The Left Bank and Its Bookshops
Shakespeare and Company on the rue de la Bûcherie is the most famous English-language bookshop in the world and worth visiting for its atmosphere. The bouquinistes along the Seine — second-hand booksellers in green metal kiosks who have operated from these quays since the 16th century — are the real prize: prints, postcards, paperbacks in five languages, a living archive of the city.
Eating Without a Reservation
The best meal in Paris is often the unplanned one. A plate of steak-frites at a zinc bar. A croque-monsieur and a glass of Sancerre at a brasserie counter at 11am. A jambon-beurre from a boulangerie eaten on a bench by the canal in the 10th arrondissement. Paris rewards the appetite that can be satisfied by simple things done with total seriousness.
The Marais on a Sunday Morning
Most of Paris closes on Sunday. The Marais does not — the Jewish quarter along Rue des Rosiers keeps its bakeries open early and its falafel joints queue out the door by noon. The Place des Vosges, the oldest planned square in Paris, is quiet in the morning. The Musée Carnavalet (the history of Paris, admission free) and the Musée Picasso are both worth an afternoon.
When to Go
June is Paris at its best: warm evenings, long light, the city in its most sociable mood. September and October are equally fine and slightly less crowded. January through March are cold and quiet — ideal if your interest is museums rather than café terraces. July sees much of Paris itself leave for the south; the city fills with tourists in a way that makes certain streets nearly impassable. August is worse: restaurants close, the Parisians depart, and the city runs on tourist infrastructure alone.
Getting There & Around
CDG airport to the city: the RER B train to Châtelet-Les Halles or Saint-Michel takes 35–45 minutes and is half the price of a taxi. The Paris Metro is one of the great urban transit systems — comprehensive, frequent, and readable — and will get you within five minutes’ walk of anything you need. The Vélib’ bike-share scheme is excellent for moving between the arrondissements; the canal towpaths and riverside quays make cycling genuinely pleasant. Walking is mandatory for any neighbourhood worth knowing.
Where to Eat
The bistrot is the correct institution: a counter, a handwritten chalkboard, a set menu at lunch that represents the best value in European restaurant dining. In the evenings, the natural wine cave à manger — wine bars serving small plates — is where Paris is actually eating. The Vietnamese and Cambodian restaurants of the 13th arrondissement and the North African places of the 10th and 18th are worth crossing the city for. Breakfast is a croissant or tartine at the zinc counter of the nearest café, standing, with a petit café. This costs very little and cannot be improved upon.
Practical Tips
Most national museums are free on the first Sunday of the month — expect crowds accordingly. The Musée d’Orsay and Centre Pompidou benefit from advance booking in summer; the Louvre even more so. Many small restaurants are cash-only; carry coins for market stalls. Learn to say bonjour on entering any shop or restaurant — it is not optional in Paris, and the quality of your subsequent interaction will depend almost entirely on it.
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