Welcome back to Paris Lately! A series where I share little musings, updates and recommendations from life in Paris as of late. From new discoveries, to things I’ve purchased, these posts will be part personal essay, part curated recommendations.
P.S. Be sure to save all these mentioned places and experiences to your Paris list! I wouldn’t mention them unless I thought they were worth a visit. If you’re looking for some other recommendations, you can check the first edition of Paris Lately. Keep an eye out for future Paris-focused posts, as I plan to make these a more central part of my content here. Also, if you ever have any specific ideas or things you’d like recommendations on, please drop them in the comments or reply directly to me via email:)
I feel like so much has happened since my first Paris Lately post from just a month ago. From establishing new routines, to trying new (amazing) places, and also catching a case of COVID (!) it’s been a busy month. Our daughter finally returned to school after over three months, and with our son also having nearly full-time childcare, I’ve been adjusting to a new season of life (which I wrote all about here.)
Ella starting school again has provided us with some much-needed routine after the summer, and even just a few weeks in I already have so many thoughts about the differences between school here in Paris versus in Austin, which I will probably write about soon. For example, they are two weeks into class and have already taken a field trip to Versailles to go apple picking! Opportunities like these are one of the many reasons we decided to uproot our life in the states and settle back here in Paris.
Aside from school being back in session, I’ve been reaping the benefits of more alone time by making weekly solo dates a priority, which so far has looked like museum and coffee shop visits. Overall, we’re beginning to settle nicely into a new way of life here and I can’t wait to see what this next season brings! Now let’s get to some of my favorite things over the past month…
Note: Lately we’ve been going out more at lunch time for nicer meals, as that’s when we have dedicated childcare for our kiddos! However, any restaurants that I mentioned for lunch would also be great options for dinner (possibly even better for dinner, as many places have smaller lunch menus.)
While partly due to convenience, I’ve been prioritizing visiting new places in our neighborhood. Aside from the solely convenient aspect, I also feel like our neighborhood (the 7th) gets a bad rap for being extremely touristy and over priced. And while some of these accusations are warranted, I believe there are equally as many (if not more) amazing, authentic spots in this arrondissement. Therefore, I’m on somewhat of a mission to scope out the best of what this neighborhood has to offer, and Garance is definitely a noteworthy place. We reserved for lunch and were met with an elevated, yet not overly complicated meal. It was simple, yet delicious. We were accompanied by French professionals on their lunch break, many of which wearing suits, however I would assume the dinner ambiance differs greatly from the lunch vibe. Regardless of which meal you book, it’s worth a visit.
34 Rue Saint-Dominique, 75007
My sister-in-law recommended this gem to us, which included a 3-course, very delicious lunch service at $35. If you’re feeling a bit more adventurous, they also offer 5 or 7 course tasting menus.
37 Av. Duquesne, 75007
It can be difficult to find a coffeeshop in Paris that is laptop friendly, however La Main Noire seemed to be a go-to spot for many remote workers. Not only is it a perfect location for getting work done, but they also served one of the better lattes I’ve had in awhile. Regardless of if you plan to pull out your laptop, or are just looking for a delicious brunch, this is a great option.
12 Rue Cavallotti, 75018
Stopped by the newest location of this iconic Parisian coffeeshop in the 1st. It was the perfect pause before walking a few short minutes over to the Bourse de Commerce for a museum visit.
31 Rue Coquillère, 75001 *locations also in the 3 and 11
Ten Belles has been a go-to of mine for years, however I used to frequent their original location in the 10th. Now with a location open in the 6th (nearby to Le Bon Marché,) I often swing by Ten Belles for coffee, pastries, and most importantly, bread.
53 Rue du Cherche-Midi, 75006 *with locations also in the 10 & 11
The perfect, moody wine bar located in the 6th. Be sure to reserve a table ahead of time, as there is limited seating, and also if you’re looking for a snack to accompany your wine, order the burrata.
26 rue des Grands-Augustins, 75006
A collection of experiences and memorable moments
MUSEUM VISITS
As I mentioned in my intro, I’ve been prioritizing my weekly solo outings, especially to include museum visits. Over the last few weeks I’ve visited HÔTEL DE LA MARINE and BOURSE DE COMMERCE, and also popped into MUSÉE DE LA VIE ROMANTIQUE for coffee in their courtyard. I would highly recommend all three museums, although I would like to explore the Musée de la Vie Romantique beyond solely its courtyard cafe.
CELEBRATED OUR BABY’S 1ST BIRTHDAY
We had two birthday celebrations for our little guy’s first birthday. Both of which were very special as they were spent with my husband’s family here in Paris. Until now, they’ve solely attended birthday celebrations via Facetime, so celebrating with them in-person was long overdue. As part of the festivities, I hosted a small “birthday goûter” at our apartment, which was complete with an amazing sailboat-themed birthday cake from Haute Pâtisserie (highly recommend!)
WILDE HOUSE PAPER EVENT: THE CULTIVATING CONVERSATIONS COFFEE CLUB
I also did something a bit out of my comfort zone this past weekend and attended a community pop-up event at Café Kitsuné hosted by Wilde House Paper. It was essentially a gathering of strangers over coffee and conversations, answering questions like “how do you define self-care?” and “what’s something you recently discovered about yourself?” Overall, it was a great way to connect with other likeminded creatives and meet new people in the city. If you’re interested in attending one of their pop-ups, be sure to check out when and where they will be hosting next!
PARIS CITY CANDLE FROM DIPTYQUE
Similar to Le Labo (and many other brands,) Diptyque has city-exclusive scents only available in each city. My mother-in-law recently gifted me their Paris candle and it smells too good. I believe the City candles do become readily available worldwide for a few days each year, in case you want to add it to your wishlist, or alternatively, makes for a great souvenir!
As a lover of all things chocolate and hazelnut, I recently discovered this pâte à tartiner at La Grande Èpicerie by local chocolaterie, Chapon, and am now obsessed. Back in the US, my (not so) “guilty” pleasure was Ghia’s hazelnut spread, and while I can’t find it here, this has become my new go-to.
BOOK: GAZETTE DES ATOURS DE MARIE-ANTOINETTE
I always browse the gift/bookshops at museums, and during my recent trip to the Hôtel de la Marine, I picked up this gorgeous book featuring tissue samples and designs from Marie-Antoinette’s dresses. I also loved the handwritten elements present throughout the book, as well as the format of the book as a whole. A perfect source of inspiration!
More solo outings & museum visits: With childcare for both of our little ones now, I’m looking forward to continue exploring all that Paris has to offer. Next up on my museum list is the Musée Bourdelle located in the 15th.
Dinner at Parcelles: I’ve heard so many good things about this bistro in the 3rd, and so I booked us for dinner, but unfortunately had to cancel as our entire household was sick. I’m hoping I can find a chance soon to re-schedule. Dinner reservations open two weeks in advance and can be hard to snag! They also open waitlists for each reservation slot.
Fall in Paris (and maybe some trips outside of Paris too!) Fall is without a doubt my favorite season, and this time of year in Paris is gorgeous in my opinion. Sure, the days become darker and shorter, however I love the overall ambiance of the season here. We’re also dreaming up our next European escapes, especially as our daughter will be on a 2-week holiday in October/November. Right now we’re leaning towards Copenhagen!
I hope this series provides you with some Parisian inspiration, and gives you a few gems to add to your wishlist. If there are any specific recommendations or insights you’d like in regard to Paris, please let me know in the comments or via email so that I can add them to posts in the future.
As always, thank you for being here and reading along!
Until next week,
Love the life update :) And great tips- will be visiting soon and have been so curious of what’s actually good (especially in the 7th!)
I LOVE your Substack. I've long dreamt of uprooting my husband and I's lives and moving to Rome (our favorite city we just can't seem to shake)... and hearing your updates is always so inspiring. Thank you so much for your recommendations too! I'll be bookmarking them on my Google Maps for upcoming Paris trips :)