Beauty, intellect, history, art, food and character – the French capital really does have it all – and if you don’t agree, we’d wager you’ve not been looking in the right places. Avoid the tourist traps around the Champs-Elysées and Eiffel Tower and discover the many villages the city encloses, each with their own distinct character. Paris has been changing, too: in the last few years, the mayor has added miles of bike lanes and more links than ever out into the near suburbs, while a younger generation of internationally minded entrepreneurs sets the tone for a new wave of relaxed hospitality.
Allons-y ! Start your Paris exploration on the picturesque Left Bank. If you want to make this once bohemian (although now rather upscale) neighbourhood your HQ, we recommend French Theory . It’s a hip three-star hotel with its own coffee shop.
After fueling up on top-notch java, head out on foot to explore Saint-Germain-des-Prés. Start with a morning stroll around Jardin du Luxembourg, the most quintessentially Parisian park. Now it’s time to pay homage to the literary heritage of this area.
At the north of the park, you’ll find The Red Wheelbarrow , a charming English-language bookshop complete with dreamy floor-to-ceiling shelves. Amble north past the Odéon Theatre, onto Rue de l’Odéon, noting the plaque that marks the site of the original Shakespeare & Company bookshop. Finish the book-themed browsing in San Francisco Book Co , where you’ll find a treasur.