Are you planning a girls’ weekend in Paris? Or maybe even a Hen Do? Luckily for you one of our editor’s is French and has spent years living in Paris so we’ve got you covered!
Food
Brunch: Les Bariolés De Maud
Passionate about cooking, Maud launched Bariolé in 2015 in the 9th Arrondissement. Serving fresh, seasonal and healthy dishes, the restaurant has quickly grown a cult following in Paris. A second restaurant even opened in 2021 in the 11th Arrondissement to keep up with the demand. One of the best brunches in Paris!
Order: La Fromagère
Lunch: Pink Mamma
Another gem from the Big Mamma Group which includes countless amazing restaurants in Europe. Pink Mamma, is a big and friendly trattoria on 4 floors where the meat is prepared Firenze style. They even breed and feed their own cows in order to get this corn-fed meat extraordinarily tender, matured for at least 30 days. For those less fond of meat, not to worry, they also serve some incredible antipastis, pizza e pasta! We highly recommend adding this to your list of things to do in Paris on your girls’ weekend.
Order: Cacio e Pepe Fever
Veggie Lunch: Soya Cantine Bio
If one or all of you are veggie or vegan, then we recommend stopping by Soya in the 11th arrondissement. Serving only veggie food with a lot of vegan options, it’s made using high quality and organic ingredients. An industrial style building welcomes you in a cozy atmosphere with soft lighting. So step away from the hustle and bustle of Paris and take a well deserved healthy lunch.
Order: Lasagnes or Maki & Sauce Tamari
Dinner: La Table de Colette
Situated in the 5th arrondissement, we love the concept of this first gourmet and eco-responsible restaurant in France. At La Table de Colette, vegetables take centre stage in every plate with meat becoming the smaller side dish. This means the restaurant is able to reduce the CO2 cost of each of their dish and produces 4 times less CO2 than a traditional gourmet meal. No compromise on the taste of the food however as you will discover yourself!
Order: Menu 7 Temps
Shopping
You can’t have a girl’s weekend in the fashion capital of the world without indulging in a little retail therapy. Here are our favourite places to shop till you drop.
Galeries Lafayette
Granted this isn’t exactly a best kept secret, but we couldn’t mention shopping in Paris without mentioning the world famous Galeries Lafayette. Eponymous of effortless Parisian style, the Galeries Lafayette counts some of the world’s most iconic designers. From Dior to YSL, Acne Studio, Chloé, La Perla and hundreds of others. And if you happen to come to Paris around Christmas time, the decorated windows and decorations of the Galerie Lafayette are a stunning sight not to miss. An absolute must for your list of things to do in Paris on your girls’ weekend. Once you’ve done some shopping, why not cross the road to Galerie Lafayette Le Gourmet for the most delicious food hall you will ever see. With France’s very best bakers, chocolatiers, artisan and delicatessen, all your senses will be ignited. Why not stock up on some french delicacies to take home!
Le Bon Marché
Le Bon Marché was founded in in 1852 by Aristide Boucicaut and his wife Marguerite. Part of the LVHM group since 1984, the department store has now become the most exclusive in Paris. With hundreds of designers, events and the Institut du Bon Marché, it’s a must stop destination to add to your list of things to do during your girl’s weekend to Paris.
La Grande Épicerie de Paris
Belonging to the same group as Le Bon Marché, La Grande Épicerie is one of the most beautiful and iconic food stores in Paris. A must address for fine foods lovers in the French capital spanning 2,900 square meters of floorspace. La Grande Épicerie de Paris offers some 30,000 items, many of them available exclusively at the store or made on site. If you go to the basement level, expect the most incredible selection of wine, Champagne and spirits.
Vallée Village
If you like the idea of shopping in Paris but want to save a bit of money, head over to the outlet Vallée Village. Easy access, you will need to take the RER A to Val d’Europe station to get here from the centre of Paris. Walk through the Val D’Europe shopping centre and follow the signage to the Vallée Village. You can think of Vallée Village as the equivalent to Bicester Village in the UK (it’s owned by the same group). With brands such as ba&sh, Balenciaga, Jimmy Choo, Loewe, Maje & much more, you can save big time of designer items.
Culture
Why not feed the mind as well as the soul on your girl’s trip to Paris?
Le Grand Palais
One of the most iconic museums in Paris, Le Grand Palais welcomes an incredible 2.5 million visitors to their exhibitions each year. Whether in the Grand Palais, the Musée du Luxembourg, or their partner museums, they are passionate about organising major international art exhibitions, ringing the changes across classical, modern and contemporary art. Their teams work with all the main museums in France and abroad: the Louvre, Musée d’Orsay, Pompidou Centre, Musée Fabre (Montpellier), Musée Granet (Aix-en-Provence), the Met (New York), Tate Modern (London), Musée Thyssen-Bornemisza (Madrid) as well as the Polo Museale of Florence. Check the What’s On section of their website for their latest and upcoming exhibitions.
Fondation Louis Vuitton
Another cultural must stop in Paris is the Fondation Louis Vuitton. Their website explains it best: “Driven by its mission to serve the public, the Fondation is committed to making art and culture accessible to all. To promote the arts both nationally and internationally, it hosts temporary exhibitions of modern and contemporary art, presents works held in its collection, commissions artists to create site-specific pieces, and stages events across the cultural spectrum (concerts, performances, conferences, film screenings, dance and more).”
Going Out
Le Crazy Horse
This iconic burlesque cabaret is a must on our list of things to do in Paris on your girls’ weekend. Le Crazy Horse is a fun, sexy, chic and irresistible show mixing dance, lighting and magic. It captures the Parisian nightlife and is a real establishment in Paris which should be top of your list. You can purchase a standard ticket or make it extra special by adding on glass of Champagne, canapés and caviar.
Night Cruise on the Seine
Many iconic landmarks in Paris can be seen from the Seine including the Eiffel Tower and the Cathédrale de Notre Dame. Want to make it extra special? Why not go for a cruise with Champagne and a cheese board like the one hosted by Vedettes du Pont Neuf. A perfect pre-cursor to nice dinner, drinks and a little dancing!
Le Carmen
What better way to cap off the night then by going dancing in a stunning club with baroque interiors? With a great selection of drinks, an amazing DJ and regular themed nights, Le Carmen a must place to go in Paris if you want to dance the night away. The only tip we would give you to make sure you get into the club is to dress very well. Think Parisian chic but not over done. And if you get rebuffed at the entrance, don’t despair! The club can get very busy especially on weekends but there are plenty of other local clubs to go to such as Mikado.
