10 Things to Do in Paris this Spring
That don't involve going to Bistrot Paul Bert
Hello!
It's been a while. I took a few months away to pour myself into something that's been brewing in my heart for years: writing my and Ghia's first cookbook, which will come out next year. What I thought would be a gentle simmer turned into a rolling boil and the past few months have been a blur.
I'm back on Substack, eager to report from deep in the rabbit hole. I'm recommitting to this newsletter—aiming for a biweekly cadence, though remember I make rules almost exclusively to break them. It will also remain free, but I appreciate everyone who pledged money last year - I gave my 2024 substack earning multiplied by a lot to victims of the LA fires.
I also moved to New York, and my truck has taken a month to make its cross-country journey (I wore this top and this jacket pretty much 30 days in a row). So, I ended up in Paris. Any good decision tree for me ends at home in Paris, where temptation is everywhere, and I celebrated the big accomplishment of wrapping up my book manuscript with a visit to Alaia - I got myself these mules, whoopsies.
Paris feels so good right now, there is so much to see! In an attempt to save you from a bad steak frites, here's a list of things my local friends and I have been enjoying.
x
Melanie
PS: I love Paul Bert, you just don’t need me to go there!
1. Food Finds: From French-Korean Fusion to Middle Eastern Delights
Jip is a much talked about Korean with a french twist (France does fusion well, including not using the word fusion). In Belleville, which is a popular neighborhood for young creative, Le Cadoret has the attention of the foodies. For fans of Miznon, Nour Comptoir blew my mind. I had the meat arayes with extra stuffing yesterday and I can't wait to go back and sit at their sunny little street counter again. The owner Yossi is delightful, and I'm trying to get him to stock Ghia Sumac & Chili alongside popular-here kombucha brand Archipel, so if you go, do say you know me!
2. Olga de Amaral at Fondation Cartier
Colombian artist Olga de Amaral's golden tapestries are a sensory immersion at the Fondation Cartier's Jean Nouvel-designed glass jewel box. It's also the 40th anniversary of the Foundation. They are open until 10pm Tuesdays and Thursdays. So different and truly breathtaking.
3. Vintage Shopping: From Rue de Turenne to Japanese Treasures
Everyone always asks me where I shop for vintage. I love Bobby, where I sell a lot of my clothes, and Iregular, but the pop-ups that emerge during Fashion Week are where the true gems hide, most without an Instagram presence. This season, many are lined up on rue de Turenne. Japanese design collectors will love the new-ish dotComme, which offers an expertly edited selection of Comme des Garçons, Yohji Yamamoto, and other designers that are well loved but make me look like the blueberry girl in the Chocolate Factory.
4. Musée Zadkine and its garden!
A secret garden in the heart of Montparnasse, this former home and studio of sculptor Zadkine feels like stepping into another universe. The museum is small - I love a digestible museum - anything but the Louvre! The modernist sculptures among lush greenery are really meditative, it's one of my favorites. And right now there is a Modigliani exhibition there, it’s so good! Enjoy!
5. Weekend in Le Perche
If you loved Le Doyenne, spend a weekend in the Perche, a trendy area 90 min outside the city where Parisians escape. Oiseau Oiseau is the restaurant for a nice long lunch there and La Maison Ferré is a farm and Cidrerie (a place where they make cider, don't come after my ESL!) where you can warm up with a cup of homemade apple chai. I find the countryside très depresso in the winter, so I'm saving this trip for warmer days.
6. Massages by Lymfea
Everyone is Paris loves kobido and face lymphatic massages to naturally fight gravity. Lymfea offers some great holistic treatments - I visited their pop-up at the new Maison Neo this weekend (cute) but they have a permanent outpost in Hotel Hana, a tiny Japanese inspired hotel in the 1st. It was designed by the very hot-in-Paris art director Olivier Leone (of Sceners Gallery and Ojji Perronet, which hopefully are already on your list!).
7. Montezuma Cafe
One of my favorite spots for a Friday night hang. This place strikes the right balance of casual but generous, amazing vibes and good value: we paid just 45 euros each for five people, with many dishes including two desserts and two bottles of wine. The atmosphere buzzes with exactly the right energy, just tipsy enough attractive french people in a chic downstairs, and the best radishes with butter and natty wines upstairs. So French.
8. Live Music: Julien Casablancas or Okay Kaya
Julien Casablancas (with his new band, which is emphatically not The Strokes) performs tonight, while the ethereal Okay Kaya takes the stage Thursday. Either choice guarantees that particular magic of experiencing live music in Paris - in a small-ish venue with half the crowd smoking cigarettes outside.
9. Traditional Pilates at Rituel Studio
In a gorgeous studio with glass panels on Quai des Augustins, this Pilates spot is recommended by my most fit Parisian friends. I loved my class with Estelle - the focus here is on form “une bonne posture”, there are lots of corrections which makes the class really hard. I dislike most workout studios here, we truly are spoiled with those in America, but I'm excited to be a regular here and have abs of steel and spaghetti legs come summer.
10. If you love Les Puces
Brocantes and Vides-Greniers is where you'll actually be able to shop, and they're all listed on this website. Go early and bring cash, these neighborhood sales offer more accessible treasures and the thrill of the hunt. Also happening this weekend is Matter and Shape in the Tuileries, and the likes of Gohar World will be showcasing their work—but you probably knew that already!
Be nice and drop a ❤️ and share your favorite Paris spots in the comments x
You had me at the subhed
love these recs, thank you for sharing 🤍🪄