Beeing in paris not as a tourist : a typical day

Traveling and not being considered a tourist might seem contradictory. However, if you're looking to experience a typically Parisian day, here are our top recommendations.

Morning — experience the real neighborhood Paris

8h00 - Coffee and pastries in a quiet corner

Avoid the ultra-touristy cafes of Saint-Michel. Instead, go to residential neighborhoods where people are reading, working, or walking their dogs.

• Du Pain et des Idées : one of the best bakery of Paris according to many Parisians.

9h30 — Wandering aimlessly through micro-neighborhoods

Parisians especially like… to stroll. Coins “initiés” :

• La Cité Florale (13e) : A small neighborhood with houses covered in flowers. You completely forget you're in Paris.

• Le parc des Buttes-Chaumont : a favorite park of many Parisians from the northeast. More “local” than the Luxembourg Gardens.

Déjeuner — parisian modern bistrot

• Bouillon République 

• Mokonuts

Afternoon

Vivienne Galery :

Square des Peupliers : A completely silent mini-village.

Apéro — where Parisians really hang out

• Le Baron Rouge : A Parisian institution for wine.

• Le Perchoir : Rooftop where many locals go in the summer.

Evening — dinner + Parisian nighttime atmosphere

Late dinner, Paris East style: The northeastern part of Paris (11th, 19th, 20th arrondissements) is where many young Parisians go out.

• Chez Janou : Old Paris ambiance + famous mousse au chocolat.

• Folderol : Wine + artisanal ice cream = a very Parisian combo these days.

Nighttime — places many tourists miss

Walking at night along the Canal Saint-Martin

This is probably more “real Parisian” than a tourist cruise on the Seine.

Things that real Parisians often do (and that tourists don't know about):

• Buy a bottle of wine and sit on the Seine.

• Spend two hours in a bookstore without buying anything.

• Have a picnic in the Buttes-Chaumont park.

• Go to the movies alone in an old art-house cinema.

• Cycle across Paris at night.

• Spend Sunday morning at the market:

·         Marché d'Aligre

·         Marché des Enfants Rouges