Linking You to Paris

➡️ The Allure of Classic Parisian Style: HiP Paris goes beyond clichés about stripes and red lipstick to show how classic Parisian style is really built on attitude, subtle imperfection, and small sensual details like lingerie, perfume, and the way clothes move on the body.

➡️ 14 Family-Friendly Paris Hotels That Go Above and Beyond for Kids: Condé Nast Traveler profiles Paris hotels that not only welcome children but bribe them into joy with teepees, cooking classes, treasure hunts, kids’ spas, mascot toys, and even in‑room “camping” setups so parents actually get a holiday too.

➡️ Our 5 Favorite Cocktail Bars in Paris: My French Country Home Magazine curates five cocktail bars where you get more than a good drink, from menu‑less, made‑to‑measure creations and hidden speakeasies to multi‑level Belle Époque salons that feel like stepping into a film.

➡️ Inside the cutthroat competition for the best baguette in Paris: The Washington Post takes you behind the scenes of the Grand Prix de la Baguette, inside flour‑dusted judging rooms and bakeries where “bread is god” and a single loaf can change a boulanger’s life with presidential contracts and city‑wide fame.

WEEKLY UPDATE
A Quick Merci

Last week I experimented with a new segment called French Phrase of the Week and the response was incredible. I want to thank everyone who hit reply to share their feedback because hearing from you is exactly how I can best tailor the Paris Love Letter to what you actually want to read. Because of that enthusiasm, the section is officially sticking around.

We have some exciting Paris adventures lined up for March, and I am looking forward to sharing them with you. For now, let us get into the bread, the downloadable map, and a phrase for when things do not go quite to plan.

EATING IN PARIS
The Quiet Drama of Paris’s Best Baguette

Each year in Paris, there is a competition that matters far more than any Michelin star or influencer listicle. It is the Grand Prix de la Baguette de Tradition Française de la Ville de Paris. There are no red carpets and no gowns. Instead, there is only flour, water, salt, yeast, and a jury of obsessed Parisians deciding who bakes the most perfect 70 centimeter piece of everyday poetry.

This year, the 2026 prize went to Sithamparappillai Jegatheepan, a baker at Fournil Didot in the 14th arrondissement. Out of 143 baguettes entered, his was judged the best on a brutally specific checklist. The jury looked at appearance, taste, baking, crumb, alveolation (the pattern of holes and air pockets inside the crumb of bread), size, and salt content. In other words, they judged how it looks, how it smells, how it sounds when you crack it, how the inside feels between your fingers, how the air pockets are distributed, and even how salty it is.

The reward is more than bragging rights. The winner takes home €4,000 and earns the right to supply bread to the Élysée Palace for a year. The president’s morning routine becomes your calling card.

Instagram post

A Very Parisian Obsession

The competition itself is relatively recent. It was created in the ‘90s when the city realized that even the humble baguette needed defending. Industrial baking and frozen dough were on the rise. The answer was to codify and celebrate the baguette de tradition française and to honor the artisans who still make it the hard way.

That “tradition” label is a legal definition from a 1993 decree that quietly drew a line in the flour. To be a “tradition,” the bread must follow strict rules:

• Only four ingredients are allowed: flour, water, salt, and yeast or natural leaven.

• There are no additives, no preservatives, and no improvers.

• The bread must be mixed, shaped, and baked on site in the bakery that sells it.

• The dough can never be frozen at any point in its life.

Inside that narrow lane, there is all the room in the world for artistry. One baker will ferment the dough longer for a deeper flavor. Another tweaks hydration so the crumb is silkier and more open. A few seconds more or less in the oven and your crust shifts from pale gold to deep chestnut, or from whisper crisp to thundering crackle. The Grand Prix jury is essentially judging the results of a thousand tiny decisions you never see when you walk in and ask for "une tradition, s’il vous plaît."

What Makes a Great Baguette, Really?

If you want to play judge on your next trip, here is the unofficial, street level version of the criteria:

Look
Gently tapered ends and a rich golden brown crust are essential. It should not be pale or charcoal. The scoring on top, which are the diagonal slashes, should open like relaxed little mouths rather than exploding or staying welded shut.

Sound
Give it a delicate squeeze. A good baguette crackles and sings back to you. It should sound alive rather than like packing foam.

Smell
Bring it to your nose before you even tear it. You should catch wheat, a hint of nuttiness, and perhaps a whisper of fermentation instead of just hot air.

Crumb and Alveolation
When you break it open, the interior should not be cottony or dense. A great tradition has irregular air holes, some big and some small, like a map of constellations. The crumb should be slightly glossy, elastic, and almost creamy.

Taste and Salt
It is amazing how often this is off. Too bland and it tastes like nothing. Too salty and it bulldozes whatever you put on it. The best baguettes have a gentle tang from fermentation, a lingering wheat flavor, and salt that supports rather than shouts.

This is what the Grand Prix tries to codify each year. It is not just good bread, but the Platonic ideal of everyday Paris bread.

A Moving Map of Parisian Bread

Click the image to download the Google Map

One of the quiet pleasures of this competition is watching how it reshapes the map of Paris over time. The best baguette does not always live in the postcard neighborhoods. Some years it is the 10th or 20th, and other years it is a quiet stretch of the 14th, like this year’s winner at Fournil Didot.

A prize like this can change a bakery’s life overnight. Lines form, locals grumble affectionately about their boulangerie being discovered, and the winner suddenly has to keep up with the demand of both neighbors and pilgrims with suitcases.

To help you trace that story, I have put together an interactive Google Map of all the first place winners since the beginning of the competition. You can wander across the years, arrondissement by arrondissement, and see how the city’s best baguette has migrated.

👉 Get Your Map of Paris’s Grand Prix Baguette Winners 👈

If you are planning a trip, you can build your own Grand Prix crawl. Pick a few former winners in neighborhoods you are already visiting and let the bread dictate your walking route.

If you are already in Paris as you read this, you are holding the beginnings of a very noble mission. Go find Fournil Didot in the 14th, order "une tradition," and see if you agree with the jury. You do not need a white lab coat or a scoring sheet. You only need your eyes, your nose, your hands, and a city that still takes its daily bread seriously enough to turn it into an annual civic ritual.

FRENCH PHRASE OF THE WEEK
“C’est pas grave"

A little coffee spill and a quick “C’est pas grave” to remind us that a small mishap is just an excuse for a kind word.

The Phrase: "C’est pas grave"
Phonetic: [say pah grav]
The Formal Version: "Ce n’est pas grave" (You’ll see this in books, but you’ll rarely hear it spoken this way in the wild.)

The Context:
This one brings more civility and kindness to the streets. It literally translates to “it’s not serious,” but in practice, it means anything from “no worries” to “don’t beat yourself up about it.” You’ll hear it when you apologize for a small mistake, show up two minutes late, or accidentally bump into someone while navigating a crowded sidewalk.

How to use it:

• The Metro Fumble: You accidentally brush someone’s shoulder and blurt out, “Pardon !” If they are in a good mood, they will wave it off with a quick “C’est pas grave.”

• The Café Spill: Your server drops a spoon and apologizes with a quick “Désolé(e).” You can smile and say “C’est pas grave” to signal that we are all human here.

For example:
Today, while on a walk, our dog darted after a pigeon and pulled his leash across the sidewalk, blocking the path of a couple. I apologized for the small inconvenience caused by my “squirrel” triggered pup. The gentleman, acknowledging my apology, waved a hand and said with a smile, “c’est pas grave!”

FRENCH SONG OF THE WEEK
Alain Souchon - Foule sentimentale

This is one of those songs that lives somewhere in the collective French spine. “Foule sentimentale” is a soft, slightly melancholy anthem about how easy it is to get lost in shiny distractions and how much we need real, simple things instead.

It is a good soundtrack for a city that still argues passionately about something as basic as bread and insists that the everyday details of life are worth defending.

Linking You to Paris

➡️ An Ugly Building in a Beautiful City Gets a Much-Debated Makeover - The New York Times reports that Tour Montparnasse, long derided as a Paris eyesore, is moving toward a major makeover led by a consortium redesigning the tower and architect Renzo Piano reworking the bleak base into a greener, more walkable public space.

:➡️ Wellness Culture Has Come for Paris - Vanity Fair explores how a new wellness culture is reshaping Paris in a distinctly French way, from lighter pastries and butter skepticism to luxury spas, meditation-friendly flights, and an emphasis on balance and joie de vivre over optimization.

➡️ Le Regard: The Art of the Gaze - Bonjour Paris explains that street photographer William O’Such learned to watch for “le regard,” the moment someone’s gaze meets the camera or locks onto a subject, because that fleeting connection adds narrative depth and rewards patience over rapid-fire shooting.

➡️ The world’s most beautiful avenue car-free this Sunday - One Sunday each month, all year round! It's a chance to experience the world's most beautiful avenue in a different way and snap a selfie in front of the Arc de Triomphe without cars disrupting the view.

VISITING PARIS
The Paris Insider’s Guide to the Gray

Most people see a rainy forecast for their Paris trip and feel a pang of defeat. They pivot immediately to the big museum trap, spending four hours in a humid security line at the Louvre just to stand ten deep in front of a small painting behind glass. But here is the secret: Paris was not built for constant sunshine. It was built for the gray. The zinc roofs, the cream colored limestone, and the 19th century ironwork were all designed to catch the soft, diffused light of a rainy afternoon. When the sky opens up, the city does not shut down. It just moves indoors into some of the most atmospheric spaces ever conceived.

The 19th Century Indoor Outdoor Hack

In the early 1800s, before Baron Haussmann carved out the wide boulevards we see today, Paris was a muddy and chaotic labyrinth. To solve this, architects created the Passages Couverts. These are glass roofed arcades that allowed the fashionable elite to shop, dine, and wander without ruining their silk hems in the street muck. These are your rainy day gold. They are time capsules of Belle Époque ambition, filled with old world bookstores, stamp collectors, and tiny bistros where the sound of rain hitting the glass ceiling provides the perfect percussion for a long conversation.

Photo: galerie-vivienne.com

From Palais Royal to the Passages

If the clouds roll in, start under the covered arcades of the Palais Royal. From there, use the galleries as your connective tissue. Walk through the stunning Galerie Vivienne, which is perhaps the most beautiful of them all, and let it lead you deeper into the 2nd Arrondissement. Aim for the classic trio: Passage des Panoramas, Passage Jouffroy, and Passage Verdeau. You stay dry, you see the history of Parisian commerce, and you avoid the museum crowds entirely.

Dining Inside (kind of) the Icon

For an overpriced, but stunning experience, head to Café Marly. It sits literally within the wings of the Louvre. On a rainy day, the usual swarms of tourists vanish from the courtyard. Sitting under the high, sheltered arches of the Richelieu wing while looking out at the glass pyramid is a singular experience. As the rain slicks the stones of the Cour Napoléon and the city turns a quiet silver, you are dining within the architecture of the world’s greatest museum while staying perfectly dry. It is a splurge that feels entirely worth it for the atmosphere alone.

Instagram post

The Art of the Linger

Rain in Paris is a forced meditation. It is an invitation to stop rushing and start noticing. If you find yourself caught in a downpour, don't just run for the Metro. Try one of these instead:

The Bookstore Refuge
Head to a legendary spot like Shakespeare and Company or a quiet antique dealer in Passage Verdeau. Buy one book. Write the date and the neighborhood inside the cover. Then, find a café with a covered terrace and read the first chapter right then and there. That is a souvenir that actually survives the flight home.

The Terrace Under the Awning
There is something uniquely magical about sitting on a cafe terrace during a storm. If it isn't too cold, find a spot tucked deep under a wide awning. Order a coffee or a glass of wine and watch the rain bounce off the pavement just inches away. It is the best seat in the house for watching the city turn into a watercolor painting.

The Open Doors of the Parish
Many visitors don't realize that most of the city’s historic churches are open to the public throughout the day. They are some of the most peaceful "dry rooms" in Paris. A space like Saint-Eustache or a small neighborhood church offers a silent, vast shelter where you can sit for twenty minutes and listen to the muffled sound of the rain against centuries-old stone.

FRENCH PHRASE OF THE WEEK
“Je vous en prie"

This new segment comes courtesy of a recommendation from one of our readers, Tim from California. If you like this new section and want us to continue, please let us know by replying to this email. Thanks for the suggestion, Tim!

The Phrase: "Je vous en prie"
Phonetic: [zhuh voo zahn pree]
You’ll also hear: "Vous en prie" (the clipped, everyday version)

The Context:
If you’re learning French, you’ll usually start with "de rien" as the standard "you’re welcome." "Je vous en prie" is a more polite, slightly more formal alternative that’s very common in everyday Paris, especially in shops, cafés, and any situation where you’re using vous. It literally translates to "I beg you of it," but in practice, it just means "you’re welcome" or "don’t mention it."

How to use it:

• The Door Moment: You hold a heavy café door. They say "merci." You reply, "Je vous en prie."

• The Checkout: You say "merci" to a cashier, and you’ll often hear a quick "(Je) vous en prie" in return.

The Vibe:
It’s the difference between a casual "no problem" (de rien) and a warm, polite "my pleasure" (avec plaisir). "Je vous en prie" sits right in the middle. It’s polished, respectful, and signals that you understand the grace of Parisian etiquette.

The "Parisian" Twist:
It can also be used as a weapon of politeness. I once watched a friend hold a door open for a man who marched right through without a word of thanks. My friend didn't let it slide. He shouted a sarcastic "Je vous en prie, Monsieur!" at the man’s back. Even in a confrontation, the French stay formal.

FRENCH SONG OF THE WEEK
M - Qui De Nous Deux

Last week, we looked at the Chedid family performing a tender acoustic reminder to tell people we love them. This week, we are zooming in on the most eccentric branch of that family tree: Matthieu Chedid, better known as M.

If last week was the warm family dinner, this song is the late night conversation that follows. The title asks "Which of us two?" as a nod to the relationship between the man and the myth, or perhaps the artist and his guitar.

It is a track that manages to be both incredibly catchy and slightly surreal. It proves you can be a massive pop star in France while keeping your intellectual credentials firmly intact. Listen for how the guitar not only accompanies him but actually talks back. It is a masterclass in making a pop song feel like a living piece of theater.

Linking You to Paris

➡️ The Best airbnbs in underrated Parisian neighbourhoods: Condé Nast Traveller uses a local’s eye to argue that underrated quartiers like Belleville, Lamarck-Caulaincourt, and Rue du Ranelagh are where Airbnb actually lets you test-drive a real Parisian life.

➡️ These Are the 5 Spring 2026 Trends French Girls Are Actually Wearing: InStyle reports that Parisian women aren’t chasing micro-trends this spring so much as using novelty denim, loud jackets, tiny shoulder bags, bare shoulders, and colored socks-with-loafers as small rebellions against the beige trench-coat uniform.

➡️ The best festive restaurants in Paris for fun until the end of the night: Paris Secret maps out the city’s new “eat-then-dance” ecosystem, from Pigalle cabarets to jungle-like mega-clubs, showing how dinner in Paris now often comes fused with full-blown nightlife under one very theatrical roof.

➡️ Best art exhibitions in 2026: Christie’s presents 2026 in Paris as a kind of open-air syllabus in art history, where you can walk from Nan Goldin’s queer slide-shows to Calder’s mobiles to a Michelangelo–Rodin face-off and see how the city is still curating its own mythology in real time.

VISITING PARIS
Taking Line 14 From Paris To Orly

A few photos from our recent adventure that show how empty and spacious the transfer and airport were. There’s one exception: the top-right photo was on Line 7, which we took to reach Line 14. I snapped a photo because he looked like a daily commuter lost in thought.

Most people still treat Charles de Gaulle as the automatic choice when they fly to Paris. That is what we used to do too. We would take a taxi from the city out to CDG, sit in traffic, and hope that Parisian congestion did not decide the fate of our flight.

On our most recent trip, we did the opposite. We flew from Orly and took the new extension of Metro Line 14, which opened to the airport in 2024 as part of the Grand Paris Express project. It was our first time taking Line 14 all the way to Orly, and it was, by far, our favorite airport transport experience so far.

© Cyril BADET - Île-de-France Mobilités

Line 14 now runs on a clean north to south diagonal through Paris, from Saint‑Denis–Pleyel in the north down to Aéroport d’Orly in the south. The trip from Orly to central Paris (Châtelet) takes about 25 minutes, with trains every 2 to 5 minutes depending on the time of day. In other words, once you are on the platform, you are essentially never “waiting for the next train.”

For this trip, every part of our journey was empty. The Line 14 train. The station at Orly. The airport itself. Everything felt easy and spacious. I am sure it is not always like that around school holidays or big events, but Orly really is smaller and less intense than CDG. Orly handles on the order of 30 million passengers a year, compared with roughly 70 million at Charles de Gaulle. Smaller airport, fewer people, shorter lines. Statistically and emotionally, it is simply easier to manage.

The Tiny Lion was excited to fly again.

The money side is straightforward. The line 14 to Orly is a special airport fare, but in practice, it is still much cheaper than taking a taxi from central Paris to CDG or back, especially if you are one, two, or three people. Once you are up to around five or six people, a single taxi or van becomes comparable on a per‑person basis, but below that, the metro wins very clearly on cost.

After this last trip, I am starting to prefer the metro to Orly over the taxi to CDG, whenever the flight options make sense. If you are planning a visit and you see similar itineraries into both airports, consider flying into Orly and taking the metro into the center of Paris.

VISITING PARIS
A Quiet Moment At Square Louvois

If you ride Line 14 into the center of Paris and hop off at Pyramides, you are a few minutes’ walk from one of the more overlooked little pockets of calm in Paris: Square Louvois.

Most people never see it. They head straight to the Louvre, Opéra, or the big boulevards and never drift onto Rue de Richelieu, which is a shame. Square Louvois sits right in front of the old Bibliothèque Nationale site, and it feels like a miniature stage for everything Paris does best: water, stone, and a slightly bookish quiet.

At the center is a large fountain with four seated female figures representing four rivers of France. It sounds classical and grand, and in a way it is, but in person it feels very human in scale. A few trees, some benches, a bit of gravel, the sound of water, and people cutting through with tote bags and books.

It is one of those squares that is perfect for twenty minutes and probably not for much more than that. You stop. You sit. You watch the light work its way around the facades, listen to the water for a moment, and then you move on. You can almost feel the history of the old library behind you, the ghost of all those pages that once lived there, and the fact that Paris thought to give them a small garden.

If you are staying anywhere near the 1st or 2nd arrondissement, or if you find yourself emerging from Pyramides or Palais Royal, it is worth a short detour. Grab a coffee, walk a few minutes north along Rue de Richelieu, and let Square Louvois reset your senses before you go back into the busier parts of the city.

It is not a “must see.” It is something better. It is a place where you can remember that Paris is also made of small, quiet pauses between the big monuments.

FRENCH SONG OF THE WEEK
Louis, Matthieu, Joseph & Anna Chedid - On ne dit jamais assez aux gens qu'on aime qu'on les aime

This is a rare and beautiful moment of French musical royalty. The legendary Chedid family, including pop icon -M-, performs a live acoustic version of a song whose title says it all: "We never tell enough to the people we love that we love them."

It is a warm and multi-generational folk-pop embrace that feels less like a polished studio track and more like sitting in on the most talented family dinner party.

Linking You to Paris

➡️ 33 best restaurants in Paris to try in 2026: House & Garden rounds up 33 of the best restaurants in Paris for 2026, spanning classic bistros, Michelin-starred spots, and trendy new openings across neighborhoods.

➡️ The Giants of Parisian Street Art: UP Magazine profiles foundational figures in Parisian street art, highlighting how artists like Blek le Rat, Invader, Miss Tic, Jef Aérosol, JR, and Levalet helped shape a thriving open-air museum.

➡️ The most romantic restaurants in Paris to visit this Valentine's day: House & Garden shares its editors’ picks for the most romantic restaurants in Paris for Valentine’s Day, with atmosphere-forward suggestions ranging from classic bistros to candlelit dining rooms.

➡️ A Guide to Belleville, Paris’s Bohemian Enclave: Frenchly offers a guide to Belleville’s bohemian, immigrant-rich hilltop neighborhood, covering its radical history and today’s street art, parks and views, Chinatown food scene, and local spots to eat.

VISITING PARIS
If You Only Have Three Hours in Paris

I often meet travelers who only have a few hours in Paris, whether it is a long layover or a quick day trip. Their first instinct is usually to try to see it all by hopping in and out of taxis. My advice is always the same: There’s a better way! This is also true if you have never been to Paris before and want to understand how the city is laid out.

If you have three hours, the best thing you can do is walk the spine of the city. I call this the Paris Welcome Walk. When you are in a car, you are isolated from the city by glass and speed. You see Paris as a series of disconnected images.

But when you walk, you are part of the surroundings. You feel the change in temperature as you cross the water and feel the shift in the city's energy from one neighborhood to the next. It is the most natural way to get your bearings.

©2024 James Christopher Knight

The Route:
Start near the historic islands where Paris was born over 2,000 years ago. From there, follow the river as it flows west toward the Eiffel Tower. This path follows the historical growth of Paris, moving from its ancient heart toward its modern icons.

You will cross bridges, explore the islands, and move between both banks. Along the way, you will see Notre Dame, the oldest bridge in Paris, the Louvre, the Musée d'Orsay, the Tuileries Garden, the Eiffel Tower, and so much more.

This walk lets you witness the layers of history that live right alongside daily life. You see the grand monuments, but you also see the locals sitting on the stone quays and the movement of the river traffic. It is the most honest way to see the big sites while still feeling the soul of the city.

Want the full stories behind this walk?

I have distilled everything I know from leading hundreds of tours along this exact route into a digital guide. It includes an interactive map, my favorite café stops, and the hidden history most people walk right past.

PHOTOGRAPHING PARIS
The Paris You Don’t Photograph

©2025 James Christopher Knight

Paris is the most photographed city in the world, and for good reason. The grand monuments and the sweeping views along the Seine are spectacular. But as a photographer, I have found that the images that stay with me the longest are often the ones I didn't expect to find.

They are the small, quiet details that you only see when you stop hunting for the "perfect" shot and simply enjoy being where you are.

It is the way the morning light catches the steam rising from a coffee cup on an old zinc bar. It is the specific shade of blue on a weathered door discovered down a side street, or the way a bookseller carefully arranges their vintage prints along the river wall.

These aren't the "big" moments we see on postcards, but they are the ones that make the city feel alive and personal.

©2025 James Christopher Knight

I have learned that the best part of carrying a camera in Paris is that it forces me to slow down. It gives me a reason to stay in one place a little longer and watch the world move.

When I stop chasing the famous angles, I start noticing the character of the city. It’s found in the way a neighborhood wakes up, in the patterns of shadows on the pavement, and in the small rituals that happen every day.

There is a real joy in discovering these "in-between" moments. They are the textures that fill in the gaps between the landmarks and make your experience of Paris unique to you. This week, I hope you find a few of those quiet, beautiful details that belong only to your day, wherever you are.

©2025 James Christopher Knight

FRENCH SONG OF THE WEEK
Stacey Kent - Les eaux de mars

Stacey Kent has a way of singing that feels incredibly intimate and light. I love the delicacy of her voice and the rhythmic, almost hypnotic way she delivers this song.

"Les Eaux de Mars" is essentially a poem made of small details: a stone, a glass, a light, a step. It celebrates the tiny fragments that make up a day. It is the perfect companion for anyone looking to notice the "unphotographable" details of Paris.

OUR WEEK IN PARIS
The Tuileries Walkabout & Museum Visit

©2026 James Christopher Knight

The Jeu de Paume remains one of my favorite "smaller" museums in Paris. It is manageable, focused, and sits in one of the most beautiful corners of the city. I actually tried to book a ticket for the Martin Parr show earlier in the week, but it was completely sold out online. While it can be a bit of a hurdle to coordinate, I really appreciate that art exhibitions like this still draw such massive, enthusiastic crowds. It shows how much people still value these shared cultural moments.

When I finally made it inside, I found the exhibition to be an excellent celebration of Parr’s life and work. It is a comprehensive look at a photographer who saw the world exactly as it is, without the filters we usually try to apply to it.

©2026 James Christopher Knight

After leaving the museum, I took advantage of the one truly sunny day we had this week. It was a wonderful treat. Wandering through the Tuileries in the winter is a completely different experience from navigating it in July. Without the summer crowds, the garden feels expansive and open, maybe even meditative.

I spent a good portion of the afternoon just wandering the paths and watching the light hit the statues. It was the perfect day to practice exactly what the Parr show suggests: being an observer rather than a consumer.

The Parr exhibition is at the Jeu de Paume through early May. If you are in town and want a break from the overwhelming scale of the Louvre, I highly recommend booking a ticket in advance. It is a brilliant, biting, and ultimately very human reflection of how we live now.

Nice viewpoint from the stairs that lead to the Tuileries Garden and Jue de Paume ©2026 James Christopher Knight

Linking You to Paris

➡️ 49 Paris Hotels as Gorgeous as the City Itself: Condé Nast Traveler rounds up 49 standout Paris hotels across styles, neighborhoods, and budgets, with quick notes on what each property is best for so you can match the stay to your trip.

➡️ Would you like to try the best restaurants in Paris?: Paris Secret offers a curated guide to the best restaurants, bars, and food trends in Paris for anyone looking for quick dining recommendations across the city.

➡️ 10 fascinating French museums — that are nowhere near Paris: The Times rounds up 10 fascinating museums across France that are nowhere near Paris, from major WWII memorials to châteaux and art collections worth a detour.

➡️ 10 Things You Didn’t Know about Paris: Bonjour Paris shares 10 surprising Paris facts and curiosities, from quirky museums and steampunk metro stations to rooftop beehives, hidden vineyards, and even a visitable sewer museum.

VISITING PARIS
Stop Collecting Paris

Photo by Martin Parr

I spent Wednesday morning at the Jeu de Paume museum in the Tuileries. The occasion was the Martin Parr exhibition, Global Warning. If you are not familiar with Parr, he is a British photographer who has spent fifty years documenting the absurdities of modern life with high-saturation flash and a very dry sense of humor.

Walking through the galleries was a refreshing, if slightly uncomfortable, reflection of my own complicated relationship with Paris tourism.

Parr does not photograph the "postcard" version of a city. He photographs the people standing in front of the postcard version. He captures the exhaustion of the queue, the aggressive consumption of the souvenir shop, and the strange, modern ritual of experiencing a monument primarily through a five-inch screen.

©2026 James Christopher Knight

The exhibition text notes that Parr was an "amused observer" who acknowledged that he belonged fully to the world he documented. He was not standing on a pedestal looking down at the tourists. He was right there in the crowd, acknowledging his own role in the machine.

I felt that deeply. As someone who makes a living showing people this city, I am constantly navigating the line between helping people see Paris and helping them experience it.

The irony inside the gallery was a quiet study in human behavior. I noticed a real mix of approaches: some people were completely still, taking in each image, while others moved quickly from frame to frame with their smartphone cameras out. There were even a few visitors wandering through the rooms with their faces in their phones, seemingly somewhere else entirely.

It was a gentle reminder of the exact behaviors Parr captured with his lens. It is a fascinating thing to witness how easily we can be physically present in a place while our attention is focused somewhere else.

©2026 James Christopher Knight

Parr once said, "I’m creating entertainment, which has a serious message if you want to read into it... I’m just showing them what they think they may know already."

What we often find is that the way we travel has become a frantic collection of trophies. We treat the city as a backdrop for a digital proof of purchase. We rush from one landmark to the next, checking boxes until we are too tired to actually feel the place we came to see.

It brings up a question I often ask on my Montmartre tours: What happens to a city or a neighborhood when it becomes famous for being authentic?

The exhibition calls Parr's work a form of "visual guerrilla warfare" against the glossy, smoothed-over images sold by the tourism industry. It suggests that in the rush for authenticity, it is easy to accidentally destroy the very thing we are looking for by turning it into a commodity.

©2026 James Christopher Knight

So, what can be learned from Martin Parr about visiting Paris?

First, there is a lot of value in being amused by ourselves. There is no point in being a travel snob who looks down on people taking selfies. We are all part of the same ecosystem. But we can choose to be more conscious of the "why."

Second, there is a shift that happens when we move from consuming to looking. Consuming is a surface relationship, a trophy spouse of an experience that requires no integration or intimacy. Looking is about experiencing a place, noticing how we feel, and how it quietly changes us. It requires a certain amount of unproductive time.

I put my phone away at the exhibition, except for a few photos I took specifically to share here. Afterward, I walked out into the Tuileries Garden. It is winter, so the usual swarms of tourists were absent. It was quiet.

©2026 James Christopher Knight

I sat on one of those iconic green chairs for a long time and just listened. I noticed the way the gravel sounds when people walk over it. I watched the way the winter light hits the statues and reflects off the ponds.

I considered that Paris does not reward the person who sees the most things. It rewards the person who notices the most details.

Paris is a living city, not a souvenir. It becomes much more interesting when the goal is no longer to collect it, but to simply let the city happen.

©2026 James Christopher Knight

FRENCH SONG OF THE WEEK
Naomi Greene - T'es Beau

Naomi Greene is a Franco-American artist who brings a haunting, ethereal quality to the harp, an instrument we usually associate with the classical and the precious. In T'es Beau, she strips that away, blending her voice with a raw, indie-rock sensibility. It is a beautiful, moody track that feels like the perfect companion for a gray winter afternoon in Paris.

PARIS QUICK TIPS
Build a Routine

Next time you are in Paris, try to visit the same place twice… and more. In a city that can feel anonymous, the transition from being a stranger to a regular happens the moment you recognize the people who work there (and they recognize you).

Whether it's a boulangerie, a café, or a fromagerie, it is the quickest way to feel like you belong to the neighborhood.

Linking You to Paris

➡️ 7 Parisian Airbnbs With Stunning Views of the Eiffel Tower: Condé Nast Traveler rounds up seven Paris Airbnbs (picked for things like Superhost status, ratings, and location) that deliver the movie-moment of a genuinely stunning Eiffel Tower view.

➡️ 9 Spots for the Best Crêpes in Paris: HiP Paris explains the tradition of La Chandeleur (Candlemas) and rounds up nine favorite Paris spots for crêpes and galettes, from Breizh Café to neighborhood standbys like Au P’tit Grec and Mon Ami.

➡️ The 27 Best Bars in Paris: Condé Nast Traveler maps out 27 of Paris’s essential bars, spanning everything from natural wine hangouts and listening bars to queer saloons, speakeasies, and opulent hotel cocktail rooms.

➡️ The best places to stay in Paris: Condé Nast Traveller breaks down where to stay in Paris by vibe, offering a neighborhood guide from classics like Le Marais, Saint-Germain, and the Latin Quarter to locals’ picks like Pigalle and Canal Saint-Martin.

VISITING PARIS
The Vertical Village: A Walk Up Rue des Martyrs

Near the top of Rue des Martyrs looking south.

There is a specific kind of magic in Paris that only happens on a slope.

While the grand boulevards are designed for spectacle, the climbing streets are designed for life. And if you want to see the heart of Parisian art de vivre in a single stretch of pavement, you go to Rue des Martyrs.

Stretching from the church of Notre-Dame-de-Lorette in the 9th up toward the heights of Montmartre, this street is more than just a thoroughfare; it is a vertical village. It is one of the few places left where the traditional commerce de bouche (specialty food shops) hasn't just survived, it has thrived.

Along the lower portion of the street, you'll find a plethora of fresh produce markets and flower stalls that give the whole neighborhood a village market feel. It's the kind of place where you can spend an hour just browsing and filling a basket.

The Path of the Martyr

The street gets its name from a grim bit of history. Legend has it that Saint Denis, the first Bishop of Paris, was decapitated by the Romans on the hill of Montmartre around 250 AD. As the story goes, he picked up his head and walked north, washing it in a fountain along this very path.

Today, the "martyrs" are people like me trying to resist the temptation of the windows. As you walk up, you are flanked by some of the best patisseries, fromageries, and boulangeries in the city. It is a street that demands you shop with your nose.

The Transition: From Gourmet to Gritty

What makes the walk special is the shift in energy. The bottom of the street in the 9th is polished, the kind of place where you'll find Ernest & Valentin, a personal favorite of mine for a reliable, high-quality baguette or pastry.

As you cross the intersection of Boulevard de Clichy, you're on the doorstep of Pigalle's neon history, where the old-school cabaret spirit meets the new-school cocktail bars. But keep climbing. Near the top, you'll find Pain Pain, another spot I love for its bread (obviously), its quiche, and its sandwiches.

KB Coffee Roasters

The Reward: KB Coffee and the "Hidden" View

At the very top of the street, where it meets Avenue Trudaine, sits KB Coffee Roasters.

In a city where "to-go" coffee was once a myth, KB was a pioneer of the craft coffee movement in Paris. But the real reason to linger here isn't just the flat white. It's the terrace. If you stand in the right spot on the corner, you get one of the most beautiful, unpretentious views in the city: the white domes of Sacré-Cœur peeking out perfectly between the Haussmannian buildings.

Where the Walk Ends (and the Tour Begins)

The street eventually spills out near Abbesses, which is exactly where I start my Montmartre tours. It's a wonderful area to lose yourself in for an hour. You have the famous "Wall of Love" (Le Mur des Je t'aime), the iconic Art Nouveau metro entrance designed by Hector Guimard, and the Saint-Jean-de-Montmartre church, a stunning example of early 20th-century brick and ceramic architecture.

My "Martyrs" Favorites

I generally resent the idea of "The Best in Paris" because taste is so deeply personal. Instead, these are simply my personal favorites, the places I actually go when I'm in the neighborhood:

• For the Daily Bread: Ernest & Valentin. It's my go-to for a classic Parisian start to the day.

• For the Picnic: Fromagerie Quatrehomme. Our friend, the Mystery Parisian, introduced me to this place years ago. It's one of the most respected cheese shops in France, and once you step inside, you'll understand why he's so passionate about it.

• For the Sweet Tooth: Sébastien Gaudard (at the bottom) for something refined, or Pain Pain (near the top) for something a bit more modern and fun.

• For Coffee and Views: KB Coffee Roasters. Grab a seat outside, put your phone away, and watch the families with their kids ride the carousel. Our little Lion has experienced this one many times.

Fromagerie Quatrehomme

Quick question (hit reply)

Have you ever spent a morning just wandering up a single street without a map? If so, which one felt like a "village" to you?

I'd love to hear your favorite Parisian streets. Hit reply and let me know.

FRENCH SONG OF THE WEEK
YAEL NAIM - "PARIS" (live)

Yael Naim is a French-Israeli singer-songwriter whose intimate, whispery voice carries a kind of quiet wonder.

I especially love the delicacy of her voice and the way she delivers this live version of "Paris." It is a quiet, observational track that captures the city in a way that feels very grounded.

VISITING PARIS
A Quick Note from Last Week

Last week, I shared an infographic from our Paris Neighborhood Guide that helps you narrow down where to stay based on how you want Paris to feel: central and classic, lively and late-night, calm and residential, or somewhere in between.

Unfortunately, the download link didn’t work for most of you. My apologies. 😳

I’ve fixed it, and it’s available again below with the correct link. If you missed it the first time, grab it now. It’s a quick, intuitive way to understand the personality, price range, and energy of different Paris neighborhoods at a glance.

You can download this infographic by clicking here.

Linking You to Paris

➡️ 40 best things to do in Paris right now: Condé Nast Traveller rounds up 40 Paris activities with practical crowd-dodging tips like riding Métro line 6 for Eiffel Tower views and timing museum visits for late-night openings.

➡️ Healthy French Recipes To Keep Winter Habits Going: HiP Paris frames post-holiday eating as a French return to balance and shares winter recipes that stay comforting but lighter, from a clean-out-the-fridge soup to a lightened coq au vin.

➡️ Where to Stay in Paris, According to Emily in Paris: AOL rounds up real Emily in Paris filming-location hotels, all palace-designated, and flags details like Lutetia as the only Left Bank palace and Plaza Athénée’s winter ice rink.

➡️ Top Paris Concerts: 2026: Paris Discovery Guide publishes a month-by-month Paris concert calendar for 2026 with ticket links and a mix of venues, from candlelit church classics to opera, arenas, and seasonal holiday concerts.

VISITING PARIS
9 Ways to Enhance Your Paris Visit

I have walked thousands of people through this city. Over time, I have noticed something consistent: the people who fall deepest in love with Paris are not necessarily the ones with the most ambitious itineraries. They are the ones who give themselves permission to experience the city on their own terms.

The goal of a Paris visit is not to see everything. It is to see something so clearly that it changes how you think about beauty, about history, or about yourself. When you give yourself permission to experience Paris this way, the city stops being a checklist and becomes a conversation.

Here are 9 ways to deepen your time in Paris. Some are about what you do. Others are about what you choose to let go of. All of them will change how you experience this city.

1) Build space into your days
Leave 30 to 40 percent of your day unplanned. The best moments in Paris happen in the margins, in the quiet stretches between destinations. A wandering afternoon often teaches you more than a packed itinerary.

2) Eat breakfast slowly
Find a café where the light is good and sit for 20 minutes with a croissant and coffee. Do not rush to the next thing. This is not wasted time. This is Paris.

3) Walk without a destination
Pick a neighborhood and get lost in it. Turn down streets that look interesting. Notice the details: a courtyard, a shop window, the way light falls on stone. This is how you actually see a city.

4) Put your phone down for stretches
Your camera will never capture what your eyes see. Take some photos, but give yourself permission to experience moments without documenting them. The best Paris memories are the ones you felt, not the ones you posted.

5) Don't chase the Instagram-famous spots
Skip the places with the long queues and the heaps of fake flowers. Do not fall for the marketing. Paris has great food and great views almost everywhere. The best café is the one where you actually want to sit, not the one with the most likes.

6) Sit alone somewhere for 20 minutes
A café, a bench, a church, a bridge. Watch people. Think about nothing. Let the city settle into you. This is when Paris actually gets inside you.

7) Explore neighborhoods where tourists don't go
The 9th, 10th, or 11th arrondissements, for example, are easily accessible from the city center. These are not "less Paris." They are where Parisians actually live. You will see a different city, and it is often better than what you expected.

8) Give yourself permission to skip things
You will not see everything. You might not go to the Louvre. You might not climb the tower. That is okay. Paris is not a museum you need to finish. It is a city you need to feel.

9) Put your phone down at a café and notice the details around you
Watch how the server moves. Listen to the rhythm of conversation. Notice the light on the table and the way people sit. This is where Paris reveals itself as poetry. This is where the insight (inner sight) happens. Not in the monuments, but in the small theater of everyday life.

Paris is a city that rewards attention more than it rewards effort. When you stop trying to "conquer" the map, the city starts to open up to you in ways a guidebook can never describe.

What is one way you have deepened your experience of Paris? Or is there a "rule" you finally gave yourself permission to break? Hit reply and tell me. I read every response.

FRENCH SONG OF THE WEEK
Pomme - On brûlera

"On brûlera" is minimal and beautiful, built on restraint rather than spectacle. It's a song about burning, about intensity, but it whispers instead of shouting. Perfect for a café morning playlist!

VISITING PARIS
Which Paris is Yours?

Since we’ve been spending our week diving deep into the archives and the "eyes" of the great photographers, I wanted to share something practical to help you see the city through your own lens.

Choosing where to plant your flag in Paris changes your entire experience. The morning light in the 7th feels different than the midnight energy in the 11th. To help you navigate this, I’ve pulled this infographic from our 77-page Paris Neighborhood Guide.

Whether you are looking for the "postcard" feel of the center or the quiet, Haussmannian elegance of the west, this is your quick-start map.

You can download this infographic by clicking here.

A Quick Favor: Help Me Shape the Letter

As The Paris Love Letter grows, I want to make sure I’m sending you exactly what you need, whether that’s deep historical dives, practical "on-the-ground" tips, or the best hidden wine bars in the 10th.

I’ve put together a very short survey to get to know your interests better. If you have 60 seconds, I’d love to hear from you.

Linking You to Paris

➡️ The cheapest nicest hotels in Paris: Condé Nast Traveller rounds up genuinely stylish Paris hotels that can come in under £200 a night, with quick, vibe-forward notes on what each place is like and where it sits in the city.

➡️ 10 eagerly awaited exhibitions worth travelling to Paris for in 2026: EnVols rounds up the most anticipated Paris museum exhibitions (with dates and venues). It’s a quick way to see what’s worth planning a trip (or a rainy afternoon) around.

➡️ Where to Stay in Paris in the Spring: Paris Discovery Guide breaks down four great neighborhoods for a spring trip (Marais, Gros Caillou/7th, 1st near the royal gardens, and Saint-Germain) and explains what each area is best for.

➡️ 12 of the best museums in Paris: Lonely Planet’s guide spotlights 12 of Paris’s best museums with quick “best for” notes and practical visiting details so you can choose what actually fits your trip.

➡️ Jodie Foster: An American Oscar-Winner in Paris: The New York Times profiles Jodie Foster as she steps into a Paris-set French-language role in A Private Life, digging into why director Rebecca Zlotowski wanted her and Foster’s unusual connection to French and to Paris.

PARIS PHOTOGRAPHY
Paris, Photographed into a Myth (1850 to Now)

Paris has been photographed so relentlessly that it is easy to forget the images did not only record the city. They helped invent it. Before Paris became a destination, it became a feeling. Photographers had a lot to do with that.

Here are seven names, roughly one per era, who shaped how the world imagines Paris.

1) Charles Marville

Marville was commissioned to photograph a Paris that was actively being remade. Streets widened, neighborhoods cut open, old stone cleared out to make room for a new order. His work sits right at the moment when the city begins to transform into the Paris we recognize today.

There is a quiet gravity to these images. Paris looks clean, wet, and strangely still, like a stage between acts.

Charles Marville

2) Eugène Atget

Atget called his photographs “documents for artists,” but what he really made was a portrait of ordinary Paris before ordinary Paris vanished. Shop windows, courtyards, staircases, workers, and corners that would never make a postcard.

His genius is how reverent the everyday becomes in his frames. Paris looks less like a spectacle and more like a lived-in world with a pulse.

Eugène Atget

3) Ilse Bing

Ilse Bing brings Paris into the modern age without draining it of poetry. Her work has energy, strong geometry, and a kind of bright intelligence. The city becomes sharper, faster, and more electric.

If Marville gives us Paris as a historical turning point, and Atget gives us Paris as an archive, Bing gives us Paris as modern life, elegant and restless.

Ilse Bing

4) Henri Cartier-Bresson

Cartier-Bresson is the name that always comes up because he earned it. He photographed Paris as timing, as geometry, as a quick human truth that appears and disappears.

His Paris feels intelligent. Not because it is intellectual in a museum sense, but because it suggests there is an order hiding inside the city’s chaos, and occasionally it reveals itself.

Henri Cartier-Bresson

5) Robert Doisneau

Doisneau is one of the great architects of Parisian tenderness. Children, workers, lovers, the small theater of everyday life. He photographed people with warmth, humor, and a lightness that never feels shallow.

His Paris is less about grandeur and more about humanity. The romance lives in the ordinary, which is the only place romance ever really survives.

Robert Doisneau

6) Elliott Erwitt

Erwitt’s Paris has a sense of humor, which is a form of intimacy. His photographs are simple and perfectly timed, capturing the city with a wink that makes you feel like you’re in on the joke.

If Paris can sometimes take itself too seriously, Erwitt punctures the myth just enough to make it lovable again.

Elliott Erwitt

7) Sarah Moon

Sarah Moon photographs Paris as memory. Not the city as it is, but the city as it stays with you. Soft focus, atmosphere, time, that dreamlike feeling you get when you try to describe Paris to someone who has never been here.

Ending with Moon lets the whole arc land where most Paris love affairs eventually land. Not in a checklist. In a mood.

Sarah Moon

If you have a favorite Paris photograph, hit reply and send it to me. I want to see the version of the city you fell for.

FRENCH SONG OF THE WEEK
Charles Trenet - Les oiseaux de Paris

To tie in with this week’s vintage theme, I’ve chosen a classic that feels like it was pulled straight from a black and white film.

"Les Oiseaux de Paris" is a buoyant, archival piece of Paris history. I love this specific version because the vintage footage captures that 1930s energy. It’s the perfect musical companion to the photographers we explored today.

This Week In Paris

Bonjour, Friends!

Last weekend, we made our way over to Place de la République, where the city sets up a collection of games and activities for families. What struck me most wasn't just that these games exist (vintage wooden toys, oversized chess sets, old-school ring toss) but that people actually showed up despite the cold.

Playing in République and dinner at Bouillon République

Families bundled in scarves and wool coats, kids with red cheeks, parents laughing as they tried to master some forgotten game from their own childhood. It's one of those small civic gestures that gets at something essential about this place: public space used for public joy, no admission fee, no app to download, just show up and play.

After working up an appetite in the square, we ducked into Bouillon République for dinner. If you're not familiar with bouillons, they're Paris's answer to affordable dining. Belle époque-style brasseries serving hearty, no-frills French classics at prices that won't make you wince.

The food isn't going to change your life, but it's decent, filling, and exactly what you want after an hour in the cold. More importantly, the low price tag gives you permission to be adventurous. Always wondered what tête de veau tastes like? Here's your chance. Curious about andouillette? Go for it. You're not risking much. The real trick is arriving early enough to skip the inevitable queue. Do that, and you've got yourself a proper Parisian experience without the tourist markup.

The Paris Bouillon Map

I put together a map of the best Paris bouillons. It covers the historic icons and the quiet neighborhood spots where you can still get a classic meal for a few Euros. Keep it on your phone for the next time you want to eat well without the pretense.

Paris snow along Canal Saint Martin

Then this week, winter finally showed up. Paris got a rare blanket of snow, the kind that transforms the city into something quieter and softer. I grabbed my camera and headed down to Canal Saint-Martin, where the snow clung to the iron footbridges and dusted the bare plane trees lining the water.

Impromptu bonhommes de neige (snowmen) started popping up everywhere, from tiny lopsided ones to ambitious multi-tiered giants. The snowball fights were spectacular. Everyone seemed to remember that winter can be beautiful when you stop resisting it.

Linking You to Paris

➡️ January 2026 Restaurant Buzz: Where to Eat in Paris: Bonjour Paris rounds up January 2026 Paris dining news with a Dry January focus at Le Meurice plus fresh restaurant picks and openings including La Crèmerie, Les Coltineurs, MOB Hotel, and Cassaro’s.

➡️ The most inspiring art exhibitions in Paris for January 2026: Condé Nast Traveller rounds up the most inspiring Paris exhibitions to catch in January 2026, mixing last-chance blockbuster shows with evergreen museum essentials and a few sharp contemporary highlights.

➡️ Must-do activities in Paris this weekend: Paris Secret serves up a sprawling weekend hit list for January 10 to 11, 2026, mixing Paris activities and a few nearby excursions from immersive exhibits and light festivals to food ideas, VR experiences, and classic institutions.

➡️ 14 Charming Small Towns in France for Beautiful Beaches, Scenic Vineyards, and Medieval Castles: Travel + Leisure highlights 14 charming small towns across France as alternatives to Paris crowds, spanning coastal escapes, Alsace wine villages, Alpine hubs, and medieval walled towns with practical notes on what makes each worth the detour.

PARIS CAFE CULTURE
The Day Paris Became a Ski Resort: The Great Snow of 1946

Paris is a city that rarely sees a true winter blanket. Most years, we get a light dusting that vanishes before the morning coffee is finished. I recently found myself wondering about the history of snowfall here and decided to look into the archives to see if the city had ever truly been buried. My research led me back to a single date that still stands as a legend in Parisian history.

On March 3, 1946, the city woke up to a record-breaking snowfall. While accounts vary slightly between thirty and forty centimeters, most historical records from the Parc Montsouris station cite the higher end of that range. To put that in perspective, that is about sixteen inches of heavy powder covering the boulevards and monuments. This was just after the war, and the images from that day are incredible. The city was so quiet that the usual roar of traffic was replaced by the sound of skis on fresh powder.

The most iconic scenes took place on the city's natural slopes. People were actually skiing down the steep stairs of Montmartre and even using the gardens of the Trocadéro as a makeshift downhill run with the Eiffel Tower as a backdrop. It was a moment of pure, post-war joy where the city came to a complete standstill. Because there were no snowplows or salt trucks prepared for such a massive event, the army had to be called in to help clear the streets.

Today, even five centimeters of snow can bring the metro to a halt and send the city into a minor panic. Looking back at 1946 shows that the city's relationship with the cold remains one of surprise and wonder. It is fascinating to see how, beneath the grit and the daily rush, Paris still knows how to turn into a quiet, white wonderland when nature decides to show off.

FRENCH SONG OF THE WEEK
Chantal Goya chante - Les boules de neige

If you need a soundtrack for the impromptu bonhommes de neige popping up across the city, look no further than Chantal Goya and her 1970s winter classic.

The song is a playful piece of vintage French kitsch about the simple joy of a snowball fight and the fleeting magic of a world turned white. It captures the sweetness of a snow-covered Paris without taking itself too seriously.

This Week In Paris

Bonjour, Friends,

I hope you had a great holiday with friends and family and that you’re enjoying these last quiet days before “real life” starts again. From Paris, we’re sending you good wishes for a calm end to the break and a very happy 2026!

TL: Chez Marianne | TR: Carette | Bottom: Montmartre

We took visiting friends to Place des Vosges, which is still one of my favorite squares in Paris. We stopped into Carette for hot chocolate, which is less a drink and more a lifestyle choice. It arrives thick, rich, and with a ridiculously high heap of chantilly on the side. Expensive, yes. Regrets, zero. Well, zero regrets except for the massive sugar high my son had immediately afterward. 😳

Abbesses Christmas Market

We also wandered around Montmartre, where the Christmas market is still hanging on at Abbesses. The cold air, lights, and vin chaud are a combination I never think about for eleven months of the year and then suddenly treat like an essential food group in December.

One afternoon, we ended up at Chez Marianne on rue des Rosiers, one of my favorite Mediterranean spots for falafel. Warm pita, generous plates, and that slightly chaotic Marais energy that makes you feel like everyone had the same idea at the same time.

Facing rue des Rosiers (4th Arr) with Chez Marianne on the left.

So, that was this week in Paris: hot chocolate, mulled wine, falafel, friends, and a lot of gratitude. Not a bad way to walk into 2026.

Linking You to Paris

➡️ BBC Travel – A local’s guide to visiting Paris: Written by a long‑time New Yorker turned Parisian, this guide gets into how the city really works now: which museums and parks are worth your time, how Parisians actually eat and drink, and why bikes, terraces, and natural wine bars have quietly reshaped daily life here.

➡️ Saveur – The History of Paris Restaurants: A fascinating look at how Paris went from revolutionary dining rooms to Belle Époque brasseries and today’s neo‑bistros, and what that history means for the way we eat in the city now.

➡️ HiP Paris – What to do in Paris This January: A very practical round‑up of January in Paris: what the weather is like, what to pack, and a long list of exhibitions, light shows, fashion events, and winter activities. Great if you’re daydreaming about a winter trip or already have tickets booked.

➡️ Travel + Leisure – Ducasse Baccarat Named Most Beautiful Restaurant: A look at Alain Ducasse’s new restaurant in the Maison Baccarat townhouse, recently named the world’s most beautiful. Think historic Paris mansion, crystal everywhere, and very dressed‑up French cuisine.

PARIS CAFE CULTURE
The Secret History of the Parisian Bistro

Most people sit down at a Parisian bistro and think of Hemingway, red banquettes, and romance. But the bistro’s real story is a lot grittier than the postcards. It wasn’t invented by chefs or food critics. It was built by coal.

In the 19th century, waves of men from the Auvergne region in central France arrived in Paris. They were called Bougnats. They took the jobs nobody else wanted: hauling and selling coal and wood so the city could stay warm through cold winters.

To make a little extra money, many of these Bougnats started selling wine and coffee out of the front of their coal shops. You’d come in to buy fuel for your stove, and on the way out, you’d have a glass of red at the counter or a quick, rough coffee before heading back to work.

That counter, by the way, is why so many old-school places still have that iconic zinc bar. Zinc was cheap, easy to clean, and tough enough to survive coal dust, wine spills, and cigarette burns. These places were part workshop, part living room, part neighborhood rumor mill.

Paris’ 9th Arr (75009), 1880

Over time, the coal sacks disappeared, but the signs didn’t. If you look up as you wander through Paris, you’ll still sometimes see the faded words “Vins et Charbons” painted above a corner café – “wine and coal.” That’s the bistro’s original job description.

The food came later: simple, sturdy dishes for workers who needed calories, not tasting menus. A plate of sausage and lentils. Steak frites. A carafe of wine that didn’t need its own Instagram account. The point wasn’t to impress. The point was to feed people and keep them company.

That, to me, is the soul of the Parisian bistro: A place born out of cold apartments, dirty hands, and the very practical need for warmth, fuel, and a drink.

So the next time you’re in Paris and you lean against a worn zinc counter with a coffee or a glass of house wine, you’re not just in “a cute little bistro.” You’re standing in the descendant of a coal shop run by an Auvergnat who decided to sell a little warmth in a glass along with the warmth in your stove.

On my walks through the Paris streets, I love pointing out those ghostly old façades where “Charbons” is still barely visible above a café door. They’re tiny reminders that this city wasn’t built by romance. It was built by people who were cold, tired, ambitious, and in serious need of a drink.

FRENCH SONG OF THE WEEK
Vanessa Paradis, -M- - La Seine

A jazzy, festive duet from the film Un monstre à Paris, this one imagines the Seine as a playful, mercurial character, sometimes calm, sometimes wild, always at the heart of the city. It’s light, swingy, and feels just right for ushering in a new year in Paris.

This Week in Outside Paris

Bonjour, Friends!

We spent the Christmas holiday away from the city this year, trading the Haussmann rooftops for the rolling hills of Burgundy. Our bedroom window looked out over frosted fields and quiet stone houses, a view that felt worlds away from the usual morning rush of Paris.

We spent our afternoons wandering through local villages where the only sound was our own footsteps. In one square, we found a clever little outdoor library built into an old wooden spool. The French love for a good book follows you everywhere, apparently.

©2025 James Christopher Knight

The highlight of our holiday, for our little lion, was definitely Christmas Day at the lake. He got to experience his first real snowball fight (although Laura didn’t put up much of a fight), and he had a much better arm than we expected. Even the dog seemed to appreciate the change of scenery, exploring the long wooden bridges and the dusting of snow on the grass.

©2025 James Christopher Knight

This is a shorter issue than usual while we finish up our time with family, but we will be back to our normal routine next week.

As we look toward the end of the year, I keep thinking about this famous Jack Kerouac quote, though I like to tweak the ending a bit: “Because in the end, you won’t remember the time you spent working in the office or mowing your lawn. Plan that trip to Paris!”

Here’s his original text:

We hope you have a wonderful New Year's Eve. Our wish for all of you in 2026 is that you get to visit Pars. We look forward to seeing you on the streets here soon!

Linking You to Paris

➡️ 33 Winter Travel Deals to Scoop Up Before December Ends: Condé Nast Traveler rounds up 33 winter travel deals across flights, trains, tours, hotels, and cruises, with discounts on everything from Air France fares to Europe to Amtrak's national park packages.

➡️ The French Culture Paradox: Why Opposites Create Perfect Harmony: Aller France explores how French culture thrives on contradictions, from collective pessimism paired with personal happiness to revolutionary spirit coexisting with a desire for strong leadership, arguing these paradoxes create the nation's distinctive harmony.

➡️ It’s unrealistic, ludicrous and completely ridiculous, which is exactly why I love Emily in Paris: Harper's Bazaar UK editor Lydia Slater confesses her unexpected love for Emily in Paris, calling it irresistible "ambient TV" that offers stress-free escapism despite its unrealistic portrayal of Paris and fashion industry clichés.

➡️ New Year's Eve 2026 show and fireworks at the Arc de Triomphe: Paris Je T'aime announces the Champs-Élysées New Year's Eve celebration featuring a sound and light show on the Arc de Triomphe, a midnight countdown, and an eight-minute fireworks display with 3,386 fireworks set to French artists like Juliette Armanet and Clara Luciani.

FRENCH SONG OF THE WEEK
Joe Dassin - Les Champs-Elysées

If you're looking for something to play while you toast the New Year, here's a classic. Joe Dassin's "Les Champs-Élysées" isn't technically a New Year's song, but it shows up at many French celebrations. It's catchy, nostalgic, and impossible not to sing along to, even if your French is rusty. Consider it the soundtrack to optimism.

This Week in Paris

Bonjour, Friends!

We bundled up our little lion this week and wandered over to Place Vendôme, where the holiday lights turn one of Paris's most refined squares into something magical. The place was designed in the late 1600s by Jules Hardouin-Mansart, Louis XIV's architect, as a monument to royal power.

Today, it's home to the Ritz, Cartier, Boucheron, and every other name that makes your credit card nervous.

Place Vendôme ©2025 James Christopher Knight

Luxury shopping isn't really our thing, but during the holidays, Place Vendôme becomes a different kind of spectacle. Multiple Christmas trees wrapped in thousands of lights stand beneath that towering Vendôme Column (which, fun fact, was cast from melted-down cannons Napoleon captured at Austerlitz).

We grabbed a chocolat chaud for our son and a wintery treat for ourselves, and soaked in the scene: the soft glow against the 17th-century facades, the lights, the vintage car parked as if it time-traveled from the 1920s.

On our way, we cut through the Marais and down Rue des Rosiers, the falafel street, in the old Jewish quarter, dodging crowds outside L'As du Fallafel, smelling fresh pita and tahini.

Top photos: From two separate visits to Place Vendôme Bottom photos: From a walk through Rue des Rosiers ©2025 James Christopher Knight

Yesterday I led a walking tour through Montmartre, ending at the Abbesses Christmas Market tucked beneath the hill. It's smaller and more neighborhood-focused than the big tourist markets, which is exactly why I love it.

You get mulled wine, roasted chestnuts, handmade ornaments, and space to walk around, unlike some of the larger markets near the city center.

Some photos from Montmartre, the wall of “I Love You,” and the Abbesses Christmas Market ©2025 James Christopher Knight

Paris in December isn't always postcard-perfect. It's cold, it gets dark early, and the rain shows up uninvited. But there's something about the way the city leans into the season. The lights, the markets, the chocolat chaud stands. It feels less like a performance and more like Paris just being itself, only with better lighting.

For those of you celebrating, we wish you a happy Christmas. For everyone else, I hope your holidays, however you spend them, are wonderful and have a little bit of that Parisian glow.

Linking You to Paris

➡️ Where to Eat in Paris During the Holidays – Christmas and New Year’s: HiP Paris lists restaurants open on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, from grand brasseries to affordable bouillons.

➡️ Emily Has Remade Paris in Her Image: The New York Times reports that "Emily in Paris" has left its mark on Paris with a prestigious award and new book, plus a fashion innovator discusses AI.

➡️ Review of “Paris à cœur ouvert: Paris in the Raw” by Garrett Strang: FRAMES Magazine reviews Garrett Strang's street photography book "Paris à cœur ouvert: Paris in the Raw," praising his empathetic, kinetic portraits of everyday Parisians beyond the tourist gloss.

➡️ Paris Pastry Chefs Are Crafting Gorgeous Bûche de Noël Creations for Christmas: Food & Wine showcases Paris's most elaborate bûche de Noël creations, from chocolate trees to edible ornaments, crafted by the city's top pastry chefs for Christmas.

PARIS HISTORY
How to Throw a Parisian Holiday Party

2025 Image: galerieslafayette.com @Paul Blind

Can't make it to Paris this Christmas? Bring Paris to your living room. Here's how to host a holiday gathering that channels this beautiful city, from what Parisians actually drink to the music playing in our apartment right now.

The Drinks

Start with vin chaud (bah oui!), the mulled wine you'll find at every Christmas market in Paris. It's wonderfully simple: red wine, orange slices, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and a bit of honey or sugar. Simmer it low and slow. The smell alone will transport your guests to the Abbesses market. Here's a solid recipe to follow.

vin chaud

Then there's chocolat chaud, the Parisian version made with real melted chocolate and whole milk. It's thick, rich, and nothing like the powdered mix most of us grew up with. Angelina's is the name everyone knows, but plenty of neighborhood spots make a better version without the tourist crowds. The truth is, you can make this deliciousness at home with good dark chocolate and a little patience. Try this recipe.

Champagne, obviously. You don't need to spend a fortune. Look for grower Champagne (Champagne de vignerons) or try Crémant de Loire or Crémant de Bourgogne for something festive and French without the markup. A Kir Royal (Champagne with a splash of crème de cassis) adds a little color and ceremony to the toast.

The Food

bûche de Noël

The centerpiece is the bûche de Noël. If you're ambitious, bake one. If you're practical, order from a French bakery or a good local pâtisserie. The classic is chocolate or coffee buttercream, but chestnut, praline, and fruit versions are all fair game. It arrives at the end of the meal like a small piece of theater.

Before that, build a proper cheese plate. The French approach is focused rather than sprawling: three to five cheeses work better than a crowded board. Try a soft one (Camembert or Brie), a blue (Roquefort), a hard one (Comté), maybe a goat cheese. Serve them at room temperature with a fresh baguette. Add some fig jam or honey if you want, but let the cheese be the star.

If you're feeling fancy, oysters are a good choice for New Year’s Eve. Served raw, on ice, with lemon and shallot vinegar. It's a whole ritual. If oysters aren't your thing, go with pâté, rillettes, or a good terrine (my favorite, especially with cornichons). Spread it on bread. Pour more wine.

And yes, you need good bread. A baguette from a real bakery makes a difference. If you can't find a proper baguette, look for a bakery that does rustic French loaves. It's worth the extra stop.

Note: If you want to see a French dinner table erupt into passionate debate, just bring up foie gras. Drop the topic and walk away. When you come back thirty minutes later, they'll still be debating.

Terrine

The Ambiance

Parisian holiday decor tends toward the understated: string lights (warm white, not multicolor), candles everywhere (unscented), and fresh greenery like pine branches or eucalyptus. Maybe a small tree. The aesthetic is cozy rather than flashy.

Set the table like you care. Real plates, real glasses, cloth napkins if you have them. It doesn't have to be fancy, but it should feel intentional. There's a French way of making casual feel elegant, and it starts with the table.

The Music

Put on Édith Piaf, Serge Gainsbourg, Françoise Hardy, Charles Aznavour. For something more modern, try Carla Bruni, Zaz, or Stromae. The goal isn't necessarily Christmas music (though "Petit Papa Noël" by Tino Rossi is a classic if you want one). The goal is a soundtrack that feels French, warm, and a little romantic. A good French playlist will do more for the atmosphere than any holiday album.

The Vibe

Here's the thing about Parisian gatherings: they're long. No one's rushing through dinner to get to the next thing. You sit, you talk, you pour another glass, you linger. Courses come slowly. Conversations wander. Kids, typically, are seated at the table with the adults.

There's an art to this kind of night. It's the same spirit as flâner, that uniquely Parisian way of wandering without purpose. At a party, it means letting the evening unfold without forcing it. No agenda, just good food, good wine, and people you want to spend time with.

In a nutshell: Light the candles. Pour the vin chaud. Put on some Gainsbourg. Let the evening stretch out like a walk along the Seine.

And if this makes you want to experience Paris in the flesh? Come visit. Book a tour, and we'll wander together.

FRENCH SONG OF THE WEEK
Charles Aznavour - Noël à Paris

Aznavour's voice has this way of making everything feel both grand and intimate at once. "Noël à Paris" captures the city during the holidays with all its contradictions: the lights and the loneliness, the crowds and the quiet moments, the magic and the melancholy.

It's romantic without being sentimental, which is very Parisian. Put this on while you're setting the table or walking through your own neighborhood at dusk, and suddenly, everywhere feels a little more like Paris.

This Week in Paris

Bonjour, Friends!

This week, I found myself back in front of Saint-Gervais (pictured below), walking through the Garden of Remembrance for November 13, 2015. It is a relatively new space, created as a living memorial for the attacks. It is genuinely beautiful and moving.

At night, the lighting is stunning. Low, warm points of light trace the paths through the garden to the 500-year-old church that anchors it all in the background.

©2025 James Christopher Knight

Note: The church you see today is mostly 16th to 17th century, built on a site that has been a place of worship since the 500s.

There are not many outdoor places in a city that naturally bring voices down to a hush. Between the church and the garden, it has become one of my favorite spots to pause for contemplation.

Christmas market at Hôtel de Ville ©2025 James Christopher Knight

We also visited the Christmas market at Hôtel de Ville, one of my favorite markets for the eye candy (pictured above). As far as Christmas Markets go, it feels open and easy to move through, and the location is perfect.

You are right near the river, with the islands close by, so it is easy to turn the market visit into a longer walk. From Hôtel de Ville, you can cross over to the Notre-Dame Christmas market, which is small and adorably quaint, just a short walk away on the other side of the Seine.

Here’s the walk in reverse. I filmed a quick YouTube video back before Paris turned cold. If you do the route, steal a few of these stops along the way.

Linking You to Paris

➡️ French Mulled Wine (Vin Chaud) and Raclette: HiP Paris shares a cozy guide to making vin chaud and raclette at home, one of my favorite French traditions. We used this recipe just last week.

➡️ In Paris, a New Wave of Chocolate Boutiques: The New York Times shares a tour of five newer Paris chocolate boutiques that go beyond “pretty bonbons,” spotlighting chefs and shops.

➡️ December 2025 Restaurant Buzz: Where to Eat In Paris: Bonjour Paris shares a December 2025 Paris eating roundup with concrete, use-now details on several addresses, then closes with a fun detour into a forthcoming novel about Paul Bocuse and the making of a chef-myth.

➡️ The Bike-Led Makeover of Paris: Placemaking Europe breaks down how Paris accelerated its bike and climate makeover, with stats and real examples like rewilded schoolyards and the redesigned Hôtel de Ville square.

➡️ Vive La France: Paris Street Art: UP Magazine shares how Paris street art thrives from Miss Tic's legacy to today's scene, explaining what stays on walls versus what gets scrubbed.

PARIS AT HOME
Paris Gift Guide (No Plastic Eiffel Towers)

If you’re shopping for a Francophile (or for your future self), here’s a tight, Paris-coded gift list: books that teleport you, home goods that change the atmosphere, and French beauty that turns a bathroom shelf into a tiny apothecary.

Books that feel like a Paris visit

• The flâneur starter kit: A Moveable Feast (Ernest Hemingway) — Find on Amazon

• For the “I want the city’s soul, not the highlights” reader: Paris to the Moon (Adam Gopnik) — Find on Amazon

• For the history/streets obsessive: Paris: The Biography of a City (Colin Jones) — Find on Amazon

• For the “Paris photography lover” coffee-table vibe: Paris. Portrait of a City (Jean Claude Gautrand) — Find on Amazon

Home goods: Make my apartment smell like I live near Luxembourg!

• French café glassware (instant brasserie energy): Duralex Picardie Tumblers — Find on Amazon

• French linen tea towels (quiet upgrade): Coucke French linen kitchen towels — Find on Amazon

• Paris wall art (Photos by James Christopher Knight): Visit our print shop. Use coupon code PARISWINTER20 for 20% off.

• Candle (the classic): Visit the Diptyque Store — Find on Amazon

French beauty & personal care: The Paris bathroom shelf

• French pharmacy icon: Bioderma Sensibio H2O — Find on Amazon

• Moisturizer/primer cult classic: Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentré — Find on Amazon

• The glow oil: NUXE Huile Prodigieuse — Find on Amazon

• Hand cream (giftable, beloved): L’Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream — Find on Amazon

• Night cream (recommended by my esthetician cousin): Darphin Ideal Resource Overnight Cream — Find on Amazon

A few “Paris” objects: Small but intensely gifty

• Paris puzzle: Galison’s Paris 1000-piece puzzle — Find on Amazon

• Minimal Paris tote: “Paris” typographic tote bag — Find on Amazon

• Paris notebook: Moleskine “Paris” themed notebook — Find on Amazon

Food & drink: Edible Paris, minus the plane ticket

• French jam (the gateway drug): Bonne Maman preserves variety pack — Find on Amazon

• French hot chocolate: Valrhona cocoa / hot chocolate — Find on Amazon

• French chocolate (easy win): Michel Cluizel 28-piece truffle gift box — Find on Amazon

  

FRENCH SONG OF THE WEEK
Dalida - Vive le vent

Now that we're getting close to the holidays, I'm sharing a classic: Dalida’s "Vive le vent". This is the French take on "Jingle Bells," and it’s a good one to add to your playlist for holiday parties this year!

This Week in Paris

Bonjour, Friends!

Paris in December always feels like it's trying on two costumes at once. There's the grand, theatrical version; the department store windows, dressed to the nines in a tradition that goes back generations, sparkling like a thousand tiny Broadway stages. And then there's the smaller, more improvised Paris that I love the most.

Les Deux Magots, cafe window drawing, La Villette slide, Notre Dame Christmas Market

This week, we landed squarely in that second Paris.

We were up at La Villette doing the usual four-year-old circuit: Playground, snack, and the ongoing negotiations about why we can't actually move (take up residence) into the Playground with the giant dragon slide. "But it’d be so cool. I could slide to school in the morning!"

On the walk toward the canal, I spotted a Josephine Baker display: eleven paintings by Catel at Le Hall de la Chanson. As a fan of Baker, not just the performer, but the WWII resistance hero, I had to stop and take a closer look. There are few things more “Paris” than a foreign-born icon, once considered an outsider, now woven into the city’s architecture.

Josephine Baker in eleven paintings by Catel at Le Hall de la Chanson

On our bike ride home, we stopped to watch people crewing in the canal. Before I realized what was happening, we were in life jackets, climbing into a Zodiac with the dock manager. It was an entirely new perspective, seeing Paris from the canal after spending so much time on its banks or bridges.

The city is fully in holiday mode now. The department store windows are dressed, the Christmas markets are humming, but this week, my Paris was a four-year-old in a Zodiac and Josephine Baker on a wall in La Villette.

👇 Watch the video here 👇

Linking You to Paris

➡️ What to do in Paris this December: HiP Paris details December's packed calendar from Lost in Frenchlation's English-subtitled French films with director Q&As to the massive Salon du Cheval horse fair with 500 horses and pony rides for kids.

➡️ Bûche de Noël: The Best Yule Logs in Paris 2025: Bonjour Paris uncovers 2025's top bûche de Noël creations from stars like Alain Ducasse's chocolate sleigh and Yannick Alléno's charred-wood inspired sculpture, tracing roots to ancient Celtic log-burning rituals.

➡️ Your Guide to Paris - NYT: New York Times interactive guide navigates first-time visitors through Paris's 20 arrondissements with neighborhood breakdowns, hidden gems like Brasserie Lipp's lifelong waiters, and tips for terrace culture plus canal cruises.

➡️ Anthony Bourdain Once Said This Restaurant in Paris Was a Must: Food & Wine tests Anthony Bourdain's top Paris pick, Le Dome Café, devouring its massive seafood platter and confirming classic bistro excellence endures nearly 20 years on.

➡️ The most inspiring art exhibitions in Paris for December 2025: Condé Nast Traveller highlights December 2025's top Paris exhibitions, like Art Deco's centenary (Orient Express carriages), Gerhard Richter at Fondation Louis Vuitton, and Minimalism at Bourse de Commerce.

PARIS HISTORY
The Department Store Windows: Paris's Annual Theater

2025 Image: galerieslafayette.com @Paul Blind

Standing in front of the Galeries Lafayette windows last night, my son on my shoulders, I watched a crowd do something rare these days: gather in one place and actually look at the same thing. No phones out (well, mostly). Just families, couples, clusters of friends, all locked on the display. It felt like slipping into a photograph from 1955. Paris is holding onto something from before the world went fractal.

These windows aren't new. Printemps kicked off the tradition in 1911 with simple scenes of everyday life, but it was the post-WWI boom that turned them into a spectacle.

Galeries Lafayette went full surrealist: floating angels, mechanical villages, entire worlds crammed into glass boxes.

1960 © Archives Le Bon Marché

Through the Depression, the Occupation, the strikes of '68, they kept going. Not just commerce, but a city's way of saying, "We're still here, still dreaming in public." Aristide Boucicaut, who built Bon Marché into an empire, called them "poetry in merchandise." He wasn't wrong.

What hits me now, though, is how they pull off a pre-smartphone magic. Before everyone had a pocket theater, people would crowd these streets for the shared gaze. One spectacle, one conversation.

Cafés full of tables where a group argued over Sartre or the latest scandal, eyes locked, no notifications pinging. Attention was a collective act.

1927 © Printemps Archives

These days, we're all in the same place but siloed, scrolling, swiping, heads down in our private feeds. Paris fights it, though. I still see young groups in cafés, laughing over nothing, phones forgotten. And yesterday, multiple families at those Lafayette windows, kids pointing, parents nodding, all tuned to the same light show.

It's not nostalgia for a "better time," just noticing how these windows, and the crowds they draw, remind us what focus used to feel like. Paris at Christmas isn't selling products so much as that old communal trance.

PARIS PHOTO OF THE WEEK
Louvre Gateway, After Dark

Being at the Louvre at night, especially in these colder months when the crowds thin out, feels grander than it does during the day or busy hours. I'm always stunned that I can feel so alone in this massive, beautiful space.

One thing I love about photographing Paris after dark is the aloneness, the deep peace this busy city hands over once the sun drops.

I framed this one through the entrance gates, soft edges pulling focus to the doorway itself. It's about that feeling of arriving at a gateway, invited through, somewhat blind to the full view on the other side, but with just enough hint of the pyramid's glow to promise wonderment.

©2025 James Christopher Knight

FRENCH SONG OF THE WEEK
Tino Rossi - Petit Papa Noel (1946)

Corsican crooner who owned Paris in the '40s, Tino Rossi, drops the ultimate French holiday swing.

A kid's cheeky letter to Papa Noël: promises to be good if Santa delivers the bike, doll, sled, and storybook. Pure post-war hope.

This Week in Paris

Bonjour, Friends!

This week in Paris, nothing looks like Thanksgiving, but it is starting to look a lot like Christmas.

Back in the States, my friends are texting turkey photos and complaining about flight delays. Thursday here is just…Thursday. The boulangerie sells the same baguettes it sold yesterday. Which, in a way, is comforting.

Thanksgiving, for me, has always been about spending time with loved ones: a couple of days off to be with family and friends in one place, and a rare collective attempt to say, "I'm glad you're here."

Being an ocean away, I feel a light sadness at missing that ritual.

A few photos from my wanderings this week ©2025 James Christopher Knight

But Paris has its own ways of teaching gratitude.

It’s in the way the city slows down in late November, when the crowds thin out and the light turns silver. In the stranger who holds the café door open when you’re coming in from the cold. In the older couple sharing a chocolat chaud (hot chocolate) by the window.

I won’t be at a family dining table this week, but I will be here, walking through Paris, a city that somehow turned from an idea into my life, going home to my wife and son, and feeling absurdly thankful that I get to notice these small Parisian moments and share them with you each week.

Thank you for being here. 🙏❤️

Happy Thanksgiving, from my family to yours…
James

Linking You to Paris

➡️ How Seriously Do the French Take Black Friday?: France Channel explores how Black Friday, a very American tradition, is being awkwardly embraced and adapted in France, revealing a cultural tug-of-war between consumerism and French values.

➡️ The best hot chocolates in Paris: TimeOut has done the delicious work of finding the city's best hot chocolates. From bean-to-bar purists to molten fountains, this list is a treat for anyone who believes winter is best enjoyed with a rich, warm cup in hand.

➡️ World Of Frozen To Open At Disneyland Paris Next Year: Forbes has all the details on “World of Frozen” opening at Disneyland Paris, where the park is being reimagined as Disney Adventure World with an Arendelle land, next‑gen Olaf animatronic, new shows, and a big nighttime spectacle over a brand‑new lake.

➡️ How France’s Historic Monuments Are Being Reimagined: France Today follows the Centre des Monuments Nationaux as it turns France’s historic sites into living stages, from VR‑enhanced Gothic basilicas to fairy‑tale castles and glittering royal jewel exhibitions.

🚨 BLACK FRIDAY SALE 🚨
Biggest Storewide Print Sale of the Year!

©2025 James Christopher Knight

This weekend I’m running my biggest storewide print sale of the year!

From Black Friday through Monday, every print in my Paris Love Affair shop is 30% off, with free worldwide shipping.

No code needed! Just add any print to your cart, and you’ll see 30% off applied automatically at checkout.

I’ve also just added 50 new images to the print shop, fresh corners of Paris to choose from.

If Paris lives in your memories or your plans, putting it on your walls is a simple way to keep that feeling close, help us keep the lights on, and bring a little more of this city into your home.

©2025 James Christopher Knight

VISITING PARIS
How to Photograph Paris (So It Doesn’t Look Like Everyone Else’s Photos)

In this example, I’m including a foreground element (the stone railing and column) to give the image context and dimension. ©2025 James Christopher Knight

I love making a beautiful photo from the exact same spot as everyone else. There’s real value in simple beauty, that classic, postcard‑perfect image. But once I have that shot, I start looking for something I haven’t seen before.

Here are three simple rules I use to do that:

1. Add a Human (or a Detail) to Every Monument
   Don’t just shoot the monument. Who or what is sharing the frame with it? If there’s a kid eating an ice cream cone in front of the tower, include him. Look for a couple on a bench, a waiter crossing the street, a bike, a dog, or even a street sign in the foreground. The monument is the backdrop; the little detail in front is where the story lives.

In this example, I’m including a human subject and changing my angle from eye level to low and to the side. ©2025 James Christopher Knight

1. Get Low, Get Close, Get Weird
   Most people shoot from eye level. Crouch down, move in closer than feels normal, or let something partially block the frame, like a café chair, a métro railing, a window reflection. Imperfection and odd angles usually feel more like real memory than the “perfect” shot.

In this example, I got low and included my son in the frame with the Pantheon in the background. ©2025 James Christopher Knight

1. Photograph a Feeling, Not a Thing
   Before you press the shutter, ask: What’s the mood here? Cold November air and grey light? Late‑night buzz on a terrace? Quiet Sunday morning streets? Try to capture that feeling first. The monument is just your supporting actor.

In this example, I wanted to express the cold, imposing feeling I got looking up from the second level of the Eiffel Tower. To that end, I wanted a somewhat empty, cool-toned graphic image. ©2025 James Christopher Knight

Some of the prints in my shop started with these little ideas. Try them next time you’re in Paris (or anywhere), and until then, you can always borrow my version of the city for your walls.

Let me know if you’d like more photo tips! bonjour@parisloveaffair.com 

FRENCH SONG OF THE WEEK
ZAZ - Je veux

This week, as we reflect on what truly matters (and maybe what doesn't), I'm sharing ZAZ's "Je veux," a joyful, defiant anthem that cuts through the noise of consumerism with a simple, powerful message: she wants love, laughter, and freedom, not luxury.

It's a reminder that the best things in life, and in Paris, aren't found in a shop window, but in the vibrant, messy, beautiful experience of living.

PARIS LOVE AFFAIR TOURS
Plan the Paris You’ll Actually Love

Book a Private Tour

Custom routes. Real local stories. Zero tourist traps.

• Paris Welcome Walk — A step‑by‑step route through marquee sights and hidden corners, with history, restaurant recommendations, photo spots, and smart transport tips so you see more in less time.

• Fine Art Prints from Paris — Photographs to keep the love affair going at home.

This Week in Paris

Bonjour, Friends!

The Tuileries Garden Christmas Market just opened for the season, and I took the tiny Lion and a friend to check it out (I put together a short video from our visit).

It is the biggest market in Paris, with rows of wooden chalets, a carousel, an ice rink, and plenty of food stalls. You can wander through stands selling French products and handmade gifts, and kids can even meet Santa.

Of course, there is all the good stuff to eat and drink: sausages, raclette, crêpes, waffles, and plenty of vin chaud (mulled wine) to keep you warm as you walk around.

👇 Watch the video here 👇

Laura and I went to Notre Dame this week. We love it for its history and what it means to Paris, but with so many people inside, it honestly felt a bit like Disneyland.

We found ourselves missing the quiet, meditative feeling you get in some of the other churches here. Still, standing in a building that dates back to the 12th century is pretty incredible, and it really is beautiful.

👇 Watch the video here 👇

📝 Visitors’ note: We visited without booking a time slot online and waited just 7 minutes and 6 seconds (yes, I used a stopwatch 🤣) from joining the queue to stepping inside the cathedral. Entrance to the main cathedral was free, but tickets (for a fee) are required to go up into the bell towers, and all time slots were sold out when we arrived.

I also spent some time at Paris Photo last weekend, the big annual photography fair at the Grand Palais. It was packed with hundreds of galleries and publishers from all over the world, and you see everything from classic prints to very experimental work.

I still lean toward museum shows over the commercial energy of a fair, but it is a fun way to get a snapshot of what is happening in the photo world right now. And visiting the Grand Palais is always a treat and worth the price of admission.

Paris Photo ©2025 James Christopher Knight

Oh, and get ready for our annual Back Friday photo print sale, which kicks off next week! It’s our biggest sale of the year.

We wish all of our American friends a Happy Thanksgiving!
xo, James & Laura

Linking You to Paris

➡️ What Is Travel Tuesday? Everything You Need to Know: This Condé Nast Traveler article details how "Travel Tuesday" offers significant discounts on flights, hotels, and cruises, emphasizing preparation and flexibility to secure the best deals.

➡️ Where to Go For Thanksgiving Dinner in Paris: This HiP Paris article rounds up a selection of Paris restaurants offering special Thanksgiving menus, with details on pricing, dates, and how to reserve.

➡️ 2025 Grand Award Winner: Le Bon Georges: This Wine Spectator piece profiles Paris bistro Le Bon Georges as a 2025 Grand Award winner, highlighting its impeccably sourced French ingredients and 2,000-selection, 50,000-bottle wine cellar.

➡️ Boudoir des Muses: A Marais Hideaway with a Story: This Hotels Above Par review spotlights Boudoir des Muses in the Marais as a 28-room, design-forward boutique hotel with a theatrical atrium, sensual, religious-inspired decor, and hidden private spa salons.

VISITING PARIS
Bouillon Restaurants in Paris: Classic French Fare on a Budget

Bouillon Chartier ©2025 James Christopher Knight

If you are looking for simple, classic French food in Paris without a jaw-dropping bill, you will eventually hear about bouillons. These are traditional, value-focused restaurants where you can eat staples of French cuisine, such as onion soup, beef bourguignon, œufs mayo, and crème caramel, at prices that feel almost old-fashioned.

What is a Bouillon?

A bouillon is a type of Parisian restaurant born in the late 19th century, created to serve inexpensive, hearty meals to workers. The name comes from the broth, or “bouillon,” that was often part of these simple dishes.

The formula has not changed much:

• A large, often bustling dining room

• A classic French menu with familiar dishes

• Very reasonable prices

• Fast, no-frills service

Over time, bouillons developed a certain charm: soaring ceilings, mirrored walls, old-school décor, and a sense that not much has changed in decades. In recent years they have had a resurgence, attracting both locals and tourists looking for “real” French food without fine-dining formality.

To start, she had Homemade pork terrine, and I had six snails

A Bit of History

The first bouillons appeared around the 1860s to early 1900s in Paris, designed to feed the city’s growing working class quickly and affordably. At their peak, there were dozens across the city. Many disappeared over the 20th century as dining habits changed, but a handful survived, and in the past decade, the concept has been revived and refreshed.

Today, names such as Bouillon Chartier and Julien Bouillon carry that history forward, blending the old working-class canteen spirit with a bit of Instagram-era nostalgia.

Our Experience: Chartier vs. Julien

This week gave us a good chance to compare two bouillons.

Bouillon Chartier
We visited Bouillon Chartier (Here is their menu), one of the most famous and popular bouillons in Paris. They have three locations. We visited the one in Montparnasse after a stroll through Luxembourg Gardens. A few observations:

• The line: There is almost always a queue, and I do not believe they take reservations. Expect to wait.

• Seating: They pack people in. We were seated at a four-top next to another couple we had never met, and there is a real possibility you may share a table with other guests.

• Food: The food was fine, especially for the price. Not outstanding, but my expectations were appropriately modest given how little you pay. You are really there for value and atmosphere more than culinary fireworks.

Overall, Chartier is a fun, very “Parisian” experience if you are prepared for crowds, noise, and close quarters.

Bouillon Chartier - Photo: bouillon-chartier.com

Julien Bouillon
Meanwhile, Laura, without me this week, visited Julien Bouillon (here is their menu), and her impression was notably different:

• Reservations: Unlike Chartier, she was able to book a table in advance.

• Seating: She and her friend had a private table, which gave the feel of a more relaxed, traditional restaurant.

• Atmosphere: The interior is stunning, ornate, and elegant, with that classic Belle Époque charm that makes you want to linger.

• Overall impression: Having experienced both in the same week, Laura felt Julien Bouillon was clearly “worth it” and the one she would prioritize returning to.

Julien Bouillon - Photo: bouillon-julien.com

Our Recommendation

Not all bouillons are created equal. Based on our experiences so far:

• If you want the classic, crowded Paris experience at a very low price and are comfortable with the possibility of sitting quite close to other diners, Bouillon Chartier is worth a visit. Think of it as a lively, efficient, historic canteen with decent food.

• If you prefer a reservation, your own table, and a more beautiful dining room, Julien Bouillon is our pick. The combination of setting, comfort, and value makes it the one we would happily return to.

PARIS PHOTO OF THE WEEK
Reimagining the Iron Lady

I shot this week’s photo about a month ago. It’s an abstract take on one of Paris’s most familiar monuments. In this series, I try to deconstruct what we think of as “reality” and invite a new way of seeing places we assume we already know.

How sure are we that what we see is what is really there, and how much is simply the way we are used to looking at it?

There is very little post-processing in this image, just a bit of exposure, contrast, etc. The effect is created “in-camera” with a long shutter and movement.

©2025 James Christopher Knight

FRENCH SONG OF THE WEEK
Saâne - L'amour

This week’s French song is “L’amour” by Saâne, a track that feels wrapped in candlelight. Her angelic voice pairs beautifully with our visit to one of the world’s most famous cathedrals this week.

There’s also something deeply introspective about this song that, for me, matches the turn in the weather as Paris finally tips into what feels like proper winter.

PARIS LOVE AFFAIR TOURS
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• Paris Welcome Walk — A step‑by‑step route through marquee sights and hidden corners, with history, restaurant recommendations, photo spots, and smart transport tips so you see more in less time.

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This Week in Paris

Bonjour, Friends!

Some neighborhoods in Paris feel less like moving through a city and more like paging through a dream, and this week I take you through one of those neighborhoods.

I just published a new YouTube video: a slow wander through Montmartre. If you’d like to feel what it’s like to be here on an ordinary, slightly magical day in Paris, you can watch it below.

👇 Watch the video here 👇

Tonight I’m heading to Paris Photo, the big photography fair that turns the Grand Palais into a maze of images from all over the world. I’ll be wandering through frames of other people’s cities before coming back to mine, and I’ll report back in next week’s issue with what I find.

In the meantime, here are some stills I captured of Montmartre while making the video this week.

©2025 James Christopher Knight

Linking You to Paris

➡️ An American’s Guide to Thanksgiving in Paris: HiP Paris offers an American expat's guide to celebrating Thanksgiving in Paris, focusing on finding traditional ingredients and embracing community.

➡️ Paris Icon La Tour d’Argent Unveils Reimagined Historic Wine Cellars: Wine Spectator reports that Paris icon La Tour d’Argent has revamped its vast historic wine cellars and is launching guided tours of the 300,000 bottle collection beneath the restaurant.

➡️ My search for the perfect steak frites in Paris, the staple of French brasserie cuisine: The Guardian follows a British travel writer on a quest to find the perfect steak frites in Paris.

➡️ The oldest hotel in Paris hides at the end of a covered passageway: Paris Secret spotlights Hôtel Chopin, a tiny 19th‑century hotel tucked inside Passage Jouffroy that has never closed a day since 1846.

ANNOUNCEMENT
🎉 Last Chance at Beta Pricing: The Paris Welcome Walk (Paris Welcome Kit)

The beta launch of The Ultimate River Walk is coming to an end, and the guide has grown up enough to earn a new name: The Paris Welcome Walk.

What started as a simple river walk has evolved into a true Paris Welcome Kit. In the past weeks, we’ve already added:

• A basic French phrase guide

• More restaurant recommendations

• More retail therapy stops

• Expanded transportation tips

And by next week, we expect to add a 70-page Arrondissement Guide to help you decide exactly where to stay and where to play in Paris.

Because this is a digital guide that works like an app, everyone who buys it now will automatically receive all future updates at no extra cost.

This is the last chance to get it at the beta price. The price goes up next week as The Paris Welcome Walk officially takes over.

VISITING PARIS
5 Things You Didn’t Know About Montmartre (Even If You’ve Been Up the Hill)

1. Montmartre wasn’t always Paris

For most of its life, Montmartre sat beyond the city limits, a hill of windmills, vineyards, and low taxes. Parisians came up here for cheaper wine and a bit of freedom from the rules below. The city finally annexed it in 1860, but you can still feel that “just outside” energy on the streets.

2. Sacré-Cœur is beautiful and quietly political

That glowing white basilica appears harmless, but it was conceived in the late 19th century as a form of national penance following France’s defeat in the Franco-Prussian War and the trauma of the Paris Commune. Yes, it’s a pretty church, but it was born as a political statement in stone about guilt, order, and who gets to define redemption.

©2025 James Christopher Knight

3. Bohemia was real, but it also became a brand

The legends are true: Picasso, Modigliani, Toulouse‑Lautrec, and company really did haunt these streets. The rent was cheap, the light was good, and the wine flowed (as well as absinthe). But over time, “Montmartre, the bohemian hill” turned into a kind of early lifestyle brand. What began as genuine poverty and rebellion eventually got repackaged as an ambience you can buy by the glass.

4. Part of the hill was once a shanty town

In the late 19th century, while Baron Haussmann was transforming central Paris into grand boulevards, some of the people displaced ended up in Montmartre. On the northwest slope, they built the Maquis, a self‑built sprawl of wooden shacks, goats, gardens, and muddy paths. Long before it was a romantic “village,” parts of Montmartre were basically a hillside squat.

Charles Marville (circa 1877)

5. The name itself hints at older layers

Even the word “Montmartre” carries an argument inside it. It possibly comes from Mons Martis, the Hill of Mars, because the Romans had temples up here. Another theory is Mons Martyrum, the Hill of the Martyrs, associated with Saint Denis, the bishop said to have been executed on the hill in the 3rd century.

Either way, buried inside the name of this very Instagrammed neighborhood are ghosts: Roman gods, early Christians, and a city that has been rebranding the same hill for nearly 2,000 years.

If you want the deeper stories behind Parisian icons, come walk the city with me.

FRENCH SONG OF THE WEEK
Dalida - Parole, Parole

It feels fitting to share a Dalida song this week, as we linger on Montmartre, the neighborhood where she lived. Here is one of her classics, “Parole, Parole” – a duet about promises, charm, and all the words that float in the air and never quite land.

PARIS LOVE AFFAIR TOURS
Plan the Paris You’ll Actually Love

Book a Private Tour

Custom routes. Real local stories. Zero tourist traps.

• Ultimate Paris Walk ($9 Beta Launch) — The essential Paris walk: a step‑by‑step route through marquee sights and hidden corners, with history, restaurant recommendations, photo spots, and smart transport tips so you see more in less time.

• Fine Art Prints from Paris — Photographs to keep the love affair going at home.

This Week in Paris

Bonjour, Friends!

I promised a Halloween follow up: Last minute, we decided to climb the Eiffel Tower after dark with visiting friends. We took the stairs, and it was worth every step, with our Young Lion leading the charge.

👇 Watch the video here 👇

I have done this a few times now, but this was my first after-dark climb. It’s totally worth it for the feeling of being suspended between iron and stars from the second-floor observation deck. I've posted a short video on YouTube if you'd like a quick look.

©2025 James Christopher Knight

The rest of the week was filled with fall colors and leisurely walks. Around Buttes Chaumont, I stumbled on an outdoor photo display of Nicole Lala. One thing I love about Paris is the random public art that appears around the city.

Nicole Lala was a mid-century photojournalist and later a film set photographer. Working in Paris from the late 1950s through the early 1980s, her black-and-white work captures everyday Paris, from kids and workers to street scenes, with a quiet, human eye.

Photo by Nicole Lala

Linking You to Paris

➡️ What To Do In Paris This November: HiP Paris rounds up what to do in Paris this November, from Salon du Chocolat and Festival d’Automne to major exhibitions and the kickoff of Christmas markets.

➡️ The French Secret to Healthier Eating: (Thanks for this, Heather) The New York Times looks at how France pairs high-quality prepared and frozen foods with smart public policy and better school meals to make healthy eating convenient.

➡️ Paris launches lottery for burial plots among famous artists: BBC News reports that Paris has launched a lottery to buy and restore select 19th-century gravestones in Père-Lachaise, Montparnasse, and Montmartre for €4,000, granting the right to a nearby burial plot under strict conditions.

➡️ November 2025 Restaurant Buzz: Where to Eat in Paris: Bonjour Paris rounds up November’s dining news, highlighting Le Pompon at Palais Brongniart, Le Serpentine at Hotel Miss Fuller, Cheese & Wine Week, and Thanksgiving specials.

➡️ How specialty coffee culture is changing in France: Perfect Daily Grind explores how specialty coffee is steadily reshaping France’s café culture, with younger consumers, new roasters, and laptop-friendly cafés driving growth.

VISITING PARIS
5 Things You Didn’t Know About the Eiffel Tower

©2025 James Christopher Knight

I visited the Eiffel Tower twice this week, and it reminded me why this iron giant still stuns me. I don’t really identify with it as the symbol of Paris. My Paris is the canal, cafes, long walks, and hidden river spots. However, I still love the tower, and I still feel a sense of awe when it rises into view.

Here are five things I share on tours that surprise most guests:

One, it was meant to be temporary

Built for the 1889 World’s Fair with a 20 year permit, the tower survived because it became useful for early radio and military communications. Utility saved beauty.

Two, it changes color and height

Throughout its life, it has worn Venetian red and yellow-brown before today’s Eiffel Tower Brown. The paint is applied in a gradient, darker at the base and lighter at the top, to sharpen the silhouette. In the summer heat, the iron expands, and the tower can grow by approximately 15 centimeters.

Image: TourEiffel.Paris

Three, Paris hated it before it loved it

More than 300 artists and writers signed a blistering letter calling it a useless and monstrous eyesore. Time had other plans. It is now the most visited paid monument on the planet.

Four, Gustave Eiffel’s secret apartment

At the summit, Eiffel kept a compact private apartment where he hosted scientists and VIPs above the noise of the city. You can still see it staged with period furniture and a wax figure of Eiffel.

Five, the con man who sold it

In 1925, swindler Victor Lustig convinced a scrap dealer that he had the authority to sell the tower for demolition, complete with forged government stationery. He almost pulled it off twice. Wild. 🤣

If you want the deeper stories behind Parisian icons, come walk the city with me or join my weekly newsletter, The Paris Love Letter.

PARIS BOOK PICK
Nobody Sits Like the French

I’ve had this book bouncing around the city with me in my backpack, and I’m loving its bite-sized chapters, perfect for quick reads between stops.

Nobody Sits Like the French is a blend of travel guide and history, showcasing how seven Paris World Expos (1855–1937) have shaped the city we know today.

It connects the dots between headline landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower, Musée d’Orsay, and the Grand and Petit Palais, and the “little” things we barely think about: Vuitton’s award-winning 1867 trunk that evolved into our modern suitcases, classic bistro chairs born of café culture, Baccarat crystal on the table, and even the sewer system under our feet.

You can read the full description at the Amazon link above. It’s definitely worth a read!

FRENCH SONG OF THE WEEK
Gilbert Bécaud - Nathalie

Known as “Monsieur 100,000 Volts” for his electrifying stage presence, Gilbert Bécaud was one of France’s great chanson icons from the 1950s onward.

“Nathalie” (1964) is one of his most beloved songs, a warm and cinematic tale set in Moscow, where a French narrator is guided through the city by a young Russian woman named Nathalie.

It blends romantic intrigue with Cold War-era curiosity, carried by Bécaud’s rich vocals and sweeping melody. If you’re new to classic French chanson, this is a perfect and timeless entry point.

PARIS LOVE AFFAIR TOURS
Plan the Paris You’ll Actually Love

Book a Private Tour

Custom routes. Real local stories. Zero tourist traps.

• Ultimate Paris Walk ($9 Beta Launch) — The essential Paris walk: a step‑by‑step route through marquee sights and hidden corners, with history, restaurant recommendations, photo spots, and smart transport tips so you see more in less time.

• Fine Art Prints from Paris — Photographs to keep the love affair going at home.

This Week in Paris

Happy Halloween!

We haven't quite figured out what we're doing to celebrate yet, but if we get up to something fun, I'll let you know next week. Our little lion went to school today as Spiderman… Again. 🕷️ 🤣

It really feels like fall this week. The air has a crisp bite to it, the light is softer and more golden, and the city has settled into that quieter rhythm that comes with shorter days. The nights are much quieter too, which you can see in the photos below.

Île Saint-Louis and Latin Quarter ©2025 James Christopher Knight

I've been shooting some video for my Montmartre walking tour this week, and I made a few still photos while wandering around that I'm sharing with you today.

I'm always drawn to the apartment buildings of Montmartre. There's something about the way they stack up the hillside, the shutters, the iron balconies, the way the stone changes color in different light.

©2025 James Christopher Knight

I love the village feel of this part of Paris. It still manages to feel separate from the rest of the city, as if it's holding onto something older and quieter (though this is not true as you get near Sacré-Cœur).

I don't get up there enough, considering we live about 15 minutes away by bike. But when I do, it always reminds me why I fell in love with this city in the first place.

Linking You to Paris

➡️ The most inspiring art exhibitions in Paris for November 2025: Condé Nast Traveller rounds up Paris's best current exhibitions, including the One Hundred Years of Art Deco show at Musée des Arts Décoratifs.

➡️ How to Do Paris Like a French Girl: New York Magazine shares a personal Paris guide with neighborhood picks, café favorites like Café Le Rostand, must-try Monoprix snacks, and insider shopping tips.

➡️ The festive Christmas menu at Bacha Coffee Paris is coming to the Champs-Élysées: Sortir à Paris reviews Bacha Coffee's festive menu on the Champs-Élysées, featuring foie gras and scallops with truffle paired with specialty coffees in a Moroccan-inspired setting.

➡️ Insider’s Guide To Paris Autumn 2025: Top Restaurants, New Boutique Hotels And Must-See Exhibitions: Forbes offers a curated, on-the-ground pulse of Paris this fall. Where to sleep, sip, and see the city at its most stylish, in one quick hit.

PARIS WALKS
Le Marais (video)

👆🏻 Watch the video 👆🏻

This week, we're wandering through Le Marais, one of Paris's most layered neighborhoods, where medieval streets meet elegant 17th-century mansions, and Jewish heritage sits alongside trendy boutiques.

This walk takes you from the Seine up through the heart of the 4th arrondissement, hitting hidden courtyards, ancient walls, iconic squares, and a few of my favorite spots to pause, photograph, and soak it all in.

The Route

• Le Louis Philippe
A brasserie right on the Seine with stunning views of the islands. It's a classic Parisian spot with decent food, average coffee, and good wine. Though I’m not terribly excited about the products, they’ll all be fine, and I love the location.

• Wallace Fountain (1872)
One of the iconic green cast-iron fountains donated by Sir Richard Wallace after the Franco-Prussian War to provide free drinking water to Parisians. The first was installed in July 1872, and today over 100 still stand across the city.

• Au Petit Versailles du Marais
Step inside this historic bakery dating back to about 1860 and you'll find yourself surrounded by ornate woodwork and Belle Époque charm. It's now run by Christian Vabret, a Meilleur Ouvrier de France baker, and the pastries live up to the setting.

• Blade Sharpener of the Marais (stone relief)
A small medieval carving tucked into a building façade, depicting a blade sharpener at work. It's a reminder of the street trades that once filled these lanes, offering a glimpse into daily life centuries ago.

• Hôtel de Sens Garden
Once the private medieval garden of a fortified mansion, this green space is now open to the public. It's a peaceful retreat with manicured hedges and gravel paths, tucked away from the bustle of the surrounding streets.

• Hôtel de Sens
Built in the late 15th century, this fortified mansion is one of the few remaining medieval private residences in Paris. Its turrets, Gothic details, and defensive architecture make it feel more like a small. Today, it houses the Forney Library, dedicated to the arts.

• Saint Paul Saint Louis Church
A stunning Jesuit church, consecrated in 1641, features a grand dome inspired by the Gesù Church in Rome. Step inside for soaring Baroque interiors, dramatic light, and a sense of quiet reflection in the middle of the Marais.

• Village Saint-Paul
A charming village-within-a-city, this maze of courtyards and passageways is home to antique dealers, artisans, and vintage shops. It's hidden behind ancient walls and feels like stepping into another era, making it perfect for browsing or simply wandering.

• Philippe August Wall
Sections of this 12th-century defensive wall, built by King Philip II to protect Paris, are still visible throughout the Marais. You can see original stonework tucked into schoolyards, gardens, and building façades, a tangible link to medieval Paris.

• Nicolas Carving (1764)
Etched into the stone arcade of Place des Vosges, this simple inscription is believed to be the city's oldest known graffiti. Just a name and a date, but it's survived over 250 years.

• Place des Vosges
Paris's oldest planned square, completed in 1612, is a masterpiece of symmetry and elegance. Red-brick pavilions with stone quoins surround a central garden. One of these townhomes and the arcades below once housed Victor Hugo, whose former apartment is now open to the public as a free museum.

• Rue des Rosiers
The historic heart of the Jewish Quarter, this narrow street is famous for its falafel shops (L'As du Fallafel draws long lines), traditional bakeries, and a mix of old-world delis and new boutiques. It's lively, delicious, and full of character.

• Rue du Bourg Tibourg
A cozy little square tucked along this medieval street, now filled with lively cafés and outdoor seating. It's a great spot to pause, grab a bite, and do some people-watching. I don’t have any food recommendations here, but most spots will be just fine.

• Rue du Trésor
This narrow, pedestrian-only lane was named for a treasure supposedly found here during its construction.

 Place Sainte-Catherine
Once a bustling market square, this quiet plaza is now lined with café terraces and shaded by trees. It's a lovely spot to sit with a drink, away from the main tourist flow, just blocks away on all sides.

• Maison Faust
A timber-framed house often debated as one of Paris's oldest surviving structures. Local lore ties it to Goethe's "Faust," though the claim is more romantic legend than documented fact. Either way, it's an example of medieval architecture still standing in the heart of the city.

FRENCH SONG OF THE WEEK
Aimé Barelli & Lucienne Delyle

Aimé Barelli was a French jazz trumpeter and bandleader who became one of the most popular musicians in post-war Paris, leading his own big band and backing some of France's biggest stars.

Lucienne Delyle was one of the most beloved French singers of the 1940s and 50s, known for her warm, expressive voice and romantic ballads that captured the spirit of the era.

Together, they created some of the most memorable recordings of mid-century French popular music, blending swing, jazz, and chanson in a style that defined Parisian nightlife and radio during the golden age of French song.

PARIS LOVE AFFAIR TOURS
Plan the Paris You’ll Actually Love

Book a Private Tour

Custom routes. Real local stories. Zero tourist traps.

• Ultimate Paris Walk ($9 Beta Launch) — The essential Paris walk: a step‑by‑step route through marquee sights and hidden corners, with history, restaurant recommendations, photo spots, and smart transport tips so you see more in less time.

• Fine Art Prints from Paris — Photographs to keep the love affair going at home.

This Week in Paris

Bonjour, Friends!

Fall hit Paris this week in that unmistakable way. Cooler mornings, earlier darkness, and light that makes everything look better. I'm a warm-weather person by nature, but there's something about autumn that gets me. Maybe it's nostalgia, maybe it's just the excuse to slow down, reflect, and notice things.

©2025 James Christopher Knight

The parks are showing off right now. Jardin des Tuileries, Luxembourg, and even the smaller neighborhood squares. The trees are putting on their annual performance, and honestly, it's worth the chill.

I've been spending more time along the river, too, where the quais stretch out wide and empty compared to summer. There's breathing room again.

©2025 James Christopher Knight

And the café terraces? Still packed, just with more layers. Parisians and visitors bundled up in coats and scarves, nursing their espresso or glass of wine like they've got nowhere else to be. Which, in a way, they don't. That's the whole point of enjoying time with friends at a cafe.

Porte Saint-Martin ©2025 James Christopher Knight

Linking You to Paris

➡️ How to Spend Christmas in Paris: Condé Nast Traveler highlights the best ways to celebrate Christmas in Paris, from dining on raclette in Park Hyatt's alpine chalet and cruising the Seine on Ducasse sur Seine to exploring festive markets.

➡️ 15 Hidden Museums and Art Spaces in Paris: HiP Paris spotlights 15 alternative museums and art spaces beyond the Louvre, from the medieval treasures at Musée de Cluny to Monet's Water Lilies at Musée de l'Orangerie and Dalí's surrealist sanctuary in Montmartre.

➡️ The Complete MICHELIN Guide to Paris Hotels: Michelin Guide breaks down nearly 150 Paris hotels by neighborhood, style, and traveler type, from Art Deco palaces like Hôtel Plaza Athénée to hip boutiques in Pigalle and family-friendly stays with kid amenities.

➡️ Where to Find the Best Croque-Monsieur in Paris 2025: Paris Eater rounds up the city's best croque-monsieur, from La Grille Montorgueil's modern brie-loaded version to classic bistro renditions at Le Carreau in the Marais and the truffle-salted option at TRAM in the Latin Quarter.

VISITING PARIS
Secrets of the Tuileries Garden

©2025 James Christopher Knight

Many visitors rush through the Tuileries on their way from the Louvre to Place de la Concorde. Big mistake. This garden has watched 450 years of French history, and it still has secrets to share.

The Ghost Palace

The garden's name comes from the tile factories that once stood here before Catherine de Medici built the Tuileries Palace in 1564. The palace burned during the Paris Commune in 1871, and after 11 years of debate, it was demolished in 1883.

Stand at the terrace between the Louvre and the garden. You're standing where the palace used to be. That abrupt ending you feel? Something is missing.

©2025 James Christopher Knight

Le Nôtre's Masterpiece

André Le Nôtre redesigned the garden in 1664. His grandfather had been one of Catherine de Medici's original gardeners. The symmetry, the sightlines, the three distinct sections? All Le Nôtre. His 1660s plan remains largely unchanged.

Sculpture Secrets

In 1964, Culture Minister André Malraux replaced older statues with 18 works by Aristide Maillol. Most were modeled by Dina Vierny, who became Maillol's muse at age 15.

Look for Rodin's The Kiss near the Orangerie. Many classical statues around the octagonal basin are copies. The originals are in the Louvre.

Rodin's The Kiss

On the southern path past the pond, there's a bronze fallen tree lying in the thicket. Walk the side groves for contemporary works most people never see.

Where to Sit

The garden has 3,000 free green chairs. Find the reclined ones. The side alleys hide small fountains and quiet corners that feel miles from the crowds.

Before the Solferino Bridge, take the stairway on the left up to an elevated walkway. Best view in the garden.

©2025 James Christopher Knight

The Fine Print

You can't sit on the lawns in the main garden, but you can in the Jardin du Carrousel near the Louvre.

The garden opened to the public in 1667, making it Paris's first public park. It draws 14 million visitors annually, but early mornings before 9am feel like a secret.

FRENCH SONG OF THE WEEK
Coralie Clément - L'Ombre et la Lumière

L'Ombre et la Lumière" (The Shadow and the Light) floats somewhere between chanson française and indie folk, with gentle acoustic guitar supporting her understated delivery.

The title hints at contrasts and duality, fitting for a city that manages to be both monument and village, both timeless and constantly reinventing itself.

PARIS LOVE AFFAIR TOURS
Plan the Paris You’ll Actually Love

Book a Private Tour

Custom routes. Real local stories. Zero tourist traps.

• Ultimate Paris Walk ($9 Beta Launch) — The essential Paris walk: a step‑by‑step route through marquee sights and hidden corners, with history, restaurant recommendations, photo spots, and smart transport tips so you see more in less time.

• Fine Art Prints from Paris — Photographs to keep the love affair going at home.