Must See

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 St-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.

Île St-Louis

The smaller of the islands in the centre of the old city, Île St-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 Ile St - 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 Ile. 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 St- 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.

Restaurants

Arrondissement

4eme 5eme 6eme 7eme

– 4eme Arrondissement –

BENOIT, 4eme

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, 4eme

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, 4eme

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, 4eme

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.

CRU, 4eme

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, 4eme

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, 4eme

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, 4eme

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, 4eme

69, rue Saint Louis en Ile

01 40 46 01 35

Great food, best on the Île Saint-Louis apart from the grand tasting menu & pomp of the restaurant Sargent Recruteur also on the Ile. Worth a visit although busy with tourists like all the restaurants on the Île.

– 5eme Arrondissement –

CIASA MIA, 5eme

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, 5eme

5, rue Pontoise (very close to Ile St 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, 5eme

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.

– 6eme Arrondissement –

ALLARD, 6eme

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, 6eme

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, 6eme

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, 6eme

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, 6eme

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, 6eme

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.

– 7eme Arrondissement –

CINQ-MARS, 7eme

51, rue de Verneuil,

close to Musee d’Orsay,

rue du Bac 01 45 44 69 13

Tiny casual bistrot with excellent food, perfect for lunch. Always jammed at lunch so must arrive before 1pm. Good value. Closed Sunday.

RESTAURANT CHEZ GRAF, 7eme

62, rue de Bellechasse

01 45 51 33 42, Closed Sun

Excellent modern French cuisine with Asian influences. ‘Neo-bistro’ i.e. casual. Invited to dinner with the food critic for the French Guide Lebey (best restaurant guides, one for bistros & one for restaurants) but only available in France.

LA FONTAINE de MARS, 7eme

129, rue St- Dominique

01 47 05 46 44

Traditional French bistrot with the red checked tablecloths & classic French menu. Retro decor, friendly service. Perhaps a bit touristy, but authentic/typique, feel good atmosphere where one eats well.

LE JULES VERNE, 7eme

Eiffel Tower 01 45 55 61 44

Special, memorable & expensive lunch with the best view of the city. Full of tourists. Superb cuisine & sevice. Highly recommended for a special treat ..

LE VIOLON d’ INGRES, 7eme

135, rue St-Dominique

01 45 55 15 05

One of our favorites , never disappoints. Sophisticated, elegant bistro. Michelin 1 star. Superb coquilles St Jacques, desserts, service.