When you think of Paris, France what do you think of? The Eiffel Tower? The Louvre? A Beret? A baguette?
I think of food! There’s definitely a foodie side to Paris that I was able to dive into on my last trip. Typically I only focused on one or two food activities when I travel, like a food tour or wine tasting. This time, I went all out and had a 3-day weekend filled with so many foodie adventures!
This blog post is sponsored by SNCF Connect – the app and website to help you with your train travel to and around France.
How to get to Paris
We always take the Thalys train directly from Amsterdam to Paris. Since the City of Lights is a major European hub, it could not be simpler to take a train to Paris from many popular cities in Europe using the SNCF Connect app or website. It’s perfect for travelers heading to France because it takes all the guesswork out of traveling to the country from its European neighbors. And once you’re there, SNCF Connect helps you plan your trips within France. With various train companies, it was something that I always found a bit confusing, but not anymore. Even better is that many trains offer e-tickets.
This is stress-free travel, right here. I’m all about reducing stress because traveling can be INTENSE!
In case you’re curious where you can get direct trains from, here you go!
- Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Brussels, Belgium
- London, England
- Cologne, Germany
- Luxembourg City, Luxembourg
- Geneva, Switzerland
- Milan, Italy
- Madrid, Spain
- And many other great locations!
If you prefer to take a bus, the SNCF Connect app also shows those possibilities, but I think I’ll always prefer trains. What about you?
Foodie Experiences to have in Paris, France
Visit a Bakery
Let’s start off tame, super easy, and cheap. You’ll find bakeries all over Paris and if you happen to be staying a little bit outside of the main touristy sights, you might have a better experience. We were in a residential neighborhood and popped by Boulangerie Patisserie. It’s a pretty generic name, but the pain au chocolat was so good it made me cry. In case it’s too hard to find with that name, here’s the address: 62 Rue de Reuilly, 75012 Paris, France.
Get whatever looks good but I highly recommend you at least try a croissant and baguette. The French do bread in the most amazing way possible. I don’t quite understand their secret, but I’m happy to go to France anytime, if only for the bread and pastries.
Take a Cooking Class
Cooking classes are hit or miss for me. The one I took in Paris was a macaron-making class but I wouldn’t recommend the exact one we did. It was an Airbnb experience and if I did it again, I’d go with this one which has a professional chef. But I did love making my own macarons and even messing up a little! Sean was way better at piping the meringue cookie part, but no matter how much I messed up, they still tasted amazing. I loved leaving with something we made ourselves!
Enjoy a Wine and Cheese Tasting
On our last trip to Paris, we went to O Chateau for a wine tasting and we would definitely recommend it to others. While you can definitely do the 3 wine flight, they have many tasting options and the wine and cheese one is extra special with 4 wines, a Champagne, artisanal cheese, and bread from the bakery that supplies bread to the French President.
Book a Food Tour
I think you should take a food tour everywhere possible! I’ve done two food tours with two different companies and neither were like the tours we’ve taken in other places where you are full by the end and have a few bites at each stop. If we go again, I’ll book this tour because we loved their tour in Spain, so I’m excited to try them in Paris. Plus, it’s in my favorite part of Paris, the Marais.
Make a Picnic
Head to a market, or just find the bread, cheese, and meat shops near you and get what looks good! There are many great spots around Paris for a picnic. We found a hidden park behind some buildings that’s popular with families and has some great shade thanks to mature trees. Here’s a Google Map link to help you find it. You can also head to the Seine and sit along the water for a spectacular picnic spot or have the iconic Eiffel Tower as your backdrop while you sit in the Champ de Mars.
Fine dining
When I think of Paris, I think of fine dining. One of my first trips to Paris was the first time I enjoyed a meal from a restaurant that had been awarded a Michelin Star. You don’t have to spend too much money to enjoy a fine dining experience. In fact, Michelin has even put together a great list of recommendations that are very reasonably priced. For the least expensive options, I’d suggest making a lunch reservation on a weekday. There are many types of cuisines to choose from, so I hope you find something you love.
Discover the World of Speakeasies
If you’ve been following me on here or on YouTube for a while, you’ll know that I love cocktails. Mainly, I love the mix of flavors, the colors, and the creativity. Speakeasies raise that to a destination that is its own experience. Here’s a great list of speakeasy bars you can enjoy. I went to Lavomatic which looks like a laundromat, but has a secret bar upstairs!
Champagne cruise
Just under the Eiffel Tower on the Seine, you’ll find some tourist boats. Our favorite wine bar that I mentioned before hosts a special version of that cruise. It’s a Champagne cruise! Champagne isn’t usually my favorite sparkling wine, but they did not disappoint on this foodie adventure. I loved every single one…and there were three…on an hour-long cruise. You’ve been warned! Some photos show the area covered but ours was not, so we were in full sun on a hot day. Be prepared for either scenario while you cruise along some of Paris’ most impressive sights.
Day trips
Many day trips are offered and if you don’t have a lot of time but want to see the countryside, I’d highly recommend this option. They are the most expensive foodie thing to do on this list, but it’s a full day with transportation and typically lunch, as well. You can head to Champagne (yes, it’s a real place!) and visit three different Champagne houses plus a traditional French lunch, the Loire Valley to visit a castle along with two wineries and lunch, or even Burgundy with three winery visits plus lunch.
Markets
No matter where in the world you go, you’re likely to find a food market. In such a popular city as Paris, you’ll find markets that have adapted to visitors and may be overly crowded with more expensive food. If you’re looking for more authenticity and lower prices, go a little out of your way and leave the main touristy spots. Locals tend to stay super local and go to the market in their neighborhood and not where it’s super crowded. But, you know what, if you’re short on time, don’t worry that you can only go to the busy and expensive market. Take your time to walk through, have some cash, and get what catches your eye! It’s your vacation, make the most of it. This article from Time Out is a great place to start.
Extend your French experience outside of Paris
Paris is not a representation of France, just as New York doesn’t represent the USA. It’s just where many of the tourists go. So, get out of town! Pull up a map, pick a spot, and take a train there. Maybe you’ve heard of it and maybe you haven’t. Travel is about exploring a little bit about getting out of your comfort zone. Don’t worry, you don’t have to get too uncomfortable! The SNCF Connect app will help you get there and get around and your Google Translate app will help when you’re out and about.
So, where will you head? Nice for beaches, Strasbourg for houses that are just too cute, or any of the wine regions to become an expert on French wine?
Travel easy and download the SNCF Connect app for your phone.
