Area Guide

Restaurants

Arrondissement

3ème 4ème 5ème 6ème

– 3ème Arrondissement –

L’AMI LOUIS, 3ème

32, Rue Vertbois (near Temple)

01 48 87 77 48, Closed Mon & Tues

Walked in for Sunday lunch after Musee Carnavalet. Full of mostly French having their Sunday lunch - roast poulet. Seemed very expensive (65 euros for asparagus starter ) so took main course only which was a huge serving of rognons de veau & huge plate of the best frites & steak/frites for me. Waddled out fully satisfied! Dark old Bistrot with brusque waiters. An experience.

CAFE CHARLOT, 3ème

38, rue Bretagne (near Marche de Enfants Rouges)

open daily 7-2am

Lovely old school cafe with wrought iron bakery store front & retro ambiance. Good Bistrot style food. Lively outdoor terrace. Great for coffee, happy hour & people watching in this hipster area.

LA PETIT TABLE, 3ème

27 rue de Saintonge, 75003.

01 74 64 00 36

Perfect for lunch or dinner. Fresh salads, specials, deserts prepared daily. Stylish and cozy atmosphere and resonably priced.

GLOU, 3ème

101, rue Vieille du Temple (near Picasso Museum)

01 42 74 44 32

Limited menu with excellent daily chef choice. Modern organic seasonal menu. Wide wine list reasonably priced. Loft style, relaxed atmosphere.

CHEZ NENESSE, 3ème

17, rue Saintonge

01 42 78 46 49

Very understated, with quaint lace curtains, red checked tablecloths for an authentic 1960’s retro feel. Menu includes homey French classics like lentils, snail stew with mushrooms. Bistrot style at lunch, restaurant - quality at dinner. Friendly, laid back & reasonably priced.

BEAUCOUP, 3ème

7 rue Froissart, 75003

01 42 77 38 47

Upscale and chic. Modern, open concept design (feels like San Francisco!). Spectaular interior design. Delicous meats, tasting/ sharing menu. Sophisticated cocktail bar. A modern-fusion alternative to traditional French cuisine. Best to reserve in advance.

– 4ème Arrondissement –

BENOIT, 4ème

20, rue St Martin (very close to Pompidou Centre)

01 42 72 45 68

Very elegant old school French restaurant (100 yrs old.) Beautifully appointed & superb French service. Serious cuisine by Alain Ducasse so expensive but worth a visit to experience the traditional French cuisine at its best. Fixed menu at lunch with the house Chablis offers good value. Michelin 1 star. Quiet so a good place to talk.

AU BOURGUIGNON du MARAIS, 4ème

52, rue Francois Miron

01 48 87 15 40

Closed Sun & Mon

Perfect, casual cafe for lunch with excellent food in a quiet corner of the Marais. Classic French menu, honest food. No need to book, at least for lunch.

CLAUDE COLLIOT, 4ème

40, rue des Blancs

01 42 71 55 45

My new favourite. Small modern, quiet atmosphere. Unbelievable food prepared in a fresh way. Beautiful dishes. The pigeon & cappuccino potatoes were unforgettable. The dessert composed of layers of salt frosted meringue, creamy marscapone with lichee sorbet in between was so interesting for its mix of flavours & textures. The sea salt used was the salt “frost” from the salt flats in Gironde, Brittany - who knew salt frost existed.

CHEZ MADEMOISELLE, 4ème

16, rue Charlemagne (Village Saint Paul)

01 42 72 14 16, Closed Mon

Casual cafe/restaurant with charming young staff, very old elevator to the cave, manually operated in restaurant. Good food reasonably priced. We had the best buffalo mozzarella ball starter & superb trio de pots de creme for dessert.

PINOT GRIGIO, 4ème

Village Saint Paul, 7, rue Charlemagne

01 40 27 81 84

Closed Sun dinner & Mon

Tiny restaurant tucked away in a square full of artisan shops. Quiet in the heart of the city with a lovely terrace. If you feel like a light lunch full of fresh vegetables presented in a beautiful & original way. Excellent ceviche & fish.

LE DOME DU MARAIS, 4ème

53, Bis rue des Francs Bourgeois

01 42 74 54 17

Gorgeous space in the middle of the Marais behind an austere 18 century facade includes a winter garden terrace cafe with birds & a glamorous mirrored black/white dining room under a spectacular dome. Same menu for both spaces of good contemporary dishes (quinoa, scallops with artichoke mash) served by cool French staff. Height of the ceilings reminded me of the grandeur of some NYC restaurants with French clientele. Very good wine list. Even if you are not planning to go if you are in the area it’s worth visiting just to see the decor.

L’ENOTECA, 4ème

25, rue Charles V

01 42 78 91 44

Venetian with a huge wine list of Italian wines. Honest, simple “clean" food. Had a perfectly grilled tuna served on a red cabbage ragout. Nice change of cuisine from sometimes overworked French food. Friendly Italian staff. Charming old space.

L’OSTERIA, 4ème

10, rue Sevigne (just above Rue St Antoine in Marais)

01 42 71 37 08, Closed Sun & Mon

Very unassuming, tiny Venetian restaurant with incredible Italian food. Had the best pesto ever & freshest seafood plate. Not fancy but extremely good, reasonably priced. Mi- chelin states it is “Les plus authentiques de la capitale."

MON VIEILLE AMI, 4ème

69, rue Saint Louis en Île

01 40 46 01 35

Great food, best on the Île Saint-Louis. Worth a visit although busy with tourists like all the restaurants on the Île.

CAFE SAINT-REGIS, 4ème

6 Rue Jean du Bellay, top of the Île Saint-Louis

+33 1 43 54 59 41

Open all hours

Quick restaurant on the Île Saint-Louis with excellent food, and an old bistrot feel and outdoor seating. Buzzy, easy first meal in Paris. Breakfast, lunch or dinner. Excellent hamburger and frites and salmon tartar.

– 5ème Arrondissement –

CIASA MIA, 5ème

19, rue Laplace

01 43 29 19 77,

Closed Sat & Mon lunch & Sun

Italian chef experimenting with truffles, egg foam, etc. Everything homemade in a dark chalet-like interior with fireplace. Unusual food, tres gentil on a very small, quiet street. Highly memorable dinner.

ITINERAIRIES, 5ème

5, rue Pontoise (very close to Île Saint-Louis)

01 46 33 60 11, Closed Sun & Mon.

Contemporary French Cuisine, elegant restaurant. Michelin 1 star. Expensive but worth it. Interesting dishes with superb service. Excellent desserts. Tasting menu.

TERROIR PARISIEN, 5ème

20, rue St -Victor

01 44 31 54 54

Still one of our favourites. All food is local, Parisian chef, vegetables are grown on the roof. Menu always innovative. Casual atmosphere, open kitchen in the centre. Good service. Young crowd, mostly French. You can sit at bar & have dinner if tout seul.

– 6ème Arrondissement –

ALLARD, 6ème

41, rue Saint-Andre -des –Arts, not far from Notre Dame

01 43 26 48 23

Excellent traditional French bistrot owned by Alain Ducasse. Somewhat cramped but authentic. Enjoyed a superb lunch with French diners.

LE COMPTOIR de HOTEL RELAIS SAINT GERMAIN, 6ème

9, Carrefour de L’Odeon

(just south of St Germain, very close to Odeon)

33 44 27 07 97, Reservation required

Only available Mon to Thurs.

Very small, bustling casual bistro which packs in the peo- ple as the food is superb & reasonable. Fantastic tasting menu (5 courses) for 55 euros.

FISH LA BOISSONNERIE, 6ème

69, rue de Seinep

01 43 54 34 69

Excellent modern French Food. Friendly service. Casual. Same owners as La Semilla.
We have only tried them at lunch.

KGB & ZE KITCHEN GALERIE, 6ème

4, & 25, rue des Grands-Augustins

Closed Sun & Mon

These two share the same Michelin star chef & have a similar feel given the very colorful abstract paintings & decor. Ze Kitchen is bigger, more formal & serious with the star officially while the menu at KGB is more limited but also superb. Creative fusion of French & Asian cuisine beautifully presented. KGB offers a tasting menu of 3, 4 or 5 hors d’oeuvres. Both require a reservation & small appetite. Perfect for lunch.

SEMILLA, 6ème

54, rue de Seine

01 43 54 34 50 (Reservation required)

Small, buzzy, noisy restaurant with excellent food. One can eat at the bar up front or at the back bar to watch the open kitchen or at the tiny tables. Casual vibe, interesting dishes

LE RELAIS de l’ENTRECOTE, 6ème

20, rue Saint-Benoit

If you are craving steak/frites this is the place as this is all they serve. They do it the French way with salad. Very fast, & busy reasonable.

Must See Sights

Notre-Dame Cathedral

The world’s greatest Gothic mid 14th century cathedral. It took almost 200 years to construct. It draws the crowds at all times of the day but must be seen many times to take in all of its detail, beauty and enormity. Located on the largest island in the Seine, Île de la Cité beside, Île Saint-Louis, one must stand in line to gain entry inside to see the famous stained glass windows. Check it out at night for its dramatic lighting.

Picasso Museum

The Hotel Sale in the Marais,

5 rue de Thorigny

Closed Mon

Opened in 1985 with a long renovation completed in 2014, this small museum is located in a large 17th century mansion house. Instead of death duties Picasso’s heirs gave the French state many of his works covering all periods of his career. A fabulous space, comfortable sized museum in the heart of Le Marais across the river. Not to be missed.

Pompidou Centre

Place Georges-Pompidou,

Closed Tues

Home to the Musée National d’Art Moderne this incredible 1970’s building designed by Richard Rogers & Renzo Piano is an iconic & very popular place in Paris. It looks like the building is inside out with its workings (pipes, water ducts, elevator) placed on the outside giving the escalator ride up to its 5 floors one of the best vantage points to see the city. The permanent museum collection includes works from the Fauves, Surrealists & Cubists & there is always a contemporary show worth seeing as well as the street performers in the surrounding piazza. The excellent restaurant on the top floor terrace, Georges, offers great views of Paris.

Musee Cognacq-Jay

8 rue Elezevir

Closed Mondays.

Located in the historic Hotel de Donon, a rare example of a 16th century townhouse in the heart of the Marais, this museum is devoted to 18th century art & antiquities collected by the founder of the Samaritane department store in Paris, Ernest Cognacq.

Musee de la Chasse & de la Nature

62 rue des Archives

Closed Mondays.

Situated in two 17th & 18th century mansions “hotels” this tiny gem of a museum in a gorgeous venue houses an array of paintings, weapons, stuffed animals & curiosities displayed around the themes of hunting & nature from Africa, America & Asia. Quirky, surprising & modern.

Cirque D'Hiver

The Winter Circus. Just a short walk from the Eastern end of rue de Bretagne, (opposite the Filles du Calvare metro station) is the magnificent Cirque d'Hiver building. See live circus shows including trapese artists and elephants! Check on-line to confirm show schedules, tickets, etc.

Canal St. Martin

In the summer, stroll North past Republique (a few minutes walk) to the tree-lined Canal St. Martin. Originally built during the industrial revolution to transport supplies into the centre of Paris, this water way is now a trendy and picturesque place for a stroll or picnic. Cafes, restaurants and interesting shops line the canal. You can also enjoy a boat ride/cruise up the canal.

Place des Vosges

Former royal palace created by Henri IV in early 1600's. Now a Parisian favorite with period architecture and a beautiful garden and fountain in the heart of the Marais, full of galleries and restaurants under the arches. Check-out the "secret" door in the West corner under the arcades leading to the Hotel de Sully garden and then rue de Rivoli.

Île St-Louis

The smaller of the islands in the centre of the old city, Île Saint-Louis was formerly 2 swampy areas of pasture land for cows. One side was called Île Notre-Dame which belonged to the church and the other was known as Île de Vache (the Isle of the Cows) thus the restaurant L’Ilot Vache nearby.

In the early 17th century, Henry IV ordered the islands joined to create a residential area. The island was raised, the gully filled in and the bridge, Pont St - Louis was built which joins it to the Île de la Cite where Notre Dame Cathedral reigns. Artisans and shopkeepers flocked to the central street, Rue Saint - Louis en Île, whereas nobility chose the riverside plots where they built elegant “hotels" or mansions. During the reign of Louis XIV, these homes were deserted as the wealthy left Paris for Versailles. By the 19th century, the Île had become one of the poorest quarters in Paris.

More recently the Rothschilds, former French president George Pompidou, Marie Curie, Helena Rubinstein and Hemingway among others (Chopin, Baudelaire) have lived or worked at various addresses on the Île all identified by plaques on the buildings.

There is a quiet park at the eastern tip of the island near the Pont de Sully where one can watch the bateaux mouche (Parisian open tour boats) make their turn. At this end of the island one can’t miss the massive ongoing renovation of the elegant Hotel Lambert which was most previously the home of the Baron de Rothschild and earlier the great French writer and philosopher Voltaire. It is now owned by an Arab sheik.

The St Louis church was designed by the Royal Versailles architect le Vau who worked on Hotel Lambert as well. The Baroque interior is richly decorated with gilding and marble.

The village like atmosphere, narrow streets, historic townhouses, tree lined quais and old bridges of the Île Saint-Louis attract many strollers in the spring and summer despite no metro/subway connection. One of the attractions is the famous Berthillon ice cream and sorbet made on the Île. Still a family owned business from the 1920’s they were the first to make artisan sorbets flavored with lavender, foie gras, etc.

In 1924, the Island locals made an attempt to secede from Paris and France, and Île Saint- Louis passports were issued. Now the island is home to both old French families and discerning foreigners looking for old world charm, conformity of architecture and the solitude and beauty offered by the island locale.

Shopping

In the Marais

FLEUX

39+52, rue Sainte Croix de la Bretonnerie

3 shops full of cool housewares, fun gifts.

FRENCHTROTTERS

128 rue de Vieille du Temple

Women & men's fashion, shoes

JAMIN PUECH

68 rue de Vieille du Temple

Gorgeous, unusual purses made in Paris.

High street French fashion chains along Vieille Temple & cross street Rue des Francs- Bourgeois including BA+SH, Maje, IRO, APC, Eric Bompard for cashmere, Sandro, Carven, Cotelac, Y Bimba, BenSimon, Gerald Durel, Majestic filatures for tshirts, tops in linen, silk, cashmere, etc.

ISABEL MARANT

in upper Marais, 47 Rue de Saintonge

Trendy French fashion

MERCI

111 Boulevard Beaumarchais, 3ème

Three- floor concept store with minimalist housewares, perfume & fashion. Renovated printing factory so interesting decor. Three eating areas.

L'ECLAIREUR

40 rue de Sevigne

Cutting edge fashion, many avant garde labels in a beautiful, dark cave like store with sumptuous displays for both men &women. First concept store copied 10 yrs later by Colette. Three locations in Paris.

GARRICE

30 rue de Rivoli, Saint-Paul

Shoe store with a range of interesting, different shoes. Next store another shoe store carrying French boots & traditional casual shoes PARABOOT

LE BON MARCHE

24, rue de Sevres in the 7ème

Hours are 10-8pm, closed Sunday.

For the latest in designer wear plus all the trendy brands already mentioned, the best place for one stop shopping is Le Bon Marche department store on the Left Bank. It is the Harvey Nichols or Bergdorf Goodman for the French. If your time is limited this is the place to go. The store is beautiful, the food hall, La Grand Epicerie de Paris is amazing and the selection of fashion, lingerie and home decor is the best. The shops around Le Bon Marche in St. Germain the 6th arrondissement are also excellent and worth exploring. It is a good walk from the apartment at least 25 min. Sevres-Babylone is the metro stop.

Founded in 1852, it was the first department store of its kind started by a hatmaker and his wife who expanded their stall to sell a range of items at fixed prices with home delivery, item exchange, etc. The concept took off around the world. In 1988, LVMH took over and rebranded to make it the most exclusive Parisian store in the city.