Music enthusiasts of all kinds will love a trip to the Cité de la Musique. Housing concerts, exhibitions, a library, and an excellent museum tracing the history of musical instruments, the Cité is the cultural center for musical life [more...]

Just north of the Tuileries Gardens, Au Grand Richelieu bakery has been serving baguettes since before Waterloo. Stop in for the traditional bread, or treat yourself to a pastry. There is plenty to choose from: not only croissants, but [more...]

Built in 1783 to resemble a farm in Normandy, the Hameau de la Reine is a lesser-visited site in the Versailles gardens that is well worth the extra hike. With thatched roofs, farm buildings, and a fishing tower around a beautiful pond, [more...]

The famed Tour d'Argent (silver tower) restaurant has lost two stars over the last fifteen years, but the gourmet restaurant's legendary history (which spans over 400 years) keeps diners coming back. The scenery doesn't get any better: [more...]

The Institut du Monde Arabe, on the banks of the Seine in the 5th arrondissement, has been a cornerstone of cultural life in the Arab community and beyond. The stunning architecture is a site to see for itself, but even more exciting [more...]

Formerly the Church of Sainte Genviève, the Revolutionary leaders and subsequent regimes made this Neo-Classical holy place into a Pantheon dedicated to the "great men" of the nation. It is the final resting place of these secular [more...]

This Old Regime building is as much a part of the French History Museum as the artifacts and documents held inside. The 15th-century Hôtel de Soubise was renovated in the 17th and 18th centuries and has housed the National Archives [more...]

In 1830, the young Catherine Labouré is said to have had a vision of the Virgin Mary, who told her to cast a miraculous medal. This little chapel dedicated to Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal is a calm spot to meditate, as well as an [more...]

The Bar Hemingway in the Ritz, frequented by the writer during World War II, is an homage to the tastes of this literary great. Restored to the way it looked in 1944, when Hemingway (along with some Allies) famously liberated the Ritz [more...]

The giant globes on display at the National Library date back to the late 17th century, when they were made by Vincenzo Coronelli and given to Louis XIV. They represent not only the earth, but also the sky and heavens, with ornate [more...]

The same family has been running Le Voltaire since the 1930s and their savoir-faire shows in every dish. This is classic French cuisine at its best.

A bustling lunch or dinner spot, it can be difficult to get a table, but it is worth it.

You'll find superb views on the winding paths of the Buttes-Chaumont park. It's hilly, so bring your hiking shoes. The park is so close and yet feels so natural, poetic, and at times exotic: gypsies lived here for a century, from the [more...]

Two centuries ago, before the advent of electric lighting, Parisian architects designed glass-covered passages throughout central neighborhoods. These "galleries" continue to shine and are well worth an afternoon of romantic strolling [more...]

Pharamond
24 rue de la grand truanderie
Paris, 1eme
Tel : 0140284518

Note: Same price as La Guirlande de Julie, but better food. (Normandy emphasis, think cow products and cider)

Au pied de Cochon
6 rue coquilliere
Paris, 1eme
Tel : 0140137700

Note: Mainstream, loud but only decent open 24/7 place (late night munchies)

The Café de Flore and Les Deux Magots are more than cafés – they’re cultural landmarks. Le Café de Flore was Appolinaire’s HQ, and also a favorite of Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir in their day. Les Deux Magots was surrealist [more...]

Technically, it’s been disproved after hundreds of years of this belief that the Nicolas Flamel house is the oldest in Paris, but with 1407 as its birthdate, nobody’s really counting. Not only that, but it was the home of the famous [more...]

Tennis fans, cheer up – there doesn’t have to be a good game scheduled for you to go on a date to Roland-Garros stadium. There’s the Tenniseum, which goes through 500 years of tennis history, from the kings of France to the [more...]

If you and your date are interested in politics, or even if you're not, spend an afternoon or evening at the Assemblée Nationale where representatives of the French people discuss new laws and write bills. To get a ticket, write to [more...]

This ancient amphitheater, which dates back to the 1st century, lies in the middle of Paris yet wasn't discovered until 1860! Today the gladiators are gone, but there is still plenty of action. For a schedule of events, contact the [more...]