Travel Here: The Coolest Things to See and Do in Paris, France

Time for part 2 of this 3 part Europe travel guide… Today’s stop is Paris! In case you missed it, here’s part #1 – the Amsterdam travel guide. So, if you’re planning a trip anytime soon, be sure to bookmark this one for future reference. And for those that don’t have any plans to travel, no worries, we can at least enjoy the photos together, right?

Just as an FYI before we get started, the bulk of our time in Paris was either super overcast and/or raining, but we still managed to get a lot of exploring, shopping, etc in.

Just like last time, I won’t be listing off a bunch of touristy things to do because you can find that info pretty much anywhere. So, I’m sharing the spots that you may not have heard about that I really loved – cool boutique shops, amazing coffee / food, and a handful of things in between. Here we go…

Best Places to Shop

Fleux: This one was probably my favorite that we visited in paris… It’s actually 3 or 4 separate shops that are all right next to each other – hope from one to the next kind of thing. I bought a bunch of housewares and props and did some window shopping for a couple of bigger furniture pieces too.

Artazart Design Bookstore: LOVED this place. So much inspiration. If you’re a fan of design books, this is a great place to stop in.

Centre Commercial: Cool shop for mens and womens clothes and accessories.

Sezane’s Apartment: Okay, we didn’t actually get to go in here, because it’s not open everyday and the one day it was open while we were there we got there right after they closed for the day. BUT I’m still recommending it because it looks AMAZING! Clothing, stationery, home goods, books,  jewelry, etc.

Cool Coffee Shops and Awesome Food Spots

Holybelly: It’s tiny, but SO good. Definitely a must try for breakfast.

Artefact Cafe: A cool little spot for coffee or tea, with lots of good reading material….so many art and design magazines to look through.

Buvette: I went to the Buvette in New York years ago and loved it. So, I was excited to be able to try it again in Paris (which is the only other location). It’s a little fancy in the food department, but I’d recommend it, for sure.

Craft: Another small but cool spot for coffee.

La Boite aux Lettres: If we ever go back to Paris, we will for sure go here again. As far as I could tell, it was a spot that locals would eat – no tourists to be found when we were there. And very small, only a handful of tables. Get the french toast for dessert! FYI – This place is not decked out with cool decor, by any means, but it felt authentic and it was delicious.

La Degustation: Right across the street from La Boite is this champagne bar. We went there after dinner and a had a few drinks.

Kraft: Okay, this one may seem random because it’s a hot dog place, but it was really good! So it mad the list. Good for a quick bite / snack while you’re shopping, etc.

Other Things of Note

We did go to the Louvre, which was probably the most touristy thing we did in Paris. Every single person I talked to before the trip said we HAD to go there. And so we did, but honestly I wasn’t that into it. Maybe it was the fact that we got there late an only had an hour or so to try to see stuff before everything closed, or maybe it was the fact that every single person inside this place thought they were Ansel Adams with a cell phone, insuring that pretty much no one could see the actual artwork, unless they were staring into a phone screen. But whatever the case, I wasn’t feeling it.

BUT there was another museum that I really enjoyed: Centre Pompidou – Musee National d’Art Moderne. If you’re a fan of modern art, I’d highly recommend it. Plus, it has a great view from the 5th floor.

Also, if you’re trip includes a stop at the Eiffel Tower, I’d highly recommend going at night instead of during the day. It’s way less crowded and looks kind of magical at night.

Photography Brittni Mehlhoff

Have you ever been to Paris before? Did I miss one of your favorite spots? Let me know!