Summertime in Paris is pure magic.

Since I visited Paris for the first time in winter time and did most of the touristy things then, Paris in the summer for us was spent outside, picnicking, walking, exploring the Parisian streets and drinking lots of good wine.

The one thing we repeated in summer that we’ve done in winter, was going to Versailles. We thought that seeing the gardens of Versailles in the summer would be a completely different experience, and we were right; we were glad we made the trip to see those gorgeous, luscious gardens.

Below you’ll find helpful pre-travel tips, as well as the hotels we stayed at, the activities we did and the places we ate at. Hope its useful for your next Paris summer vacation. And again, be sure to read my winter Paris guide to learn about all the fun first-timer activities you can’t miss.

HELPFUL PARIS TRAVEL TIPS

 

Do your research ahead of time and learn as much as you can about the city prior to going. I recommend visiting you city’s book stores and libraries, or searching online for helpful books and articles that can shed some insight as to the culture, currency, history, famous sights, etc.

What I personally did for this particular trip:

1. Read the Paris section of Rick Steves’s France travel book before going. I highlighted the places I wanted to visit the most to make it easy for me to quickly identify these key areas when opening the book in Paris. And yes, I brought the book with me on our trip, as I always love having an easy access reference guide when touring around.
2. Followed various travel bloggers, who had recently visited Paris, for unique insight and traveling pointers. This tactic gave me ideas of cool things to do, that I wouldn’t have found in travel books. I went to their blogs to read about their experiences, and checked them out on social media. These influencers probably did their research prior to going on their vacay, so reading about what they did acted like a curated travel-guide summary for me.

You can find bloggers and influencers by doing a quick Google or Pinterest search, or by looking up Paris-related hashtags on Instagram.

HOTEL

 

Le Cinq Codet

This is a lovely 5-star hotel near the Eiffel Tower. It’s located on a quiet street, and it feels elegant and serene. I loved the rooms, very modern and new, and we slept really well here. The bathrooms were spacious and well equipped. However, we didn’t use the main hotel amenities, such as their small gym, spa and restaurant, as we chose to leave the property for these. We joined a local gym (which was amazing, and we actually saw Sebastian Stan working out there, more info on the gym below) and enjoyed breakfast and afternoon drinks elsewhere as well.

Hotel d’Aubusson

This is another wonderful 5-star hotel, and we absolutely loved the entire hotel and amenities. Their gym looked new and it had a modern flair to it, their indoor pool was gorgeous and large, and their breakfast was delicious.

The rooms were not modern, unlike Le Cinq Codet, but they had a lot of charm and were also very well equipped. I loved the location of this hotel more than Le Cinq Codet, as it is situated in the beautiful St. Germain neighborhood, which is very central, close to a lot of sightseeing activities, shops and restaurants. The concierge an staff were wonderful, and they played live jazz music in their bar when we were there.

If I had to chose between the two hotel, I think I would chose Hotel d’Aubusson due to it’s central location and better hotel amenities. However, Le Cinq Codet has nicer rooms.

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ACTIVITIES

Our first time in Paris was in winter, and we did a lot of the top tourist attractions then. And we have been to Paris twice in the summer, both post our Paris in winter trip, so we felt like we had a little more breathing room to do more of the stuff we actually love to do, vs the “must” do’s all the tourist guides tell you. We did repeat a few of the attractions we did in winter, however, as we felt like we needed to experience these in summer as well; for example: Eiffel Tower & Versailles. Below is a list of all the things we did in Paris in the summer months:

1. Picnics by the Eiffel Tower

You gotta do it at least once. It’s what all Parisians do with friends and family during the summer. Chill picnics with a good spread and wine, is what it’s all about. You can find picnic services that craft a picnic for you so you don’t have to worry about any of the details, or you can buy all of your favorite picnic goodies and favorite wine yourself. Chose your own adventure here, but be sure to do it!

2. Exploring the gardens of the Palace of Versailles

We experienced the Palace of Versailles on our first visit to Paris, but it was during winter and the gardens were all dead. So we had to come back in Summer. It was incredible, and such a different experience than in Winter. I prefer Summer for sure, as you can walk around at your own pace, see so much color and greenery, and even bring your own picnic and enjoy it by the man made lake they have there. It’s so gorgeous, I highly recommend it. We took a train to it in Summer, but we took a taxi to it in Winter as we didn’t want to deal with the freezing cold in public transportation. It’s about 40 minutes away from the city, so plan accordingly.

3. Shopping on Saint Germain des Prés

This was a favorite. So many gorgeous shops to explore! From high end, luxury stores, to small curated boutiques, you’ll sure find a nice little treasure(s) to bring back home with you. Give yourself a few hours to shop around, and grab a coffee or pastry in between.

4. An afternoon at Fête des Tuileries

This was super unexpected and fun. We had no idea they had this going in on in Paris in August, but we lucked out. We stumbled upon it on an afternoon walk, and jumped in on it right away. We rode the ferris wheel, jumped on the bumper cars experience, played the shoot gallery games and ate some of the fun fair food. Such an old-school vibe, super picturesque and a straight up a blast.

5. Workouts at L’usine

This is not for everyone, but my husband and I love to workout and move our bodies first thing in the morning. Having a good gym to us is very important when vacationing, and sometimes the hotel gyms just don’t cut it. We found this gym after doing some research and we got a 1-week pass for the duration of our vacation. We absolutely loved the equipment, layout, vibes and amenities. We even saw Sebastian Stan working out there when we were getting a workout in ourselves. Look him up if the name doesn’t ring a bell. We would highly recommend this gym to anyone who, like us, likes to keep their health routine going even when on vacay.

6. Ambassade de Bourgogne (wine & apps)

This place was awesome, and it was recommended to us by the manager of a wine shop we became friends with. She knew we liked burgundy wine, and so she pointed us in the direction of this shop that only does burgundy wine and has tasting experiences. It was lovely and the wines were to die for. We got a cheeseboard and an amazing smoked trout salad to accompany the wines.

7. Nicolas – 13 Rue de Buci (wine shop)

This is the wine shop I was just talking about above. We came here because we wanted to grab a few bottles of red wine to keep in our hotel room for when we are getting ready for dinner. It’s always nice to have a glass while applying makeup and ironing a shirt. The wine shop was super close to the hotel and so we gave it a go. The manager that worked the place quickly became our friend, she was awesome!!! We loved her and the wines she recommended so much, that we came to the store three times total. And on one of those occasions, we asked if she would be cool with us buying and opening a bottle or two at the shop to enjoy with her; she said this was something no one had ever offered her before, and she was so happy to do it! We loved, loved, loved this specific Nicolas shop (they have a few around the city), and if you see Nina, you’re in for a treat.

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EATS

1. Les Deux Magots (breakfast)

A classic Parisian breakfast spot, with the cute outdoor and indoor seating. Delicious quiche and coffee. A must try.

2. Cafe de Flore (breakfast / café)

This is THE classic Paris cafe. An institution, and one you must try at least once for breakfast or brunch while in Paris. It gets busy, so go early or be prepared to wait in line for a bit.

3. Ralph’s (dinner)

Whenever we go to Paris, we go to Ralph’s to shop and follow it up with dinner. Be sure to make reservations ahead of time, as it fills up. We love the ambiance and love the “home away from home” feeling. As you know, Ralph Lauren is an American brand, so they serve elevated American food. I always get their Caesar salad with chicken. Delicious.

4. Cafe St Regis (breakfast / dinner)

St Regis is THE spot for omelets. We came here on our first trip to Paris during winter time for dinner, after visiting the Palace of Versailles for the first time. It has great food all around, and the service is top notch.

5. Zorba (greek)

Favorite hummus of our life. So much garlic and goodness. And their Greek salads are also fabulous. Its ran by husband and wife, and they are both so attentive and wonderful. A great, non-assuming spot for lunch or dinner.

6. Pizzeria Pepone (Italian)

Pizza was great, red wine was great. What’s not to love?

7. L’As du Fallafel (middle eastern)

Israeli wine, and yummy fallafels, pita and hummus and roasted cauliflower.

8. Angelina (hot chocolate & macarons)

Love their hot chocolate and love their macarons. Really cute shop; they have a few in Paris, so look out for one.

 

Hope you found this guide helpful, and that you’re able to use these tips for when you’re planning your own trip.

Paris is dreamy, full of charm and elegance. If you’re on the fence, definitely make the leap and go visit it. You will not regret it. If you go, leave a comment below telling me what did and what your favorite parts of Paris were. Bon voyage.

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