Modernist political headquarters hosting art exhibitions and fashion shows. Raw concrete interiors and a retro-futuristic hall beneath a stark white dome open up during scheduled cultural events.
Neighborhood bistro with its original marble bar, spotted mirrors, and wine-red banquettes. The menu is classic French, but the extensive natural wine list and strong house martinis are what fill the room with locals.
Restored 17th-century Marais mansion displaying the world's largest collection of Pablo Picasso's art. Grand Baroque stairs and historic salons open into crisp white galleries filled with his paintings, ceramics, and sculptures.
Time-capsule bistro with blotchy walls and just a dozen tables set with pink linen. Expect huge portions of classic French country cooking – whole roasted chicken, slabs of foie gras, and towers of crispy frites.
1930s Montorgueil bistro serving hearty, wine-fueled lunches of boeuf bourguignon and escargots. White-clothed tables sit close together under vintage mirrors, filling a cozy room lined with dark wood and red leather banquettes.
Historic kitchenware warehouse packed floor-to-ceiling with copper pots and obscure molds. Finding a price means checking codes in a binder, and staff wrap purchases in brown paper and string.
Grand Beaux-Arts railway station holding the world's largest collection of Impressionist art. Galleries sit under a soaring glass roof, rising to top-floor masterpieces and a giant station clock looking out over Paris.
Vast formal garden stretching between the Louvre and Place de la Concorde. Wide gravel paths run past manicured lawns toward large stone fountains, where loose green metal chairs are pulled right to the water's edge.
Historic English-language bookstore on Rue de Rivoli stocking thousands of titles, international press, and British groceries. Wood-paneled rooms lead to an upstairs tea room facing the Tuileries Garden.
Vast design museum filling the western wing of the Louvre. Seven floors of dimly lit galleries and reconstructed period rooms hold centuries of French furniture, fashion, and jewelry.
Baroque parish on rue Saint-Honoré holding the tombs of Diderot and Le Nôtre. The deep interior extends well past the altar into a series of theatrical, art-filled chapels.
Steep market street climbing from the 9th arrondissement toward Montmartre. Independent cheese shops, bakeries, and cafes pack the slope, drawing a steady crowd for fresh bread and supplies.
Specialty roaster inside a protected 1920s building, where original Art Deco details meet a futuristic, glowing orange interior. Single-origin espresso and fresh pistachio babka are served at the satin-finish steel bar.
Contemporary art gallery taking over a grand 19th-century townhouse near the Champs-Élysées. Free, rotating exhibitions run through four floors of high-ceilinged rooms linked by a prominent spiral staircase.
Grand Haussmann corner building in the Golden Triangle mixing heritage moldings with Art Deco interiors. Upper-floor balconies look directly onto the Eiffel Tower, while a full marble spa sits below.
Classic Parisian bistro serving rich Southwest cooking in a room lined with dark wood and checkered tablecloths. Meals start with sliced salami and bread before moving to heavy plates of duck confit and cassoulet.
Quiet 19th-century residence turned unfussy hotel in the 16th arrondissement. Superior rooms open onto balconies facing the Eiffel Tower, while larger apartments provide a practical base near the Arc de Triomphe.
Four-story cocktail house occupying a 17th-century building in Saint-Germain. Three bars and a Rizzoli bookshop spread across the levels, topped by a rooftop kiosk for drinks and open-air cinema.
Refined, stone-arcaded covered market in the 6th arrondissement. Clean, organized stalls stock fresh produce, cheese, and oysters for quick lunches and picnic runs to the nearby Jardin du Luxembourg.
Classic 31-room hotel right on a lively Saint-Germain street. A small elevator leads up to soundproofed rooms with exposed wood beams and classic wallpaper, while the top floors look out at the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame.
Newly restored Gothic cathedral sitting on the Île de la Cité with flying buttresses and stone gargoyles. The massive interior takes a half hour to walk through, passing beneath soaring vaults and surviving 13th-century rose windows.
Old-school Parisian bistro occupying a medieval house with a bright mosaic facade. A classic zinc bar anchors the 1930s interior, where blackboard menus list seasonal French staples like steak frites and escargots.
Historic bistro next to the Cirque d'Hiver covered in 1920s ceramic clown tiles. The busy dining room serves modern French small plates and pours natural wine from a classic zinc bar.
Private 16th-arrondissement sports club with 18 clay and hard tennis courts. The grounds host year-round matches, padel games, and a training pool, while a brutalist gallery doubles as a high-end fashion venue.
Five-star hotel built into a restored 1920s bathhouse in the 16th arrondissement. Rooms wrap around a massive heated outdoor pool lined with yellow and blue Art Deco galleries, while a second pool and sprawling spa sit underground.
