My Paris Weekend

I live in Montparnasse, steps from the gourmet restaurant La Closerie des Lilas and Luxembourg Gardens. However, I have a favorite Paris street for each time of day: Champs Élysées at dawn when the sun illuminates the Arc de Triomphe, Place des Vosges at noon, and Sacré-Cœur or the cobblestone backstreets of the Latin Quarter at dusk.

Following in the footsteps of Marie-Antoinette (my true love), I regularly visit some addresses she frequented, from Versailles to the Tuileries Garden. I buy pastry at her treasured Stohrer patisserie, spend hours in La Conciergerie where she was imprisoned, and I think of her whenever I’m at Place de la Concorde, where she was executed.

INSIDER’S TIP:

Breakfast has become an easy meal to find in Paris during the past two decades because every restaurant/hotel now offers prix fixe menus. Find me at La Contrescarpe in the book-lined interior in winter or on the terrace in spring. For dinner, one of the best tables with a view is the corner window in the recently renovated La Tour d’Argent on the banks of the Seine.

OUT-OF-TOWN GETAWAY:

Join me on my long-distance walking project. I’m hiking the 342-mile Grand Randonnée 1 Tour of Île-de-France, a hiking trail that circumnavigates Paris. followtheidiot.com

I prefer museums to art galleries. Musée National Eugène-Delacroix on Rue de Furstemberg (reopening in March 2024) is not well known, even by Parisians. Musée de Montmartre & Renoir Gardens houses a collection by the likes of Toulouse-Lautrec, Modigliani, and Utrillo – it’s absolutely charming.

INSIDER’S TIP:

At Le Cinéma du Panthéon, film buffs gather for movies, debates, and meetings with filmmakers and critics – it’s a club open to all. Le Salon du Panthéon, decorated by Catherine Deneuve, has a heated terrace and is great for something to eat pre- or post-screening. It offers simple dishes: soups, smoked fish, salads, shrimp curry, and spinach tortilla. Nearby, the Librairie du Cinéma Panthéon bookstore sells books, magazines, and movie posters.

OUT-OF-TOWN GETAWAY:

The flea market! Paul Bert Serpette at Portede Clignancourt is the world’s largest flea market, sitting just across Le Périphérique, the Parisian ring road. Locals call it “Les Puces” and it sells everything from vintage fashions, furniture, decorative antiques, and artwork. I’m also a big fan of Le Marché des Enfants Rouges. This historical market takes its name from the 16th-century orphanage located here. The friendly atmosphere’s perfect for lunch at, say, the Italian deli, the Lebanese caterer or the Japanese snack bar. instagram.com/inesdelafressangeofficial

I live in the 13th arrondissement, Place d’Italie; it’s easy for city connections. Sunday brunch is often at Qasti Bistrot for Chef Alain Geaam’s Lebanese-style dishes. Home-baked bread comes from Alain’s bakery oven-to-table with olive oil and sumac. And, talking pastry, don’t leave Paris without a visit to Vincent Salur – I adore the De Paris à Brest and Le Saint Honoré. See you there!

INSIDER’S TIP:

Take the Batobus – a shuttle boat that cruises along the River Seine. I make my own program, getting on and off at nine landmark stations including Le Jardin des Plantes, Le Louvre, and the Eiffel Tower. Sundays I walk to the Alexandre III Bridge for magical views of the Eiffel Tower and the Seine. Then it’s off to Ima Canteen for the best coffee, seasonal vegetable tarts, and pancakes to eat in or take out, sitting by Canal Saint-Martin – very romantic.

OUT-OF-TOWN GETAWAY:

Provins is a fortified, UNESCO-listed medieval town 60 miles southeast of Paris in the former territory of the Counts of Champagne. Visit the Rose Garden to discover the fragrant Rose of Provins – and savor the rose-flavored ice cream! capturedinparis.com

Saturday morning, I jog around Parc Monceau, followed by a matcha latte and croissant on a bench in Square des Batignolles within the sound of the church bells of Sainte-Marie des Batignolles. Then I head to Rue Legendre with its eclectic boutiques including Oh My Cream! and Petite Mendigote.

Nearby Rue de Lévis is an exciting marketplace where I choose the finest fresh fruit, flowers, vegetables, bread, wine, and cheese. There’s excellent coffee at Maison and I always visit Sézane for chic clothes and accessories at affordable prices. On Sunday, it’s the charming Musée Nissim de Camondo, cherishing the 18th-century furniture, art objects, and the convivial courtyard bistro. At night, I take my guests from abroad to Le Moulin Rouge, it never disappoints!

INSIDER’S TIP:

Order a copy of The Best Places to Kiss in Paris: Le Pont Neuf, Le Musée Rodin, in front of the Terra Nera restaurant like Emily in Paris . . . so romantic!

OUT-OF-TOWN GETAWAY:

Fontainebleau – 40 minutes from Paris, via Gare de Lyon. Discover and admire French history here.