These 10 Top Paris Stops are from my last trip. Paris, France is a wonderland, and it’s hard to narrow down what to do and see. It’s endless. On each visit to the City of Lights, I discover new and exciting places to visit and delicious things to eat.
Paris is always a good idea. – Audrey Hepburn
Here are my latest top 10 favorites:
#1 Les Pavillons de Bercy – Musée des Arts Forains
#4 Abricot Bar
#5 Salon International de l’Agriculture
#6 WW2 Paris Occupation & Liberation Tour
# 7 Mémorial des Martyrs de la Déportation
#8 Bouillons
#9 Cemeteries
#10 Conciergerie
#1 Les Pavillons de Bercy – Musée des Arts Forains
This unusual, fun museum showcases antique fairground objects. Entry is only within a tour. The tours are in French. However, it’s worth it. Although no one in our group is fluent, we enjoyed it immensely using Google Translate.
Our Guide Max was an energetic and entertaining addition to the overall experience.
You not only learn the history of the objects, you get to ride on some of the antique carousels. My favorite was the Velocipede – a bicycle carousel. Additionally, we got to play a horse racing game.
The space, in a converted winery, is beautiful with a stunning courtyard. This unusual museum with its unique collection is an outstanding addition to any Paris itinerary.
Tip: The tours are offered only a few times a week. Make sure you book your tickets online well in advance of your trip.
For my Next Visit/What I missed: At Christmas time, they turn the gorgeous courtyard into a Christmas market. This is now on my bucket list. for my next visit.
More Musée des Arts Forains Pavillons de Bercy:
# 2 Croissant Making Class
What was not to like about this class? In a beautiful kitchen in the heart of St. Germain with a lovely, friendly, expert instructor, this was one of the highlights of my trip.
The class was small with only 7 participants so it felt almost private. Croissant pastry dough needs 24 hour rest period. Consequently, we made croissants from the dough prepared by the students the previous day. We prepared the dough for the following day’s class. So we got to experience the full circle of life of a croissant.
We made two types, plain and chocolate. Matthew, our instructor gave us a choice of how many chocolate “batons” we put into our chocolate version. Minumin was one, maximum was 4. I picked two and four for the duo I prepared. At the end of the class, we hung out a bit and ate our creations. We walked away with a step-by-step instruction guide on the recipe and a bag of our handmade pastries.
Tip: Do not eat a big breakfast because there will be a lot of pastries to eat. you want to eat them fresh for maximum taste.
More scenes from the Croissant Making Class:
#3 Musée Marmottan Monet
This is the unofficial Monet Museum. A former hunting lodge turned museum by Paul Marmottan to house his extensive art collection.
Bequeathed to the Académie des Beaux-Arts, this gorgeous building is unofficially the Monet Museum Paris & offers the greatest collection of Claude Monet paintings worldwide.
The lower floor has a stunning display of Monet paintings in the round. In addition, there are beautiful works by Renoir, Degas, and Gauguin.
There is also an impressive collection of Berthe Morisot’s works. Her palette is also on display. Some other random surprises as well.
Symbolic ceremonial swords were offered to new members of the Academe as part of their official uniform. This sword display is worth a look. Master Mime and French Resistance Hero, Marcel Marceau. was a member. Each sword was personalized to highlight a recipient’s life achievements. Works of art in themselves.
More scenes from Musée Marmottan Monet:
#4 Abricot Bar
If you are craving some friendly American vibes or just want fun creative cocktails and plant-based bites, look no further than Abricot. Co-owned by two talented Americans, this little jewel box of a bar is located in the 10th Arrondissement.
Voted one of the Best 24 Bars in Paris by Conde Nast Traveller, the decor is as lovely as the offerings.
Cornbread with Maple Butter, luscious Cookies, and vegan Mexican snacks are all delicious accompaniments to fantastic cocktails. There’s even a Taco Tuesday cocktail with tortilla chip-infused bourbon. There are plenty of options for non-imbibers Several of the cocktails can be made without alcohol.
More Abricot:
Tip: If you would like an American-style layer cake for a special occasion, Allison Kave one of the owners takes custom orders.
#5 Salon International de l’Agriculture
If you are a food enthusiast and are in Paris at the end of February, you have the opportunity to attend this fair showcasing foods from every region of France.
This is your chance to sample and purchase items from other regions of France without leaving Paris. There is so much to cover, that one can easily spend a few days visiting delicious booths with gourmet goodies to eat and buy.
what sets this show apart from other food conventions is a section of live animals. We had fun gawking at the camels.
The event is held at Porte de Versailles and tickets go for around 16 Euro. You can pre-buy them on their website. There are over 1,100 exhibitors so bring your appetite and wear your stretchy pants. Better yet, bring a few friends and you can try more items by splitting them. The show also features plenty of wine and spirit vendors.
Tip: Dress in layers and bring a packable coat. It gets hot in the show. I got tired of juggling my jacket, scarf, etc.
More scenes from the Salon International de l’Agriculture::
#6 WW2 Paris Occupation & Liberation Tour
I read a lot about it and have visited many sites relevant to World War Two. Consequently, I was enthusiastic but my expectations were low about learning new information on this tour.
Led by Thierry, this walking tour took us through the highlights of the Paris occupation by Germany, its liberation, and French resistance activity.
The tour took us through beautiful parts of Paris center. We saw major landmarks and off-the-beaten-path places related to the period.
Theirry speaks excellent English and brings visuals to illustrate pivotal events of the time period. I learned so much.
The only downside was I was so captivated by his narrative, I didn’t take pictures. Highly recommend.
Tip: Make sure you check the weather before you book and wear comfortable shoes. You will be doing significant walking outside.
# 7 Mémorial des Martyrs de la Déportation
This sobering site is a memorial to the 200,000 people who were deported from Vichy France to the Nazi concentration camps during World War II. It is located in Paris, France, on the site of a former morgue, underground behind Notre Dame on Île de la Cité.
The Hall of Remembrance is lined with 160,000 pebbles. It represents the Jewish tradition of placing a stone on the grave of a loved one.
up above, these “Resserurection” roses, created on the initiative of women deported to the Ravensbrück concentration camp, are dedicated to all the victims of deportation. They are a call to vigilance and peace. ”
Tip: The size of this monument does not take a lot of time to explore. However, save some time to read the captions on all the exhibits. It’s worth it.
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#8 The Bouillons
I ate at four of the Paris Bouillons. Only two (Bouillon Julien and Chartier) were exquisitely tricked out in Art Nouveau style.
The other two (Le Petit Bouillon Vavin and Pigalle) have modern decor. On the plus side, the Bouillons are known for being lower priced than most Parisian restaurants, and no reservations are required.
Bouillon Julien
However, I found the food to be hit or miss ranging from OK to good. Admittedly, I am not an adventurous eater so I stick to chicken or beef. A fearless eater may do better. That being said, I recommend a visit to Julien and Chartier just to gawk at the decor and soak up the atmosphere.
Tip: There is usually a line to get in. Especially for Bouillon Julien. To avoid waiting times, I went in off hours like 4 PM.
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# 9 Cemeteries
#10 Conciergerie
Most people visit Saint Chappelle and skip over its next-door neighbor. Don’t sleep on The Conciergerie.
The building is a medieval royal palace that became a revolutionary tribunal. It was one of the principal places of detention during the French Revolution. Also Marie-Antoinette’s prison. During the Restoration, a commemorative chapel was built on the site of her cell.
Maximilien Robespierre was held here before he was guillotined.
You get an “Histopad” when you enter. When you point it at certain parts of the room, you see a reimagining of what the original rooms looked like, with food, furniture, etc.
More than 4,000 people’s names are inscribed on these walls. Names of everyone who was held in the prison. You can look up names, their information, and fate.
Tip: Don’t skip the Histopad. It’s free and so worth it.
More Conciergerie: