Looking for a more authentic Paris? You’ll find it on the Left Bank, where comfortably chic neighborhoods like St. Germain des Pres are filled with small, welcoming shops, ancient churches and outdoor cafes galore. But if you really want to live like a Parisian here, it will take a little digging, and for that it helps to have a local on your side. Enter Bastien Lalanne, Chief Concierge at the recently renovated Hotel Lutetia, who loves to share the secrets of the neighborhood. “Our guests are always surprised by the Left Bank,” he says. “Even if they have been to Paris many times, the Left Bank makes them feel like they’ve discovered a new city away from the crowds of big and touristy attractions.” Here are his suggestions on what to explore.
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Cafes
Left Bank’s cafes are the perfect way to spend an hour (or two.)
Life in Paris revolves around the café, starting with coffee in the morning at a tiny outdoor table. Then it’s on to an aperitif at a café as a pre-dinner ritual before moving on to dinner at a restaurant or bistro; the evening ends with an after-dinner coffee or digestif at yet another cafe. Although it is well known, Lalanne still enjoys the vibe at Les Deux Magots, which has occupied the same corner of Boulevard St. Germain and rue Bonaparte since Hemingway and Picasso were regulars. For a pre-dinner drink, Lalanne suggests La Palette, which is tucked away on Rue de Seine. “The terrace is so enjoyable during spring and summer,” he notes. “It’s my favorite place for a drink!” Insider tip: Drinks at Hotel Lutetia’s Bar Josephine come with piano jazz and a chance to watch the city’s best bartenders craft amazing cocktails. The frescoes that line the ceiling are original to the building and were discovered under six layers of old paint.
Restaurants
Food is art in Paris, and there is no better way to experience it than to splurge on a multi-course dining extravaganza. Holding three Michelin stars, L’Arpege is an institution in Paris, but one with a difference. “L’Arpege is famous for its way with vegetables,” explains Lalanne. “You can have a vegetarian meal or one with some meat.” Lalanne also recommends Restaurant ES, which is located amid Rue de Grenelle’s designer boutiques. Under the direction of Chef Takayuki Honjo, the one-Michelin-starred restaurant turns out refined, contemporary French cuisine with a Japanese accent.
Two newer restaurants have also caught Lalanne’s eye. The first, casual Racine des Pres, serves creative, seasonal fare from an open kitchen. The second, Sauvage, includes a wine bar and, across the street, what Lalanne calls a “bistronomique” restaurant. “Every single dish on the menu is an experience,” he raves.
Bistros
Hungry? One glance at a bistro menu and you will be!
Walking the line between cafés and restaurants, bistros are beloved by tradition-minded diners looking for French classics like steak frites, duck confit and Grand Marnier souffle. Meals are often served by white-coated waiters who can pop open a bottle of wine (or de-bone a filet of sole) in the wink of an eye. Located just steps away from the Lutetia, Josephine Chez Dumonet is perfect for an easy, first-night dinner; Lalanne says it’s the most authentic bistro in the area. He also recommends friendly, bustling Georgette, which is a bit more casual.
Wine Bars
Wine bars run the gamut in Paris from places with table service to stand-up comptoirs; either way, most are as well known for their creative small plates as they are their wines. Freddy’s is owned by the team behind the hip restaurant Semilla; find a wine you like and you can probably pick up a bottle at La Dernière Goutte, the group’s wine shop, to bring home. If you’d like to taste exotic wines from around the world—as well as every corner of France—Lalanne recommends La Compagnie des Vins Surnaturels, which is tucked behind the St. Germain market.
Patisseries
These beauties are almost too pretty to eat!
Glittering like gems, French pastries are as delicious as they are beautiful. But most patisseries have a secret: a selection of sandwiches on slender baguettes, tiny pizzas, slices of quiche and dainty salads that are an easy option for lunch. Lalanne recommends L’Etoile du Berger for its huge selection and Arnaud Larher’s shops, for all things sweet, including handmade chocolates and ice cream. “He gives the best of the French patisserie to his visitors,” raves Lalanne. “His éclair au chocolat is fantastic!”
Places to Visit
Beyond the Eiffel Tower, Musee d’Orsay and Les Invalides, which is home to Napoleon’s tomb and France’s military museum, the Left Bank is filled with sights, many of which, like Luxembourg Garden, are as popular with locals as they are with visitors. Don’t want to deal with the lines at Notre Dame? Head St. Sulpice, where you can gaze at Delacroix frescoes and look for the secrets uncovered in The Da Vinci Code. The church’s organ is one of the world’s largest; free recitals are held every Sunday following Mass. More intimate than a museum, the Giacometti Foundation opened in June of 2018 and celebrates Alberto Giacometti, the Swiss sculptor who came to Paris, fell in love with the city and never left. Lalanne says that a tiny slice of old Paris exists within Cour du Commerce Saint André, a cozy café-filled alley hidden behind a row of buildings. To find it, look for the green wrought-iron gate on the east side of Rue de l’Ancienne Comedie near the corner of Boulevard St Germain.
Shops
Love boutiques? You’ll adore the Left Bank, where shops devoted to everything from candles (Cire Trudon) to vintage posters (Elbe Gallery) and designer bags (Tila March) line the streets. Lalanne sends visitors to Le Bon Marché, an elegant department store that is not only the city’s oldest, but was owned by the family that built the Lutetia in 1910. Antique hunters head to Le Carré Rive Gauche, which is located between Quai Voltaire and Rue de l’Université, and holds the city’s largest concentration of antique galleries.
Katie McElveen
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An excellent article featuring a wonderful selection of venues in many areas, for the traveler who hasn’t as much time as she would like.
Thanks for the excellent research. All solid choices.
Also recommended: visit the Musèe de Cluny (Musèe national du Moyen Age) for best surviving example of civic architecture from medieval Paris plus exquisite tapestries.
So much to see in and around the 6th….but, at or near the top of the list should be Jardin des Luxembourg…..with its large pool where children can while away a sunny afternoon sailing their small boats. Watch the regulars playing a game of boules, while not far away are several chess tables occupied by wanna be Grand Masters.
Then, there is the Palace built by Catherine de Medici, widow of Louis IV. Steps away to the East of the palace is the Medici Fountain, as exquisite a thing of beauty in all Belle France.
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