The Paris Guide by Goldie Paris
Paris, by a parisian
Eat Shop Walk, Repeat.Paris is always a good idea.
Goldie Paris
Goldie Paris began in Paris before it found its home in Sydney, and the city still runs through everything we make. This guide is the Paris we actually use, kept current the way you keep a favourite address book: crossed out, rewritten, argued over. a few addresses across several areas, every one of them real, every one of them loved, none of them paid for.
How to use it: every place has a map link that opens straight in Google Maps, so build your day as you scroll. Cafes, Bakeries, Restaurant and shops... At the end, three walks stitch the addresses into whole afternoons, and a short list of practical answers saves you the googling.
One rule above all: wear comfortable shoes and don't be offended by parisians.
The map
Our Paris, at a glance
Paris spirals outward in twenty arrondissements, but we are going to focus on four of them.
Le Marais, 3rd and 4th
The Paris neighbourhood you can happily get lost in. The Marais is a little bit Jewish quarter, a little bit fashion playground, a little bit old Paris — and somehow all of it works together. Come hungry: start with a babka from Babka Zana, grab a falafel from L’As du Fallafel or a legendary sandwich from Alain Miam Miam, then wander the boutiques, galleries and beautiful little streets around Place des Vosges. Come for the food, stay for the shopping, and leave with a slightly fuller suitcase. .
Palais-Royal, 1st and 2nd
Elegant, central and very Parisian, this is the neighbourhood for beautiful arcades, grand architecture, serious shopping and long lunches that turn into wandering. Start at the Palais Royal and its striped columns, browse the boutiques around Rue Saint-Honoré, stop by La Samaritaine for a little retail therapy, then lose yourself among the galleries and cafés. A little polished, a little historic, and very Paris. .
The Left Bank, 6th and 7th
The Paris of long lunches, tiny streets, beautiful bookshops and that effortless Left Bank feeling. Wander from Saint-Germain-des-Prés towards Rue du Bac, popping into independent boutiques, pâtisseries and cafés along the way. Stop for a croissant, browse the galleries, have a glass of wine and let the day unfold slowly. A little intellectual, a little glamorous, and completely Paris.
The 16th
The quieter, more polished side of Paris — but don't mistake it for boring. Think grand avenues, beautiful Haussmannian buildings, hidden neighbourhood cafés and some of the city's best views of the Eiffel Tower. Wander around Passy, Trocadéro and Auteuil, stop for a proper coffee or croissant, then linger over lunch somewhere local. Less touristy, effortlessly chic and very Parisian..
Chapter One
But First, Coffee
Paris has come a long way from the tiny espresso you used to get at the corner café. Today, you'll find everything from beautiful old-school cafés to specialty coffee spots serving proper flat whites, oat milk and excellent pastries. Our rule? Skip the tourist traps when you can, find a good coffee, grab a croissant and take your time. Because in Paris, coffee is less about the caffeine and more about the ritual.
Coffee
10 cafes we swear by - in no particular order.
NOIR
If you’re into alternative milk and have Australian standards when it comes to coffee, Noir is a safe bet in Paris. Think proper flat whites, good coffee, and plant-based milk options — a little taste of home when you’re craving an Aussie-style coffee. And the best part? There are locations all over Paris, so you’re never too far from one.
Café de l'homme
For the view alone, Café de l’Homme is worth the stop. Sitting inside the Musée de l’Homme at Trocadéro, it has one of those unforgettable Paris views, with the Eiffel Tower right in front of you. Come for a coffee, stay for the view — especially if you want a little Parisian glamour without the Carette crowds.
MAP03Fringe
A calm Marais room run by photographers, flat whites and prints on the walls. Every serious coffee list in Paris agrees on this one.
Map04Mood Coffee shop
It has become known for its modern, minimalist interior, specialty coffee, and relaxed atmosphere that appeals to both locals and visitors looking for a quiet place to work or unwind
map05Cafe Abel
A lovely little spot in the heart of the Marais, perfect for a slow coffee and brunch moment. The vibe is warm and slightly vintage, with a sunny terrace, specialty coffee and a full-day brunch menu. Bonus points for the plant-based milk options — because apparently we can’t go back to Parisian café coffee circa 1998.
Map06Tanat
The roaster formerly known as Kawa now has three bright rooms leading the city's new wave.
Map07Boot Cafe
Boot Café is a tiny specialty coffee shop in Paris's Le Marais district, housed in a former shoe repair shop whose original blue storefront has been carefully preserved. It has become one of the neighbourhood's best-known coffee stops thanks to its distinctive setting, high-quality espresso drinks, and intimate atmosphere
Map08Cafe Kitsune
Fashionable, yes, and genuinely good. A few locations and always in the best spots.
09Terres de Café
If you want a proper specialty coffee recommendation in a very central location, this is a good one. The Rue Saint-Honoré location makes it easy to combine with the Louvre, Palais Royal or shopping.
MAP10L'Arbre à Café • Le Bon Marché
It's literally inside Le Bon Marché, above La Grande Épicerie. Their coffee comes from L'Arbre à Café, one of France's established specialty coffee roasters, and they have baristas serving espresso, cappuccino and batch brew
map
Chapter two
Bon Appetit!
Paris has no shortage of incredible places to eat — from old-school bistros and legendary institutions to tiny neighbourhood spots and cool new addresses. For this guide, we’ve skipped the endless list of Michelin stars and focused on places we’d actually want to go: good food, great atmosphere, a little personality and that unmistakable Paris feeling. Come hungry, order the wine and leave room for dessert.
Restaurants
Ten tables
Bistrot des Tournelles
A gorgeous little French bistro near Place des Vosges. Classic food done properly, excellent wine and an old-school Parisian interior without feeling dated. This is the one for a long lunch.
Map02Chez Janou
Provençal food, a zinc bar, a gorgeous little corner location and plenty of atmosphere. It's popular, yes, but it's popular for a reason. Very Parisian, very convivial. Order the chocolate mousse.
Map03Louise Café
For when you want a pretty Paris lunch rather than a serious dinner. Brasserie energy, good for people watching and conveniently placed for shopping and Palais Royal.
Map04Le Relais de l'Entrecôte
It’s a Paris institution built around one very simple formula: green salad with walnuts, thinly sliced steak, their famous secret sauce and crispy fries. No overthinking, no huge menu — just the thing they’ve been doing for generations. Expect a long queue
Map05L’As du Fallafel
A Paris institution and a must when wandering the Marais. Tucked into the historic Jewish quarter on Rue des Rosiers, this tiny, no-frills spot is famous for its generous falafel sandwich — packed with crispy falafel, hummus, aubergine and all the good stuff. Expect a queue, a little chaos and absolutely no need to dress up. Grab one, eat it in the street and keep wandering.
Map06Schwartz's
Jewish deli meets New York. Think pastrami, bagels, smoked meat and a very casual atmosphere. A fun nod to the Jewish history and culture of the Marais
multiple locations07Breizh Café
If you're only having crêpes once in Paris, make it Breizh Café. It takes the humble Breton crêpe and gives it a modern twist, using organic buckwheat flour, incredible butter and the kind of ingredients that make a simple galette feel special. Start with a savoury galette, finish with the salted caramel crêpe, and don't skip the cider. With locations in the Marais, Saint-Germain and the 16th, it's one of those Paris addresses you'll happily return to every time.
Multiple locations08The Crying Tiger Paris 16
My favourite place when I need a break from french food. Thai comfort food in a charming little neighbourhood setting. The Crying Tiger keeps things simple: authentic, homemade Thai dishes, fresh herbs, fragrant curries and plenty of spice. Go for the namesake Crying Tiger — grilled Angus beef with fresh herb salad and sticky rice — and add a few things to share. Casual, warm and delicious!
Map09Alain Miam Miam
Forget everything you know about a sandwich. Alain Miam Miam makes them big, messy and completely over the top — packed with excellent cheese, charcuterie, vegetables and caramelised onions, then toasted until everything melts together. Born at the Marché des Enfants Rouges, this has become a bit of a Paris street-food legend. Come hungry, expect a queue and embrace the mess.
Map10Le Ju’
A little bit of everything, and exactly the kind of place you want when you're wandering the Marais. Casual, buzzy and open from morning until very late, Le Ju’ is perfect for a coffee, a quick bite or a spontaneous late-night stop. No big plan required — just come as you are and soak up the neighbourhood energy.
MapOrder the wine the room is drinking, not the wine you know.
House rule
Chapter three
Carb Loading, Croissant Calling
A Paris morning should probably involve a boulangerie. From perfectly flaky croissants and warm baguettes to beautiful pâtisseries and little neighbourhood gems, there is something dangerously good around almost every corner. For this guide, we’ve picked the places worth walking a little further for — the buttery, the beautiful, the iconic and the ones you’ll be thinking about long after you leave Paris.
Bakeries
Nine stops
Belén
16thA little neighbourhood gem tucked away in the 16th. Belén blends classic French baking with Argentine roots — think buttery viennoiseries alongside excellent empanadas and alfajores. Come for the croissant, but look for the croissant au zaatar if it's on the counter. Add a specialty coffee and you have a very good Paris morning. ☕️🥐
map02La Pâtisserie Cyril Lignac
A very good reason to take a pastry break around Trocadéro. Cyril Lignac’s Chaillot boutique does the polished Parisian pâtisserie thing beautifully, but the buttery croissant is the reason to come early. Flaky, golden and properly French — grab one with a coffee before heading towards Palais de Tokyo or the Eiffel Tower.
map03Maison Thevenin
A proper Parisian boulangerie with a very good reason to stop: its croissant took 3rd place in the 2026 Grand Paris butter-croissant competition. Founded in 1963, this family-run bakery still makes its breads, pastries and viennoiseries in Paris. Grab a warm croissant on Rue de Buci and keep wandering Saint-Germain. Simple, classic and very, very good. 🥐
map04Babka Zana
Babka Zana is all about beautifully braided babkas, rugelach, challah and pastries inspired by Jewish and Mediterranean traditions. Grab the pistachio or chocolate-hazelnut babka, a coffee and find a spot near Place des Vosges. Sweet, nostalgic and completely addictive.
Multiple locations05The French Bastards
Modern bakery, excellent viennoiseries, breads, cookies and sandwiches, with a slightly irreverent personality. The Rue de Sèvres location is perfect for your Le Bon Marché route.
Multiple locations06Aux Merveilleux de Fred
For the merveilleux. These enormous, cloud-like meringue cakes covered in cream are pure Paris indulgence. There's a Rue du Pont Louis-Philippe location right in the Marais.
multiple locations07Poilane
The sourdough that made a family name into a noun. Buy the apple tart too, thank us later.
Map08Cedric Grolet Opera
The sculpted fruit that fooled the internet. Theatrical, expensive, once every trip.
Map09Pierre Herme
La Liste just named the house the best pastry brand on earth. The Ispahan remains an argument for civilisation.
Map
Chapter four
Shopping Spree
Paris shopping is so much more than the big luxury names. Of course, there are the iconic department stores, but the real fun is discovering beautiful concept stores, independent boutiques, vintage treasures, French beauty, jewellery and little things you absolutely didn't plan on buying. From Le Bon Marché to hidden Marais gems, come with a little room in your suitcase.
Shopping
Nine addresses
Reciproque
The 16th's legendary depot vente on rue de la Pompe: decades of Hermes, Chanel and Saint Laurent, consigned by the neighbourhood that bought them new.
Map02La Samaritaine
A Paris shopping institution with a serious glow-up. Come for the incredible Art Nouveau and Art Deco architecture, stay for the beautifully curated mix of French fashion, beauty, jewellery and design. Right by Pont Neuf, it’s an easy stop between the Louvre, Palais Royal and the Seine. And don't leave without looking up. ✨
Map03Diptyque
For the quintessential Paris candle. Beautiful, very French and one of those brands that feels even better when bought in Paris.
Multiple locations04Officine Universelle Buly
Old-world French beauty at its most gorgeous. Perfumes, oils, soaps, brushes and beautiful little objects.
Map05La Grande Épicerie de Paris
Technically food, but I would give it its own listing. French delicacies, beautiful packaging, wine, cheese, chocolate, pantry finds — the perfect place for edible souvenirs.
16th & Le Bon Marche06Rue de Passy
Wander Rue de Passy. There are 24 shops, making it useful for a proper neighbourhood shopping afternoon.
Map07Merci
The Beaumarchais institution: linen, books, the little red car. Give it an hour.
Map08Empreintes
Four floors of French craft and objects in the Haut Marais. The wedding present store.
Map09Le Bon Marche
The most beautiful department store on earth. The food hall alone is a museum.
Map
Chapter five
A Morning of Art
You can’t really do Paris without a little art. From world-famous museums to tiny galleries and contemporary spaces, there’s something around every corner — and you don’t have to spend the whole day in a museum to get your fix. Pick one, wander slowly, find a gallery you weren’t looking for, and let Paris do the rest. Come for the masterpieces, stay for the beauty of the buildings themselves.
Culture
Ten rooms of art
Bourse de Commerce
Pinault's collection under Tadao Ando's concrete cylinder. The building is half the show.
Map02Fondation Cartier, Palais-Royal
Jean Nouvel's brand new glass home opposite the Louvre, inaugurated with forty years of the collection. The city's newest essential.
Map03Fondation Louis Vuitton
Gehry's glass ship in the Bois de Boulogne. Blockbuster shows, book the timed slot.
Map04Musee Marmottan Monet
The world's largest Monet collection, including the Impression that named a movement, in a hunting lodge by the Jardin du Ranelagh.
Map05Musee de l'Orangerie
Monet's water lilies wrapped around you in two oval rooms. Go at opening, before the crowds breathe on the silence.
Map06Palais de Tokyo
Raw concrete and whatever is happening right now in art. Open until midnight.
Map07Palais Galliera
The city's fashion museum in a Beaux-Arts palace: Chanel, Vionnet and whatever the next blockbuster is. The garden is free.
Map08Musee Picasso
A hotel particulier in the Marais holding the man's whole restless life.
Map09Musee Rodin
The Thinker in a rose garden. Skip the queue with a garden only ticket and picnic among the bronzes.
Map10Jeu de Paume
Photography's grand Paris address, on the Tuileries corner with the best museum view of the Place de la Concorde.
Map
Chapter Six
Three perfect walks
Chapter six
Three perfect walks
Walk one, about three hours
The Marais loop
Start with a noisette at Fringe, then wander rue Vieille du Temple north as the boutiques open. Cut through the Musee Picasso if the morning is grey, or the gardens of the Archives Nationales if it is not. Vintage at Vintage Desir and the racks around rue de la Verrerie, then Marche des Enfants Rouges for a standing lunch among the stalls. Finish with an early glass at Little Red Door, and if the door next to it looks unmarked, that is the point.
Walk two, about four hours
Trocadero to the Bois
Start at Carette on place du Trocadero, noisette on the terrace, the Tower filling the sky across the river. Cross to the Palais de Tokyo for whatever is happening in art right now, then drift along avenue du President Wilson past the Galliera gardens. Rue de Passy leads you into the 16th's village heart: a merveilleux on rue de l'Annonciation, windows of quiet old money boutiques, streets Haussmann would still recognise. Finish at the Marmottan with Monet's Impression, and if your legs agree, keep going into the Bois de Boulogne until Gehry's glass ship rises through the trees. Dinner at Comice if you booked, champagne at the Dokhan's if you did not.
Walk three, a whole slow Sunday
The river and the Left Bank
Stohrer first, because Sunday deserves a baba au rhum. Metro to Concorde and cross to the river, walking east past the bouquinistes with no particular urgency. Cross Pont Alexandre III just to feel expensive, drift through Saint-Germain to Poilane for a sourdough to carry home, and give Le Bon Marche an unhurried hour. End at the tip of the Ile de la Cite in Square du Vert-Galant, feet over the water, watching the boats until the light goes gold. That is the whole itinerary. That is enough.
Practical Paris
Before you go
When should I visit?
Late May to early July, or September into October: long light, open terraces, the city in a good mood. August is quiet and half closed, which has its own charm if you like your Paris slow.
How do I get around?
Walk everywhere you can, the metro for everything else. Buy tickets in the Bonjour RATP app, and know that no two points in central Paris are more than a beautiful forty minute walk apart.
Do I need reservations?
Always call when it is for dinner because chances are that you do need one!
What about Sundays and Mondays?
Paris genuinely rests: many restaurants close Sunday night and Monday, and bakeries pick one of the two. Check the map link before crossing town, and let museum mornings absorb the gaps.
What about tipping?
Service is included. Round up or leave a few euros for a meal you loved. Nothing is expected, everything is appreciated.
