PARIS OFF THE BEATEN PATH
Have you ever wanted to experience Paris like a local? We've compiled some of Paris' beautiful, hidden gems so you don't have to search high and low for them. Discover where to shop, eat and drink in the city.
A BALANCED TIME IN PARIS
Paris is just too big, too beautiful and too breathtaking to fully experience in a day or two. We love the vast halls of The Louvre and the abundance of great museums and buildings, the imposing Eiffel Tower that gives you goosebumps every time you see it peeking out behind a house, all of it. But for your next trip to the City of Lights how about simply saying no to the pressure of wanting-to-see-it-all and experience Paris in a balanced way, off the beaten path perhaps? Here comes our list of hand picked favorites!Spoiler:If you plan on going to Paris on a diet you better stop reading right here…
CAFES
- CAFE OBERKAMPE
- 3 Rue Neuve Popincourt
- 75011 Paris
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CAFE OBERKAMPF is a small coffee shop just one street off the busy Rue Oberkampf, an overall welcoming and cozy place with super friendly staff and quite a personal touch. Offering homemade brunch delicacies like granola, tartines and sourdough sandwiches it is often packed on the weekends. If you don’t manage to get one of the few seats despair not and head to their sister CAFÉ MERICOURTjust a few minutes walk away and with more seating space. We recommend visiting Café Oberkampfin the early morning during the week, taking a seat in the window and enjoying a tasty coffee along with their homemade porridge.
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- PASSAGER CAFÉ
- 3 107 Avenue Ledru-Rollin
- 75011 Paris
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We know that city trips tend to be exhausting and if you feel in need of another coffee and energy boost PASSAGER CAFÉis the choice for a break along the way. Its industrial inspired yet warm interior (look at those tiles!) with huge windows out to the lively street combined with charming people behind the counter create quite a homey atmosphere. Coffee specialties on point, pastries that are baked freshly each morning in the small open kitchen and savory plates on the menu for lunch leave nothing to be desired.
- DU PAIN ET DES IDÉES
- 34 Rue Yves Toudic
- 75010 Paris
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Don’t go to Paris without overeating on Baguette and croissants. Each corner seams to have an artisanal bakery and when the only people out on the streets on a Sunday morning queue at their local bakery they can’t be wrong. On the hunt for the perfect croissant make sure to stop at DU PAIN ET DES IDÉES for pastries and one of the best breads in Paris. Try their famous Pain des Amis, a wood-fired loaf made with farmer-ground heritage grains
- TERROIRS D’AVENIR
- 84 Rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud
- 75011 Paris
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Next stop on your shop-like-a-local list is the épicerie primeur crèmerie TERROIRS D’AVENIR. It sounds complicated but it is really easy: fresh vegetables and fruits, a great selection of cheeses and charcuterie and baked goods directly from the farmers and producers. Delve into this deliciousness and hear all the stories behind the products from the young people that run the stores. Now have the bread, the cheese, the wine and you might end up fixing a great lunch at home.
TO SEE
Let yourself drift along the streets like aFlâneur, take your time to stop and look up, soak up the environment, enjoy your stay, you are in Paris! Take long walks along the Seine and soak up the Parisian sun in one of the many chairs spread across theJardin du Luxembourg. Try to avoid Le Marais on a weekend if you don’t like shuffling your way through overfilled streets and shops (it is beautiful, though).
For some moments of tranquility, head to the cemetery PÊRE LACHAISE where many famous artists such as Edith Piaf, Jim Morrison and Oscar found their last resting place. It is by far not a secret spot but so vast you can still find quiet corners. Track down the famous graves or just wander through this magical and peaceful place to enjoy the silence and unwind from the city trouble.
- PALAIS DE TOKYO
- 13 Avenue du Président Wilson
- 75116 Paris
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In the mood for art? ThePALAIS DE TOKYO is a must-see for all modern art lovers, a rebellious wasteland with the air of a Palace, an anti-museum in permanent transformation that has the reputation of being the dynamic place for the artists of our time. It’s architecture, both inside and out, is breathtaking, and the exhibitions are always worth the visit. It is a space to learn, to experience, to feel, and to live – a space from which the unexpected springs forth. It houses two restaurants and one of the largest art bookshops in Paris.
SHOPPING
- LA TRESORERIE
- 11 Rue du Château d’Eau
- 75010 Paris
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LA TRÉSORERIE offers a fine selection of manufactured goods from small kitchen and household items for everyday use to ceramics and tableware, from hand-woven blankets and towels to furniture pieces as tables, chairs and lamps. Everyone with a sense for craftsmanship, for long-lasting products and interior design will just love this shop. In case you want to stay a bit longer, stop for a coffee at the in-store Café Smörgasbefore you continue browsing.
- THANX GOD IM A VIP
- 12 Rue de Lancry
- 75010 Paris
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If you have a soft spot for designer brands and vintage clothing make sure to visit THANX GOD I’M A V.I.P. It’s not the kind of vintage store where you work your way through the good, the bad and the ugly to bag the perfect bargain, THANX GOD is a store that will do that for you instead. Even better is the carefully curated (and color coordinated) selection of classic designer brands, in perfect condition and at reasonable prices. Friendly staff will assist you in case you have your mind set on something specific, and you’ll surely take a very French and unique souvenir home.
RESTAURANT & DRINKS
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- LA BUVETTE
- 67 Rue Saint-Maur
- 75011 Paris
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The super tiny natural wine bar LA BUVETTE located in a former cheese shop certainly is no secret tip among the scene, yet its magic is undisputed. It is a one-woman-show, the founder Camille is chef, sommelier, waiter, and host, and with that she has created Paris’ most stylish and intimate wine bar of its generation. The small yet brightly lit window in a less bright part of the street is decked out with white tiles and a shiny zinc counter, the daily menu scribbled on a mirror, the bottles lined up and waiting to be opened. You can expect a well-selected list of natural wines with some sought-after bottles, along with simple and honest plates to share and nibble. As LA BUVETTE is tiny and closes early, it might be a better choice for apéros than nightcaps.
- LE SERVAN
- 32, rue Saint-Maur
- 75011 Paris (11th)
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Classic French bistros underwent a huge revival in the last years and neo-bistro LE SERVAN is among the top with very good reason. Floor-to-ceiling windows and modern décor add to the airy but warm and casual atmosphere of the neighborhood spot. It offers traditional French cuisine with a little Asian twist, complex and surprising taste combinations that still are very approachable, and enjoyable. The à la carte menu is serious but the whole dining experience is deliberately laid-back, guests can choose loosely among starters, main and dessert plates to share. With the super friendly service and a great wine list Le Servan is an open place where you can have very good food at still affordable prices. Note: not the best choice for vegetarians!
- AUX DEUX AMIS
- 45 rue Oberkampf
- 75011 Paris
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Still wine hungry and looking for a place to end the night? Head to AUX DEUX AMIS in the same neighborhood, a very casual, classic French bistro offering plates to share and good wines that is always bustling and busy until late at night.