The Paris Traveler

The Best Of Paris

by Lynn on July 16th, 2007

The Travel Channel at b5media has another theme day. Our mission:  write your best article on, or about, the best of something.  Well when you’re talking about Paris, trying to pick the best of anything is like asking a parent, “Which child do you love best?”

Impossible to answer, right?! As any well-adjusted parent will tell you, they “love all their children equally.” If push comes to shove, they might say one is better at sports, while another is better at music, but all in all, their children (in their eyes) are the greatest!  Who’s to argue?!

Well this assignment is very similar. Can you imagine picking the best restaurant in the culinary capital of the world? Or the best place to shop in Paris!? Or what about the best view when there are countless numbers of spectacular, breathtaking views in this amazing city! You can’t!

The best of anything is so subjective in the first place, so please no complaints that I didn’t pick your favorite park, café, or whatever! When I got to work on my personal bests, I realized that many of the places on this list are places that I’ve already written about. No surprise, but they do merit repeating, and I’ll tell you why I chose them from among so many others, so here goes!

The Best:

• Boat Cruises - Bateaux Mouches
  There are a number of companies offering boat tours on the Seine, but not all give you the choice of sitting outside or inside, plus I like the roominess of their boats.  Tours are given in eight languages.  Click here for more details and all about their dining cruises as well.
• Bookstore (English Books) - Shakespeare & Company
  I picked S&C for so many reasons; great atmosphere, wonderful meeting place, price of their books, etc.  For more information on this famous landmark, you can read my post.
• Bookstore (French Books) - Fnac
  Any of the Fnac stores have just about everything you’re looking for.  You can spend hours on end browsing, reading, or striking up conversations with other Parisian book lovers.
• Boulangerie - Poilâne
  There’s a whole history to the making of this famous bread that is still used to this day by the same family for generations.  Once you’ve tasted Poilâne bread, everything else dulls in comparison.
• Brasserie - Lipp
  What better way to drink your beer than to dine on Alsatian delicacies?  Or should that be vice-versa?!  Well either way, Lipp has become an institution, which opened its doors in 1880!  This is a place where the famous and powerful join those who just drop in for the ‘blond’ beer, or the house riesling.      
• Cabaret - Lido
  A friend of mine use to perform at a number of cabarets and I use to go along with her quite often.  It was a hard choice between the Moulin Rouge and the Lido, but I chose the Lido because the entertainment is much more impressive than at any of the other establishments.
• Café (Famous) - Le Sélect
  Not as famous as so many other cafés, but I prefer it for so many reasons.  You feel like Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir sitting with their clique on the terrace opposite the patrons across the way at La Coupole; it’s like a showdown of sorts.  Many famous artists and writers have taken up residence at one of these tables, people watching and being inspired by the masses passing by. 
• Café (Neigborhood) - La Palette
  I picked La Palette because the interior hasn’t changed much since the 1930’s.  The old wooden tables and chairs and the smokey mirrors all take you back to an earlier time in Paris.  It has great energy on the terrace in the summertime and a warm ambiance in the backroom during the cold winter months where you can sip your vin chaud (hot wine) with friends just like Picasso and Cézanne use to do.
• Cinéma Theater - La Pagode
  This is the most original movie theater in Paris.  You can almost feel as if you’re in Asia instead of France. The Pagode is such a beautiful theater tucked away in the 7e arrondissement, that it is worth seeking out irregardless of what film happens to be playing there at the time!
• Flea Market - Marche aux Puces                                                                        
  This is the biggest and one of the best flea markets in the world!  From beautiful antiques to bric-à-brac, it’s a shoppers paradise.  Read more about this great place here.
• Free Entertainment - Dancing on the Seine
  A movie director could not have picked a more romantic backdrop than dancing the tango or the salsa on the Seine!  For great photos and more, click on my post here.
• Free Activity - Rollerskating on Fridays
  This activity is not for beginners or for the timid, but if you love rollerskating, then you have to join in with the thousands that go swarming through the streets of Paris every Friday evening.  For my full story, click here.
• Frozen Foods - Picard
  This chain of stores just specializes in frozen foods that make for a gourmet dinner in no time at all.  Frozen food products in other countries pale by comparison.  Why?  Because it doesn’t taste like prepackaged frozen food!  No kidding!
• Gardens - Le Jardin du Luxembourg
  This is not just a public garden, it is a social gathering place for so many in the Latin Quarter.  From little old men who meet daily for a game of pétanque or chess; to children riding ponies or sailing boats in the fountain.  Tennis players meet up for a few good sets, and lovers stroll along under the trees.  This is a great place to relax.  Read more from my post here.
• Grocery Shopping - Le Bon Marché
  A feast for your eyes and your palate as you go along the aisles and the counters passing the pastries, the cheeses, the sausages, the seafood, and so much more!  International products of all kinds can also be found at this epicurean delight.  Read more here.
• Guide Magazine (English) - FUSAC
  This is a great free guide filled with announcements, advertisements, classified ads and so much more.  A must have for any English speaking person thinking about staying any length of time in Paris.  It caters to the more than 100,000 anglophones in Paris.  You can read more about my post here.
• Guide Magazine (French) - Pariscope
  This weekly review tells you everything that needs to be known on what is taking place in Paris; from concerts, to restaurants, to what film is playing where, and so much more!  The price is a mere 0,4 E for such a wealth of information!  Read more here.
• Hospital - American Hospital of Paris
  Located in Neuilly right outside of Paris, the American Hospital is known to be one of the best hospitals in Paris.  The doctors and staff are completely bilingual; a big help for those who do not speak French. 
• Hotel (Luxury) - Hôtel de Crillon
  Another difficult choice because of a large number of luxury hotels in Paris all vying to be the best for one reason or another, but I chose the Hôtel de Crillon not only for its excellent service, but also for the view of the Place de la Concorde and the Eiffel Tower.
• Hotel (Small) - Hôtel Luxembourg Parc
  A delightful small hotel right near the Place Saint-Sulpice and the Luxembourg Gardens.  The rooms are charming, service is friendly, and although you’re in the heart of the Latin Quarter on a main street, it’s still relatively quiet! 
• Ice Cream - Berthillon
  If long waiting lines everyday, as though you’re waiting for the most popular ride at Euro Disney, is any indication, then there is no doubt that Berthillon has the best ice-cream in Paris.  Click here for more details.  
• Jazz Club - Caveau de l’Huchette
  It’s right off the Boulevard Saint-Michel.  The history about the club, the famous musicians who have played here, the ambiance, and the dancing into the wee hours all make this one great place to enjoy an evening in Paris.  More about it in my post.  
• Museum - The Louvre
  The beauty and the vast collection of masterpieces just overwhelms you.  I have spent years going through this museum; inspired, awed, humbled, and more, by the historical and artistic wealth all in one place. 
• Music Store - Virgin Megastore
  You can find just about any genre of music imaginable here.  Great ambiance, wonderful view of people passing along the Champs-Elysées as you listen to music, or just stop and have a drink. For more info, you can read all about it on my post.
• Nightlife - Les Bains Douches
  Great nightclub/discotheque since 1978 that has metamorphosized into a place for everyone, depending on which evening you go!  Best DJ’s on Fridays, Saturdays are for gays, etc.  Click here for more info.  
• Open Air Street Market - Marché Rue de Buci
  In a recent post I gave a list of ten street markets and said it was hard to just pick ten, picking one is nearly impossible, but I love the Rue de Buci Market for its atmosphere.  It’s open daily, and although it’s rather small as far as open air street markets go; the shops, the cafés, the vendors and locals all add to a wonderful experience.
• Patisserie - Ladurée
  If you have a sweet tooth like me, then this is the place to be.  They also make the best lemon tarts in Paris!  Believe me, I know!  You can read more about this great place on my post.
• Patisserie (Chocolates) - Lenôtre
  Each pastry is like a little work of art and although the prices reflect that, it’s worth every cent!  I’m not a chocolate lover, (I know…) but even for me, everything I’ve ever eaten there has been a delight!  Click here to feast your eyes.
• Pharmacy - Fouhety
  I think there are as many pharmacies in Paris as there are dogs!  A bit of an exaggeration perhaps, but not by much!  I chose Fouhety from all the others because of its large discounts on most of their products.  Friends all over Paris come here for the savings!   
• Restaurant (Fine Dining) - La Tour d’Argent
  With so many wonderful fine dining restaurants in Paris, this was a hard category to pick.  My choice, therefore, was not only for the wonderful food under the watchful eye of Chef Stéphane Haissant, but also for the spectacular view of Notre-Dame and the privacy available at this famous restaurant.  (It is closed for renovatons until the 18th of September.)
• Restaurant (Classical French Cuisine) - Parnasse 138
  The impressive menu, which worried me at first, is one of the reasons why I picked this restaurant from so many others.  They must have magic elves cooking back in the kitchen, however, because everything I’ve ever tasted has been excellent!  Not only that, prices are more than reasonable.  You can read more here.
• Square - Place Saint-Sulpice
  This square is so beautiful; so quiet at times and so full of activity at other moments.  It use to be only the locals would sit and enjoy the fountain, now after Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code there are flocks of tourists coming by, but it doesn’t distract from its beauty.  Click here for more details.
• Street to Shop (Luxury Items) - Avenue Montaigne
  Dior, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Harry Winston,… if you’re looking for a luxury item, you’re sure to find what you need.  All about this famous avenue here.
• Street to Shop (Regular Items) - Boulevard Haussmann
  The Avenue Montaigne was an easy choice for luxury items, but picking the best street for regular items was a lot tougher!  I chose Boulevard Haussmann because you can find just about everything at both the Printemps and the Galeries Lafayette stores.  The prices aren’t cheap, but it won’t break your pocketbook either.  Hmm, that is if you’re careful!
• View of Paris - The Pont des Arts
  You not only see the bell towers of Notre-Dame and the Seine under your feet; but the Louvre is right there beside you.  Turn around and the Eiffel Tower sparkles against the sky.  Best time to enjoy the view; at sunrise or sunset.  Click here for more info on views.
• Time to Visit - Autumn
  Don’t tell anyone, but the Parisians have returned from their summer holidays rested, the tourists have all gone home, and the weather is usually still warm with a feel of an Indian summer.  The leaves start to turn and Paris just becomes Paris once again.  It’s my favorite time of year!
• Wine Shop - La Cremerie
  A great place not only to buy wine, but a place where you can sit down and try a few of the cheeses or sausages along with your wine.  The owner Serge and his wife make you feel like you’re dropping in on friends. 

The Best Photos on the Internet: Flickr

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