Bonjour, Friends!

I've been crossing the bridges of the Seine a lot lately, and I snapped this photo of a scene I liked. Muted tones, simple palette, the kind of thing that makes me stop for a second and appreciate the little things that strangely become easy to take for granted over time.

A concert got canceled this week, but we already had a babysitter lined up. Since we didn’t want to waste the opportunity, we headed to Cour des Petites Écuries in the 10th for dinner.

This pedestrian passage tucked between Rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis and Rue d'Hauteville is one of those spots tourists walk right past but locals actually use. Cobblestones, glowing restaurant facades, real people eating dinner. We didn't eat at Brasserie Floderer, but I had to stop and shoot it because those lit windows and vintage signage looked too good.

I finally edited the video I shot climbing the 300 stairs to Tour Saint-Jacques. I wrote about the tower last week, but watching the actual ascent, the narrow spiral stiars, that moment I step onto the roof platform and see the city, it's just better than trying to describe it.

So here’s the video, if you want to watch…

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➡️ Paris in October: Foliage, Exhibitions and Events: HiP Paris covers October events in Paris including Art Basel at Grand Palais Éphémère, the Montmartre Grape Harvest Festival, major exhibitions at the Louvre and Musée d'Orsay, plus the best spots to see autumn foliage around the city.

➡️ Guide to the Best Restaurants in Montmartre: Paris Eater breaks down the best restaurants in Montmartre, including refined French bistro Chantoiseau, traditional Le Progrès near Sacré-Cœur, modern Turkish spot Mehmet, and budget-friendly Bouillon Pigalle, while warning visitors to avoid the touristy Place du Tertre.

If you're walking down Rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis, you'll probably miss the entrance at number 61 bis. It looks like an apartment doorway. But step through and you'll find yourself in a cobblestoned pedestrian passage lined with restaurants, trees, and actual Parisians eating dinner.

Cour des Petites Écuries ("Courtyard of the Little Stables") got its name from the royal stables Louis XV established here in 1755. By 1780, it had transformed into the passage you see today.

In the mid-1800s, it housed a free art school for local workers. At number 7, Brasserie Floderer still has its original 1909 Art Nouveau interior: wood paneling, stained glass, and painted murals, all now protected as a historic monument.

Today, the passage runs about 100 meters with French bistros, wine bars, and a great craft beer spot, Galopins par Patoche. The vibe is relaxed and local. Tourists don't know it exists, which is exactly why it works.

Entrances: 61 bis Rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis or 18 Rue d'Enghien

Both doorways are easy to miss. Look for the passage sign or just walk slowly. Restaurants fill up by 8:30, so arrive early or book ahead.

This is the Paris that exists between the monuments. A working street where history sits in the details and locals still outnumber visitors.

Paris makes wine. Not much, and not well, but enough to throw a party about it every October. The Fête des Vendanges de Montmartre has been running since 1934, and this year marks the 92nd edition.

The vineyard sits on Rue des Saules, tucked behind a fence on the northern slope of the Butte. It's small, about 1,500 vines producing roughly 1,000 bottles annually. The wine itself is notoriously mediocre. But that's not the point.

For five days, Montmartre transforms into what it once was: a village on the edge of Paris. The 18th arrondissement fills with street entertainment, concerts, wine tastings, and artisanal food stalls.

The actual grape picking happens early in the week, with local officials and residents doing a ceremonial harvest. The bottles get auctioned off, with proceeds going to local social programs.

I'm heading there tomorrow, but wanted to get this in today's newsletter for any of you already in Paris.

Festival Dates: October 8-12, 2025 Location: Throughout Montmartre and the 18th arrondissement Metro: Lamarck-Caulaincourt (Line 12) Entry: Most events are free

The vineyard sits just below where Rue des Saules meets Rue Saint-Vincent. You can see it from the street year-round, even though it's not open to the public outside the festival.

Louane and Ibrahim Maalouf captured the season's mood in "Un automne à Paris," a 2015 tribute to the city.

The song paints Paris through its details. The quais along the Seine, the plane trees shedding their leaves, lovers on park benches, the city waking at dawn. Maalouf's trumpet adds a haunting layer that feels right for these cooler days. It's the perfect soundtrack for walking home through the city as the streetlights come on.

Custom routes. Real local stories. Zero tourist traps.