Bonjour Paris!
To celebrate Hotel Etats-Unis Opéra’s reopening, we’ve selected a few Parisian pleasures for your learning pleasure.
Inspired by the feeling of putting your hand in a bag of coffee grains (bonus points for getting the Amélie Poulain reference), we want to share these simple, true to Paris, pleasures with you, in hopes that you find them the next time you visit.
Drinking an espresso on a café terrace
What would Paris be without its cafés and its bustling terraces? We’re so happy they’re opening again!
Sit down in a Gatti chair and watch server quickly serve your espresso on a small, marble table, confirming that you are indeed in Paris. The city’s simple, unique, and unmissable atmosphere bathing you in warm, end of summer air.
Our favorite café: Le Progrès, its authentic atmosphere at the heart of Montmartre.
Wander around a market
“€3 per kilo !”
Wander around the stalls and sellers for a feel of the real Paris!
A happy reunion of colors, smells, and regulars who come to stock up on fresh produce. From antiques to popular knick knacks to expensive items… a quaint market offering a large range for you to choose from.
Our favorite: Marché de Saxe for its great selection of items and wonderful view of the Eiffel Tower.
Marché de Saxe. Avenue de Saxe. 75007 Paris
Sit on a bench and watch Parisians pass by
When you enter the world of Paris, it’s always fun to watch its inhabitants go about their day. They walk past you like living pictures.
An old woman with a shopping bag struggling to walk, another woman walks by, her stilettos clicking, before she disappears into the subway.
Finding Old Parisian Doors
Even Parisians will tell you that Paris is full on never-ending surprises: A secret passage, a surprise door, each street corner has something new to show you.
Get lost in the Parisian alleyways and look for beautifully decorated hidden doors!
You can find styles varying from art deco to art nouveau to Hausmannian, sometimes hidden and sometimes out in the open. Stand in front of them and imagine what life was like behind the doors.
Our favorite: The door of the Hôtel Amelot de Bisseuil
Walking through a garden at the end of the day
Be it a small neighborhood park or a magnificent Parisian garden, end you day in a calm, green paradise, where children’s laughter melts into the far-off noise of Parisian excitement.
Our favorite park is right by the hotel: Jardin du Palais-Royal
Jardin du Palais-Royal. 43 Rue de Valois. 75001 Paris