Hidden Gems
Uncover a new side of the City of Light
Oh, Paris — how we’ve missed you. The narrow alleyways once walked by Picasso or Proust. The twinkling lights glistening softly off the Seine. The rich mugs of hot chocolate, dainty cups of coffee, dark goblets of red wine.
History is folded into every inch of the city — practically every shop window and street sign has a story to tell, so it’s almost impossible for a visitor to discover all its secrets. That’s why we love looking past Paris's most popular sights to peer into its crevices.
Bonjour, Paris
By Brittney Wong
Follow your nose to these must-try spots
We’re not sure it’s possible to have a bad bite in Paris. Words like “gourmet,” “gastronomy” and “cuisine” all have French origins for a reason.
With best-in-class boulangeries baking on every other corner and 111 Michelin-starred restaurants creating Parisian constellations, there’s far too much choice to devour in 10 visits, let alone one. So, we handpicked a few of our lesser-known favourites to tempt your taste buds on your next trip.
Food & wine
Paris has the most Michelin-starred restaurants of any city in Europe
Ready to go?
in partnership with:
Start planning your Paris getaway today. Fully vaccinated Canadians can travel to France with proof of vaccination without needing to quarantine or take a test.
Air France flies nonstop to Paris from Vancouver (*with a pause from Jan. 18 - Feb. 13), Toronto and Montreal.
Tickets for flights departing before June 30, 2022, are fully refundable and changeable.
FOOD & WINE
Culture
winter fun
plan your trip
For a traditional French bistro: L’Ami Jean
This unassuming eatery a 15-minute walk east of the Eiffel Tower is a foodie’s favourite for comforting, hearty French fare. Vegetarians steer clear — the menu here bends under the weight of seven-hour braised beef and slather-able terrine. And don’t leave without spooning into the chef's signature rice pudding, modelled after his mother’s.
You may have already seen the Mona Lisa smirking in the Louvre, climbed the iron stairs of the Eiffel Tower and cracked open a book at Shakespeare and Company. Now it's time to get to know a new side of the City of Light. Read on for our tips on what you can't miss on your next trip to Paris.
For a breakfast pastry: Mamiche
Packed with locals, this neighbourhood boulangerie (with outlets in the 9th and 10th arrondissements) was opened by two friends in 2017. The duo kneads sourdough and bakes brioche fresh every day. Focused on seasonal flavours and natural ingredients like living yeast, a return visit to this aromatic café will guarantee your palate something new, like a pumpkin beignet or summertime clafoutis. But they’re most well known for their sweet braided babka, woven with orange blossom and Valrhona chocolate.
For fine dining: Oxte
This French-influenced Mexican restaurant earned its first Michelin star in 2021 under the guidance of passionate chef Enrique Cassarubias. He’s been adorning veal with Oaxacan huitlacoche and dressing Normandy pork chops with pipian verde since 2018, but has still managed to fly under the radar enough for you to be able to book a table just a few days out. That’s a miracle in itself, considering the restaurant is only three minutes’ walk from the famed Arc de Triomphe.
For the oenophile: Goguette
Good luck keeping a straight face in this joyful restaurant and wine bar in the 11th arrondissement. The friendly service and playful menu – serving up everything from tonkatsu artfully topped with coleslaw to deep-fried mortadella-and-cheddar rolls – keeps their loyal clientele of white-collar locals coming back with inventive dishes and an exorbitant library of natural wines.
Air France flies nonstop to Paris from Vancouver*, Toronto and Montreal
For a breakfast pastry: Mamiche
Packed with locals, this neighbourhood boulangerie (with outlets in the 9th and 10th arrondissements) was opened by two friends in 2017. The duo kneads sourdough and bakes brioche fresh every day. Focused on seasonal flavours and natural ingredients like living yeast, a return visit to this aromatic café will guarantee your palate something new, like a pumpkin beignet or summertime clafoutis. But they’re most well known for their sweet braided babka, woven with orange blossom and Valrhona chocolate.
For a park or hotel-bed picnic: La Grande Epicerie
Pick up everything from Angelina hot chocolate to black truffle puree at this 30,000-square-foot gourmet department store. We love browsing its many stalls for posh picnic ingredients, like fresh baguettes, Christine Ferber jams, foie gras and creamy Camembert, then taking our haul to nearby Luxembourg Gardens if weather permits. With a bottle of wine from the cellar too, of course. If it's too chilly to eat outdoors, luxuriate in a hotel-bed picnic and watch a movie while you munch.
La Grande Epicerie is 30,000 square feet of gourmet groceries
Get up close
to art & history
For the young (at heart): Musée des Arts Forains
Step right up, step right up to the Museum of Fairground Arts on the outskirts of the 12th arrondissement to enter the kooky, wacky world of turn-of-the-century carnivals and circus arts. Ride a century-old carousel and compete in a mechanical horse race in the interactive exhibits. Guided tours are only available in French, but English factsheets are available, and the guides are well accustomed to non-Francophone visitors.
For the inquisitive: Musée des Arts et Métiers
Housed within a monastery that dates back to the Middle Ages, the Museum of Arts and Crafts showcases centuries-old science, design and technology. Visitors can gaze up at the first plane that crossed the English Channel, view the original model of the Statue of Liberty and exacmine Foucault’s pendulum, the 170-year-old instrument that demonstrated the Earth’s rotation.
Above: Visitors can ride turn-of-the-century carousels at the Musée des Arts Forains, located in the Pavilions de Bercy
Left: The Musée des Arts et Métiers lies within what was once a medieval monastery; it's one of the oldest science museums in the world
Culture
Paris proffers up so much more beyond the Louvre’s glass pyramid and the impressionist works of the Musée d'Orsay. After you’ve checked off those must-sees, wander off the beaten path to uncover retro fairgrounds, steam-powered airplanes, the origins of Les Miserables and an underground labyrinth of bones.
For literature lovers: Maison de Victor Hugo
Step into the apartment that the famous French writer rented from 1832-1848, where he wrote the beginning of “Les Miserables” and received guests like Théophile Gautier and Alexandre Dumas. You can see hundreds of personal artifacts from his life, including furniture, letters and the bed where he died in 1885.
Visitors to the City of Light can explore over 130 different museums
For a little macabre: The Paris Catacombs
About five stories below the city’s surface lies a tangle of tunnels lined with the bones of approximately 6 million Parisians. Their remains — some up to 1,200 years old — were moved to this municipal ossuary in the 18th and early 19th centuries when city cemeteries became overcrowded. Today you can descend 131 steps to reach this humbling site that’s been visited by past kings and emperors, like Napoleon III.
Holiday cheer
& more in l'hiver
Some might say “winter in Paris” is its own hidden gem. Summer brings picnics along the Seine and lingering terrace dinners, but the colder months offer so much to travellers savvy enough to avoid tourist throngs and high-season prices.
For unique presents: Christmas markets
Warm your hands with a steaming cup of vin chaud and peruse handcrafted ornaments and only-in-Paris gifts at the city’s Christmas market, which are back for the 2021-2022 season. The most famous fair, La Magie de Noël (The Magic of Christmas), will be making merry in the Tuileries Garden next to the Louvre from Nov. 20 - Jan. 2.
Winter fun
For holiday spirit: Galeries Lafayette
In a tradition dating back to 1912, the iconic Haussmann Boulevard shopping mall unveils a new holiday-themed spectacular every November. Recent exhibit designers include Louis Vuitton and Jessica Chastain. Even if you’re not in a shopping mood, it’s a must to see the store windows come to life with colour and lights.
For lovers of fine arts: The Paris Opera
The winter months are peak opera season in the City of Light. Walk up the famous marble staircase at the Palais Garnier and take in a show at the grand theatre where Verdi, Rossini and Wagner have all debuted works. This year, Palais Garnier is opening its doors for classics like “The Marriage of Figaro” and “Don Giovanni.”
For bargain hunters: The semi-annual sale
Sales in Paris — les soldes — are regulated by the government and only happen twice a year: four weeks in January-February and again in June-July. Next year's is tentatively scheduled for Jan. 12 – Feb. 8. Go early for the best selection of your favourite Prada, Chanel or Gucci gear, but wait until the sale’s later stages for the steepest discounts.
The Paris opera house inspired Gaston Leroux
to write "The Phantom of the Opera."
Winter in Paris means ice skating, cozy cafes and dazzling light festivals
Say 'bonjour' to the City of Light
Air France has stringent health and safety measures in place so you can fly with peace of mind. And don’t worry if your plans change after you book your seats; all Air France tickets are refundable and changeable for travel through June 30, 2022.
Round out your trip plans with a great hotel stay. To find a good deal, take a look at our Paris offers.
After you land, head to one of the many participating pharmacies in the city that will validate your proof of vaccination so you can get a French health pass, which you’ll need to enter most restaurants and attractions. Bring your passport, proof of vaccination and 36 euros to get the pass. Check out France’s official public health site for full details.
And after Paris, want to travel to Nice or Lyon? Air France offers easy connections to several cities throughout the country and beyond, so you can extend your vacation.
Plan your trip
Want to fly to Nice or Lyon after Paris? The airline offers easy connections to several cities in France, so you can extend your vacation if you’d like.
Round out your trip plans with a great hotel stay. To find a good deal, check out our Paris offers.
Paris
of
The City of Light is a nonstop flight from Toronto, Montreal or Vancouver on Air France. The airline also offers shuttle-bus service to Montreal’s airport from stations in Ottawa (XDS) and Quebec City (BQC). (*The nonstop route from Vancouver to Charles de Gaulle pauses from Jan. 18 - Feb. 13, 2022.)
Air France has stringent health and safety measures in place so you can fly with peace of mind. And don’t worry if your plans change after you book your seats; all Air France tickets are refundable and changeable for travel through June 30, 2022.
Some might say “winter in Paris” is its own hidden gem. Summer brings picnics along the Seine and lingering terrace dinners, but the colder months offer so much to travellers savvy enough to avoid tourist throngs and high-season prices.
For unique presents: Christmas markets
Warm your hands with a steaming cup of vin chaud and peruse handcrafted ornaments and only-in-Paris gifts at the city’s Christmas market, which are back for the 2021-2022 season. The most famous fair, La Magie de Noël (The Magic of Christmas), will be making merry in the Tuileries Garden next to the Louvre from Nov. 20 - Jan. 2.
For the young (at heart): Musée des Arts Forains
Step right up, step right up to the Museum of Fairground Arts on the outskirts of the 12th arrondissement to enter the kooky, wacky world of turn-of-the-century carnivals and circus arts. Ride a century-old carousel and compete in a mechanical horse race in the interactive exhibits. Guided tours are only available in French, but English factsheets are available, and the guides are well accustomed to non-Francophone visitors.
For the inquisitive: Musée des Arts et Métiers
Housed within a monastery that dates back to the Middle Ages, the Museum of Arts and Crafts showcases centuries-old science, design and technology. Visitors can gaze up at the first plane that crossed the English Channel, view the original model of the Statue of Liberty and exacmine Foucault’s pendulum, the 170-year-old instrument that demonstrated the Earth’s rotation.
Above: Visitors can ride turn-of-the-century carousels at the Musée des Arts Forains, located in the Pavilions de Bercy
Left: The Musée des Arts et Métiers lies within what was once a medieval monastery; it's one of the oldest science museums in the world
Paris proffers up so much more beyond the Louvre’s glass pyramid and the impressionist works of the Musée d'Orsay. After you’ve checked off those must-sees, wander off the beaten path to uncover retro fairgrounds, steam-powered airplanes, the origins of Les Miserables and an underground labyrinth of bones.
For literature lovers: Maison de Victor Hugo
Step into the apartment that the famous French writer rented from 1832-1848, where he wrote the beginning of “Les Miserables” and received guests like Théophile Gautier and Alexandre Dumas. You can see hundreds of personal artifacts from his life, including furniture, letters and the bed where he died in 1885.
Oh, Paris — how we’ve missed you. The narrow alleyways once walked by Picasso or Proust. The twinkling lights glistening softly off the Seine. The rich mugs of hot chocolate, dainty cups of coffee, dark goblets of red wine.
History is folded into every inch of the city — practically every shop window and street sign has a story to tell, so it’s almost impossible for a visitor to discover all its secrets. That’s why we love looking past Paris's most popular sights to peer into its crevices.
Fully vaccinated Canadians are welcome in France with proper proof of vaccination; there’s no need to quarantine, nor take a test upon entry.
Air France offers nonstop flights from Toronto, Montreal or Vancouver to the City of Light. The airline also offers shuttle-bus service to Montreal’s airport from stations in Ottawa (XDS) and Quebec City (BQC). (*The nonstop route from Vancouver to Charles de Gaulle pauses from Jan. 18 - Feb. 13, 2022.)
Bon voyage! Fully vaccinated Canadians are welcome in France