7 min read Paris

A former Parisian's Guide to Paris

A former Parisian's Guide to Paris
La Samaritaine in Paris

Well, life is on the move and I am moving with it as well! After spending a month in Europe, I took the opportunity to head back to my old home city of Paris for my birthday week in October!

Nonetheless, I am writing you today from the most gorgeous hotel in Zimbabwe in the middle of a 2-week African vacation that feels like our second (or third or fourth!) honeymoon. More about this trip on December's mailer.

In the meantime, let's do things in order and head back north to Paris for chronological purposes.

Eiffel Tower at night - October 2025

I was absolutely delighted to be back to France's capital city after our January trip, running errands, being with my family, talking to people in french, having proper coffee and bread, being surrounded by culture, books, history, the best shopping and all under the rhythm of Autumn, the leaves falling, greens hues embracing the orange and brown... All of this represents everything that makes me very happy!

I lived in Paree for almost a decade before leaving in 2012. Those were the most formative years of my life, from working at my first internship (which turned into my first real job), having my own place, finishing my Masters Degree... I am forever a Parisian at heart!

Paris is still one my favourite places to go back to. When I am back, I have to accept some places from the past do not exist anymore or the vibe is completely different from what I used to love in the 2000s.

Nevertheless, I am not scared of venturing into new things in my old city. So consider today's mailer as an Ode to Paris, as someone who goes back often and is always trying old and new things, not discovering the city with new eyes.

Accommodation

People used to ask me "Where should I stay in Paris?" a lot when I lived there and I just could not respond as I had never stayed at a hotel there before. But things have evolved as I now live on the other side of the world and we have stayed at several hotels in Paris in the past.

Paris | Where to stay in the City of Lights?
My honest review of tried and tested accommodations in Paris: Newhotel Roblin by Madeleine, Mama Shelter close to Père Lachaise and Maison Albar Le Diamond by Saint Lazare & the Galeries Lafayette
The SignatureJess

Books

It's so easy to stroll in Paris and stumble into a person with a book in hand, ready to dip into the depths of the earth and commute via metro whilst reading. September is the best literary month in Paris with loads of freshly published books so the shelves are currently bursting with great finds. Here are a few books I have read and loved, that showcase life in the past and in the present in Paris.

Muriel Barbery's L'Elegance du Herisson - Katherine Pancol's Les Yeux Jaunes des Crocodiles - Tatiana de Rosnay's Sarah's Key, which she wrote in English

I am currently reading The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley, although it has a British standpoint, is set in the inner secrets of a complex Parisian building.

The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley from Casa de São Lourenço at Serra da Estrela, Portugal

Culture

You don't need a whole new article about visiting museums in Paris, that is a given. Or not! I lived there for a decade and only went to the Louvre once and close to the end of my journey. But there are still things to discover such as my first time at the Crazy Horse Paris in January.

If you want a closer to the real Parisian theatre experience and you are not fluent in french, I recommend Olivier Giroux's How to become a Parisian in one hour, a long run english-speaking one man show. I have been to the show several times in my life and love it every time. I swear I could head there again today as it's so good to get into the Parisian vibe with loads of laughter. I recommend it to all!

Paris | Is the Crazy Horse show worth it? (2025 review)
We were more than happy to experience Paris at the Crazy Horse cabaret! With a bottle of champagne in hand, vibrant performances, and stunning dancers, we enjoyed a dazzling 90-minute show and so should you.
The SignatureJess

My siblings surprised me with a Drone Art Classical Music Show at Hippodrome de Vincennes - if you never visited, you must, as well as the one in Longchamp - and I absolutely loved it. I love violin quartets in general but Vivaldi's Four Seasons - especially the Spring concerto - is my favourite. The show honoured it beautifully in the sky in the evening. I was just so happy!

Drone Art Show in Paris - October 2025

Food

It is impossible to have a bad meal in Paris. Breakfast is great, lunch provides amazing and genuine deals, goûter in the afternoon is an institution and dinner is a whole voyage. I have written about all these moments, either for a one-time experience or places to repeat at every trip. Check it out:

Best Breakfasts and Cafés in Paris
There is not a more Parisian food experience than breakfast in a café. Here are my favourite spots and what you have to do to recreate at home or at your short-term rental if you want to be on your own.
The SignatureJess
Where to eat in Paris in 2025
Here are a few genuine spots we have been to in the past decade and that we have thoroughly enjoyed - updated in January 2025
The SignatureJess
Around the world Dinners in Paris
Want to have dinner where the real Parisians dine? Do as they do and go for other cuisines than the French at dinner time. This is the meal they get more adventurous with!
The SignatureJess

Shopping

Paris is the place to shop. Here are my recommendations (and my purchases!) for the most beautiful curated pieces and gifts to bring back home so that you'll always have Paris close to you even if kilometres apart. And don't miss out on pharmacy finds as well!

Where to go for shopping in Paris?
Candles, perfumes, shoes, tea, exquisite leather goods... you name it, Paris has it! Here are my favourite spots and goods to buy.
The SignatureJess

Walks

I love walking in Paris. Aside from Montmartre and the Buttes Chaumont area, I love how flat it is and I love putting some kilometres in effortlessly, while I people watch, stop at some shops and cafés. My love for Paris always arises in these strolls. Here is a couple of my favourite...

Neighbourhood Walk 1: If you go to Ladurée at 75 Champs Elysées, know you are by the famous Triangle d'Or of Paris. There’s something comforting about strolling around Avenue George V for me, a place that feels like an old acquaintance. I used to study nearby, and every time I walk here, it’s as if the streets are greeting me with their timeless elegance. From here, I love wandering down Avenue Montaigne, where the window displays at Dior and Chanel are like little exhibitions of Parisian creativity. Last but not least, I always find myself on the Champs-Élysées, where Publicis Drugstore offers a little of everything, from fine chocolates to curated gifts and my old friend and favourite, the majestic Sephora Champs Elysées. This is also where I saw the Tour de France end in 2006 and where we both saw the Military Parade by Bastille Day in 2018. Continue down the big avenue and find the amazing pair of museums Grand Palais and Petit Palais. If you continue your stroll downwards - in Christmas time, this is where you will find the Paris Christmas Market - you will finish a beautiful sightseeing with the amazing Place de La Concorde, my favourite in the world. I love just stopping in my tracks and taking it all in, with the Eiffel Tower in the horizon.
Bastille Day in 2018 - guess the mistake the airshow did this day?
Neighbourhood Walk 2: Le Marais is one of the neighbourhoods I use to go to the most when I lived in Paris and I always try to go back when I have time. I love strolling around the concept stores, small shops such as the Aime Boutique & Studio and small museums around Rue des Francs Bourgeois, Rue Vieille du Temple and Rue des Rosiers. Strolling around the small yet stunning Place des Vosges is a must for me! This area is always very vibrant, either during the day or at night and it's where cultures clash beautifully as it is the Jewish Quarter - check for the several genuine falafels places - and also a place that the LGBT community calls home. And, of course, I recommend Le Loir dans la Théière for the most incredible quiches and tarts.
Walking by Place des Vosges in Paris in October 2025