Think baguette with butter and jam, some orange juice, and a coffee. Parisians aren’t known to have a hearty breakfast. ‘Petit dejeuner’ usually consists of bread, croissants, or crispy toasts with butter, jams, and honey. Washed down a glass of juice and a coffee. Forget about eggs, avocado toast, bacon (or meat in general). 

Do it like a true Parisian: 

Pick up your baguette the evening before at the boulangerie. When you wake up, toast it a little and spread some butter and jam on it. You can also buy fresh squeezed orange juice the night before at most grocery stores, using a crazy contraption that squishes oranges mechanically before your eyes. 

After breakfast head over to the local farmers market. Discover the seasonal fruits and vegetables, pick up items for a lunch picnic, or snag some local honey to bring home. (Almost) every neighbourhood has it’s own open farmers market, typically on weekend days though some are open daily. You’ll find everything from bakery goods, organic vegetables, butchers, to honey farmers, homemade jams, and more. The farmers markets are usually finished by 12 or 1pm and open at 8am, making it perfect to check out after breakfast.

Pro Tip:

Bring cash and your own shopping bags if you plan to purchase anything.

Nice Weather = Picnic

If the weather is nice, this is where you’ll find many Parisians out with their friends. Take your goods from the market, pick up some sandwiches from the boulangerie, or set one up in advance with my “Picnic Like A Parisian” experience. Picnicking easily became my favorite weekend activity with my French friends. Literally anywhere in the city makes for a good location, so you can find a spot in your neighborhood, or venture off to a more popular spot like Champ de Mars park or Trocadero. 

Picnic like a pro:

Have the picnic done completely for you, by me! I’ve taken time to select the perfect menu options with a special paired wine. I’ll set it all up for you, complete with a blanket and basket, in front of the Eiffel tower, or anywhere you’d prefer. Check out more details here.

After filling up your stomach, stimulate your mind with a cultural activity. You could go to a major museum such as the Louvre, but why not do it like a Parisian instead? On Saturdays you’ll find Parisians in cultural centers such as Jardin des Plantes (which has a museum of natural history, botanical garden, and more) or checking out smaller temporary art exhibits that are not up all year round.

Check out my Art & Culture list on Google Maps to see what’s in your neighbourhood.

Walking around museums can take a lot out of you. The best remedy for this is a little sugar and caffeine pick-me-up. In the late afternoons, the French usually have their ‘gouté‘ (goo-tay) or snack. This is a good time to (you guessed it) have another coffee, smoke a cigarette, and enjoy a pastry or sweet. It’s also the perfect time to take a little rest and people-watch. My advice is to pop into the nearest café, order a hot chocolate or cappuccino, and sit on the terrace for an afternoon break. 

Pro Tip

Many cafés have whats called a “café or thé gourmand” on the menu. This is a coffee or tea accompanied by miniature desserts or ‘petits fours’. This is the perfect afternoon pick me up because it offers caffeine and sweets without spoiling dinner plans.

‘Apéro‘ is short for ‘apéritif‘ which is typically a pre-dinner drink with some olives or nuts. The French love their apéro so much that it branches out to be anything you want it to be. The first time I was invited to an apéro, I was shocked to find that people brought so many snacks, that it basically amounted to an entire meal!

Shrimp with mayonnaise, tarama (fish egg spread), hoummous, veggie crudité, olives, dried sausage, nuts, fruit, ham, variety of cheeses, chips(these are just the most common ones), etc. Since Parisians like to eat a little heavier in the afternoon and lighter in the evening, apéro is enough to be considered dinner. You can do this at home over some bottles of wine with friends, or you can partake in many restaurants by getting charcuterie and cheese plates. 

Pro Tip

Double your apéro as a pre-game strategy before going out! Enjoy with plenty of wine, Champagne, spritz, or whatever you fancy.

Paris is a nightlife city. Most Saturday nights you can expect the youthful Parisians to be out drinking and chain smoking cigarettes. There’s a whole world of speakeasy bars, clubs, rooftops, and never ending techno parties.

You can check out some of my favorite places on my post where to go out in Paris based on your scene in this blog post.

Head over to these nightlife condensed areas:

• Chatelet (1st Arrondissement) – Chatelet is well known for being a loud and lively area because of it’s central location in Paris. The heart of Chatelet is filled with Irish and Australian pubs, loud bars filled to the brim with people, amongst other bars and restaurants. 
• Pigalle (9th arrondissement) – previously part of the red light district, Pigalle was once a more seedy part of Paris, filled with sex shops, shows, and prostitutes. This day, it’s a popular area to go out drinking. It has a mix of small bars, big clubs, live shows (like Moulin Rouge) and even trendy speakeasy bars. You’ll find the entire area to be pretty rowdy and bustling with people having a good time going from bar to bar.
• Bastille (11th arrondissement) – In the heart of Bastille you’ll find Rue de Lappe; a small walking street lined with bars and typically students out drinking. This is a lively area at night with a plethora of places to party until late.
• Oberkampf (11th arrondissement) – This particular part of the 11th is known for it’s nightlife and local crowd. You’ll find a famous shots bar which lights practically every drink on fire, clubs, and live music venues.

Ok, so brunch isn’t exactly a Parisian idea, but the concept of having a big afternoon meal on Sundays actually is. Most families prepare a large meal for the afternoon which doubles as their (non existent) breakfast and light dinner. Fortunately, if you don’t want to stay in and cook a huge meal in Paris (I don’t blame you), there are a plethora of places to get brunch in Paris. You’ll find a lot of “buffet” style and fixed price set menus that come with pastries, jam, a hot drink, fresh juice, and breakfast/lunch inspired dishes and even a dessert. This is enough to fill you up for the entire day and will cost roughly 25€ per person.

For brunch restaurant recommendations, check out my list on Google Maps. Keep in mind that many of these places may have a waiting list, so don’t wait until you’re dying of hunger.

Montmartre

Up on top of the hill which is Montmartre, you’ll find a “tourist’s paradise”. Not many locals live here, but they do take a stroll here on Sundays. The shops are open and you’ll find a lot of art galleries and street art throughout. See the infamous Basilica Sacré Coeur, watch the artists at work at Place du Tertre, and see the vineyard Vingnes du Clos. Take a picture in front of the love wall or some of these other famous sites; “Le Passe-Muraille, Dalida statue,  La Maison Rose, Le Consulat, and Le Moulin de la Galette. (18th arrondissement).

Because so many restaurants are closed on Sundays to observe for family time, most Parisian Sunday dinners are light and enjoyed at home. That is not to say that some Parisians don’t dine out. A popular Sunday staple is to have “Sunday Sushi” or other asian cuisine, as these places are known to be open.

If you don’t have the means to prepare a quiet dinner in, head out to some of these great asian restaurants from my list on Google Maps.