I’ve Lived in France for 10+ Years—Here Are 11 Hidden Gems in Paris You Won’t Find in Guidebooks

Key Points

• Find panoramic views without the crowds of the Sacré-Cœur Basilica at Parc de Belleville, the highest park in Paris.

• Experience the city’s vibrant market culture at Marché d’Aligre, popular among Michelin-starred chefs for fresh produce.

• Unwind in Jardin du Palais Royal, a peaceful retreat for reading and reflection near the bustling Louvre.

Even after more than a decade living in France—half of that time in Paris—the French capital still holds mystery for me. It would take a lifetime to intimately know all 20 of the city’s spiraling arrondissements, each a patchwork of neighborhoods that blend different cultures and architectural styles. I’m constantly discovering new spots in my neighborhood of Belleville in the 20th arrondissement, the birthplace of legendary French singer Édith Piaf and home to one of the city’s Chinatowns.

When friends and other writers are passing through Paris, I receive a few common questions: Where should I get my first croissant in town? What’s the top cocktail bar? Where should I go for one splurge-worthy meal? TikTok has popularized certain places, ones that were previously my local haunts and now are too packed to get a seat. If you’re looking for the real local finds, places that aren’t touted in guidebooks as “best of the best,” we’ve got just the spots for you. After polling top-tier travel advisors, three Michelin-starred chefs, and acclaimed authors, we’ve crafted the ultimate list of must-try experiences that will have you feeling like a local fresh off the plane.

Shinya Pain Montmartre, the Sourdough Hot Spot Known for “Peasant Breads”

I’m asked on a near-daily basis which bakery is the best in town. This is the land of baguettes, after all, and boulangeries are reason enough for making the trip to Paris. While I often joke that the best boulangerie is around the corner from my apartment in Belleville, the city does have a few destination-worthy bakeries that have earned the lines that wrap around the block. “The spot local bread connoisseurs know to go for their sourdough is Shinya Pain Montmartre, a minuscule bakery [that] opened in 2020 on one of the many narrow streets that wind up to Sacré Cœur from the Abbesses metro,” says Lindsey Tramuta, author of “The Eater Guide to Paris” and several other books about Paris.

Baker-owner Shinya Inagaki’s “peasant breads,” crafted with ancient grains and natural sourdoughs, regularly sell out during the boulangerie’s limited hours (Thursday to Sunday, 4:30 to 7:30 p.m.). “You’ll find a handful of cookies and cakes, too, but no baguettes in sight,” adds Tramuta. “This is a destination for in-the-know loaf lovers. Cash only!”

Jardin du Palais Royal, a Quiet Retreat Near the Louvre

The Tuileries and Jardin du Luxembourg steal the limelight when it comes to stroll-worthy Parisian parks—and for good reason—but when Parisians are looking for a calm spot to sit and read sans foot traffic, they gravitate toward the Jardin du Palais Royal, where Emily and Mindy first met in Emily in Paris.

“I sit on a green chair, one of those with a poem etched into the backrest: ‘Je m’entête affreusement à adorer la liberté libre.’—Arthur Rimbaud,” says Paris-based Sophie Carbonari, founder of the eponymous skincare line, whose treatment space overlooks the square and royal palace where Louis XIV lived as a child. “There’s that particular light of spring mornings, when the chill doesn’t quite cancel out the first warm rays of sunshine—I get goosebumps. The quiet sensuality of the place, the beauty of this sanctuary, every cell in my body feels privileged to be here.”

Rosa Bonheur, a Dance Floor in the Parc des Buttes-Chaumont

The Parc des Buttes-Chaumont in the residential 19th arrondissement is one where Parisians gather from all parts of the city and sprawl out on blankets picnicking on warm spring and summer days. Since it’s off the tourist track—and, apart from the area’s handful of standout restaurants and bars, not one you’d typically stumble upon unless you were seeking a certain spot—the crowd here is mostly local.

I live just down the street and walk my dog, Indiana Jones, through the winding paths each morning. On the weekends, friends and I go for a drink and dancing at open-air guinguette (bar) Rosa Bonheur, an inclusive space that caters to families with young kids (during the day) as well as the queer community (at night). You’ll want to arrive early for the Sunday evening dance party—the line builds up fast.

Parc de Belleville, the Highest Park—and Best Eiffel Tower Viewpoint

From the mosaic- and street art-covered pavilion, or belvédère, perched over the hilltop Parc de Belleville, you’ll find sweeping, panoramic views of the city’s skyline, from the Eiffel Tower and Montparnasse Tower to the Centre Pompidou. Just down the road from the Buttes Chaumont, this is another neighborhood spot that not many tourists know about—even though it’s one of the best vantage points to watch the fireworks show on July 14, Bastille Day.

I live around the corner and love meeting friends for a cold brew and sea salt-sprinkled chocolate chip cookie at Candle Kids or a spritz on the sun-drenched terrace of Moncœur Belleville before strolling down past the neighborhood’s tiny vineyard and watching the sunset over the Eiffel Tower in the park below.

Marché d’Aligre, Where Michelin-starred Chefs Shop

Nearly every neighborhood has its own market, where locals shop stalls piled high with fresh fruits and vegetables. One in the heart of Paris, near Bastille, is the Marché d’Aligre, which unfolds around a centerpiece covered hall and is surrounded by bakeries, cutlers, and florists, giving it a “down-to-earth, local vibe,” explains Arnaud Donckele, chef at the Cheval Blanc Paris restaurants, including three-starred Plénitude. “It’s a lively, vibrant mix of market vendors that take you in and remind you of just how much Paris is a true capital of taste,” he says, adding that there are also small cafés where you can enjoy a glass of white wine with oysters. “It’s a snapshot of daily life—full of energy and joy.”

De Vie, a New Kind of Fine Dining Cocktail Counter

It’s not often a newcomer breaks onto the culinary scene and has the potential to join the ranks of household names like Alain Passard and Alain Ducasse. But as someone who writes about fine dining and has eaten my way around Europe’s starred restaurants, I was instantly impressed by Comptoir de Vie. Helmed by acclaimed bartenders Alex Francis and Barney O’Kane, the fine dining spot in the Sentier neighborhood partnered with rising young Irish chef, Adam Purcell, for a two-part concept revolving around seasonality, locality, and craft.

Unfolding around an open kitchen, Comptoir de Vie serves a five-course tasting menu of dishes like cured sea bream with fermented winter radishes, chewy seaweed-baked beets, and fennel seed oil at the communal counter. On the opposite side, Bar de Vie pours classic cocktails like martinis and highballs into custom-designed ceramics from Paris-based atelier Beramics, while hand-blown recycled glassware from local La Soufflerie serve as water glasses and vases. Sure, La Tour d’Argent and L’Arpège will always be top dining destinations, but it’s refreshing to see a talented new chef dare to do a cocktail tasting menu—and one that won’t break the bank.

Officine Universelle Buly, an Apothecary-inspired Perfume Shop and Café

Nothing is more quintessentially French than perfume, and locally based Officine Universelle Buly is where in-the-know Parisians shop scents and source handcrafted combs that can be personalized and engraved with your name. I have a tortoiseshell-patterned one that I keep in my makeup bag while traveling, and I’ve become addicted to the Caribbean sweet potato and Afghan carrot body oil that looks to the world’s first vegetable extract, sesame oil, used thousands of years ago in Mesopotamia, as one of its key moisturizers.

Les Maquereaux Rive Droite, a Happy Hour Barge on the Seine

The first hint of sunshine in the spring, and everyone descends to the banks of the Seine, posting up with bottles of wine and picnic fare. While many of the street-side cafés lining the river are on the touristy side, the handful of spots actually on the quay are anything but. A French friend introduced me to Les Maquereaux Rive Droite, a péniche, or flat-bottomed barge, that overlooks Île Saint-Louis. Open only on the weekends from May to October, this has become our apéro (French version of pre-dinner drinks and snacks) ritual, ordering freshly shucked oysters and prawns from the waterfront stand before settling into one of the picnic tables spilling out along the terrace on the quay.

Harry’s Bar, a Century-old Cocktail Institution

Bar Hemingway at Ritz Paris has long been my cocktail bar go-to, especially because the famed bartender Colin Field sometimes breaks out card games and serenades guests with music on the record player. The Hemingway memorabilia and rose-adorned cocktail glasses have earned the spot a cult following with travelers lining up to try the lauded dry martini, but locals (myself included) head around the corner to the mahogany-clad Harry’s Bar, which transforms into a piano bar at 10 p.m. Order the New York-style hot dog and wash it down with a house classic like a Bloody Mary (even better with a bit of spice).

Marché des Enfants Rouges, a Dining Destination in the Marais

The Marais’ winding medieval streets are lined with some of the city’s top restaurants and bars, including one of my favorites for wine and small plates, Le Mary Celeste. But nothing feels more Parisian than a visit to one of the many covered food markets. At Marché des Enfants Rouges, the oldest in the city, you can take your pick of cuisine, from couscous at the Moroccan stand to freshly grilled steak and five-inch-thick croque monsieur sandwiches at the counter of Butcher of Paris, where the wine list (which skews on the natural side) rivals some of the top bars in town.

La Gare/Le Gore, a Donation-based Jazz Club Near La Villette

Some of the city’s most iconic jazz clubs like Le Caveau des Oubliettes and Le Caveau de la Huchette—where names like Miles Davis and Duke Ellington have performed—are hidden in the Latin Quarter’s centuries-old vaulted caves. But newer establishments like La Gare/Le Gore are combining jazz and clubbing in less-touristy parts of town. Housed in an abandoned train station near La Villette, performances range from big and niche names in jazz to Tuesday-night jam sessions led by students from the nearby Paris Conservatory. If you’re looking for a late-night spot to dance, you’ll find techno, house, and electronic music on rotation until sunrise in the cellar—open 365 days a year.

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