P A R I S

I have stayed in different areas of the city but Saint Germain is my personal favorite.

The Hotel Petit Belloy is at a great location – walking distance to the metro, Notre Dame, Shakespeare and Co., le Jardin du Luxembourg and the bustling Boulevard Saint Germain where you can find the iconic Cafe De Flore and Les Deux Magots along with great shopping. I was traveling alone so my room was very small but clean. I must either have gotten very lucky or someone at check in took a liking to me because I was given a room on the very top floor. Despite my bed taking up most of the space, I had a tiny balcony with a stunning view of the Parisian rooftops, the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame in the distance. Since I was eating all my meals alone, one of my favorite things was to buy my dinner to go and then sit on my little windowsill watching the sunset over the city. It was truly a dream.

Although I have never been there, my sister has stayed and loved Le Lapin Blanc, down the block from Hotel Petit Belloy.

Citadines, in Les Halles, offers small rental apartments which are great if you want to have a little kitchenette. The staff is helpful, the hotel is clean and there is a fully equipped gym. Located right behind Centre Pompidou, this is also strategically located near a lot of great restaurants and shopping.

I highly recommend making reservations whenever possible as most places get very crowded. Here are my favorites listed by arrondissements.

In Saint Germain:

Marco Polo – Once I discovered this Italian gem during my solo trip, I went back multiple times. The staff was extra warm and attentive, making sure I was seated at a good table each time I visited. The pasta was my regular order (of course) and I dream about their tiramisu to this day.

Les Deux Magots and Cafe de Flore – These two are right across from each other on Boulevard Saint Germain. I’m sad to say I have never eaten at either but they are legendary and belong on every traveler’s list.

The intersection of Rue Saint Andre des Arts, Rue de l'Ancienne Comédie, Rue Dauphine and Rue du Buci is fun to walk through and it has tons of cute restaurants and cafes.

In the Marais:

Marche des Enfants Rouge – A covered market dating to 1615 with produce, cheese & flower stalls, as well as a wide variety of eclectic street food.

Cafe Charlot – I have only tried their breakfast, which was delicious, and truly enjoyed the typical Parisian dining experience of sitting at a table on the sidewalk, people watching for hours.

As with my Rome recommendations, I won’t include the most popular sights as they will likely be on everyone’s list – museums, the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, Notre Dame, etc. But rather, I’ll list the places I have loved most and tours I have enjoyed.

The Paris Flea Market – An easy train ride from downtown, it offers an eclectic and vast collection of antiques and vintage items – furniture, art, collectibles, clothing and so much more.

Versailles – I have never visited Paris and NOT gone to Versailles. It is one of my favorite places in the world. For more details see my separate Versaille recommendations here.

Fontainebleau and Vaux le Vicomte castles – An easy day trip from Paris, I booked this tour from Paris City Vision. We visited both castles via bus and had a delicious lunch in between. Favorite thing learned on the tour? Vaux le Vicomte castle inspired King Louis XIV to build Versailles.

For those with a Chanel obsession like me I will mention a couple of related things:

Her store on 31 Rue Cambon was the first she ever opened.

For 34 years she lived in a second floor suite at the nearby Ritz Hotel and would walk to work from there each morning. Today, their spa uses only Chanel products. During my solo trip I splurged and went for a facial. It was the most luxurious, high class experience of my life. If you can afford it or are simply in need of an extra special treat, I highly recommend it.

Angelina on rue de Rivoli was one of her favorite places to frequent. They have delicious pastries and the macarons here are delicious (and better than the more popular Laduree).

Place des Vosges in Les Marais, was the inspiration for Coco Chanel’s watches. Here you can find restaurants and shops as well as Victor Hugo’s home and museum.