New Paris Travel Tips

While I am currently working on a travel guide for Munich (to be published on Design*Sponge soon), I have also found the time to round-up some of my latest Paris travel tips that I checked personally during my trip last November. I know I am getting a bit repetitive with Paris here, but I keep getting lots of questions and demands from readers here on the blog and on social media asking for Paris tips – so here we roll once again. Allons-y!

Chez Hipolène
This little café/restaurant is tucked away in the rather quiet Rue Saint-Maur in the 11th arrondissement close to the namesake metro station and serves good food with a healthy and traditional touch. The interior is simple yet inviting and the breakfast is a good way to start your day and explore the 11th arrondissement in Paris.

Broken Biscuits
While wandering the vibrant 11th arrondissement you might feel the need to boos your energy with an extra injection of sugar. Try to find the hidden Passage Rochebrune close to the Square Maurice Gardette and you will notice a tiny little shop named Broken Biscuits. This should be a good indication that you will be able to solve that sugar problem. Go for a cup of a good coffee brew or a fine tea, opt either for a yummy biscuit or a delicious Financier and then work off the extra calories in the nearby park.

The Beans on Fire
Still in need of a caffein fix? On the other side of the previously mentioned park you will find the buzzing coffee place with a funky and not-so-Parisian name ‘The Beans on Fire’. This place is all about worshipping a good brew obtained through their own coffee roasts. At ‘The Beans on Fire’ they play the coffee like jazz through collaborative roasting resulting in a great cuppa.

Coffee Spoune
This very cute café and restaurant is a picture-perfect place and you’ll snap along and instagram your visit almost forgetting the delicious treats on offer. I met up with my dear friends Judith and Elodie right there and had a delicious financier with Nutella, a café Noisette and a yummy smoothie. Next time I am going there to eat properly. Put it on your list too!

Shakespeare & Company Café
The famous English bookstore Shakespeare & Company opposite of the Notre Dame cathedral is a real Parisian institution. Recently they have opened a café next doors and it is yet another reason to go and rummage for some good books and top the visit with a great coffee, cake or sandwich. Outdoor seating makes the experience even better while munching on your treats, people-watching and enjoying the fantastic Paris sights.

La Mangerie
Going on a Sunday for brunch is like preparing yourself for war in Paris. Do not try to tackle the task without utter preparation meaning reserving a table well in advance. Especially if you want to go to the über-popular La Mangerie in the 4th arrondissement (they have a second restaurant in the 3rd arrondissement). The brunch is very good and delicious, the welcoming is extraordinary – but so is the noise level and the amount of people. This restaurant features a kid’s entertainment area including personnel downstairs resulting in lots of families, kids and strollers. But if you want to be like a real Parisian, you must handle that! And the food will not disappoint – allez, bon courage!

Kodama
Enough coffee talk already! I can hear some of you. Ha, I am a coffee lover, but I also like to enjoy a good cup of tea from time to time. For all you tea lovers there is a fairly new place called Kodama in the 2nd arrondissement just off the popular Rue Montorgueil. The guys at Kodama call themselves ‘Alchimistes Infuseurs’ and their selection of infusions is truly outstanding. You’ll have a hard time to pick your infusion, but go and experiment – after all this is an alchemist’s place. Oh and if you are lucky you can sit on the one table outside and enjoy the Parisian atmosphere and a lovely green wall (the Urban Jungle Bloggers guy is speaking).

Café Montmartre
Now this is neither new nor outstandingly good. But it is an epitome of a Parisian visit embracing the unique and artsy Montmartre atmosphere. During my visit in November it was so mild and sunny that I could actually take off my jacket and enjoy an atmosphere that could have been cut out of the movie Amélie. It is a wonderful picturesque place and even though my coffee was very blah. I did it all for the picture haha.

So I think you won’t be complaining about caffein lack or being under-sugared – just follow these tips for a tummy-happy Paris visit. À bientôt!

Photography by Igor Josifovic