In this tiny, elegant shop on the Left Bank, Adeline Roussel offers her unique and understated interpretation of classical jewelry which she crafts from 22-carat gold and semi-precious stones.

A wonderful gelato shop featuring delicious and beautiful cones that look like an open flower.

The cones filled with assorted flavors are not only delicious but als

This coffee company from Singapore specializing in fair trade organic coffees has a bright new modern shop in the 6th arrondissement of Paris.  The coffees are very rich and flavorful and you can enjoy your coffee in the cafe with a snack or buy them to take home.  If you’re are taking the coffee with you, they’ll vacuum pack it so it will stay fresh longer. Check the website for their other cafes in Paris.

Begun in the 17th century, this elegant candle shop has a long and distinguished history and continues to offer an enticing array of candles.

A very busy and inexpensive pharmacy (beware of gridlock in the aisles on Saturday) carrying a full range of French products, including: ANTHELIOS (a highly effective sunscreen, difficult to find outside of France; there are different SPFs and varieties for the face and body) and ROC, THE ENYDRIAL LINE (excellent skin care products for the face, hands and body).

Cafes Richard offers a range of rich and flavorful coffees either to drink in the shop or to take home.  There are cookies, candies and a range of coffee equipment for sale as well.  The water processed decaffeinated organic Mexican coffee is unusually delicious.  If the 6th arrondisement is not convenient, check the website; there are boutiques located throughout Paris.

A tiny, informal spot for an inexpensive lunch next door to the Poilane bakery serving wonderful salads and tartines, open-faced sandwiches served on Poilane bread. No reservations taken, and it’s always busy, especially on weekends. Cash only. Favorites: Salad with chicken, smoked salmon, or cheese; all tartines; the tarte tatin with crème fraiche is the best we’ve ever had.

The beautiful chocolates in this shop are incredibly delicious and can be hand selected and boxed for unique gifts.

Elegant, very expensive lingerie and bathing suits sold by a solicitous staff. Tops and bottoms of two-piece bathing suits can be purchased in different sizes.

This delightful bakery and pastry shop under the leadership of master baker, Eric Kayser, has multiple locations throughout Paris. In addition to the classic French breads, they sell a tempting range of speciality breads and rolls including lemon, fig, apricot and truffle. There are also pastries, cookies, as well as small bags of chocolates which make a lovely gift.

This delightful bakery and pastry shop under the leadership of master baker, Eric Kayser, has multiple locations throughout Paris. In addition to the classic French breads, they sell a tempting range of specialty breads and rolls including lemon, fig, apricot and truffle and delicious sandwiches. There are also luscious pastries, macarons, florentine cookies as well as small bags of chocolates which make a lovely gift.

This delightful bakery and pastry shop under the leadership of master baker, Eric Kayser, has multiple locations throughout Paris. In addition to the classic French breads, they sell a tempting range of specialty breads and rolls including lemon, fig, apricot and truffle. There are also luscious pastries, macarons, florentine cookies as well as small bags of chocolates which make a lovely gift.  This shop around the corner from the rue de Buci has a counter where you can enjoy a sandwich or pastry and a cup of coffee.

furniture and objects by contemporary artists

This grand food hall on the first floor of Le Bon Marche department store is filled with extraordinary fresh produce, meat, cheese, bread, groceries and prepared and packaged foods. There are delicious sandwiches to take-away and a small cafeteria in the rear. Favorites: La Trinquelinette Framboise (raspberry) jam; Albert Menes’s vintage sardines from Brittany, Sardines Millesimees and Sardines au Citron.

Delicious, creamy, dense old fashioned gelato mixed by hand.  The ingredients are first-rate and the favors intense and addictive.  We’re partial to the chocolate but everything is wonderful.

The place to go for nylon bags, backpacks and briefcases for men and women in a glorious array of sizes and colors.

This lovely, welcoming 49-room hotel is located in the 6th arrondissement with it’s wonderful shops and restaurants and within walking distance of the Louvre, Musee D’Orsay and Notre Dame.  Rue Dauphine is very near to Rue de Buci and Rue de Seine with their lively cafe life and food shops. The concierge staff is a definite plus – they are highly professional, efficient, gracious and attentive to their guests’ every need. The rooms are quite comfortable if not glamorous and those on the central courtyard are protected from the noise of the street. Check online for the special three night packages which offer lower rates and such amenities as breakfast, afternoon tea and a ticket to the Musee D’Orsay or the Louvre.

Isabel Marant’s clothes are smart, elegant and casual with a youthful flair and beloved by chic French women who eschew expensive designer labels.

Expensive handmade bags crafted with beads and embroidery distinguish this brand founded by Isabelle Puech and Benoît Jamin.

Stylish, beautifully crafted leather bags are the hallmark of Jerome Dreyfuss.

Furniture and objects designed by modern architects including Jean Prouve and Le Corbusier.

The second restaurant of the popular Ze Kitchen Galerie, KGB is a lively, very informal, minimalist, brightly lit space with windows open to the street and decorated with contemporary art and furniture. There is a sense of fun in the air and the feeling that the chic crowd of all ages is there to enjoy the food.  The menu is not extensive, but the food is a marvel.  You begin with a choice of two, four or six small appetizers per person.  The selections are intended to be surprises and so are are not identified on the menu and change regularly, but the staff will graciously guide you to accommodate food allergies and dietary restrictions.  Sample appetizers have included  beef ravioli in a delectable broth, butternut squash soup with black sesame and a small fried fish cake. Also on the menu are two pastas and five main courses – scallops, salmon, duckling, lamb and a daily market special – each a subtle and enticing mixture of spices and flavors.  The food is light in preparation but rich in flavor.  Favorites: salmon with sorrel and lemon grass; cod with japanese citrus; grilled scallops, watercress and wasabi;  mango cappuccino with guava sorbet.

Almost immediately after opening, L’Agape Substance became one of the hottest restaurants in Paris and with good reason.  The food is exquisite, subtly and complexly flavored without old- fashioned heavy sauces, and artistically presented in an ambiance that is lively, modern and very welcoming. There is a set menu and you can select the number of courses.  Don’t be afraid to go for the whole thing – despite the many dishes served, it’s all so light and tasty that you never leave feeling uncomfortably stuffed (unless you succumb to the incredibly delicious bread and butter.)  You won’t regret treating yourself to a lovely evening or afternoon of sublime dining.  The biggest problem here is that L’Agape Substance is a tiny restaurant so it’s difficult to get a reservation, and it’s not the place for an intimate get-a-tet – most of the seating is at the central long counter down the center of the restaurant.

A true gem found through a passage on the Rue Dauphine.  This charming little restaurant serves fresh delicious salads and tarts and luscious desserts that include Berthillon ice cream.  In nice weather, they also set up tables outside.  Favorites: Salad with chicken and parmesan;  Salad with grilled goat cheese

On a quiet street in the heart of the 6th arrondissement, is this tres chic 20-room hotel known as Oscar Wilde’s residence for many years.  Recently remodeled, it is now a fantasy of the Belle Epoch life; each room has a different decor with elegant and unusual antiques, and the lobby and bar transport you to another era.  The “Chic” rooms with their gorgeous furnishings are a comfortable size and face the quiet courtyard.  They also have large bathrooms, and separate shower and additional toilet in another room.  There is a hamman and small pool which are available for private booking.  The gracious and welcoming staff adds to the pleasant ambiance.

Weiss has been making elegant chocolates since 1882, and this tiny shop is a gem.  There are also very good macaroons and totally irresistible Florentines.  The Florentines are packed in a box and travel well if you can manage not to eat them before you leave the shop.

Very delicious and very expensive organic nuts and dried fruits.

Located throughout Paris, these wonderful pastry shops are in a class by themselves. The croissants and macaroons hold their own against very tough competition to be the best in Paris. These heavenly macaroons, in a wide range of flavors can be taken home and frozen, but it takes real discipline not to eat them all on the way. There is also a small very busy restaurant within the shops where one can have breakfast, lunch or snack. Laduree Chocolates is a separate shop next door on the rue Bonaparte. Favorites: caramel, lemon and dark chocolate macaroons; croissants; pain au chocolate; caramel sauce; brioche scented candles, perfect for those mornings when you don’t get up early enough to bake brioche.

This newly renovated Left Bank department store features a sampling of French and international designers presented in elegant small boutiques as well as a wide array of accessories, lingerie, cosmetics, books, and clothing for men and children.  The Food Halls across the street are spectacular.

Sunday 8:30am–1:00pm,
MARCHE BIO, organic market
On Sunday morning, this market at the corner of boulevard de Raspail and rue de Rennes, is densely packed with stands of local organic farmers offering exquisite fruits, cheeses, yogurt, breads, preserves, wines, rotisserie chicken, and meats.

A small boutique with an array of stylish glasses and a knowledgeable optician to help you if you need prescription lenses.  There are Marc Le Bihan boutiques through Paris which are listed on the website.

(light lunch) €/€€
A shop widely known for its array of teas from all over the world. Light meals are also available for lunch and tea.

Marie Helene de Taillac works with precious stones and 18 and 22 carat gold to create jewelry that is both very beautiful and delicate as well as casual enough to wear everyday.

High-style clothing for men and women.

Located in the beautiful Luxembourg Gardens, this small museum presents excellent changing exhibitions including Titian, Rubens, and Tintoretto. It is advisable to book tickets either online or through your hotel.

The Museum has been closed for renovation but is scheduled to reopen October 12 with the exhibition, Cezanne et Paris.

Natalys offers sophisticated baby clothing and furniture in boutiques throughout the city. Check the website for other addresses.

stylish, unique, minimalist bags and silver jewelry.

Comfortable, classic cotton clothing for women, men and children.  While this is not a big discovery and most people have heard of Petit Bateau, the clothing is much more reasonably priced in France than in other countries.  Check the website as there are boutiques located throughout Paris.

A delightful small shop filled with delectable, exquisite pastries and chocolates that look almost too good to eat. It’s hard to make a choice when everything is delicious so it’s not surprising that there is generally a line outside.

This airy contemporary shop sells wonderful products from Provence including oils and tapenades.  The range of subtly flavored oils are especially delicious, and the small size makes an excellent gift.  You can also blend your own oils, and there are tasting bars through the boutique where you can taste the various products.  The welcoming staff is always available to help you with your decision.

Bright and colorful flatware, dishes, glasses and accessories for the table and kitchen fill this cheerful little shop on the Left Bank.

Stylish, luxurious and expensive socks and tights from Japan.

A charming gourmet shop located in a little courtyard, Tomat’s Epicerie Fine, stocks, among its wide-ranging gourmet products, the wonderful Le Blanc oils, rescuing all of us who were very unhappy when the Le Blanc shop on rue Jacob closed.

Sexy, comfortable, chic clothes from one of Paris’s top designers. The styles are geared to younger women, but there’s something for everyone. In addition to the clothing, we love her bags and shoes. The versatile canvas tote with sequins, the must-have bag for stylish Parisian women a few years ago, has become a classic and comes in canvas and leather and a variety of sizes. All the bags aren’t on display, but if you ask, the sales staff will reveal a treasure trove stored in the cabinets.

An informal, chic bistro serving Chef William Ledeuil’s delicious light, imaginative cuisine sparked with an Asian accent. The subtle mix of flavors in each dish and the beauty of the presentations are dazzling. The restaurant is a spare gallery-like space complete with art on the walls and a glass fronted kitchen with a full view of the cooks at work. There is a lively buzz and a solicitous staff, and, all in all, it’s a perfect choice when we don’t want to change out of our jeans. The wine list is limited but well selected and well priced. Favorites: crab with puree of avocado and mango; pasta with octopus and artichoke; red mullet with tomato confit; grilled lamb with miso (baby lamb cooked for ten hours and then grilled); grilled monk fish with lemon; lemon sole with peppers, lemon and mango; “gianduja,” chocolate with caramel sauce and pepper ice cream; white chocolate and wasabi ice cream with pistachio sauce.

This charming little shop sells delicious chocolates, especially the truffles.

A wide selection of beautiful classic, moderately priced shoes.

Men’s and women’s classic clothing with especially nifty men’s boxer shorts in colorful prints and stripes.

Modern take on classic shoe styles.

This popular bakery sells bread and pastries as well as prepared foods, including salads and sandwiches. If you can’t get to Laduree for the macaroons, there are delicious ones to be had here.

Stylish moderately priced microfiber and leather handbags.

Finding a charming moderately priced hotel on the Left Bank is not easy so the 44 room Hotel De L’Abbaye located near the Luxembourg Gardens is a find. The salon suites (comparable to a junior suite) and the roomy duplex apartments with a small outdoor terrace overlooking the Parisian rooftops are excellent value. The “Large Rooms,” equivalent to a deluxe double, have both bathtubs and shower stalls. The standard rooms are very small but well priced. The room price includes a tasty continental breakfast.

We know this ostensibly as a cigar store but what’s unique is that it offers a broad selection of Akteo watches which are usually offered in gifts shops of the Museums of Modern Art in New York, Paris and San Francisco.  The contemporary styling by French designer Jean-Christophe Mareschal and the reasonable price make them a unique gift.

A good spot for a quick, light lunch where you’ll find a tasty chicken salad with simply roasted chicken sliced on a bed of greens (if you don’t like a lot of dressing, ask for it on the side – they have a heavy hand) and Berthillion ice cream for dessert.  A perfect combination.  There’s outside seating that’s warmed by a heater in the winter.  It’s on rue du Four right off Boulevard Saint-Germain.

This tiny bakery, now run by the late Lionel Poilane’s daughter Apollonia, is world famous for sourdough bread, raisin rolls, and butter cookies. The bread can be shipped world-wide. The small apple tarts make a delicious snack.

A small boutique specializing in gorgeous, sexy and expensive lingerie. The rows of nightgowns in every conceivable color are especially appealing.

More of a small stand actually, than a shop, selling Petite Bateau t-shirts and nightgowns for women and a wide array of stockings and tights by Dim and le Bourget.  There are also socks for men by Burlington.  It’s an easy way to shop, and the merchandise is reasonably priced.