Le Compass62 Rue Montorgueil

Nestled on the corner of a bustling little pedestrian street near Les Halles sits a quintessential Paris bistro called Le Compass. You may not find 3 Michelin star food there, but what you will find is a fantastic place to sit outside under heated lamps (if it’s cold), enjoy a glass of wine and people watch to your heart’s content. You’ll mingle among Parisian locals and tourists as you grab a front row seat to watch the show that is pure Paris bistro culture.

Experimental Cocktail Club37, Rue Saint Sauveur

Located only a few blocks from Le Compass is the Experimental Cocktail Club. This place holds a special place in our hearts because its sister location in New York was the site of our first date. On our first trip to Paris together we, obviously, had to pop in and pay our respects. This hip and stylish cocktail bar is tucked away on a quiet side street in the Montorgueil district. This cozy, neo-baroque lounge is where the Paris craft cocktail craze got its start. The crowd is young and hip and the live DJ keeps the atmosphere upbeat. Things start on the later side here and the place gets packed, but we recommend a visit while you explore Paris by night.

The Bar and Terrace at Hotel Coste239-241 Rue Saint-Honoré

Looking for where the cool people hang in Paris? Then look no further than the bar at the Hotel Coste. Located on swanky Rue Saint-Honoré (the Fifth Ave of Paris), this place is still one of the places to see and be seen. It is over-the-top opulent and seemingly only staffed by terribly attractive young people. Its live DJ sets are so legendary that they spawned a series of albums (over 15 at last count). Be sure to stop by the Terrace Bar, sit down, light up a clove cigarette, have a cocktail and just act cool. After all you are, aren’t you?

Pont Alexandre IIIThis bridge is gorgeous in itself. In fact, it is probably one of the most beautiful bridges in Paris. It is close to the Louvre and Champs Elysees and is a must see. It also happens to be the place where we got engaged.

The Ritz Bar at the Ritz ParisPlace Vendome

When it comes to glitz and glamour, it just doesn’t get any better than this. The Ritz Hotel is located on Place Vendome. A destination on its own, Place Vendome is home to some of the most expensive jewelry stores in the world. The newly renovated Ritz Paris is located promi-nently within the plaza and definitely deserves a visit. Inside the hotel is The Ritz Bar, an Art Deco gem. We suggest sidling up to the bar, grabbing a cocktail and imaging Ernest Heming-way (A Ritz regular) holding court at the end of the room. This also happens to be where we had our first drink as an engaged couple.

Le Ballroom du Beef Club 58 rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau

We stumbled upon this charming bar last December. It is a hidden speakeasy located under the Beef Club restaurant. Before enjoying some spectacular cocktails, you have to negotiate a long industrial staircase lined with candles. Once at the bottom, just follow the sounds as you travel down a dark and deep corridor. Pushing aside a heavy curtain will reveal this little underground gem. The cocktails and atmosphere are just wonderful. The night we first went, we found that it was owned by the same people that own Experimental Cocktail Club in New York (the site of our very first date). Worth a visit or three!

Les Champs Elysées

No visit to Paris is complete without a walk up and down the Champs Elysées. We’ve done it dozens of times and it never seems to get old. Sure, there is a MacDonald’s and smattering of bad tourist bistros now, but they neighbor with the flagship Vuitton store and a Cartier store. The Champs Elysées are also an important historical axis in Paris. It is still the grand avenue of Paris and is commonly referred to as the world’s most beautiful avenue (rightfully so, if we may say so ourselves). Enjoy the perspective from the Arc de Triomphe to the Obelisk on the Place de la Concorde. If you feel so inclined, a tour on the wheel at the bottom of the Champs Elysees is quite fun. One of our fondest memories in Paris is watching the final stage of the Tour de France from a grandstand set up near the finish line toward the middle of the Avenue.

Musée Rodin 77 Rue de Varenne

The Louvre gets all the attention, but it isn’t the only great museum of Paris. The Musée Rodin, located in the former Hotel Biron, was once the home and studio of famed sculptor August Rodin. This eponymous museum houses a large portion of his collection (including the original Thinker) as well as work from other artists from his school. It may be small, but it is Anne-Lise’s favorite.

Boulangerie Paul Everywhere

Let’s face it. You’ll have a hard time finding a really bad boulangerie in Paris. Bread is like a religion there. And while there are many small, family owned, boulangeries in Paris, the big daddy is Paul. Since 1889, Paul has been churning out to-die-for baguettes and croissants. They’ve even expanded to the US and have opened a place in Miami Beach.

Rue Poncelet

Just a short walk from the Arc de Triomphe is one of our favorite little market streets, Rue Poncelet. Tucked behind rows of seventeenth century Haussmann apartment buildings, you’ll find a gastronome’s dream. From fish mongers to pâtisseries, this little street has it all. It is quintessential Paris! It is where Anne-Lise often shopped when she lived in Paris (just around the corner). If you go, be sure to check out some of Anne-Lise’s favorites like the cheese shop “Alléosse” (13 rue Poncelet) and La Brûlerie des Ternes coffee store (10 rue Poncelet). Warn-ing: Do not go there hungry. You may never leave.

Café Angelina 226 rue de Rivoli and 40 boulevard Haussmann (in the Galeries Lafayette)

There is hot chocolate, there is good hot chocolate and then there is Café Angelina’s hot chocolate. Their Chocolat Chaud “L’Africain” is to regular hot chocolate what the Mona Lisa is to a finger painting. This ultra decadent potion of velvety goodness is served in a belle époque café just down the block from the Louvre. While getting a seat at their original loca-tion may be harder than scoring Hamilton tickets, fear not! There is another location tucked away inside the Galeries Lafayette shopping center. We both make it a sacred duty to visit this shrine of cocoa every time we are in Paris. Oh, and if we forgot to mention, their desserts are pretty awesome too!

Galeries Lafayette 40 Boulevard Haussmann

The word shopping mall simply cannot sum up this place. Home to the world’s largest perfumery, this Paris landmark is home to some of the top fashion brands in the world. Known for its incredible, stained glass, belle époque dome, the Galeries hide another little treasure we discovered one Christmas: a beautiful rooftop viewing platform. While not too tall, this roof-top still offers amazing views of Paris (especially at night). On Fridays at 3 pm they hold free 25-minute fashion shows in the upstairs café. Just remember to check your bank balance before visiting because it may be a zero or two smaller when you leave.

Canal Saint-Martin

Located just steps from the Henri IV docks (where our reception will begin and end) is the entrance to the Canal Saint-Martin. This quaint 4.5 kilometer long canal makes its way through, and at times, under, the streets of Northwest Paris. Built on the orders of Napoleon I in 1802, this once-forgotten canal has now become one of the city’s trendiest little spots to explore. We highly recommend booking a cruise (http://www.canauxrama.com/en/) aboard one of the small tour boats that makes its way up the canal and through its 9 locks. It is both a romantic ride and fun.

The 58 Tour Eiffel Restaurant Located on the first floor of the Eiffel Tower

Here is a little secret we found out: If you book a lunch here you can cut your waiting time to the top of the tower by quite a bit. The lunch price includes the ticket to the first floor. Once you’re done eating, just pop over to the first floor ticket counter and buy a ticket to the top. You’ll not only save tons of time but have a pretty good meal too!

One more thing:

So, we know you probably want to visit that little museum called the Louvre. You should know that the lines to Le Louvre can get crazy. And we mean crazy. If you want to visit, buying a ticket ahead of time is the smart move. We strongly recommend it. You’ll still have to queue up, but it won’t require that you pack lunch and bring a lawn chair:) Once there, you’ll have to check out La Joconde (It’s how they call the Mona Lisa in France). Don’t ever say this trip was not educational!

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