As you may have noticed from looking at my Instagram photos or my Paris photo diary, I absolutely loved my recent trip to Paris. It renewed my love for the city and I discovered so many great places that I had never heard of before. It goes without saying that I’m going to share all of these shops, bars, and eateries with you guys!
Shopping
I think most girls planning a trip to Paris think about doing some shopping there (am I right?). The thing is, unless you know where to look, you’ll probably end up wandering around Topshop or H&M, just like you would in London or any other European city (granted, on the lovely Champs Elysées). These are my top addresses that you won’t find anywhere else:
- Mad Vintage – two locations, including 139, rue Saint-Martin
Right in front of the museum, this store has a fantastic stock of great vintage finds. I bought a suede mini skirt (because I’m loving suede for this season!) and I was super tempted to get a big red hat. I wanted to stay longer and hunt for more retro items but the boyfriend got impatient! Go there for wearable retro clothes in good condition for very reasonable prices. They have a huge selection of denim shorts.
- Sandro Outlet Boutique – 26, rue de Sévigné
I’m sure many of you have heard of Sandro already. It’s my favourite for elegant party dresses – think lots of lace and LBDs like my NYE dress. The parisian brand also creates great casual wear, like awesome accessories and sweatshirts. This particular address is for their outlet boutique: it looks like a normal shop, but the prices are a fraction of what you would normally pay. I got my graduation dress (pictured above right) for 38€ instead of 215€!
- St-Ouen Flea Market
When we decided to go to this market in the North of Paris, we were hoping to find some retro 60s furniture for our flat. The truth is, this market is so well known that the prices are mostly way too expensive for us – no bargains to be had! However I think it still deserves a mention because I found some lovely costume jewellery from a workshop that closed down in the 80s.
Food and Drink
Of course, there will always be the cute old street corner cafés and creperies, but Paris has a lot more to offer! I’m sure I haven’t even discovered the best of it, but these are my top recommendations for delicious food and drink in Paris.
- Eclair de Génie – four locations, including 14, rue Pavée
The best éclairs EVER!! These are so incredibly good that I ate some twice in the space of three days. I tried the salted caramel éclair and the caramel and milk chocolate one, and both were amazing. We also had some of their chocolates filled with caramel, and they were absolutely delicious – not even exaggerating! They come up with seasonal flavours all the time as well, so there’s something new for you to try every time you go to Paris.
- Ciel de Paris – 33 Avenue du Maine
Ciel de Paris or ‘sky of Paris’ is the best place to really take in the whole city and admire the Eiffel Tower from afar. We reserved a table for two in advance and were lucky enough to be seated by the windows overlooking all of Paris. The drinks are pretty pricey, but hey you’re paying for the view! We shared a bottle of champagne and sat there for a good two hours – a wonderful moment.
- Le Relais de Venise – 271 Boulevard Pereire
Although they have now opened a few restaurants in London and one in New York, I think it’s still worth going to this charming restaurant (also known as L’Entrecote) when you’re in Paris. The starter is a salad, and the main is steak and french fries with a famous secret steak sauce. You don’t get to choose your food until dessert, but that’s part of the charm!
Next time I visit Paris I think I’ll have to try Angelina, a famous tea room with amazing-looking cakes, and Popelini for more cute pastries! You guessed it – travelling with me involves a lot of eating! For vintage, I’d like to check out Free’p’star which is supposed to be great. Stay tuned!
If you’re looking for more tips, check out Rashmi’s guide to Paris for first timers.
Do you have any favourite places in Paris?
