1. Jardin des Tuileries. Like the nearby sidewalks of the Champs-Élysées, this garden features broad pathways perfect for people-watching. Unlike the Champs, it has not been taken over by traffic, fast-food joints, and car dealerships.

2. Quai Voltaire. Head for the Seine and cross pont Royal, then turn left on quai Voltaire. Name an artist, any artist. That artist probably lived on this block. Baudelaire, Wagner, Delacroix, and Sibelius are a few examples. Check the plaques on the buildings for others.

3. Seine Booksellers. Working out of stands along the Seine, these vendors may be the best source in Paris for cheap used books, old magazines, and 19th-century comics.

4. Pont Neuf. Paris’s oldest bridge links Île de la Cité to the Right and Left Banks. If you’ve brought a significant other along, it’s the best place in the city to |make out.

5. Sainte-Chapelle. Walk down the island and turn inward at bd. du Palais. Built in the 13th century to house relics of Christ, the chapel now serves as the foremost example of Gothic architecture, with hundreds of magnificent panels of stained glass.

6. Berthillon and Amorino. Walk to the far end of the island on rue Lutèce. Cross the bridge onto Île St-Louis. Behold the great ice-cream rivalry—Berthillon is the heavyweight, but Amorino, which offers more generous helpings, makes for a scrappy challenger.

7. Shakespeare & Co. Cross pont de Tournelle and make a right on quai de la Tournelle. This English-language bookshop had the foresight to publish Ulysses in 1922; its role as a Parisian literary hub has not changed.

8. National Museum of the Middle Ages. One of Paris’s best museums is housed in a medieval mansion. With the famed Dame à la Licorne (Lady with the Unicorn) tapestries, it can be easy to miss the wood-carved Romanesque altarpieces or the dazzling manuscripts that fill out the collection.

Continued…

The prominence of Japanese tourists in Paris is unfathomable. They make up a sizeable portion of the crowd at any Museum or tourist sight. Whenever you pass a Louis Vuitton outlet, a line almost exclusively filled with Japanese folks will snake around the store. Eager to partake in the tradition of haute couture, these Louis patrons have been known to snap 25-30 photos of the each item on window display. Truly amazing.

Most American tourists in Paris stick out like sore thumbs no matter where they find themselves. Open-toe sandals, fanny packs, and excessive wear of sports paraphanilia are among the which never fail to point out hapless American tourists.  

If you stay in France for as little as a day, the French craze for all things American should become painfully obvious; whether movies, clothing, music, or Starbucks, anything American is super cool. Some fashion entrepreneurs have benefited from being particularly aware of the French fixation on American stuff.

The best spot to pass an authentic French soiree isn’t in one of Paris’ hundreds of overpriced bars or nightclubs. The most popping scene is, without a doubt, by the Seine. Sure, the few benches are disgustingly cruddy, and the ground is a bit funky to sit on. I advise you to embrace the grime. If you’re like me, having fun is unrelated to how many expensive bottles of liquor you buy or hitting sweaty clubs.

The final episode in a series of incredibly entertaining Metro episodes involves Metro police, illegal drugs, and handcuffs. Luckily, I was involved with none of these activities .