I love August in Paris. The city feels almost empty, and although there are certainly inconveniences that come along with that (like many places being closed) it’s always so peaceful. The light, especially in the morning by the Seine, really is incredible and so distinct in August. The August 2023 recap features a list of exactly where I ate and drank, shopped, and what I did and is exclusive for members.
Where I Ate and Drank in August
- Although a lot of places close in Paris in August, luckily Les Antiquaires doesn’t.
- Yummy Noodles. I was expecting great things based on the Google reviews, but honestly…I don’t think we’ll ever need to go back. It was fine but not great.
- Maison Mulot for an almond croissant and it was divine.
- La Crêperie de Josselin is quickly becoming our Sunday go-to spot. People love Breizh Café, and the locations are super convenient in Paris, but the galettes don’t even begin to compare.
- Christophe Michalak. Anything chocolate from here is insane. I’m already thinking about our Bûche de Noël. They recently brought back mini Krumchy gift boxes that last for three months which I will definitely be bringing to the US for gifts…although they’ll probably last three hours in our house.
- Pullman Paris Roissy Restaurant. I’m only mentioning this because I am now the biggest believer in Paris airport hotels before early morning flights. Of course not everyone is going to want to waste a night that they could’ve spent in Paris at an airport hotel, but if you have a 7 am flight it makes things so easy and so stress free.
- Le Petit Lutetia. So good, and especially if you have people in your group who love a classic French moment and others who don’t. There’s a great mix on the menu and the atmosphere is lovely. Do not miss the desserts – when we went we had the profiteroles.
- Le Petit Vendôme. The temperatures dipped into the upper 50s and we sprinted to Le Petit Vendôme. I knew I wanted the onion soup. Romain hesitated, and then after having a bite of mine decided to order some for dessert. It’s the best ever. I also had a sandwich because why not.
- Ritz Paris Le Comptoir always follows Le Petit Vendôme because I love to finish the meal with a little something sweet – a madeleine. I did learn in August that while they are open on Sundays, they only have madeleines. No croissants and no other pastries…just something to keep in mind.
- Ladurée for the hazelnut almond croissant. I would file this croissant under things I wish I’d never tried because it’s literally so good and now what I exclusively crave when I crave a croissant.
Where I Shopped in August
- The Vanves Flea Market. I wanted to see what it was like in August. There were a decent amount of vendors, but the prices were sky high. The vendors likely assumed most French people were out of town for August, and priced accordingly for visitors.
- Antoine de Macedo. This was more of a window shopping moment, although I did try on the most gorgeous watch – a 36 mm vintage gold Rolex Day-Date with a blue face (in case anyone is looking for a gift idea for me). They have a great selection of vintage watches as well as new watches. We always enjoy walking by and seeing what they have.
What I Did in August
- Opened a bank account. Again. I used to be with HSBC, only because they would let me open an account from the US before moving to France, which was a requirement for my visa initially. The customer service was terrible and they refused to change my address from Dallas to Paris. So for five years all correspondence (and new debit cards) were mailed to Dallas.
- Got back into a routine with cooking. After traveling for most of July, it felt great to cook again. Plus, the produce in the summer just lends itself to cooking. I very rarely follow recipes (which is something that completely changed for me after moving to France). Sometimes if I have an ingredient that I’m not sure what to do with I will search for it on Marmiton. The website in French but most browsers have translation features which makes it easy to follow.
- Saw the Barbie movie. Wasn’t a fan. I am however a fan of the Pathé Parnasse movie theater. All of the chairs are recliners and you can reserve your exact seats in advance. A lot of movies in Paris are in English (look for VO) with subtitles in French.
- Spent a wonderful week in Paros, Greece with a stop in Athens. I’m not going to share everything from that trip here since it isn’t France, but if you have any questions or want recommendations feel free to send me an email!
A big merci for being a member! If there’s ever anything you’d like to see more of, don’t hesitate to let me know!
Become a Member to Continue Reading
Find out exactly where I ate, shopped and visited in August 2023 and enjoy other exclusive content by becoming a member.
Where I Ate and Drank in August
- Although a lot of places close in Paris in August, luckily Les Antiquaires doesn’t.
- Yummy Noodles. I was expecting great things based on the Google reviews, but honestly…I don’t think we’ll ever need to go back. It was fine but not great.
- Maison Mulot for an almond croissant and it was divine.
- La Crêperie de Josselin is quickly becoming our Sunday go-to spot. People love Breizh Café, and the locations are super convenient in Paris, but the galettes don’t even begin to compare.
- Christophe Michalak. Anything chocolate from here is insane. I’m already thinking about our Bûche de Noël. They recently brought back mini Krumchy gift boxes that last for three months which I will definitely be bringing to the US for gifts…although they’ll probably last three hours in our house.
- Pullman Paris Roissy Restaurant. I’m only mentioning this because I am now the biggest believer in Paris airport hotels before early morning flights. Of course not everyone is going to want to waste a night that they could’ve spent in Paris at an airport hotel, but if you have a 7 am flight it makes things so easy and so stress free.
- Le Petit Lutetia. So good, and especially if you have people in your group who love a classic French moment and others who don’t. There’s a great mix on the menu and the atmosphere is lovely. Do not miss the desserts – when we went we had the profiteroles.
- Le Petit Vendôme. The temperatures dipped into the upper 50s and we sprinted to Le Petit Vendôme. I knew I wanted the onion soup. Romain hesitated, and then after having a bite of mine decided to order some for dessert. It’s the best ever. I also had a sandwich because why not.
- Ritz Paris Le Comptoir always follows Le Petit Vendôme because I love to finish the meal with a little something sweet – a madeleine. I did learn in August that while they are open on Sundays, they only have madeleines. No croissants and no other pastries…just something to keep in mind.
- Ladurée for the hazelnut almond croissant. I would file this croissant under things I wish I’d never tried because it’s literally so good and now what I exclusively crave when I crave a croissant.
Where I Shopped in August
- The Vanves Flea Market. I wanted to see what it was like in August. There were a decent amount of vendors, but the prices were sky high. The vendors likely assumed most French people were out of town for August, and priced accordingly for visitors.
- Antoine de Macedo. This was more of a window shopping moment, although I did try on the most gorgeous watch – a 36 mm vintage gold Rolex Day-Date with a blue face (in case anyone is looking for a gift idea for me). They have a great selection of vintage watches as well as new watches. We always enjoy walking by and seeing what they have.
What I Did in August
- Opened a bank account. Again. I used to be with HSBC, only because they would let me open an account from the US before moving to France, which was a requirement for my visa initially. The customer service was terrible and they refused to change my address from Dallas to Paris. So for five years all correspondence (and new debit cards) were mailed to Dallas.
- Got back into a routine with cooking. After traveling for most of July, it felt great to cook again. Plus, the produce in the summer just lends itself to cooking. I very rarely follow recipes (which is something that completely changed for me after moving to France). Sometimes if I have an ingredient that I’m not sure what to do with I will search for it on Marmiton. The website in French but most browsers have translation features which makes it easy to follow.
- Saw the Barbie movie. Wasn’t a fan. I am however a fan of the Pathé Parnasse movie theater. All of the chairs are recliners and you can reserve your exact seats in advance. A lot of movies in Paris are in English (look for VO) with subtitles in French.
- Spent a wonderful week in Paros, Greece with a stop in Athens. I’m not going to share everything from that trip here since it isn’t France, but if you have any questions or want recommendations feel free to send me an email!
A big merci for being a member! If there’s ever anything you’d like to see more of, don’t hesitate to let me know!