8 things you need to do in Paris to navigate the city like a real Parisian

Written by Marianne Blain | Feb 27, 2020 4:53:54 PM

 

1. Read a book while eating an ice-cream on the Ile Saint Louis’ docks

 
First, if you truly want to feel like a real parisian, you should go the Ile Saint Louis and the Ile de la Cité. You may know the Ile de la Cité, because one of Paris most famous monument is standing there. You have no clue of what I am talking about? The Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral of course ! Since you’re no longer able to visit it, because of the fire, I am offering you a whole new activity: take a walk in the Ile de la Cité, go to the le parvis de Notre-Dame and cross the Saint-Louis Bridge, find an ice cream shop that is selling Bertillon and buy one of your favorite flavour (the mango one is the best if you ask me), and then you’re good to go. Make sure that you have a nice book and sit with your ice cream on the dock, facing the Ile de la Cité. Don’t forget to bring a sweater, it can be a bit chilly because of the wind, but I can assure you that you would spend a lovely time.

 

2. Walk around in Le Marais, and discover its boutiques

If you are going to Paris, you probably want to see the traditional little streets and buildings that are making the word jealous, and soak up its architecture. Well, one of my personal favourite neighbourhood is Le Marais. It is one of the prettiest one in Paris (even if there are, of course, countless in this city). Get lost in those streets, no matter where you go, there will be something beautiful, but don't miss the Rue du Trésor, especially if you want to have coffee in a restful place. Le Marais is also the perfect place for shopping, with all of its small boutiques. Indeed, we all know that Paris goes with shopping, you would not want to go home without some souvenirs !

 

3. Have a drink at the top of the BHV, in Le Perchoir Marais

If you want to have a look at parisian roofs without having to wait for hours and ending up taking the stairs to go to the top of the Eiffel Tower, take a detour by Hotel de Ville and find the back entrance of the BHV, the department store near the City Hall. You should arrive there 30 minutes before the opening if you don’t want to wait for too long. But I promise you, this place worth the trip. You can have a cocktail while discovering Paris skyline. How wonderful is that ?

Opening hours: From Tuesday to Saturday, 20h15-1h30

How to get there : Hotel de Ville (Ligne 1, 11 of the subway)

 

4. Have a walk in the Buttes Chaumont

Paris has a lot of green spaces, a lot of parks and some of them are really beautiful. My advise is to go to the Buttes Chaumont: it is quiet and you can have a walk while looking at a wonderful landscape. Take the ligne 5 of the subway, get off at Laumière and walk to the park. If you are lucky enough, it will be sunny. Don’t forget to put suncream if it's spring or summer! Take a walk in the park, get yourself lost, and discover the beautiful lake. Try to pass the bridge and go to the kiosk on the top of the hill, you will not regret it, the view is magnificent from there ! If you are thirsty or hungry, you even can have a coffee or a meal at Le Pavillon du Lac.

Opening hours of the park :

  • October to March: 7h to 20h
  • April : 7h to 21h
  • May to August : 7h to 22h
  • September: 7h to 21h

 

5. Discover parisians covered passages

When people talk about Paris, we hear about the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, or even the Champs Elysées, but there are little treasures that only few lucky tourists know about before coming. Some of the others have the chance to run into them by chance, but, unfortunately most of them will miss out on them, and believe me, you don't want to be one of those. Some of them are a bit touristic but some others, hidden in the streets and buildings of Paris, are just places preserved from time and modernity. You can find all sorts of authentic boutiques, bookshops and cafés. My advice is to go the Passage du Grand Cerf, the Passage Choiseul or the Galerie Vivienne. Don't forget to take pictures !

 

6. Have a drink in the Comptoir Général

After a walk in Le Marais, around République and along the Canal Saint Martin's docks, you should take a well deserved break and enter the door of a well hidden place. Go to the 80 quai de Jemmapes, and dare to cross the yard. Then, go at the end of the incredible hallway and you have arrived: a place with a unique decoration, that makes you feel like you are out of time. No, you are not dreaming, the bar really is a caravelle!

 

7. Bike along the Seine

The docks of the Seine are a perfect place if you want to have a look at most of Paris famous monuments: the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, the Ponts des Arts, the Grand Palais and many others. You could walk along the Seine, but it would probably take some time. You can also find a boat, but my advise is to take one of the bikes in free access that you can find pretty much anywhere in the city and go from the Eiffel Tower to the Ile Saint Louis. Don't forget to bring some water!

 

8. Have a brunch at the Bistrot Maison Rouge

 

If you are going to Paris and you want to navigate the city like a real parisian, you definitely need to have a brunch ! That is what every good eastern parisian do on week ends. You can find plenty of them in Le Marais, this incredible neighbourhood we talked about earlier, but my personal favourite is near that place, in Les Halles. We all know that one of the main reasons you have been to Paris is french food, and that is why this place is made for you. It is organised as a buffet so it means that you can eat whatever you want for the same price : crêpes, croissant, tartes, etc. And the decor is pretty nice and really traditional, so enjoy!

Price : 38 euros

How to get there : Châtelet (Ligne 1, 4, 7, 11, 14 of the subway)

 

PS: Don't forget to download the "RATP" app on your phone for directions

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
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