What a magical city. The beauty of Paris combined with the magnificence of Champagne with some of my favorite people set the stage for an incredible trip. I don't think we could've possibly packed one more thing in, except perhaps on Sunday when we were moving a bit slowly due to being overserved.
Activities
I have mixed feelings on this tour. I'll start with what I liked. Our guide was extremely knowledgeable and certainly gave an inside look into Champagne, both the region and the beverage. We first visited the vineyards, which are all earmarked with their respective wineries (champagneries?). The landscape is breathtaking and it couldn't have been any greener being there in June. We started at a small producer, Jean-Claude Mouzon, that does about 1,000 bottles a year mostly out of their garage. We had lunch in Reims at a restaurant I did not particularly care for. It was a set menu with two choices per course, all of which were very odd. We then went to the Reims Cathedral, which was absolutely stunning. The Reims Cathedral is steeped in history and is where the kings of France were once crowned. Despite its gothic appearance, the cathedral has a collection of stained glass windows that range from the history of Champagne to ones that were installed as recently as 2015. That afternoon, we went to Tattinger, which is a significant producer of Champagne. Their caves go thousands of feet into the ground, and the tour was interesting and educational. We ended by tasting their delicious Champagnes. Given that the drive back was during rush hour, it was a long trip back into the city, and we didn't arrive to our hotel until 7:30.
If you don't want to put a thought into going to Champagne, this tour is the way to go. However, if I were to do it again, I would either rent a car or hire a driver and plan the day myself. It's easy enough to find producers in Champagne to visit and book the tours, and I'm sure there are plenty of restaurant choices in Reims. I think it's completely doable to condense the timeframe of the day as well.
This was a blast! Cedric's Paris does tours around the city in old 2CVs. You can customize the tour however you'd like, opting for more well-known sights around Paris or their "secret tour," which is what we did. The drivers were fun and knowledgable and showed us some of the hidden gems of Paris. The duration is completely up to you, and any tour over two hours receives a complimentary bottle of Champagne or an extra hour of touring time. I would definitely recommend Cedric and his fleet.
We walked right into this one. Being the largest Ferris wheel in the world, it's pretty hard to miss it. It really is enormous and in the center of so many of Paris's signature sights. Given the timing of the World Cup, each car was pained with a different country's team. The views were incredible. Even those in our party with a fear of heights enjoyed the views once they unlocked hands and opened their eyes I'm not sure if it's a permanent fixture, but if you're there and can catch it, go for it.
The museum is housed inside a gorgeous building that used to be a private residence. I'd certainly like to know more about whoever lived there because the property is stunning. The museum is quite the journey through Picasso's life. For those of you who are familiar with his work, his mind must've been a very dynamic place. The range of his work is rather incredible, and this exhibit shows all aspects of it, from paintings to sculpture.
Shopping
There's no question that Paris is one of the best shopping destinations in the world. It really comes down to what kind of experience you're looking for. You can certainly stroll along Rue Royale for some of the most luxurious shops, but for me, I'd rather go for what's unique to Paris - the smaller designers or boutiques that I'm not going to find in New York City or anywhere else for that matter. The Marais was a great area for amazing boutiques, and I could've spent a lot more time exploring what this neighborhood had to offer. Here are a couple of suggestions where I was successful.
Antoine & Lilli, Made by Moi + APC
Eateries
Holy breakfast! If you're going to go for breakfast, get here when they open if not a few minutes before. If you have to wait and need a snack, as I did, there's an amazing bakery up the street (see below). The food was so fresh and thoughtfully sourced. I ordered two breakfasts because I like the full experience. The house made sausage and hash browns were especially delicious, and the pancakes were to die for. Holybelly is a perfect example of food not needing to be overly complicated to stand out. If you're using quality ingredients like they do, it shows.
We stumbled upon this bakery while waiting for a table at Holybelly. The design was very cool and had elements of minimalist and industrial. Their baked goods were even better. The chocolate madeleines were spongy and delicious and the perfect amount of sweet. There was also some type of apple galette that was was amazing, and the croissants weren't too shabby either. Pop in if you're in the neighborhood.
If I had only one night in Paris and had to choose one restaurant, this would be it, though it's not an easy reservation to get. When I initially tried to book, I was told there was no availability. However, I don't give up that easily. The concierge at our hotel was extremely helpful in making dinner reservations, and I think this one worked out because the request came from locals versus tourists. Make your reservation as far in advance as you can. You also have the option to try and book through their website.
This restaurant was incredible. It's a relatively small space with not many tables. The service was so friendly and enjoyable. I have no idea how long the meal lasted, but the staff couldn't have made us feel more at home. The menu is a "surprise menu," which is comprised of a tasting menu of seven courses. Not to worry - they'll ask if you have any allergies or dislikes. I've had hit or miss experiences with tasting menus, but this one was all hits. The food was innovative yet accessible, and I liked one course better than the next, although the maple-bacon scones they served first were hard to top.
Helpful hint: if you're a party of two, request to sit at the bar. With only two seats, it's not a typical bar, and you'll be tucked cozily in a corner with a bird's eye view of the chefs at work.
For our last dinner, I wanted a restaurant as traditional as it gets, which meant a Parisian bistrot. Bistrot Paul Bert was so classic and delicious and was the perfect choice. To start, we had an incredible octopus dish with chorizo, white asparagus and a salad of gem lettuces with fresh summer truffles was followed by steak frites, sautéed spinach and turbot. For dessert, we had their perfect soufflé, "floating island," which was made of meringue and drizzled with a delicate caramel and the lemon tart. Not all of the servers spoke English but were on top of things (our rosé maintenance was certainly tended to). Go here for a true Parisian experience, and make a reservation if you do!
Note: when ordering meat in France, the temperatures vary than when ordering in the U.S. The only thing I wish we had done differently is ordered ours based on these guidelines.
Ladurée is one of the premiere destinations for quintessential French-style macarons. I can't say that they're the best in Paris as macarons aren't something I'm crazy about, but they are very good and certainly worth experiencing, and the locations are stunning.
This was a pleasant surprise. Located directly across the street from our hotel, we ended up here coincidentally after an off experience at another local restaurant. Any restaurant name beginning with "La Cave" in Paris is a wine bar. This La Cave in particular has picnic seating, which was perfect for a group of five, and a menu of small and large plates. I loved that you walked over to the wine section and picked your bottle from there (each one was chalked with the price). With no expectations of this fortuitous find, the food was Another five bottles of rosé later, we were still lingering over our desserts, one of which we ended up ordering a second of. The staff was extremely pleasant and never said anything about us being the last ones there (aside from their staff at the end of the evening).
This place was funky and delicious. Located in the heart of the Jewish quarter and surrounded by neighboring falafel joints, Miznon holds its own with an energetic vibe and modern interpretations on the classics. Their freshly baked pitas are delicious, which you can order with lamb, chicken, pork, ratatouille or (wait for it...) smashed potatoes. The lovely Parisian who took our orders couldn't have been nicer and highly recommended the pita with potatoes. Why not? It was completely different than anything I've tasted in a pita pocket and had amazing depth of flavor for good ole potatoes. They have sides of veggies, which for the cauliflower and broccoli meant an entire head of each. Both were delicious and came with housemade sauces. I've read about L'As du Falafel a hundred times and definitely want to try it at some point, but in this instance, I was thrilled we went with the road less traveled.
Where We Stayed
Hotel Fabric - I can't say enough about this hotel. Converted from an old textile factory, everything from the lobby to the rooms to the bathrooms were perfect. It's located in the 11th arrondissement and walking distance to pretty much everywhere we went. It's about a ten minute walk from "Le Marais," a charming neighborhood of restaurants, shops and what seemed to be the hub for Jewish bakeries and falafel. Picasso's Museum as well as the Pierre Cardin Museum are also located in that neighborhood. The staff was helpful from the moment I booked and took care of all of our dinner reservations. The rooms were cleverly decorated, with wooden clothing trunks as the closets, and impeccably clean. Breakfast is served every morning (for an additional charge), and there is an "Honesty Bar" in the evenings, where you can just tally up what you drank and write your own tab. I would absolutely stay here again when I go back (which I hope is sooner than later).
Local Blog
The Paris Kitchen - This blog is loaded with information! It's very accessible and had great recommendations. She also offers gastronomy tours, which is something I'd like to try on my next visit.