< do-this : DEFINED > 3 ✨ glittering PARIS itineraries ✨ < part deux >
Don't mind us, just continuing our half-day itineraries for keeping les vibes heureux in le not-so-chic weather.
PARIS D E F I N E D MAGAZINE »»» PARIS RIGHT NOW »»» f e b r u a r y __d e f i n e d
Les Amis,
Paris is still beautiful in the rain, non? One must, however, reconcile the desire to be chic with the plans plans plans to do all the things. So I have created a few < paris : edits > for you — mini-itineraries centered around things to do in PARIS RIGHT NOW that minimize getting around — you can zig and zag a contained area and keep those heeled Sezane boots looking dope.
I refreshed these itineraries recently as French Boyfriend [I’m not a brute, he’s shy and likes his anonymity] and I scouted the neighborhood for new spots as I had the idea for a food tour around the Eiffel Tower after discussing with some guide friends how much of a glow-up the neighborhood is getting. Before it was half tourist-overcharge land / half posh [but unwelcoming] spots for the locals.
Perhaps I’m just not feeling the whole Tower tickets scramble this summer. [Having 3 laptops locked and loaded every day at noon to get tickets...non, merci, not this year. The magazine launch is keeping me très busy...] So as far as Eiffel Tower, we are keeping it « by request » for now while Marie and I reboot the Speakeasy French Cocktail Workshop to get it launched in April, now in a new home in the dreamy Montmartre quarter. Caro, the resident mixoligiste is ready, the space is ready, it’s just a matter of time to get back in the rhythm...
Since the food scene has improved quite a lot beyond the tourist-kitsch creperies etc etc, I thought, why not? You can see the tall metal thing light up with a belly full of wine, cheese, and chocolates. Pourquoi pas?
Oh, and under no circumstances eat the street food around the Eiffel Tower. [Don’t click « why » if you are currently in a a state of eating...oh la la]
< voici, les petits itinéraires >
AURA INVALIDES »»» napoleon gets the nightclub treatment, you get chocolates and wine
MOOD: pure vibes
ROUTE: google map here
DO-THIS:
Brunch or just coffee at Bleu Olive
Food walking on rue Cler — ice cream, chocolates, macarons, oh my!
the grassy field in front of the Eiffel Tower [the Champs de Mars] for le first twinkling ✨
Cave Vino Sapiens for apéro dînatoire [that’s aperitif ala français ]
Aura Invalides for hanging with [ what’s left of ] Napoleon after dark.
The most famous Frenchman of all time [except maybe Daft Punk], Napoleon Bonaparte (who was actually born a Corsican and therefore [until he Frenchified for real] an Italian, not a French, but anyway...] now rests forevermore in the stunning former private church of Louis IV just a 10 minute walk from the Eiffel Tower. Napoleon wanted to be buried on the banks of the Seine but his fans wanted something grander — something less likely to turn their hero into fish food, one supposes — a resting place suitable for an Emperor. And a rave, apparently.
All was well for about a hundred or so years, then, we in Paris were like, « this needs more strobe lights and lasers ». [All that we left out was bottle service]. So now, after closing time, the keepers of the crypt of le Great Emperor turn on the lights and the show begins. A whole lot to distract you from the fact that his ahem, « little Napoleon» is not with him, but in fact, last we checked, it was making the rounds in the New Jersey area. [You had to be there.]
As the show only runs in the later evening, make a half day of it by combining a DIY neighborhood food walk on the charming Rue Cler with a reward at the end of something more substantial like unique wines and truffled croque monsieur at our favorite neighborhood wine bar + shop — Cave Vino Sapiens. Thierry, the owner, only hawks wines that come in small batches. Napoleon may be eternally celebrated but if you find a wine you like a Vino Sapines, you have to pounce because it will not rest there for 100+ years. [I learned this the hard way after falling in love with a bottle of Pinot Gris from our holiday party there and finding it « pas plus » when I went to stock my own wine cellar. [Oui, most of us have wine cellars here in Paris although many just hold our Ikea rejects and boxes of exes stuff they never came back for...]
So! Feeling wine-full is a good way to get into the vibe for an immersive, nighttime, light show experience. [Since it’s no longer a church, you need not feel guilty for getting your blood of Christ elsewhere]. Let Thierry prepare your chalice — the good lord’s squeeze goes best with french cheese anyway.
But first, coffee. This little neighborhood east of the Eiffel Tower [skip the west side] is now ~almost~ an official coffee hotspot.
Je le kiffe Bleu Olive, but there’s also a Noir next door if there is no seating. Kozy is another option as well as Terres de Cafe. All solid choices, lucky you.
Food walking around the Rue Cler is easy — this little passage has everything from artisanal foie gras, to chocolates made with birch sap instead of cane sugar (don’t worry they are tres miam-miam), to macarons both traditional [Laduree etc] and less traditional [i.e. ice cream macarons at Martine Lambert].
On your way to Vino Sapiens for the apéro dînatoire, stop and take in the first twinkling of the Eiffel Tower, on the hour for five minutes after sunset. Or read here how to buy tickets and make the ascent.
TIPSY TOWER »»» we all know there’s only one leaning tower so don’t get too carried away
MOOD: glittering
ROUTE: google map here
DO-THIS:
have a legit, brunch at Kozy on the later side but not too late, they close at 3:30pm weekdays/4pm so aim for 2pm/3pm max
pay a visit to the Rodin Museum [make love] or the Army Museum at Invalides [make war]
coffee at Terres de Cafe then get your croissant on at Liberté for a carb top-up
take a stroll to the Iron lady to watch her twinkle
replenish yourself with dinner in a chic little French cast-iron pot at Les Cocottes [make reservations]
We don’t only advise doing things with cocktails either before or after. But we can attest that it makes seeing the sights way more fun (we speak from experience). Of course, nightlife in Paris is...something else...
Ahem. But back to daytime: So before going full-on with a night on the town, it is essential to fuel yourself properly. This calls for a lazy-morning brunch at the Kozy. Or you end up waking up at 1pm, in which case you need to get a move on. And you’re not looking at that healthy « avo toast » kind of brunch, non non non…this is a true hearty way to start your day.
We’re in Paris, of course we’re going to walk around museums studying to become experts in all the works we see (pro tip: just smile and nod). Musée Rodin, the workshop-turned-museum, showcases the classic works of Auguste Rodin [including The Thinker].
Musée de l’Armée, on the other hand, has one of the largest collections of military history you can find in Paris. From weapons to notebooks and cryptographic machines, it is essentially a historic hub to learn about all things war.
Coffee + pastry time: Enter Bleu Olive [our neighborhood fave for that all-essential coffee] and Liberté [for a carb top-up with one of their infamous croissant or pistachio galette]. They are also great locations to sit and discuss your highbrow afternoon loud enough for everyone to know you Went to University.
Finally, it’s cocktail time. You might have had a couple all ready but make sure one of these is your next stop: Gatsby or Vesper. Both have incredible cocktails [and no shaken-or-stirred? jokes, or just as despicable, jokes about not making shaken-or-stirred jokes] but for a more relaxed atmosphere, Vesper is what you’re after. While if you’re looking to get down and boogie (it’s not a club, just a cocktail bar), Gatsby has more of a party-ish vibe.
Don’t get too carried away though cause right about now is when you should walk towards la Mademoiselle Eiffel. We like to balance the romantic with the all-out-partying [actually make it 30-70], so watching her twinkle [every hour, on the hour, for 5 minutes after the sun sets] is the perfect place to gaze into your other half’s eyes and get all...sober? Unless you’re there with your friends, then you can make fun of people in love. Fuckers.
Time for dinner at Les Cocottes. [remember, it’s best to reserve] This is the time where you either wind down or reboot before heading out again. Either way, don’t let the retro diner-style logo fool you,this nothing less than a properly chic establishment. Wine, structured presentations in cast iron, and hot/smiley waiters, it’s a good time.
FROM ALL ANGLES »»» yes, this article clearly focuses on la mademoiselle eiffel. so let’s do it right
MOOD: taking it all in
ROUTE: google map here
DO-THIS:
walk the Trocadéro promenade
ignore all teenage girls with petitions, people with bracelets they wanna put on your wrist, street food, and shell games but the African guys hawking mini eiffels are usually cool, a lot of them are my friends
of course, there are museum[sss] at the Palais de Chaillot / Trocadéro [Musée de l’Homme - a museum about humanity] as well as a Cité de l'Architecture et du Patrimoine [all about architecture and the built environment of Paris — don’t miss the exhibition about the Notre Dame restoration]. There is even a Naval Museum which is a hit with kids [you don’t let your kids read this do you? We are INDECOROUS]
eat your heart out the Forest restaurant
Did you really go to Paris if you didn’t indulge in a luxuriant pastry or croissant? Now is your chance. The first stop of the day is at Carette where you can understand why we in France are known for les sweets.
Trocadéro is known for many, many things. The views of the Eiffel Tower being at the top of that list. If you’ve never seen an influencer out in the wild before, chances are you’re going to spot one at Trocadéro [not judging, just jealous they get away with wearing frilly pink dresses out and about — your girl here bikes too much for truly « dressy » look on the regular, or so I tell myself]. It’s essentially a great spot to admire the views whilst taking a stroll. [And this is the angle you’ll get those photos of the Eiffel where you appear to be under the arches.]
Time for some good-old-fashion museums. Except these aren’t your typical exhibitions. At Musée de l’Homme you can dive head [or skull] first into the concept of humanity. Let’s just say this museum takes you back in time...like back, back, back in time.
If that’s not your cup of café crème, then go to Cité de l'Architecture et du Patrimoine where they keep their information a bit more straight forward. There’s architecture, Paris history and a must-see exhibit on the reconstruction of the Notre Dame. You-know-who [see above, he sees you when you’re sleeping, he knows when you’re awake, he knows if you’ve been pickpocketed] wants you to see the holy statues from the holy roof of the holy Notre Dame on exhibit. Seriously, it can’t be missed, as soon they will be back up on the roof again for hopefully another few hundred years and we can put this whole « fire » business behind us.
Not only can you eat some super chic, delish, contemporary French food here, you can also try your hand at being one of those influencers. Setting aside the delicious food and trippy/riveting decor, the resto is located inside the Palais de Tokyo. It’s your chance to go out on the terrasse with a cocktail and bust out a little photoshoot. Your followers won’t be disappointed.
ALSO: We are undergoing a MAJOR redesign as I never liked our logo but there is no one to blame but me as I’m the one who clowned it up so...oh well. You can watch our changes LIVE in the next few weeks as Caro for some reason, is live-uploading the logo / site concepts/changes in spite of normal, sane, branding practices. Once she gets something into her head she can’t be wrestled away from it but as a proper artist we have to leave a wide berth lol...Pray to the appropriate patron saints of graphic design for us. Also she went on vacation at Carnivale in Brazil in the middle of it all with a half-baked logo but I’m not angry, ok. Maybe a little.
Merci for sliding into our corner de les internets chez PARIS » D E F I N E D MAGAZINE
À bientôt !
KissKiss from P A R I S ,
Kat Walker, Editor-in-Mischief
and the team: Hannah + Kelly, Phuong + Chijindu + Varia + Meredith + Mel
PARIS > D E F I N E D MAGAZINE
@parisdefinedmag on the ‘gram
I want to see these napoleon lights....paris is just on another planet at this point
merci.
bravo.
this itinerary looks awesome !