France may not be as well-known as Belgium or Switzerland for its chocolate, but this country actually has a rich tradition in all things cacao… especially chocolat chaud. Here are our four favorite spots to indulge in the best hot chocolate in Paris. Photo Credit: La Chocolaterie Cyril Lignac, Text Overlay: Devour Paris Food Tours […]
Easy Luggage Storage in le Marais: Where to Leave Your Bags in Paris
It might be your first day in Paris, or maybe it’s your last (for now), but one thing’s for sure—you’re not going to want to drag your suitcase around all day. Even for the hardiest traveler, the narrow streets and sidewalks of le Marais were not designed for roller suitcases or massive backpacker-style backpacks. As […]
Devour a French Classic at These Fabulous Spots to Try Snails in Paris
Adventurous eaters journeying to Paris often have a few things on their lists of must-try dishes: frogs’ legs, calf’s brains…and snails. The traditional preparation of escargots à la bourguignonne sees the snails dressed in their shells and baked with an herbed garlic butter which forms the perfect sauce for crusty baguette. And while the […]
How to Celebrate Candelmas the French Way (Hint: It Involves Crêpes)
If you believe most American shops and greeting card companies, the next major holiday to follow Christmas and New Year’s is Valentine’s Day. But here in France, another holiday sneaks its way into the fray in early February. The holiday in question is Candlemas, or La Chandeleur, and the appropriate way to celebrate it is […]
A Paris Chef Shares How to Find the Best Pastries in Town (and Avoid Tourist Traps)
After an afternoon of sightseeing around the butte Montmartre, a nibble or two of French pastry is well-deserved. Rather than settling into an anonymous café on the rue des Abbesses, head west until the street narrows and forks. Tucked away just off the main drag, La Bossue awaits! Known for its generous brunch, cozy vintage […]
7 Perfect Ways to Spend a Rainy Day in Paris
Perhaps Paris’ best-kept secret is that it shares London’s infamous drizzly weather. Cole Porter wasn’t kidding when he referenced “Paris when it drizzles.” But what he missed was the fact that it rains in Paris—not just in winter, but all year round. Most rain in Paris falls in May and June, but rainfall in the […]
How to Spend Your Sundays in Paris and Make Every Moment Count
The French are known for their long Sunday lunches en famille that stretch into the afternoons. After washing down a multiple course meal of tempting appetizers, hearty mains, cheese platters, and dessert with a bouteille de vin or two, the French toddle home sated—bellies and ears decidedly full. But where does that leave the rest […]
A Guide to Eating Alone in Paris for Solo Travelers
For solo travelers, the most daunting aspect of their trip is often eating alone. For the uninitiated, the simple act of grabbing a bite between blocks of sightseeing can unleash a spiral of anxiety: You need to eat, but what do you do during the eternity between ordering and the arrival of your plate? Is […]
Making New Traditions With Mulled Wine in Paris
It was nearly Christmas, a few months after I had first moved to Paris, and I was dating my first French boyfriend. On a weekend trip to his hometown, we had somehow found ourselves entangled in a group of locals—friends and friends of friends from the area—spending the afternoon hanging around the flower farm where […]
9 Places for the Best Lunch in Paris & What to Know Before You Go
Traditionally, lunch in Paris is the biggest meal of the day. Kids in school get two hours off for what would have, in generations past, been a home-cooked lunch. And while most parents work in most households today, making lunch at home an impossibility, French children still enjoy a four-course meal at school. It’s also […]