Updated PARIS info from Summer 2015
If you want to do the velib rental bikes,
USA credit cards don't work, but go online and get a ticket/number
We stayed at Hotel Europe St Severin
Great area by the Latin Quarters but quieter corner
Very near Notre Dame
Room was comfortable and we liked the
open beams and rock walls
Near this hotel:
Chocolate shop by Patrick Roger, best chocolatier for 2015
Maison Pradier also walking distance
Best eclair au chocolat 2015
Everyone loves Laduree macarons, but I actually
prefer Pierre Herve, he has multiple locations,
the one in the 4th/Marais has the bonus of this:
Une Glace a Paris
is a new ice-cream shop in the 4th/Marais
15 rue Sainte Croix de la Bretonnerie
une-glace-a-paris.fr
(excellent chocolate sorbet)
Our favorite meal this trip was a
recommendation from a local friend who is a foodie.
CAIUS
6 rue d'Armeaille
Paris 17th
Tel 01 42 27 19 20
(Arc de Triomphe area)
Beautiful food!
Casual bistrot with good comfort food
near the American Church of Paris
(we loved visiting it b/c of the beautiful Tiffany stain glass)
Au Petit Tonneau
20 rue Surcouf
7th
Tel 01 4705 0901
Below I list our fave steak/frites place in the 17th,
but the location in the 6th is just as good
and you don't have to go far.
Le Relais de l'Entrecote
20 rue Saint Benoit
in the 6th (St Germain de Pres)
Tel 01 45 49 16 00
A new restaurant recommended by a friend:
Le Souffle
36 rue du Mont-Thabo
(near Vendome/Concorde)
Make a reservation, there are only a few tables
TEl +33 1 42 60 27 19
http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2009/04/ten-great-things-to-do-with-kids/
List of things to do with kids in Paris
Favorite Gelato place in Paris AMORINOS
has various locations throughout the city.
We used to live by this bakery JULIEN's
right on rue St. Honore
http://www.boulangerie-patisserie-artisanale-paris.com/
If you love cooking and baking, this shop is for you! It's where Julia Childs used to shop for her cooking utensils.
http://www.e-dehillerin.fr/
Our most favorite street in Paris for fresh fruit, cheese, chocolate, picnic food etc. Au Pain Quotidien is a great place to people watch and eat breakfast, and A La Mere de Famille is an excellent chocolate shop.
GREAT location for this little boutique hotel.
http://www.hotelducsdanjou.fr/
Our favorite Entrecote in Paris 17th
Le Relais de Venise
http://www.relaisdevenise.com/
51, rue Vieille du Temple, Paris
Tel 014 2789724
French food with a twist (e.g steak with honey, sweet duck confit)
Artsy décor, candle wax drips
Bistrot Victoires (2nd)
On the corner of rue Catinat and Place de la Victoire
(wood panels on the outside).
Simple yummy food, menu on the walls.
Near the Royal Gardens
Creperie Beaubourg (4th)
2 rue Brisemiche, near Centre Pompidou
Convenient location
But I’ve never had a bad crepe in the whole city.
Everyone gets the chocolate ones but I love the lemon/sugar ones.
PAUL (bakery) isEVERYWHERE, it’s like a chain,
But one thing they really make a good one of is the giant chocolat macaron!
I love these.
LINAs (sandwiches) are also in a few places.
Mateo LOVES their molten chocolate cake.
YOU CAN NOT MISS OUR FAVORITE BAKERY!!!!
Julien’s
75 rue St Honore (1st)
They have on some days mini donut holes, but the cakes and pastries are as good as it gets…at lunch there is a line for all the sandwiches. Great place to buy picnic lunch and eat at the Les Halles park and see St Euastache church and shopping on Rue Rivoli nearby, as well as the Louvre of course.
OUR HOME – red door
We lived at 38 rue du Louvre, metro stop Louvre/Rivoli
OUR CHURCH - The LDS church is on rue St. Merri, behind the Pompidou Museum.
I can find out hours if you need me to.
GARDENS (so many beautiful ones!)
If you only have time for one, Luxembourg Gardens
Luxembourg Gardens – really fun to take pony rides, very regal and large gardens
Tuileries – one of our favorites, take merry go round for kids
Place des Vosges – small park, not that special, but you go at the same
time you go to Jewish quarters which is totally worth it foodwise to have shwarmas and falafels, only if you need a break for kids to play
GREAT SIGHTS
Montorgeuil Street – our very favorite market street, great bakeries and fruit stands and cheese…great atmosphere! The fruit is the very best here…if the fruit is on tables in the FRONT of the store, they are ripe that day, in the back is the fruit that is not ready until the next day or two. Great place to buy picnic food.
On this street, wonderful breakfast place is AU PAIN QUOTIDIEN on this street. You order a basket of breads and they serve it with every kind of jam, chocolate spread, hazlenut spread, etc.
On this street, BEST CHOCOLATES!
A La Mere de Paris
82 rue Montorgueuil
Centre Pompidou (great modern museum, even if you don’t go inside, the outside fountains are famous, bright red yellow designs) – GEORGES is the fancy restaurant on top with the amazing rooftop view of Paris. It’s a very unique view b/c it’s apartment tops and a great angle. We loved watching all the beautiful model-looking people at this restaurant.
Speaking of hot chocolate, when you go to Tuileries Gardens, on the rue Rivoli there’s this café called Angeline’s…it has the thickest hot chocolate, I think they call it African Cocoa or something like that, as good as what we had at midnight at Agnes’ wedding in Portugal.
Angeline’s (Tea Room)
226 rue Rivoli (1st)
Montmartre / Sacre Coeur – one of our favorite areas for walking around,
amazing view of Paris. When you go to Montmartre, you must see Place de Tertre.
It’s hard to find on a map, but definitely worth going to (about 4 minute walk up a little bit) is the Place de Tertre, a square with artists painting and outdoor cafes, great lunch spot for watching people.
In this area, you can take a really tacky tourist train around Montmartre. We did it once with guests and ended up really loving it. It takes you around to Toulouse Lautrec’s house, the famous Moulin Rouge windmill, up and down small streets, great with kids!!
A MUST!! Take the boat ride starting at the Pont Neuf, it’s on the hour we think.
Take the ride at dusk. There are lots of bateux mouches that do this tour, but the one that starts on Pont Neuf is lovely.
Ste Chapelle – do not miss this! One of those secret places to see, it’s a stained glass chapel, make sure it’s sunny outside…stunning! Go when it opens first thing in the morning before the crowds. A jewel of a place!
THE REST OF THESE ARE JUST ADDITIONAL PLACES
Palais Royal – Garden & Courtyard.
Favorite Thai restaurant near here on rue de Montpensier, Boran Boran
But for those who live in Asia, stick to Euro food.
Hotel de Ville – gorgeous architecture, you can see this on your way to Quasimoto’s Notre Dame church. Beside Quasimoto’s church, cute little park on the side, kids loved the sandpits here. In this area, Berthillon Ice cream (4th) – great little walk to ile st louis, it’s an exclusive little neighborhood
Latin quarters – lots of ambience but crappy food. Students hangout here.
Rue de Bucis (in the 5th), lots of gourmet food shops and yuppies and cafes. Love popping my head in the food shops.
Pont des Arts – loved having picnics on this bridge, usually an exhibit on the bridge, kids loved waving at the bateaux mouches from here. This is a favorite bridge of the Bradfords as well.
Grand Opera – beautiful opera house lit up at night, visit the great shops around this area.
Le Crillon – fancy hotel, Mateo said to go see it, not sure if it’s worth it for me, but he thinks the mens bathrooms are cool
JONNA recommends this Souffle restaurant near the Louvre called SOUFFLE
as well as a museum called nisim de commando museum
