Musee du Louvre

The Louvre Museum is enormous and overwhelming and…absolutely wonderful. It is one of the largest museums in the world, and stocked full of awe-inspiring pieces that are often only glimpsed in the pages of art history books. Remember the Mona Lisa? She is so much smaller than you might imagine… The Louvre, which was originally conceived as a palace for royalty, not an art museum, is a monument to grace and style. Long hallways, arching ceilings and wide, breathtaking staircases are just some of what awaits you. The building is divided into sections based on style and time period; choose the one you love best, and take your time wandering through. There’s even a café where you can restore your energy with a cappuccino at necessary intervals. Enjoy!
 

Marie-Anne Cantin

We are a site dedicated to food, and we do assume that you adore cheese as all decent people should, and therefore we must send you straight to one of the best cheese shops in all of Paris: Marie-Ann Cantin. Tucked into a tiny space off of the rue du Champs, this aromatic shop is filled to the brim with delightful bits and pieces of fromage, some of them made by Madame Cantin herself. The wonderful thing about France is that you can buy raw milk cheeses that are (bafflingly) banned from the U.S., and so we recommend indulging in this creamy, decadent, utterly sigh-inducing contraband every day for as long as you are in Paris. Write this down: Epoisses de Bourgogne. Good. And don’t forget to request a wedge of the house special, a triple-cream cows milk’s cheese called Saint-Antoine. Now, cheese in hand, all you need is a hunk of good bread, silky red wine or bright, sparkly champagne, and you have a feast fit for royalty! Life is very, very good.

Ladurée

One of the most delightful things about Paris is the patisseries, a charming blend of pastry shop and coffeehouse that feel like a little slice of heaven on earth. To find one, simply follow your nose towards the smell of sugar, butter and cream... we recommend that you try as many as you can, especially Laduree. There are three Ladurée salons in Paris; 16 rue Royale, 75 avenue des Champs-Elysées and at the ''Printemps'' department store on boulevard Haussmann. Here you will discover intricately painted ceilings, gleaming pastry cases and gorgeous mint-green boxes so tenderly tied with ribbons that you are reminded just how special the contents are. The macaroon is the specialty of the house. Let us pay homage to this intricate treat: two crispy cookies with a brittle crust and a soft, chewy interior, sandwiching an airy filling that melts on the tongue. Ahh. We’re fond of pistachio and chocolate and rose, and… oh, just try them all! The pastries are divine, but the hot chocolate must be given equal praise. It arrives in a silver teapot; tip the pot and a thick, fragrant river of chocolate pours out. Nothing compares. Nothing. Every time afterwards that you walk into the cold confines of a Starbucks for an excuse of a latte and a rubbery croissant, you will sigh a little sigh…

Tip: Ladurée just released a line of scented candles that compliment their line of pastries. Be sure to take home one of these exquisite candles, or all four, if you can’t decide between brioche, orange, chocolate and wild strawberries…