Paris is one of our favourite cities in the world. There really is something for everyone, even for the non-French speakers among us; there always seems to be a new exhibition to catch, musical to see (yes, you can see subtitled musicals and plays, check the Théâtre Mogador) and restaurants to visit. Due to the easy access of the Eurostar we end up travelling to Paris at least once a year and we don’t think we’ll ever get bored! Here are some things we love to do during our visits.

Visit the museums that aren’t the Louvre

As a tourist you kind of have to queue up to see the Mona Lisa and spend a day uncovering the treasures found at the incredible Louvre, but then you should absolutely prioritise one of the city’s other many gems. Paris is full of cool museums and galleries; from modern art at Centre Pompidou, to fashion exhibitions at Musée des Arts Décoratifs. If you don’t mind the crowds, head out early to the Musée d’Orsay and check out the clock tower to find some mind-blowing work by the Impressionists. The museum is housed in an old train station (built in the 1800s) and the tower has an accompanying restaurant if you’re feeling fancy (or even for an expensive-but-worth-it cup of coffee and slice of cake!). Fashionistas should also check out the Fondation Louis Vuitton, a gallery space with amazing architecture, set in the beautiful Parc Bagatelle.

Eat like a Parisian

Take your time when eating - no one likes a rushed lunch, especially the French. Sit outside if the weather is warm enough - people watching is the best thing about visiting the city. Start your day with a fresh croissant, try something quintessentially French for lunch (Rob loves steak-frites) and drink the local wine. While in London the cheap house wine at your local is barely passable, here it’s usually amazing. The best white is from the Loire Valley and the red is from Burgundy. One day we’ll try the champagne!

Our favourite restaurant Le Petit Prince de Paris in the Latin quartre. It’s vibrant, cosy and has the best food. The dessert platter is worth coming to Paris for alone.

We also love a good picnic while we are there. Hit up a bakery near your hotel for the traditional baguette and a fromagerie for some cheese, or find a corner store which usually has everything you need in one stop. Then spend a blissful afternoon eating by the Seine, or in our favourite park, Parc des Buttes-Chaumont, which is set up high over Belleview and full of locals. The space is amazing, with waterfalls, cliffs and views over the 19th. There’s also a bar, Rosa Bonheur, if you fancy an aperitif.

Explore Montmartre

A favourite place to visit in the city is Montmartre (it maybe stems from Lauren’s obsession with Baz Luhrmann’s Moulin Rouge.) It’s pretty, quaint and never fails to make us feel like we’re starring in a French film. The best way to experience it is to climb to the top of the hill to get to Sacré-Cœur, then walk behind the cathedral to the artist-filled streets. It’s fairly tourist-focused, but the more you walk, the quieter it becomes. You can even visit Café des Deux Moulins, a beautiful, unimposing art-deco cafe on rue Cauchois that featured in the film Amélie.

True to it’s artistic heritage, there’s also the Musée de Montmartre, which was built in the 1960s and hosts some exciting French artists including Pierre-Auguste Renoir and Suzanne Valadon. It has a beautiful garden which is a nice space to enjoy some calm before heading back out.

Lauren Loves

As a self-proclaimed shopaholic and fashion-nerd, I was told to check out to the flagships stores on the Champs-Élysées, headed by the amazing Arc de Triomphe. Indeed, I do love visiting the huge Louis Vuitton, with it’s art gallery on the top floor, accessed by a door around the back. However, my favourite streets by far are the nearby rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, and rue de Rivoli. Window shopping, grabbing a coffee and macaroon (from Ladurée no less!) makes for a very chic and fun afternoon.

Paris, to me, seems like London’s older, more sophisticated sister. It’s more refined, photogenic and it’s inhabitants have a certain je ne said quoi. I absolutely adore hopping onto a Eurostar with Rob, finding something new to love about France’s capital.

Robert Loves

As we tend to go to Paris during the nice weather season, what I like to do most is make sure we walk back to the hotel after a nice dinner. In most cases the distance is more than you’d usually want to walk on a full stomach, but you can’t beat walking along the Seine where it seems like the whole of Paris has gathered to spend the evening having an after-dinner drink or listening to local bands playing their music.

Where did we stay?

We always stay at Tilsitt Etoile, close to the Arc de Triomphe. We booked it once and have been back four times already as it’s super modern, friendly and it has the best breakfast we’ve had in the city - fresh baguettes and pastries from a nearby bakery and lots of ham and cheese. What could be better? Prices vary throughout the year, but we typically pay around 250 euro for a few nights. Worth upgrading for a cute balcony overlooking the street!

Top Tips

• Learn a bit of French: Parisians really love it when you greet them in their language at restaurants and stores. They usually quickly realise that you are a tourist, and switch to English, but we always try our best to start the conversation on a good note!
• Don’t just rush around trying to see and do everything. Take time to chill and enjoy the city. We find that the memories we cherish most are made when we’ve taken time out to just sit and have a coffee and soak in the surroundings.
• Walk! Try and walk as much as possible so that you see the little things you’d otherwise miss. There is so much history in Paris and the architecture is one of the best places to bring that history to life.
• If you’re based in London it couldn’t be easier to reach Paris by train. Sign up to the Eurostar newsletters to learn about their sales.