and the two we visited did not let us down! See our little bar hopping escapades in the Instagram reel below:

Bar 1: L’Epicier

A faux storefront conceals a Mediterranean/middle-eastern bar draped in hanging lanterns. The themed cocktail menu is a delight, and the staff were a great time! We loved our time here and would go back!

Address: 24 Rue Notre Dame de Nazareth, 75003 Paris

Bar 2: Lavomatic

Venture 5 minutes down the road to Lavomatic and you will be greeted with a functioning laundromat that also hides a second story bar buzzing with life. Lavomatic was a great addition to our bar hopping, and the experience of entering behind the washing machines is something you will remember!

Address: 30 Rue René Boulanger, 75010 Paris

Tips for Paris Speakeasy bars: we went in May (non-peak), and the bars had lines after 7-7.30pm. These bars are small, and once full, it is a one-in, one-out policy, so consider going early to beat the rush.

Coffees of Paris

Can coffee be one of the highlights of a holiday? If it involves good coffee from some of Paris’s best cafes then it definitely can! Some of the coffee we had was excellent, and the moments sitting and recapping our trip or planning our day over a warm cup will be something we remember! See a few of our coffee picks from Paris!

Running around Jardin de Luxembourg

Yes, we are those crazy people who exercise on holidays! We love to enjoy a run around a new city! We find it helps to beat the jetlag, and gives us an opportunity to explore more of the city. In Paris, our favourite run course was around the Luxembourg Gardens! These lush, vibrant gardens are the perfect circuit to jog around!

Vino at Chez Janou

The recommendation to check out Chez Janou was given to us from many as we embarked on our Paris trip! We rocked up on our second night and were dismayed that they were booked out for 3 days, such was their popularity. If this doesn’t tell you it’s a decent restaurant, I don’t know what else will. However, as we had rocked up early, we were able to sit outside for a wine before their bookings arrived. The vino our waitress chose for us was excellent. Pair that with the great conversation with a local French couple sitting beside us and we had a wonderful little moment we will look back fondly on.

Consider: if you want to get in for a table, book ahead! The staff mentioned it can be booked for 4-5 days ahead! However, if you haven’t got around to booking, get there before 6pm for a wine before the bookings arrive.

Watching the artists in Montemartre

The region of Montemarte, located north of Paris, is a delight! Montmartre has a rich history of art, most notably involving Van Gough who lived there in 1886-1888! This history and culture is evident when you enter the main square and feast your eyes on the local artists at work! Watching the artists craft a little masterpiece in front of your eyes is just remarkable and a highlight for us!

Picnics in the Paris gardens

Paris does gardens well! We have already raved about the Luxembourg Gardens, but littered over the city are numerous others that are excellent. We particularly enjoyed a picnic at ‘Tuileries Garden’, located near the famous Louvre. Another picnic moment that is iconic to Paris is enjoying the Eiffel Tower view sitting on the ‘Garden of the Eiffel Tower’. We ventured down for a sunset dinner on our last night! Just note, in the bigger/more popular gardens (e.g. the Garden of the Eiffel Tower), you will be unlikely to get the space to yourself.

Ramen At Kodwari RameN

I can hear you say it, “Ramen isn’t French!”. Despite this, we couldn’t ignore the strong recommendations and ventured down to check it out! After the disappointment of being greeted with at long line a dinner-time, our resolve was strengthened and we returned the night after for an early dinner at 6pm and got in! We are big Ramen lovers (see our favourites from Melbourne here), and rated this dish from Kodwari highly! It’s one to consider for dinners if you’re looking for a good meal outside of French cuisine.

Pro Tip: get there before 6.30 for a table to avoid waiting (may be worse in peak times).

Tea and cake at Le Loir dans La Théière

Treat yourself to a cute Parisian experience at Le Loir dans La Théière. Located in La Marais, this café/bar/patisserie offers a French experience. Whilst not something that would typically appeal to us, we received strong recommendations to check it out and enjoyed our pot of tea and baked cheesecake whilst reminiscing about the highs and lows of the day!

Views of Paris

Paris is an incredible city! The sprawling nature is surprising, and evident when at some of the popular viewpoints around the city. We enjoyed observing the view of Paris from the Arc de Triumph, Sacré-Cœur, and the top floor of the Printemps Haussmann department store.

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Key Paris Considerations:

Simple is more: Tess and I found some of the “tourist attractions” to be not as much fun as the simple moments like having a coffee in a Paris square, or people watching in Luxembourg gardens. So whilst we are happy we ventured to some of these touristy places, the popular picks are not always the best moments in our opinion.

Transport: Paris is very transport friendly. We walked and used the Metro system the most and found both very appropriate for a city such as Paris. It is easy to walk to most areas of central Paris within 15-30 minutes, however heading out a little requires a train which is simple and €1.90 per journey. Cycling and using electric scooters is very popular, however we didn’t jump on these due to the chaos of the cars on the road, but overall they seem like good options. Just remember to buy a ticket so you don’t get stung with a fine!

Safety: despite the advice around potentially unsafe behaviours in Paris, we found it very safe. However, that doesn’t mean we let down our guard. On trains, when in crowded areas, and sitting down for meals we made sure to have very close guard of our personal belongings and recommend you do the same based upon experiences we have heard. Overall, as a couple, we didn’t have any moments where we felt unsafe.

Cost: overall, Paris wasn’t a cheap city to travel in. We travelled cheaply, including making our own breakfast, and having a few “cheap” meals, particularly lunches. However, costs could easily add up, especially if you go shopping, attend the museums, galleries and other amusements (e.g. Disneyland) which we didn’t do. Overall, spending more money will improve your experiences regarding eating out, however enjoying the free things of the city such as the Luxembourg gardens, Eiffel Tower at sunset, wandering the streets and more can help save $$.

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WHAT ARE YOUR FAVOURITE PARIS MEMORIES? Comment below!

Want to keep reading more about our time in France? See here!

Take a look at our Paris croissant tour, including a little vlog of the adventure! Take a look!

Want to hear about the most famous falafels in Paris? Check it out!

Want to see the coffee’s we loved Paris? Check it out!

Check out our South of France memories and highlights! Take a look here!

Keen to take a look at further travel memories and advice? Take a look here!

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