Category: Blog

Paris Uncovered Tours

Our 5 Favorite Bridges in Paris

The River Seine is undoubtedly one of Paris’ most defining characteristics, dividing the city into the Right and Left Banks. While once once had to pay to cross from the bourgeois Left to the aristocratic Right, today, each of Paris’ 37 bridges is free to traverse – and each offers a different allure. Here are five of our all-time faves.

1. Bir Hakeim

This bridge may be a bit off the beaten path, linking the residential 15th and 16th arrondissements, but it’s one of our faves for two reasons. Firstly, its steel girding makes for excellent photo ops, and second, it offers one of the best views of the Eiffel Tower from the upper level, where the tracks for metro line 6 run.

2. Pont Saint-Louis

The Pont Saint-Louis links Paris’ two natural islands: Ile Saint-Louis and Ile de la Cité. Not only does this bridge offer an impressive view of Notre Dame Cathedral, but it’s also a frequent workplace for buskers, and you’ll often hear accordion or piano players serenading passers-by with French classics like “La Vie en Rose.”

3. Pont Alexandre III

The ornate Pont Alexandre III, named for the former czar of Russia, is a sight to behold. The Art Nouveau bridge was originally built for the World’s Fair of 1900 and leads to the nearby Grand and Petit Palais, also inaugurated for the event.

4. Pont Neuf

The longest bridge in Paris is also the oldest: Pont Neuf (whose name, oddly enough, means new bridge) spans both banks of the river and the Ile de la Cité in between. King Henri IV, who commissioned the bridge in the mid-16th century, sits proudly atop his horse in the very center.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bv0pW1qFmgk/

5. Pont des Arts

The pedestrian Pont des Arts has often been deemed Paris’ most romantic bridge, and while the love locks that once adorned it have since been removed (they were damaging its structural integrity), it’s still a lovely place to walk hand-in-hand with your chéri!

bistro

Our Top 5 Bistros in Paris

While it might seem that gingham-tableclothed bistros would be everywhere in Paris, the truth is that this traditional bastion of French gastronomy has fallen a bit by the wayside. The current trend in Paris features market-driven small plates restaurants; most of the bistros you see cater to the uninitiated and churn out ho-hum food that might not even be homemade.

That said, for those looking for a true bistro experience, there’s hope! Here are our five faves in Paris for a truly delicious, truly classic French bistro meal.

1. Allard

Allard has been an emblem of Paris’ bistro scene for nearly a century, and seeing as its original chef, Fernande Allard, was a woman, tradition has long called for it to be helmed by a female chef. Fanny Herpin is at the range today, dishing up old classics like escargots, cassoulet, and frog’s legs, as well as her own inventions (particularly at lunchtime) like beet and mackerel salad.

Allard – 41 Rue Saint-André des Arts, 75006

2. Bistrot Paul Bert

The diminutive rue Paul Bert in Paris’ 11th arrondissement is home to a host of fantastic spots to eat, perhaps none more emblematic than this little bistro. Known especially for its steak-frites with pepper sauce, Paul Bert is an essential stop for anyone seeking old-fashioned charm à la française.

Bistrot Paul Bert – 22 Rue Paul Bert, 75011

3. Le Trumilou

Overlooking the River Seine sits this Auvergnat bistro; while nothing too fancy to look at, it’s famous for what the French affectionately call plats en sauce: rich, filling dishes like beef bourguignon or veal blanquette. The house-made fries, served as a side with the exquisite steak au poivre.

Le Trumilou – 84 Quai de l’Hôtel de ville, 75004

4. Café des Musées

This neighborhood bistro has long been a Marais favorite, and despite an unfortunate changing-of-hands a few years ago, it’s back on top with a revamped menu of culinary classics. A few modern touches slip onto this menu – the escargots are served, not in their shells, but in individual mushroom caps. But tradition remains, including the best beef bourguignon in Paris (and we’ve tried a lot of them).

Café des Musées – 49 Rue de Turenne, 75003

5. Astier

This bistro expertly balances classic French dining and modern touches. Reaching even further into the past than many other Paris staples, this is the place to come for prune-stuffed rabbit or crispy beef tongue in addition to more quotidian options like roasted scallops or pot au feu. But Astier is famous, above all, for its cheese plate, which is self-service and unlimited.

Astier – 44 Rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud, 75011

Why is French Butter So Much Better?

If you’ve ever had a French croissant (or even a bit of bread with a healthy pat of French butter), you know that there’s something better about it than the butter we get back home. But while many would attribute this to fat, that’s not the whole story.

French butter is indeed higher in fat than American butter – about 82 percent minimum, as opposed to the 80 percent required in the U.S. But in addition to being higher in fat, French butter is also cultured, a process whereby live active cultures are added to the cream before the butter is churned. In this way, butter takes on its own flavor – a slight tang – that makes it all the more moreish.

Specialty French Butters

While all French butters are higher in fat and cultured, there are a few specialty butters – the crème de la crème (or the beurre du beurre, perhaps) – that are even more delicious.

AOP/AOC Butter

Butter with an AOP or AOC is a protected butter from a specific region. Like wines such as Champagne or Saint-Emilion or cheeses like Roquefort or Camembert de Normandie, butters bearing this symbol are made from producers who have pledged to follow strict rules and use only milk produced in one of three regions, depending on the AOP on which they depend: Isigny, Bresse, or Charentes-Poitou. The latter is particularly beloved by pastry chefs, as it melts more slowly than other butters.

Beurre de Baratte

Baratte is the French word for churn; this butter is sometimes made in an old-fashioned churn but more often than not in a modern churning machine. Either way, it’s distinct from butter made in a centrifuge in that it is matured for better flavor and usually contains more whey.

Salted Butter

Most butter in France is doux or unsalted, but you can also find beurre demi-sel, or half-salted butter, which contains between .8 and 3 percent salt, or salted butter, which contains more than 3 percent salt. Find either one with sea salt from Guérande for a real treat!

Where Can I Find Great Butter?

You can find great butter anywhere in France – even in the grocery store! But for the best butter experience, trust your fromager – your cheesemonger. He’ll have fresh, specialty butter and may even have some varieties infused with flavors like vanilla or seaweed!

Find out more about butter on our Best Bites of Paris tour!

3 Things to Do in Paris in March

The Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, a food tour – there are certain Paris must-sees that never change. But the French capital is also home to a thriving, ever-changing scene of exhibits, concerts, and more! Here are the three things we’re most excited about this month.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BuViPMOBUzK/

1. Ice Skating with a View of the Eiffel Tower

There are still two more weeks left to visit Hors Piste, a popup winter wonderland in the 16th complete with a Swiss chalet-themed bar and a skating rink. There’s even a plastic bubble protecting some of the seats, so you can enjoy this spot rain or shine.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BtTAji3AldC/

2. Rooftop Drinks at BHV

The BHV is best known as one of Paris’ main department stores, but we love it for its rooftop bar! While the Perchoir is a Parisian summertime fave, in winter, it’s all dolled up to be truly cozy – the perfect spot for a delicious Pisco Sour or a glass of French wine!

3. Discovering Rare Impressionist Works

Paris is no stranger to the works of famed Impressionists like Monet and Renoir. You can find many of these gorgeous, color-forward paintings at the Orangerie, Musée d’Orsay, or the Marmottan. But until June, Paris is also welcoming a temporary exhibit of Impressionist art at the Fondation Louis Vuitton – we wouldn’t miss it!

cafés

Our Favorite Parisian Cafés

Is there anything more essentially Parisian than a café? They’re the perfect place to rest your tired feet between neighborhood walks, visits of the Louvre, and climbing to the top of the Eiffel Tower.

We love cafés of all kinds: big and ornate, tiny and cozy, modern or old-fashioned. With that in mind, here are our faves.

https://www.instagram.com/p/3RrPahjkFn/

Best View: La Contrescarpe

This classic Parisian café is located in the heart of the Latin Quarter overlooks the Place de la Contrescarpe, the very same quaint square that Ernest Hemingway used to cross every morning on his way to work. The sidewalk terrace is large enough to accommodate everyone who wants to sit in the sun, and on rainier days, the leather armchairs in the back room are super cozy.

Best Coffee: Café Lomi

Café Lomi is one of several artisanal roasters that has recently taken root in Paris. Boasting fantastic, house-roasted coffee and a slightly industrial feel, it’s the kind of place you’d be more likely to find in London or New York, but we love it all the same.

Most Historic: Les Deux Magots

We can forgive Les Deux Magots its touristy reputation given its long and illustrious history. While it’s not the oldest café in Paris (that honor goes to Le Procope), it is one of our favorite literary cafés, once the favorite watering hole of Paris’ Surrealist writers. Don’t miss the wooden magot statues inside that give this café its name!

Coziest: Boot Café

This diminutive café gets its name from the fact that it’s located in a former cobbler’s, or cordonnerie. As you can imagine, this makes the inside ultra-compact… and ultra-cozy.

Photo by rawpixel.com from Pexels

parisian café

Café Culture in Paris: Our Guide to Good Coffee and Great Ambiance

Paris is famous for its sidewalk cafés (dubbed terrasses by the locals), locations inextricably linked with its history.

From Procope, Paris’ first café, which hosted the founding fathers of both the French and the American Revolutions, to Flore, which Existentialist writer Jean-Paul Sartre considered a second home, to Brasserie Lipp, where Hemingway used to sit and scribble (and yes, sip a beer or two), it’s no wonder that sitting in a true Parisian café is on the minds of many visitors to the city.

For these writers and revolutionaries, Paris’ cafés became a sort of outdoor living room: a place they could meet to discuss writing, politics, and more. (Find out even more about this on our Left Bank tour!)

You may have noticed the repercussions of this tradition on the modern Parisian café. Here are just three ways Paris’ cafés retain this Old World culture.

1. You don’t need to pay rent.

Cafés have long been considered meeting places, in large part due to the fact that young thinkers and writers didn’t have the space to welcome their cohorts into their homes. They would linger over one drink for hours, and the same is still accepted – and even expected – in Paris today.

When you visit a Parisian café, you’re free to order just one drink and sit and talk, read, or – in some cases – even work on your computer, for as long as you like.

That said, don’t push this cultural norm too far! If you notice that the café is filling up (or that waiters are setting up for lunch!) either buy something new or move on.

2. Your waiter isn’t rude – despite what it may seem!

Waiters are far from attentive in Paris, but don’t misconstrue their intentions! Parisian waiters are purposefully aloof to keep you from feeling like you’re being chased away. Once you’ve ordered, they won’t bother you – which means you might have to work to hail them and pay your check!

Sometimes, if your waiter is going off shift, he may ask you to settle your bill, but you can still linger without a problem.

3. People-watching is a sport.

You may notice that if you grab a table outdoors, you won’t be facing your dining companion. Most café tables in Paris are set with both chairs facing the street, both freeing up sidewalk space for those who need to walk past and providing café-goers ample opportunity to watch the passers-by! So sit back, relax, and soak up this all-too-Parisian past time.

Top 3 Things to Do in February in Paris

The Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, a food tour – there are certain Paris must-sees that never change. But the French capital is also home to a thriving, ever-changing scene of exhibits, concerts, and more! Here are the three things we’re most excited about this month.

1. Trying a New Michelin-Starred Restaurant

The new Michelin guide was published in January, and with 18 new one-star and two new two-star restaurants in the capital, there are more than a handful of places we’d love to try (and a few, like Frenchie and Racines, that we’d love to go back to!) While dining at a Michelin-starred establishment can certainly be an investment, it’s also an experience that’s well worth the heftier bill. A bit of local advice? Try going at lunch, when the check won’t be quite as pricey but the food will be just as delicious.

2. Seeing a Street Art Train

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bsms9EWBX0U/

On February 2nd, an art installation that has already seen success in Poland, Austria, and Germany will be coming to Paris – to Gare de l’Est, to be precise. The graffitied train is the longest mobile street art piece ever created and will be hanging out on Parisian tracks all day on Saturday. With two new cars tagged by local street artists, this installation is intended to draw attention to transportation’s effect on the climate.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BtOW-EXAajH/

3. Immersing Yourself in Van Gogh

Following the enormous success of the Atelier des Lumières’ Klimt exhibit, the immersive space is inviting France’s favorite Dutchman, Vincent Van Gogh, to be its next star. Beginning on February 22, Van Gogh’s most famous paintings will be accompanied by sound and light installations for a 35-minute immersive experience that promises to be something very special.

Gain skip-the-line access to this and other exhibits as part of our no-stress turn-key trips!

Top 3 Places to Warm Up in France

While the song claims that Paris is still lovable in the winter drizzle, sometimes, you just want to get warm! Luckily, even if you’re based in Paris, there are a number of spots in France you can go to get a little bit warmer this winter. Here are three of our favorites.

1. Bordeaux

Ever since the TGV line from Paris to Bordeaux launched in 2017, this southwestern wine region is just over three hours away from the French capital. Bordeaux often boasts better wintertime weather than Paris, and tasting some delicious grand crus will warm you up in no time.

2. Savoie

On the French border with Switzerland, you’ll find Savoie, home to snow-crested peaks and tons of winter ski bunnies. While Savoie is quite a bit colder than Paris, there’s nothing to assuage the winter chill better than a cozy chalet with a roaring fire (and a bubbling pot of fondue!)

3. Normandy

Those familiar with the Normandy coast may be scratching their heads at this suggestion: after all, Normandy is renowned for its rain! But just a few hours from Paris, Normandy is home to quite a few world-class spas, including the thermal springs of Bagnoles-de-l’Orne. It may be drizzly outside, but you’ll be pampered inside!

Top image by Ezra Comeau-Jeffrey on Unsplash

Decoding Café Menus (Or, Why You Should Never Order a Café Au Lait!)

Visiting a Parisian café is a time-honored tradition, but Americans may be surprised that it’s not as simple as ordering just a “coffee.” There are many different options on a café’s menu, and things can quickly get confusing. Luckily, we’re here to help!

The Simple: Le Café

The most basic option on any café menu is un café. While the term directly translates to “a coffee,” Americans might know it better as “an espresso.” Short, dark, and bitter, le café is the cheapest item on most café menus, usually costing about 2 euro at most Parisian cafés.

Your typical café can be modified in a few ways:

  • Un serré – literally, a “tight” (coffee), is a shorter espresso. It will be richer and darker than your run-of-the-mill café.
  • Un allongé – literally, a “long” (coffee), is a longer espresso. It will be slightly weaker than most French coffees. Cafés will either serve this to you as is or, sometimes, as a regular coffee with a pitcher of hot water, so that you can dilute your coffee as you like.
  • Un américain – literally, an “American,” is an even longer coffee, similar to an Americano.

Level Two: Milk

Coffee with milk is traditionally a breakfast item in France, and while most Americans are keen to order a café au lait, you’ll only find this option on the most touristy of menus. Here are your choices if you’d like a touch of milk:

  • Un noisette – literally, a “hazelnut,” has no nuts added! It’s an espresso with a dollop of foamed milk, similar to a macchiato. It’s also the only milky coffee that most French people would consider drinking past breakfast.
  • Un crème – literally, a “cream,” is what most people are thinking of when they order a café au lait. Similar to a latte, a crème is made by topping espresso with steamed milk and a touch of foam. Most cafés will offer both a grand crème (with more milk) and a petit crème (with less milk).

Cappuccino, Filter, Flat White, Oh My!

Expats have been present on Paris’ coffee scene for a number of years now, so it’s not uncommon to find coffee shops and coffee houses offering Italian, American, or Australian coffee specialties like cappuccinos, filter coffee, or flat whites. You’ll rarely see any of these options in a typical French café.

Sit, Stand, or Go?

Most Americans are used to grabbing their coffee to go, but this mindset has not really been adopted by the French, who far prefer to sit and enjoy their coffee for an hour (or two!) If you want a really French experience, linger over your coffee. You won’t be given the side-eye by your waiter, and you can stay as long as you like!

If you need a faster jolt, consider the time-honored Parisian tradition of enjoying your coffee au zinc: at the bar. If you stand and order your coffee at the bar instead of pulling up a chair, you’ll usually pay even less!

If, however, you need to drink and run, there are a few places you can grab a to go coffee. Starbucks has infiltrated the city, but many bakeries also offer coffee in to go cups. You’ll also find coffee machines in all of the train stations and some major metro stops where you can have your coffee à emporter – to go!

fondue

3 Best Cheese Pulls in Paris

We know we’re not the only ones who love a good cheese pull. As the weather gets cooler, the French are digging into their favorite après-ski dishes: raclette, fondue, and aligot. And we know where to get the best of all three.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BqiWsHAnrgH/

1. Fondue

Fondue is classic wintertime fare in France and Switzerland. A bubbling pot of melted cheese thinned with a touch of wine or kirsch is set in the middle of the table, and diners dip bits of slightly stale bread into the vat to enjoy.

Most fondue joints make both this cheese fondue, known as fondue savoyarde, as well as a meatier version from Burgundy that calls for cubes of meat to be plunged into a simmering pot of oil or broth and then dipped in a variety of sauces. These classics are both on offer at Pain, Vin, Fromages, which also offers some unique spins including a Camembert fondue – not for the faint of heart!

Pain, Vin, Fromages – 3 Rue Geoffroy l’Angevin, 75004

2. Raclette

Raclette’s name comes from the verb racler, meaning “to scrape.” To enjoy it, a half-wheel of eponymous raclette cheese is placed over a hot plate, and diners periodically scrape the melted cheese onto plates of potatoes, pickles, and ham. It’s an experience as much as it is a meal, and as far as we’re concerned, there’s nowhere better to enjoy it than Chalet Savoyard. Not only is the restaurant decked out just like a traditional chalet, but the menu boasts a host of different cheese and charcuterie options, like smoked cheese or truffled ham.

Chalet Savoyard – 58 Rue de Charonne, 75011 Paris

3. Aligot

Two comfort food classics meet in the Cantal with aligot, a combination of mashed potatoes and decadent melted cheese. Aligot is a side dish on offer with most of the mains at Le Plomb du Cantal, where it’s made to order in a copper pot and served tableside so you can really enjoy the cheese pull before digging in!

Le Plomb du Cantal – 3 Rue de la Gaité, 75014

Top Photo by angela pham on UnsplashC