My 24 Hours in Paris

I like to wake up early and start the day with a morning run. My favourite path would be along the Seine’s promenade, starting from the bridge Pont d’Iéna, going all the way to the Île Saint-Louis and then back again.

Having worked up a real appetite now, I’m glad it’s time for breakfast – my favourite meal of the day! There are a ton of places I could go to, depending on what mood I’m in and what I’m craving at the moment.

Wild & The Moon is my go-to for a healthy vegan ‘gourmandies’, as they say in French. They serve an amazing selection of cold-pressed juices, all good-for-you smoothies, the trendy matcha latte and golden milk drinks, acai bowls and my favourite – the banana cake! This is definitely the best banana cake in the city, and it’s gluten-free even. Most of the time my eyes pay cheques which my stomach can’t cash and I order way too much, even though I know how filling these dishes can be – packed as they are with with nuts, coconut milk and bananas.

I’m also a big one for avocado toast, the best of which can be found at one of these four spots: Ob-La-Di, Oberkampf café, Fragments, or the newly opened Biglove Caffé which offers a gluten-free version with the Chambelland’s bread (a famous naturally gluten-free bakery). The first three places are quite small, so you may have to wait a bit, but usually no longer than 15 minutes. The last one, Biglove, is always way too crowded, so make sure to get there before 10am, otherwise it might be very difficult to get a table. Why the hassle, you might well ask, but doesn’t it being crowded just got to show how amazing this place must be?

Whenever I’m in the mood for pancakes I go to HolyBelly, next to the canal Saint-Martin in the 10^th arrondissement. Once you’ve tried their pancakes with fried eggs, bacon, and maple syrup, you will be a loyal customer, just like I am – trust me. Chances are high you might have to wait for at least 30 minutes, but it’s definitely worth the wait. It’s not popular for no reason. Good news, though: they are opening a second place 500m down the street, so hopefully my info regarding the waiting time is outdated by the time you get there.

The most delicious porridge can be found at the café Bol, whose love for porridge is expressed in their full name, ‘Bol – Porridge bar’. You can go sweet or salty or even create your own version! Their granolas are also to die for.

Ok, I need to stop now. I’ve already gone on for ever, and we haven’t even got passed breakfast. You can tell that breakfast is kind of a big deal for me, right? If you need any more advice on breakfast spots in Paris – drop me a note. 😉

After (a lengthy) breakfast, I feel like going for a walk along the Seine or zigzagging through the narrow streets of Le Marais and across the Place de Vosges to one of my favourite museums: the Grand Palais, Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Musée des Arts et des Métiers, Palais Galliera and Fondation Louis Vuitton. I usually check the exhibition schedules every four weeks or so, and map out my plan for the upcoming month.

If I’m at the Grand Palais, I will definitely have an afternoon tea at the interior garden of the Petit Palais, which is just across the street, or, if it happens to be raining, inside the Mini Palais. This place is so beautiful I could spend all day here before I have to head home to get ready for dinner. Speaking of which, I can assure you that there are more amazing dinner spots in this city than you can imagine. I have over 200 that I could recommend just off the top of my head, but let me boil it down to just three of my favourites for you:

The excellent Dessance is housed in a 17th-century mansion and calls itself an all-dessert restaurant. Every dish is an absolute delight and an explosion of tastes and flavours. And even though these are desserts, you won’t feel sugar intoxicated at the end of the meal – the plates start with very subtle flavours, with a base of fruit and vegetables, and gradually progress to the real sweet notes. It’s a new and unique interpretation of preparing food, and I love it!

Then there is Gentle Gourmet, a mind-blowing vegan restaurant that never fails to surprise me. Most of what makes up their plant-based cuisine they grow themselves, and their menu changes accordingly to adapt to the current season. Not only is their menu delicious, it is also guilt-free, both ecologically and with regards to your body.

Having saved the best for last, I’d like to present you with one of my latest discoveries: Restaurant Louis. This place will definitely be a permanent member of my favourite places list. The interior is cosy, but still elegant, and chef Stéphane Pitre has worked for several renowned restaurants before embarking on the solo journey of opening up his own restaurant. The combination of a fantastic menu, charming interior, and high quality for a reasonable price guarantees that this will become a regular haunt of mine.

It’s Saturday night and that’s why I’m definitely up for a drink after dinner. Titty Twister, L’arc or YEELS club are perfect to round off a wonderful day in Paris with a delicious cocktail, great music and a vibrant atmosphere.

Wandering home afterwards I’m already looking forward to tomorrow’s breakfast haha.