I’ve Lived in France 10+ Years—Here Are 12 Hidden Gems in Paris

Plume, a neighborhood restaurant without a tourist in sight.

In some of the popular sightseeing neighborhoods like the well-heeled 7th arrondissement, which claims heavy-hitters like the Eiffel Tower and Impressionist haven Musée d’Orsay, it can be difficult to sift through the run-of-the-mill (and tourist-priced) bistros and pricier, Michelin-ranked restaurants for a dining experience that feels authentic.

“Plume, behind Le Bon Marché and the Balenciaga offices, is a rare Paris spot that feels like a true neighborhood secret—until you realize everyone who lives and works nearby has it firmly in their regular rotation,” says Pamela Shein Murphy, lead travel designer at Wandrist Travel, who lives in the 6th arrondissement. “It’s all clean lines and Scandinavian restraint, a quiet backdrop for Chef Youssef Gastli’s food that speaks volumes. The crowd reflects that same understated elegance: a mix of locals who’ve made this their neighborhood go-to and a few in-the-know visitors who’ve done their homework.”

Shinya Pain Montmartre, the sourdough hotspot known for “peasant breads.”

I’m asked on a near-daily basis which bakery is the best in town. This is the land of baguettes, after all, and boulangeries are reason enough for making the trip to Paris. While I often joke that the best boulangerie is around the corner from my apartment in Belleville, the city does have a few destination-worthy bakeries that have earned the lines that wrap around the block. “The spot local bread connoisseurs know to go for their sourdough is Shinya Pain Montmartre, a minuscule bakery opened in 2020 on one of the many narrow streets that wind up to Sacré Cœur from the Abbesses metro,” says Lindsey Tramuta, author of several books about Paris, most recently “The Eater Guide to Paris.”

Baker-owner Shinya Inagaki’s “peasant breads,” crafted with ancient grains and natural sourdoughs, regularly sell out during the boulangerie’s limited hours (Thursday to Sunday, 4:30 to 7:30 p.m.). “You’ll find a handful of cookies and cakes, too, but no baguettes in sight,” adds Tramuta. “This is a destination for in-the-know loaf lovers. Cash only!”

Jardin du Palais Royal, a quiet retreat near the Louvre.

The Tuileries and Jardin du Luxembourg steal the limelight when it comes to strollable Parisian parks—and for good reason—but when Parisians are looking for a calm spot to sit and read sans foot traffic, they gravitate toward the Jardin du Palais Royal, where Emily and Mindy first met in Emily in Paris.

“I sit on a green chair, one of those with a poem etched into the backrest: ‘Je m’entête affreusement à adorer la liberté libre.’– Arthur Rimbaud,” says Paris-based Sophie Carbonari, founder of the eponymous skincare line, whose treatment space overlooks the square and royal palace where Louis XIV lived as a child. “There’s that particular light of spring mornings, when the chill doesn’t quite cancel out the first warm rays of sunshine—I get goosebumps. The quiet sensuality of the place, the beauty of this sanctuary, every cell in my body feels privileged to be here.”

Rosa Bonheur, a dance floor in the Parc des Buttes-Chaumont.

The Parc des Buttes-Chaumont in the residential 19th arrondissement is one where Parisians gather from all parts of the city and sprawl out on blankets picnicking on warm spring and summer days. Since it’s off the tourist track, and, apart from the area’s handful of standout restaurants and bars, not one you’d typically stumble upon unless you were seeking a certain spot, the crowd here is mostly local.

I live just down the street and walk my dog, Indiana Jones, through the winding paths each morning. On the weekends, friends and I go for a drink and dancing at open-air guinguette (bar) Rosa Bonheur, an inclusive space that caters to families with young kids (during the day) as well as the queer community (at night). You’ll want to arrive early for the Sunday evening dance party—the line builds up fast.

Parc de Belleville, the highest park—and best Eiffel Tower viewpoint.

From the mosaic- and street art-covered pavilion, or Belvédère, perched over the hilltop Parc de Belleville, you’ll find sweeping, panoramic views of the city’s skyline, from the Eiffel Tower and Tour Montparnasse to the Centre Pompidou. Just down the road from the Buttes Chaumont, this is another neighborhood spot that not many tourists know about—even though it’s one of the best vantage points to watch the fireworks show on July 14, Bastille Day.

I live around the corner and love meeting friends for a cold brew and sea salt-sprinkled chocolate chip cookie at Candle Kids or spritz on the sun-drenched terrace of Moncœur Belleville before strolling down past the neighborhood’s tiny vineyard and watching the sunset over the Eiffel Tower in the park below.

Marché d’Aligre, where Michelin-starred chefs shop.

Nearly every neighborhood has its own market, where locals shop stalls piled high with fresh fruits and vegetables. One in the heart of Paris, near Bastille, is the Marché d’Aligre, which unfolds around a centerpiece covered hall and is surrounded by bakeries, cutlers, and florists, giving it a “down-to-Earth, local vibe,” explains Chef Arnaud Donckele, at the helm of the Cheval Blanc Paris restaurants, including three-starred Plénitude. “It’s a lively, vibrant mix of market vendors that take you in and remind you of just how much Paris is a true capital of taste,” he says, adding that there are also small cafés where you can enjoy a glass of white wine with oysters. “It’s a snapshot of daily life—full of energy and joy.”

De Vie, a new kind of fine dining cocktail counter.

As someone who writes about fine dining and has eaten my way around Europe’s starred restaurants, it’s not often a newcomer breaks onto the scene and has the potential to join the ranks of household names like Passard and Ducasse. But after a recent meal at 18-seat Comptoir de Vie, I was instantly sold. Helmed by acclaimed bartenders Alex Francis and Barney O’Kane, the fine dining spot in the Sentier neighborhood partnered with rising young Irish chef, Adam Purcell, for a two-part concept revolving around seasonality, locality, and craft.

Unfolding around an open kitchen, Comptoir de Vie serves a five-course tasting menu of dishes like cured sea bream with fermented winter radishes, chewy seaweed-baked beets, and fennel seed oil at the communal counter. On the opposite side, Bar de Vie, which opens this summer, will pour classic cocktails like martinis and highballs into custom-designed ceramics from Paris-based atelier Beramics, while hand-blown recycled glassware from local La Soufflerie serve as water glasses and vases. Sure, La Tour d’Argent and L’Arpège will always be top dining destinations, but it’s refreshing to see a talented new chef dare to do a cocktail tasting menu—and one that won’t break the bank.

Officine Universelle Buly, an apothecary-inspired perfume shop and café.

Nothing is more quintessentially French than perfume, and locally based Officine Universelle Buly is where in-the-know Parisians shop scents and source handcrafted combs that can be personalized and engraved with your name. I have a tortoiseshell-patterned one that I keep in my makeup bag while traveling, and I’ve become addicted to the Caribbean sweet potato and Afghan carrot body oil that looks to the world’s first vegetable extract, sesame oil, used some 3,500 years ago in Mesopotamia, as one of its key moisturizers.

Les Maquereaux Rive Droite, a happy hour barge on the Seine.

The first hint of sunshine in the spring, and everyone descends down to the banks of the Seine, posting up with bottles of wine and picnic fare. While many of the street-side cafes lining the river are on the touristy side, the handful of spots actually on the quay are anything but. A French friend introduced me a few summers ago to Les Maquereaux Rive Droite, a péniche, or flat-bottomed barge, that overlooks Île Saint-Louis. Open only on the weekends from May to October, this has become our apéro (French version of pre-dinner drinks and snacks) ritual, ordering freshly shucked oysters and prawns from the waterfront stand before settling into one of the picnic tables spilling out along the terrace on the quay.

Harry’s Bar, a century-old cocktail institution.

Bar Hemingway at Ritz Paris has long been my cocktail bar go-to, especially when “world’s best” bartender Colin Field was serenading guests with card games and music on the record player. The Hemingway memorabilia and rose-adorned cocktail glasses have earned the spot a cult following with travelers lining up to try the lauded dry martini, but locals (myself included) head around the corner to the mahogany-clad Harry’s Bar, which transforms into a piano bar at 10 p.m. Order the New York-style hot dog and wash it down with a house classic like a bloody mary (even better with a bit of spice).

Marché des Enfants Rouges, a dining destination in the Marais.

The Marais’ winding medieval streets are lined with some of the city’s top restaurants and bars, including one of my favorites for wine and small plates, Le Mary Celeste. But nothing feels more Parisian than a visit to one of the many covered food markets, and at Marché des Enfants Rouges, the oldest in the city, you can take your pick of cuisine, from couscous at the Moroccan stand to freshly grilled steak and five-inch-thick croque monsieur sandwiches at the counter of Butcher of Paris, where the wine list (which skews on the natural side) rivals some of the top bars in town.

La Gare/Le Gore, a donation-based jazz club near La Villette.

Some of the city’s most iconic jazz clubs like Le Caveau des Oubliettes and Le Caveau de la Huchette—where names like Miles Davis and Duke Ellington have performed—are hidden in the Latin Quarter’s centuries-old vaulted caves. But newcomers like La Gare/Le Gore are combining jazz and clubbing in less-touristy parts of town. Housed in an abandoned train station near La Villette, performances range from big and niche names in jazz to Tuesday-night jam sessions led by students from the nearby Paris Conservatory. If you’re looking for a late-night spot to dance, you’ll find techno, house, and electronic music on rotation until sunrise in the cellar—open 365 days a year.