The first thing to do when you arrive in Paris is to duck into a neighborhood boulangerie (bakery), soak up the buttery, just-baked smell wafting everywhere, scan the cases of glistening, crisp pastries and then gorge on a still-warm, currant-studded pain aux raisins danish.
It’s one of the city’s purest joys, not to mention a bargain. When it comes to food, of course, Parisians almost best San Franciscans for attentive obsession. Produce here, even in the humblest bodega, will have its country of origin flagged proudly on the price tag — and, yes, those tomatoes that cost $40 per kilo really are worth it, even if they’ll ruin forever the flavor of those watery imitations at the supermarkets back home. Indeed, the outstanding neighborhood stores here, whether bakeries, butchers or bistros, underscore how fiercely Paris has retained the intimate, village-like feel that Manhattan is increasingly losing.
This is a city on a distinctly human scale, from the walkability of its compact center to the regulars greeted by name at the corner bar (who then start a friendly argument with the thick-necked owner over the politics of the day). And don’t be afraid to stop and ask for directions — the stereotype of Parisians as unfriendly and standoffish is unfounded. To New Yorkers, at least, their efficient, no-nonsense attitude will feel reassuringly familiar.
To get your bearings, remember that the city unspools like a snail from its core near Notre Dame, the numbers of the arrondissements (or districts) increasing until they reach the outermost, and largely residential, 20th. The city’s also split by the Seine into the Right Bank (Rive Droite) to the north and Left Bank (Rive Gauche) to the south. On the Right Bank, as a visitor, you’ll likely spend most of your time in four arrondissements above all: the 1st and 8th, where you can sashay down the Champs Elysees and check out the Louvre; the 4th, where you can amble through the warren-like Marais; and the 18th, where you’ll find Montmartre. Then there’s the 6th and 7th arrondissements on the Left Bank, in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower, known for a boho, counter-cultureish vibe (come here for a break from the swanky sightseeing on the other side of the river).
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