PARIS ・巴黎 ・パリ

This guide is based on my personal experiences i.e. places that I really went before and I will write down my truthful comments. This is not a guide on typical Parisian touristy places that you can find in a guidebook e.g. Musée du Lourve, Eiffel Tower, Champs Elysée etc. I will include some helpful tips if I can think of any.

I doubt these guides will ever be completed (because change is the only constant in the world!) and I can only update it as frequently as possible. I am not done with it yet, I have some ideas in my head to make it better, some more places to add (but I need to sort out the information first) and please, feel free to drop me a line if you have any suggestions. 

Image Source: http://www.lafayette-travel.com

Looking at the Paris Map, we see that the city is divided into 20 different neighborhoods called "arrondissements". "Arrondissements" are named according to their number. For example, you might live in the 5th arrondissement, which would be written as 5ème (or 5e) in French. If you know the postal code of any address in the city of Paris, you can easily identify which arrondissement it is located in because Parisian postal codes take the form of - 75XXX - with the last two digits being equal to the arrondissement (e.g. 75008 is the postal code for the 8th arrondissement). The suburbs are called the banlieues. They are generally more peaceful than the city, and those to the west of Paris (Neuilly, Boulogne, Saint Cloud, Levallois) are the most desirable.

[Things to Note]
Île-de-France (region) refers to the "District of the Paris Region". It comprises of 5 zones, Paris (as in the "Paris" that most of us have in mind) runs from Zone 1-2. Metro lines (Lines 1-14) runs from Zone 1-2 too. RER (sub-urban trains: RER A-E) run from Zone 1-5. If you understand till this part, you are well on your way to navigate Paris or the "District of the Paris Region".

[PARIS VISITE CARD]
If you are travelling free & easy, the first thing you should purchase is the "Paris Visite" card as shown below, where you can make unlimited, unrestricted trips around the Ile-de-France region.

 

Image Source: http://www.ratp.fr 

 The Paris Visite travel card is valid for 1, 2, 3 or 5 consecutive days in zones 1-3 or 1-6 (Please note: each day begins at 05:30 and ends at 05:30 the following day).

Most of the tourists attractions in Paris lie within Zone 1-2, only a few will require you to travel out of Zone 3, for example, Château de Versailles, which is located in Zone 4, Disneyland (Zone 5), Parc Astérix (Zone 5), etc.


Depending on which zones you select, Paris Visite allows you to travel on:

• metro lines;
• RER lines (RATP and SNCF);
• Ile-de-France bus lines (RATP and OPTILE), except those circulating on Jetbus, Allobus Roissy CDG, tourist excursion and Air France networks;
• the Orlyval line (linking Orly Airport to the RER B);
• the Montmartre funicular.
• Map of pricing zones

Paris Visite is NOT valid for travel on the Voguéo river shuttle.

You can purchase this card from any Metro or RER stations' ticket offices.

Advantages of the Paris Visite travel card

• Allows you unlimited travel within the selected zones
• Children between the ages of 4 and under 12 receive a reduced fare
• You can enjoy the many discounts (entrance tickets to various attractions) available. Click here for more info. 

[CYCLING AROUND PARIS]

If you are tired of the conventional way of travelling via metro and trains, you can always rent a bicycle from the Velib'. You can park or return it at any of the stations located in Paris. All you need is a credit card. For more info, click here.

[1st district]

Beautiful in all 4 seasons, and especially in my favourite season, Autumn - Jardin des Tuileries

Address:

Rue de Rivoli
75001

Everything you want in a kitchen for cooking and baking. They have pots, pans, cutlery, moulds, cookie cutters, whiskers, etcetcetc in all different shapes and sizes!!

Address:
E. Dehillerin
18 rue Coquillière - 75001 Paris
01.42.36.53.13


[2nd district]

Lunch chez Pizza Pino.
Recommended. Reasonable pricings. We took the a la carte this time but they do have set menus at 14.80€ for appetiser + main dish or main dish + dessert.
Pizzas are made using the traditional mansory oven.


Even restaurants took advantage of the sunny weather and allow customers to dine at their terrace.


My pizza.


W's soufflé pizza - assorted ham in melting cheese with a sunny side-up inside.

Addresses (They have 4 branches in Paris & are open past midnight!!):

Pizza Pino

Opéra (The one we went to)

27 boulevard des Italiens - 75002 Paris

01.42.66.09.57

Opening hours: 11h30 - 01h30

Montparnasse

57 boulevard du Montparnasse - 75006 Paris

01.45.49.19.08

Opening hours: 11h30 - 04h30

Champs-Elysées

31-33 avenue des Champs-Elysées - 75008 Paris

01.40.74.01.12

Opening hours: 11h30 - 05h00

République

4 place de la République - 75011 Paris

01.47.00.30.78

Opening hours: 11h30 - 01h00

想再回去这间四川餐馆很久了。就是久久没有实行。那个时候也是和 FM 一起来的。
今天终于又让我大快朵颐了♥♥！！

Szechuan delights. I've been longing to go back there again, I went there again with FM today!

非常开胃的前菜： 海蜇皮。酸酸的，还有咸中带点麻油味。

An appetiser that I adore - Jellyfish with sesame oil & vinegar dressings.

水煮鱼。第一次吃。口味很重。很辣。我们两个人吃到双颊通红不止，还不时地猛灌酸梅汤。最后还是剩下很多没有吃完，份量超大的。

Spicy fish pot - It was my first time having this dish and it is really spicy! Not for the weak stomachs! I would advise you to tell the waitress beforehand if she could lower the level of spiciness because as you can see from the pictures, this whole dish is filled with chilli peppers.

水煮鱼里的鱼好嫩、好好吃！！就是辛辣了一点。

I still like those tender fish slices despite its spiciness.

青椒豆腐皮。

Beancurd skin with green chilli.

FM 两颊通红。

FM with her red cheeks.

这几天的天气还是冷的。觉得川菜比较适合冬天吃。吃后全身暖呼呼的，好像喝过酒一样。夏天吃的话，一定会流鼻血！！

  Not something to be taken during summer time!

Address:

随意坊贱人馆
162, rue Saint Denis, Paris 75002
01.40.28.98.98 (Reservation is highly recommended as they get full house almost every evening!)
Nearest metro stations: Sentier (Line 3) & Etienne Marcel (Line 4)

Some coloring/flavoring stuff for baking.

French mustards in different flavours including blackcurrant!!

Address:
G. Detou
58 rue Tiquetonne - 75002 Paris
01.42.36.54.67

 If you are craving for Chinese dry/soupy noodles in the centre of Paris...

Address:
Noodle N°1 (面馆)
54 Rue Sainte-Anne 75002 Paris
01.49.26.01.51 (Possibly full house during Thurs - Sat evenings)
Nearest metro stations: Quatre-Septembre (Line 3) & Pyramides (Line 14)

One of my favourite Korean restaurants in the heart of Paris. The boss lady is a very nice and friendly Korean lady. Appetisers are free flow (but try not to ask more than twice), set lunches can be kept to 10€ (I always go for their spicy calamari with rice!!).

I really do love everything on their menu!! From Korean BBQ meat, hot pot dishes, to pancakes!!

Address:
Opéra Guibine
44 Rue Sainte-Anne - 75002 Paris France
01.40.20.45.83
Nearest metro station: Quatre Septembre (Line 3) & Pyramides (Line 14)

For the best cha-shuu ramen in Paris, try Higuma. 

At 7€50 per bowl, it is possibly one of the best satisfaction you can get for a meal.

This restaurant (or rather, canteen is more apt) is not very esthetically pleasing. Their walls filled with autographs of Japanese "celebrities" as far back as the late 1980s and they have an open kitchen; if you do not want your clothes to stink after leaving, you are advised to avoid going there. However, if you are there to taste what they can offer, you wouldn't be disappointed by Paris standards!

Addresses (They have 2 branches):

Higuma
32 bis Rue Sainte-Anne - 75001 Paris, France
01.47.03.38.59
Open Daily 11h30 -22h30
Nearest metro station: Pyramides (Line 14)

HIGUMA (Palais Royal)
163 Rue Saint-Honoré
75001 Paris
01.58.62.49.22


[Le Marais: 3rd & 4th district]

28 different flavours of hot chocolate to choose from!!

Gelato in Mango, Vanilla, Pistacho & Yoghurt.

I always go for their pistacho if I can only choose one flavour - it is the B.E.S.T!!

It was my first time trying the hot chocolate. I ordered the classic - chocolate milk, and it was so!!!!!!!! thick that I thought it was no different (or, not much) with the chocolate one can find in a chocolate fondue. Totally too heavy for my liking. Perhaps, I just don't know how to appreciate it. In the end, I couldn't even finish half of it even though I split it between Maki & I, and added a whole glass of water to dilute it.

I even took a video just to show its viscosity!

Feast to my eyes.

Address:
Amorino
They have 21 branches in Paris, so it is best that you visit their website for more info. The one I visited is as shown below:
31 Rue Vieille du Temple - 75004 Paris
Nearest metro station: Saint Paul (Line 1)

One of the most exotic and beautiful Moroccan restaurant I've seen in Paris - Rïad Nejma, meaning "Garden under the stars" in Arabic.

I tried Tajine de Poisson for the first time. However, I still much prefer couscous anytime!

There weren't any semoule, just fish, slices of turnips, carrots, zucchinis and lentils in some sauce.

Actually, we took the classic set menu, hence, before the main dish was being served, we were already quite full from their appetisers.

Anne savouring the desserts.

We were being entertained by a "belly dancer" with J. Lo kind of electric butt (I wonder how she did it!! So sexy!!). Some of the diners were being lured to dance along with her with cheering from their group of friends. What are friends for? Sabotage. Hahaha. Watch the video that I managed to catch!!

Address:
Restaurant Rïad Nejma
141 rue St. Martin -75004 Paris
01.42.78.35.00
Nearest Metro Station: Rambuteau

Almost everything you can find in ♥♥ a grandmother's kitchen ♥♥

Address:
Au Petit Bonheur La Chance
13 rue Saint-Paul - 75004 Paris
01.42.74.36.38

 The best ice-cream & sorbet in Paris.

Address: 
La Maison Berthillon
29-31 rue saint Louis en l'ile - 75004 Paris
01.43.54.31.61
Nearest metro stations: Saint Paul (Line 1), Pont Marie (Line 7), Cardinal Lemoine (Line 9 & 10)

Poilâne -A well-known boulangerie in Paris.

Address:

Le Marais district
38 rue Debelleyme - 75003 Paris
01.44.61.83.39
Opening hours: From Tue - Sun, 07h15 to 20h15

Saint-Germain-des-Prés district
8 rue du Cherche-Midi - 75006 Paris
01.45.48.42.59
Opening hours: From Mon - Sat, 07h15 to 20h15

Eiffel Tower district
49 bld de Grenelle - 75015Paris
01.45.79.11.49
Opening hours: From Tues - Sun, 07h15 to 20h15

"Mariage Frères", the French Art of Tea. One of the few highest quality tea shop in France.
This is the branch at Marais. They have 5 branches in Paris that offers their Tea Emporium, restaurant, tea salon and tea museum.

How many different types of tea have you tasted thus far?

At their "Salon du Thé" where you can enjoy fresh brews with meals and/or desserts.

Not only you can purchase their tea leaves, they sell tea pots and fine tea sets too!

Address:
Mariage Frères
30 rue du Bourg-Tibourg - 75004 Paris
01.42.72.28.11

Also, their tea products can be found at several big shopping centres like Galeries Lafayette, Le Bon Marché, Printemps Haussman, Printemps Italie 2, Printemps Nation & BHV.

[5th district]

[6th district]

I got their Jasmine, Chocolate, Green Tea with Red Bean Paste, Rose and Hazelnut.
The Green Tea ones were Faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaantastic!! I'm thinking about it while staring at my pics!!

Address:
Pierre Hermé

They have 7 branches in Paris. All easily accessible via the metro. You can click here for more details.

If you have a French, United Kingdom or Japan address, you can purchase their products online too. Click here.

[7th district]

Image Source: http://paris.unlike.net

Image Source: http://www.elle.fr

Le Bon Marché, was founded as a small shop in Paris during 1838, and was a fixed-price department store from about 1850. It is the name of one of the best known department stores in Paris, France. It is sometimes regarded as the "first department store in the world". If you compare, there are much more tourists going to Galeries Lafayette, while many of my French friends or colleagues prefer to go to Le Bon Marché.

Its true draw is its inherent structural beauty, best observed from the numerous couch-laden seating areas or three chic restaurants and cafes. An underground level features rotating exhibitions, installations, workshops and events. For the privileged shopper, Le Bon Marché can also arrange valet parking, currency exchange, personal shopping and delivery.

Address:

Le Bon Marché

24 rue de Sèvres - 75007 Paris

Opening hours: Mon, Tues, Wed, Sat, 10h - 20h

                        Thu & Fri, 10h - 21h

Nearest metro station: Sèvres Babylone (Lines 10 & 12)

Image Source: http://www.parisperfect.com

La Grande Épicerie, across the street, offers a whirlwind tour through gastronomy with a whopping 30,000 various products and 3,000 different champagnes, wines and spirits stowed away in their wine cellar. Take a sip for a taste test, or just nibble on the free samples offered while you watch the gourmet chefs at work.

Address:

La Grande Épicerie

38 rue de Sèvres - 75007 Paris (directly opposite Le Bon Marché)

Opening hours: Mon - Sat, 08h30 - 21h

Nearest metro station: Sèvres Babylone (Lines 10 & 12)

[8th district]

Some people say if you didn't go there, you didn't come to Paris.

Ladurée has 10 branches in Paris, including the one at Charles de Gaulle Airport. For more details on their locations, click here.

Take note that there are places where you are only allow to buy-and-go, and places where you can sit down in their beautiful cafés and take in the French ambience. For the locations of their café houses in Paris, click here.

The Corinthian Pillars, Parc Monceau

Summer. Love.

Address:
Parc Monceau
Boulevard de Courcelles - 75008 PARIS
Nearest metro station: Monceau (Line 2)

[9th district]

One of the biggest shopping centres in Paris and also where you can claim tax located in their basement immediately after your purchase. Remember to bring along your passport so that you can avoid queueing at the airport at the time of your departure.

Address:

Galeries Lafayette
HAUSSMANN BRANCH
40, bd Haussmann - 75009 PARIS
01.42.82.34.56
Nearest metro station: Havre Caumartin (Line 3), Chausée d'Antin (Line 9)
or RER A - Auber, RER E - Haussman St. Lazare

MONTPARNASSE BRANCH
C. Cial Montparnasse
22 rue du Départ - 75737 PARIS
01.45.38.52.87
Nearest metro station: Saint Placide (Line 4)

Lafayette Gourmet

 

Image Source: http://www.bibendum-times.co.uk

Visit this unique place entirely dedicated to gourmet foods with tasting bars, restaurants and deli counters. Taste the finest foie gras, caviar, pastries and flavours from all over the world. I remember there is a bar counter where you can taste all the cheese you can think of with a glass of selected red wine. It is located right next to the cheese counter. Also, you can choose the type of coffee beans you want and have them freshly grinded to be packed home.This is a good place for you to shop for some local delights to be brought home as souvenirs, other than La Grand Epicerie at Le Bon Marché.

Address:

40, bd Haussmann - 75009 PARIS
01.42.82.34.56
Nearest metro station: Havre Caumartin (Line 3), Chausée d'Antin (Line 9)
or RER A - Auber, RER E - Haussman St. Lazare
For those who are interested to purchase Nespresso capsules because they are cheaper (or much cheaper than Singapore, I don't know as I'm not a coffee person), there is a nespresso boutique just a stone throw away from Galeries Lafayette.

 

Image Source: http://en.ideas4all.com/

Address: 
Nespresso Boutique
11, rue Scribe - 75009 Paris
Opens from Mon - Sat, 10h - 19h


Other branches in Paris:
64 rue Bonaparte - 75006 Paris (Opens from Mon - Sat, 10h - 19h)
119 Avenue Champs Elyséé - 75008 Paris (Opens from Mon - Sat, 10h - 20h)
45 Avenue Victor Hugo - 75016 Paris (Opens from Mon - Sat, 10h - 19h)

Café de la Paix is a famous café in the 9th arrondissement of Paris, France. It was designed by Charles Garnier, the architect of the Paris Opéra (located across the plaza).

During the Belle Époque, visitors to the Café included Sergei Diaghilev, and the Prince of Wales and future King of the United Kingdom, Edward VII.

On August 22, 1975, the Café was declared a historic site by the French government.

Beautiful food, beautiful people and even more beautiful interiors! 

Address:

Café de la Paix
5 Place de l’Opéra - 75009 PARIS
01.40.07.36.36

[10th district]

[11th district]

[12th district]

[13th district]

[14th district]

 

Image source: http://www.catacombes.info

Les Catacombes de Paris

The Catacombs of Paris or Catacombes de Paris are an underground ossuary in Paris, France. Located south of the former city gate (the "Barrière d'Enfer" at today's Place Denfert-Rochereau), the ossuary holds the remains of about 6 million people and fills a renovated section of caverns and tunnels that are the remains of Paris' stone mines.

Address:
Les Catacombes de Paris
1 Avenue du Colonel Henri Rol-Tanguy
75014 Paris, France
01.43.22.47.63
Opening hours: Tue - Sun, 10h - 17h
Nearest metro stations: Denfert-Rochereau (Lines 4 & 6) OR RER B (Denfert-Rochereau)


CAUTION, PARTICULAR CONDITIONS OF VISIT :

• Visits limited to 200 Visitors in the site (entries can be stopped temporarily)
• Duration of the visit: 45 minutes - length 2 km
• No toilets, no cloakroom
• 130 steps to be gone down, 83 steps to be gone up
• Temperature: 14°
• Visit disadvised to the people suffering of cardiac or respiratory weakness and of nervous disease.
• Visit disadvised to young children
• Children of less than 14 years must be accompanied by an adult

[15th district]

[16th district]

The place felt like an escape from city life where you will need to take a 2-mins boat ride across the lake to get to the restaurant.

The boat ride to the restaurant.

The night scene here is so tranquil. I didn't have time to take pics of the food because we were too busy discussing and talking. The night ended with loads of laughter with the help of vodka.

Doesn't it feel like X"mas already?

Image Source: eat-out.net

Address:
Le Chalet de Iles
Lac Inférieur du Bois de Boulogne
Porte de la Muette - 75016 Paris
01.42.88.04.69 (Reservation is obligatory!!)

[17th district]

If you are a Singaporean/Malaysian in Paris and you miss Singaporean or Asian food, you can try this "restaurant". It is named "The SQ joint" because Singapore airline crew always go there for their meals as their hotel is located along the same street - Hotel Meridien. They went there for such a long period of time and for so long that if you tell them you want a bowl of "Mee Pok", they will ask you whether you want the seafood version or the other version (which I forgot cos I always take the seafood option)!! 

The owners speak Mandarin, Teochew & Cantonese.

I always go for their "Mee Pok", Beef Phở or some seasonal chinese green vegetables (you have to ask what is available but the default choices are always brocolli or choy sum). Tomato chicken fried rice is not bad too. I saw a lot of people ordering Thai glass noodles that looks appetising. 

Address:
Chez Chung (永华)
49 boulevard Gouvin - Saint - Cyr - 75017 Paris
01.45.72.17.06
Nearest metro station: Porte Maillot (Line 1) or RER C (Porte Maillot)

I had my very first couscous in this restaurant. I brought lots of Singaporean friends here too and they all love it! For 13€50, you can have your fill of 2 mutton skewers (always my choice! no "muttony" smell due to the spices used), free flow of gravy and semoule.

Address:
Etoile de Taroudaute
15 rue de Héliopolis - 75017 Paris
01.43.80.56.65 (Reservation recommended during Fri & Sat evenings)
Nearest metro station: Porte de Champerret (Line 3)

There is another couscous restaurant, "Au Coucous des Batignolles" that we will frequent in the same district. The difference is, "Etoile de Taroudaute" has better gravy (less greasy, which is to my liking), however, "Au Couscous des Batignolles" does their meat better. Price wise, "Au Couscous des Batignolles" is just a little bit more expensive than  "Etoile de Taroudaute". So, it's a matter of choice, really. My priority is the gravy, I'll always go for the former, while for W, his priority is his meat, he will always choose the latter.

Address:

Au Coucous des Batignolles

135 rue de Rome - 75017 Paris

01.42.12.09.42
Nearest metro station: Rome (Line 2)

The finest and best couscous restaurant we have been to in Paris (highly possibly the best in Paris in reality) is Le Timgad. They have the best presentation and ambience as well. Also, they have very good reviews at Cityvox.fr and Tripadvisor too. So, if you do not mind the once in a while splurge over a quality meal, go for this. It will cost 70€ per person approximately, including drinks and dessert.

Address:

Le Timgad
21 rue Brunel - 75017 Paris
01.45.74.23.70 (Reservation is recommended)
Operating everyday including public holidays.
Nearest metro station: Argentine (Line 1)

[18th district]

[19th district]

[20th district] 

[Sub-urban: Boulogne-Billancourt]

Italian food prepared by italian chefs - Mama mia! 

Italian mozarella with cherry tomatoes!!

Address:
Caffè Peonia
153 rue de Billancourt - 92100 BOULONGE
01.46.04.65.23
Mon - Fri afternoons: From 12h00
Mon - Sat evenings: From 20h00 (Reservations highly recommended as it gets full house easily at this time)
Nearest metro station: Billancourt (Line 9)

A floating restaurant on La Seine at Le Cap Seguin.

One of the Apéritifs with champagne & red wine.

A tour around the restaurant.

My entrée - some prawn dish with parmesan cheese & sliced mushrooms.

My main dish - Dory fish with Zucchinis & Chorizos.

We were drunk again.

Actually, we just had an overdose of good food & wine. Desserts - we chose chocolate fondue with yoghurt sorbets.

♥♥East meets West ♥♥

 

The 3rd time I was there, with my favourite people in the office.

Address:
Restaurant Le CAP Seguin
Face au 24/26 quai Alphonse Le Gallo
92100 BOULOGNE-BILLANCOURT
01.46.05.06.07 (Reservation is obligatory!!)

Libanese delights!

It was my first time having Libanese food! It became my new favourite that night! I wanna have them again just looking at these pics!! I like their appetisers the most!!





Delish Libanese Appetisers - tomatoes with basilic, hummus, brinjals in some sauce, pickled vegetables (from clockwise).

I was so engrossed in their food that I forgot to take pics of the mains - grilled lamb skewers!! We like it so much that we make this restaurant one of our frequent lunch stopovers after this.

Address:
Samaya
53, rue de la Saussière
92100 Boulogne-Billancourt
01.46.05.49.96 (Recommendation highly recommended as they get very crowded, even during lunch hours!)