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It’s a City of Neighborhoods, Not Just Sights

Ask me why Paris beats out every other city I’ve visited, and my answer is that it isn’t really about the landmarks. It’s that Paris is made up of dozens of distinct neighborhoods where I can step away from the tourist crowds entirely. You should absolutely see the big attractions — but there’s so much more to the city than one more museum or one more church.

One of my favorite escapes is the Canal Saint-Martin, a canal dug in the early 1800s to move grain and building materials into the city. I once spent an entire late-September morning just walking one bank and back down the other — watching kids float leaves and toy boats, moms pushing strollers, cafés and bistros getting ready for the lunch crowd, all happening beneath the amber and gold leaves of the ubiquitous plane trees. No horns, no traffic, no tour groups. Just Paris living its ordinary life.

I feel the same way about the streets near the Eiffel Tower, Champ de Mars, and Pont de l’Alma, where 18th-century blocks between Rue Saint-Dominique and the Seine are full of actual Parisians going about their day. After reading Julia Child’s biography, I learned she once lived in a small upper-floor apartment on Rue de l’Université. I still find myself walking that street, looking up, wondering who lives there in her old apartment now.

Slow Down — You’ll Enjoy It More

Paris can wear you out. I’ve led groups through two packed days trying to hit the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, Notre Dame, the Tuileries, Luxembourg Gardens, a Seine cruise, Montmartre and Sacré-Cœur, the Champs-Élysées, and a picnic on the Champ de Mars — and by day two, travelers from age 13 to 80 are all asking for the same thing: more time to breathe, to slow down, to get a break.

That’s why in the past decade I’ve moved toward longer stays and fewer forced stops per day. The sights will still be there. What people remember afterward isn’t how many boxes they checked — it’s the afternoon they didn’t rush, sitting at an outdoor café with a drink, or enjoying a quiet corner in a park on a shaded bench.

A City Built for Eating Well

Paris might be the best city in the world for a meal, whatever form that takes — a picnic along the Seine, a coffee and croissant to start the day, or a proper multi-course dinner. My rule of thumb: skip anywhere with a big multilingual menu posted outside. That’s a sign the kitchen isn’t cooking for repeat customers — it’s cooking for someone who’ll only ever eat there once.

Instead, look for where the locals eat. Avoid the tourist traps in the Latin Quarter, around the Louvre, Champs-Élysées, or up on Montmartre. Instead, find a secluded neighborhood and a small restaurant. Look for handwritten menus of the day, often sitting out front on a black chalkboard. I love starting with escargot and a good baguette, then moving to confit de canard — duck leg and thigh cooked slow in its own fat until it’s falling off the bone. Near Notre Dame, several small places tucked into a sandy little triangle of a square called Place Dauphine serve a seasonal formule menu — try the bœuf bourguignon or onion soup (but only if you’re there in winter or fall).

A few practical notes that catch people off guard: drinks don’t come with refills or much ice, though tap water is free if you ask for une carafe d’eau. Meals are a social event, not a race — your waiter won’t rush you, and you shouldn’t rush yourself either. And a service charge is already built into your bill, so tipping is a nice gesture, not an obligation.

Even the Hard Days Are Worth It

I was in Paris in April 2019, just days after the fire at Notre Dame. The mood on the streets was nothing like the Paris I knew — shock and quiet disbelief where there’s usually so much energy. Rounding a corner onto Rue Saint-Jacques and seeing the burnt-out cathedral for the first time stopped me in my tracks, and I wasn’t the only one. Even now, with most of the restoration complete, that image is part of the city’s story — a reminder that Paris isn’t just postcards, it’s a living place that endures.

So, Go — But Go Slowly

Climb the Eiffel Tower. Walk the Champs-Élysées. Stand in front of the Mona Lisa if you must. But don’t let the checklist run the trip. Find a bench in a park, a table at a sidewalk café, a canal to walk beside. Paris rewards the traveler who’s willing to slow down and just be in it.

That’s why, after all these years and all these cities, Paris is still my favorite. Next month, I’ll tell you my secret to landing a table with a view at the Eiffel Tower… for a reasonable price. Until then, au revoir.