Recently part of the French Side Travel team met up in Paris. The team visited suppliers and experienced several of the most-loved and most-booked experiences, tours, hotels, and restaurants. There’s no shortage of things to do and see in the City of Light, and we’re excited to share the French Side Travel favorites in Paris.
French Side Travel Favorites: Paris
Favorite Paris Experiences
Seine River Cruise with Champagne
Nothing quite compares to seeing Paris from the water. A Seine River cruise is a great way to orient yourself or fight off jet lag all while discovering Paris from a unique vantage point. There really isn’t a bad time for a Seine River cruise – boats depart every 30 minutes during high season. French Side Travel works with smaller boat companies for a more intimate and personal experience. There’s even live commentary instead of an audioguide. Our top cruise recommendation? One that departs around sunset and involves a glass of Champagne!
Market Visit, Cooking Class, and Traditional French Lunch or Dinner
What’s the ultimate foodie experience in Paris? Surely a market visit followed by a cooking class and a meal at an inviting cooking school on the Left Bank. You’ll have the opportunity to learn how and why French people select certain products at the markets, prepare a multi-course meal, and sit down with a chef to enjoy the meal. This unique activity is always a French Side Travel client favorite. The cooking school also offers specific classes on macarons, French breads and baguettes, éclairs and more!
Where to Stay in Paris
Hôtel Brighton
Built-in the 19th century by Lord Egerton, this 4-star hotel was one of the first hotels in Paris. The hotel is truly ideally located with a sublime view of the Tuileries Garden, Louvre Museum and Eiffel Tower.
The individually decorated rooms come with antique furniture and exude an elegant and refined Parisian charm. The traditional marble columns of the bar make it an ideal setting to enjoy a cocktail made by the mixologist. A full breakfast buffet with the very best French products is served every day in the breakfast room.
Cheesemaking Workshop or Wine and Cheese Pairing
Tasting French cheeses is always a top request for clients visiting Paris. To take it a step farther, French Side Travel can organize a special cheesemaking workshop held at a cheese shop. You’ll learn all of the fromager’s best tips and tricks to master making French cheeses and butter at home. Afterwards, you’ll have the opportunity to taste your creations with bread and wine.
If you’d like to skip making cheese and go straight to tasting that can also be arranged! You’ll get to visit the cheese maturing cellar and learn all about the aging process. Next you’ll head down to the historic 17th century tasting room where you can taste up to nine cheeses and four perfectly paired wines. Be sure to note your favorites. You’ll be able to purchase cheeses to enjoy during the rest of your trip!
Favorite Paris Tours
Latin Quarter Walking Tour
Located in the 5th arrondissement between the Seine River and the Sainte Genevieve mount, the Latin Quarter is one neighborhood in Paris that you must not miss. Your guide will show you everything ancient, medieval and contemporary in this diverse quartier. The district is mostly a melting pot of students and tourists thanks to its great shopping, bars and restaurants. There are also iconic museums that shouldn’t be missed including the Pantheon, Sorbonne University, and Cluny Museum. This tour offers you a cultural and historic mix, from ancient origins to bustling back streets and quiet little squares.
Tour Paris in a Classic Car
During this two-hour tour of Paris you’ll discover the beautiful monuments of Paris: the Avenue des Champs Élysées, the Arc de Triomphe, the majestic Eiffel Tower, the imposing Louvre and the magnificent Notre Dame Cathedral among others. The open roof of the classic French car will give you a fabulous view of the unmissable sights of the French capital, complemented by numerous explanations from your English-speaking driver-guide. Thanks to the small size of the car you’ll also see the city’s chic boutiques, the lively side streets, and picturesque yet narrow alleys reflecting the authentic Parisian ambiance and art de Vivre. This memorable experience is much more than the typical “highlights of Paris” tour!
Where to Stay in Paris
Hôtel Napoléon
Just a stone’s throw from the Champs-Élysées and the Arc de Triomphe, this luxury hotel offers all the splendor of a large private house. Its romantic decor recounts one of the most beautiful pages in the history of France, that of Emperor Napoléon Bonaparte. With its cozy rooms, beautiful suites or large adjoining rooms, the property is ideal for couples and families alike.
Built in the 1920s, it was designed to provide sumptuous accommodation for the high society of the time. The hotel has stood the test of time and developed an outstanding ability to welcome its guests. The intimate atmosphere, which at different times has attracted guests ranging from Jean Gabin to Josephine Baker and Errol Flynn, has made it a legendary place to stay that is just as charming and popular today. Every part of the hotel is luxuriously decorated, making it an enchanting and exceptional setting in the so-called Golden Triangle.
From breakfast in the morning, to gourmet lunch then after-dinner drinks in the evening, not to mention a morning or afternoon tea perhaps tasting a few inventive and trendy recipes, the restaurant is there to satisfy its guests’ every desire.
Montmartre Walking Tour
Montmartre is truly a charming small village within Paris. Located in the northern part of the city, Montmartre will take you back to a bohemian Paris with its narrow streets steeped in history. You’ll see the famous Sacre-Cœur Cathedral and the Place du Tertre, the former haunt of Belle-Epoque painters such as Toulouse Lautrec, Monet, Modigliani, Degas, and Renoir among others. Afterwards, your guide will show you the lesser-known side of Montmartre’s history and culture as you navigate winding cobblestone streets lined with quaint shops, museums, artist studios, inviting sidewalk cafés and some of Paris’ most storied nightlife spots. You’ll see it all: the best restaurants and brasseries, art galleries, historic homes and mills. Don’t forget your camera – there are plenty of photo opportunities on this fabulous tour!
Favorite Paris Restaurants
Le Ciel De Paris
For a breathtaking and unexpected view of Paris from above you won’t be heading to the Eiffel Tower, but instead to another tower, the Tour Montparnasse. This restaurant is perfect for a special occasion and offers a look of Paris in widescreen. Choose from either an à la carte or set menu and let the views from 56 floors above the City of Light dazzle you!
Ducasse sur Seine
Part experience and part restaurant, no other Seine River cruise quite compares to the Ducasse sur Seine. All of the ingredients are chosen according to seasonality, delivered fresh each day, and prepared on-board. Each table offers lovely views of the city as the electric boat glides across the river. French Side Travel always encourages clients to enjoy a moment outside on the deck between courses to take in the truly magical perspective of Paris.
Where to Stay in Paris
Hôtel Bel Ami
This boutique five-star hotel is located on the Left Bank right in the heart of Paris’s famed Saint-Germain-de-Prés neighborhood. The Louvre Museum is just a 10-minute walk away, and many of the city’s favorite attractions can be discovered on foot.
The hotel’s atmosphere is modern and warm. Onsite you can enjoy a buffet breakfast or weekend brunches.
A spa, sauna, and fitness center are available. The onsite bar serves creative cocktails and is a great place to unwind with a snack and a drink. For travelers arriving in the morning, a relaxation room is at your disposal for a shower or changing clothes before beginning to discover the city.
This property is perfect for travelers interested in the food, culture, and art offerings abundant in Paris’s sixth arrondissement between the two most famous cafés in the city: Café de Flore and Les Deux Magots
Pizzeria Popolare
Pizzeria Popolare is fun, delicious, and good for groups which can sometimes be hard to find in Paris. The Big Mamma restaurant group works directly with producers to provide the freshest and most authentic Italian ingredients. For craft cocktail aficionados, the bar is the largest in Paris and has over 500 different alcohols. You might think you’re in Naples instead of in Paris!
We hope you enjoyed French Side Travel’s Paris favorites. It’s always the small details that make the trips go smoothly. French Side Travel can handle all of them for you! Whether you’d like VIP airport arrival or departure assistance, perfectly timed transfers, or help with a last minute reservation we’re here to help. When you book your trip with French Side Travel our English-speaking Travel Care team will be able to offer assistance, 24/7 while you’re in France. Our travel designers are standing by to create a tailor-made itinerary just for you.