8 places in Paris the tourists miss
Illustrator and Paris resident Marin Montagut reveals some of the best hidden places in the City of Light that only the locals know about
Paris is a magical place with so much to offer residents and visitors. I like that each arrondissement feels like a self-contained village, each with its own quirks, and you can walk freely wherever you want to without feeling that you’re in a huge metropolis. I have lived here since I was 19 and I want visitors to get off the beaten track and experience the real Paris. These are the hidden places in Paris that tourists don’t usually see and I would recommend visiting:
Du Pain et Des Idées. This is a quaint boulangerie on Rue Yves-Toudic where specialties include fermented dough baguette and apple turnovers.
Artazart. This colourful bookshop on Quai de Valmy stocks publications in fashion, design and photography.
LaContrie. Edwina de Charrette de la Contrie produces bespoke bags in superb leathers and offers customers the choice of colour for their handles and clasps in her store on Rue de la Sourdière.
La Tête dans les Olives. This tiny shop on Rue Sainte-Marthe sells top-quality olives and other deli favourites imported by Cedric Casanova from his Sicilian homeland.
Fifi Chachnil. Designer-singer Fifi Chachnil makes garments with whimsical designs, using silk, muslin, satin and tulle in her cute little Rue Saint-Honoré boutique.
La Graineterie du Marché. Rice and pasta are sole by weight in this quaint shop on Place d’Aligle along with gardening essentials and tasty Japanese imports (brought back to Paris by the owner’s wife).
La Trésorerie. Part old-fashioned bazaar, part Nordic coffee shop, this vast treasure trove on Rue du Château-d’Eau sells everything for the home, from Belgian tableware and linen tablecloths to designer lamps.
Musée de la chasse et de la nature. Stuffed creatures make this 17th-century townhouse on Rue des Archives a magical place.
Marin Montagut has published two illustrated guides to Paris called Bonjour Paris and Bonsoir Paris.
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