Now having spent six months in Paris (in total), I've decided to compile
a list of my favorite, smaller places in Paris. These parks, eateries, museums, and streets
are places that I've discovered during my many walks and represent true "pépites d'or" or nuggets of gold. While the Louvre, the Tuileries, Sacre Coeur, Notre Dame, the Eiffel Tower, and the Arc de Triumphe (among other examples) will always be the touristy symbols of Paris, these smaller places are what I feel makes Paris charming and delightful. One doesn't fall in love with a city because of its major sites; one falls in love with a city due to his/her interactions with the people, the culture (in a broad sense), and the surroundings that become part of his/her daily routine
or that he/she discovers for him/herself.* The images below represent
some of the reasons for which I greatly enjoy being here, but I do hope to continue
to add to this list this summer and beyond.
*The combination of these three components have helped me identify
why I love Paris, but I do realize that someone else could have come up
with a different set of qualifications.
THE PARKS
Contrary to popular belief, Paris has more than just the Tuileries and the Jardin de Luxembourg to offer park-wise. In fact, Paris has hundreds of little parks and squares all throughout the city, and they have come to represent my most favorite parts to visit and enjoy. Here, not only does one enjoy a reprieve from the urban setting, but one also is able to watch the French interact with one another or use that time to be reflective.
Le Parc des Buttes-Chaumont, 19e arrondissement
Parc Monceau, 8e
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| The front entrance with the Arc de Triumphe in the background |
Canal Saint Martin, 10e
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| While I took this photo during the winter last year, the Canal still remains beautiful |
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| The Square inside Hopital Saint Louis, 10e and next to the Canal Saint Martin |
Place des Vosges, 3e
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| Notice how similarly it resembles the picture above. See it? This is because the same architect designed both squares
Place d'Anvers, 9e
Palais Royale, 1e
Ile de Saint-Germain, Boulogne-Billancourt
 
This park is about a 5 minute walk from my apartment
and has one of the best running trails in the city!
Square Monotholon, 9e
Place Dauphine, 4e
Square Emile Chautemps, 3e
Musée Cognacq-Jay, 3e
Square George Cain, 3e
Park just before the Mairie de 3e,
Parc George Brassens, 15e
Bois de Boulogne, 16e
Promenade Plantée, 11e (an old metro line that was converted into a garden!)
EATERIES
While I have eaten at lots of boulangeries, markets and cafés in Paris, these ones were very memorable and thus, merited a photo!
Maison du Chou, 6e et 4e
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| One of the best Parisian pastries, a choux: a light puff pastry filled with the cream of your choice. |
Aux Merveilleux, 3e
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| A very light, whipped merengue |
Poilâne, 5e
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| Apple tarts |
The Café at the Musée d'Art Moderne, 16e
Un Dimanche à Paris, 5e
Marche d'Aligre, 11e
La Ruche au Miel, 11e
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| Hand's down one of the best lunches I have had in Paris at this Moroccan restaurant right near the marché Aligre: Curry chicken with spiced, cooked mangoes, apples and a prune, delicious and sooting mint tea, homemade focaccia bread, and a flaky small honey dessert All for 15 euros! |
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| Voted best boulangerie in Paris in 2008 (Yes, the girl in the black hat is me) |
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| Any restaurant here is good! |
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| Great open air market with cute little, adjoining cafés |
MUSEUMS
Paris is not short on famous museums: the Louvre, l'Orangerie, Musée d'Orsay, Grand Palais,
Petit Palais, Musée Picasso, Centre Pompidou just to name a few. However, there are museums that are smaller, yet just as interesting, and below are examples of just that.
Musée Jacquemart-Andrée, 8e
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| The mansion of an affluent 19th century couple |
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| Here, they did an incredibly well-done exhibit on the designer, Lanvin |
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| The 19th century artist's former home and studio |
Musée Cognacq-Jay, 3e
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| In 2015, the museum gave a "carte blanche" to fashion designer, Christian Delocroix, to decorate the museum however he saw fit. The result? A melange of old and new, clothes with statues, photographs next to paintings, in other words, artistic genius |
Palais de Toyko, 16e
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| A very cool modern art museum with live exhibitions |
Musée Rodin, 7e
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| Hands down one of my favorite museums in Paris! |
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| The ceiling was painted by Marc Chagall |
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| While I couldn't take photos inside the museum, words cannot describe how beautiful it is. It houses the largest amount of works by Claude Monet and is truly exquisite. |
Musée Gustave Moreau, 9e
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| Gustave Moreau was a famous, French Symbolist painter during the 19th century |
Musée Camondo, 9e
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| The home of a wealthy Turkish banker who fashioned his home in the 18th century, Rococo Style |
Just a small display of the charming streets that I have passed during my walks, but my photos do not do justice to how many more kinds of these streets that are in Paris!
Rue des Martyrs, 9e
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| Rue des Martyrs has become one of my favorite streets in Paris: It is situated right behind Notre Dame la Lorette and is home to many well decorated and nice boulangeries, gourmet food shops, cafés, clothing stores, and more. What I particularly love about this street are the attention to details in both the product and display, and will showcase more examples of what I mean in the coming weeks. |
Père Lachaise Cemetery, 19e
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Rue de Charonne, 11e (the New York Times voted it as one of the best streets to stroll in Europe!)
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Rue de Lappe, 11e (a street lined with bars)
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| And this cute, little café |
"How to become a Parisian in an hours" Comedy Show (in English), 9e
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| The lead actor in black pursing his lips like "Parisians" do |
Rue Duramantin, 18e (Montmartre)
Staircase to Rue Gabrielle, 18e
Avenue Trudaine, 9e
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| Lined with such, cute little cafés with trees on either side (and in the middle) of the street |
