🇫🇷 💌 The Paris Love Letter #143

PARIS QUICK TIPS
Build a Routine

Next time you are in Paris, try to visit the same place twice… and more. In a city that can feel anonymous, the transition from being a stranger to a regular happens the moment you recognize the people who work there (and they recognize you).

Whether it's a boulangerie, a café, or a fromagerie, it is the quickest way to feel like you belong to the neighborhood.

Linking You to Paris

➡️ 7 Parisian Airbnbs With Stunning Views of the Eiffel Tower: Condé Nast Traveler rounds up seven Paris Airbnbs (picked for things like Superhost status, ratings, and location) that deliver the movie-moment of a genuinely stunning Eiffel Tower view.

➡️ 9 Spots for the Best Crêpes in Paris: HiP Paris explains the tradition of La Chandeleur (Candlemas) and rounds up nine favorite Paris spots for crêpes and galettes, from Breizh Café to neighborhood standbys like Au P’tit Grec and Mon Ami.

➡️ The 27 Best Bars in Paris: Condé Nast Traveler maps out 27 of Paris’s essential bars, spanning everything from natural wine hangouts and listening bars to queer saloons, speakeasies, and opulent hotel cocktail rooms.

➡️ The best places to stay in Paris: Condé Nast Traveller breaks down where to stay in Paris by vibe, offering a neighborhood guide from classics like Le Marais, Saint-Germain, and the Latin Quarter to locals’ picks like Pigalle and Canal Saint-Martin.

VISITING PARIS
The Vertical Village: A Walk Up Rue des Martyrs

There is a specific kind of magic in Paris that only happens on a slope.

While the grand boulevards are designed for spectacle, the climbing streets are designed for life. And if you want to see the heart of Parisian art de vivre in a single stretch of pavement, you go to Rue des Martyrs.

Stretching from the church of Notre-Dame-de-Lorette in the 9th up toward the heights of Montmartre, this street is more than just a thoroughfare; it is a vertical village. It is one of the few places left where the traditional commerce de bouche (specialty food shops) hasn't just survived, it has thrived.

Along the lower portion of the street, you'll find a plethora of fresh produce markets and flower stalls that give the whole neighborhood a village market feel. It's the kind of place where you can spend an hour just browsing and filling a basket.

The Path of the Martyr

The street gets its name from a grim bit of history. Legend has it that Saint Denis, the first Bishop of Paris, was decapitated by the Romans on the hill of Montmartre around 250 AD. As the story goes, he picked up his head and walked north, washing it in a fountain along this very path.

Today, the "martyrs" are people like me trying to resist the temptation of the windows. As you walk up, you are flanked by some of the best patisseries, fromageries, and boulangeries in the city. It is a street that demands you shop with your nose.

The Transition: From Gourmet to Gritty

What makes the walk special is the shift in energy. The bottom of the street in the 9th is polished, the kind of place where you'll find Ernest & Valentin, a personal favorite of mine for a reliable, high-quality baguette or pastry.

As you cross the intersection of Boulevard de Clichy, you're on the doorstep of Pigalle's neon history, where the old-school cabaret spirit meets the new-school cocktail bars. But keep climbing. Near the top, you'll find Pain Pain, another spot I love for its bread (obviously), its quiche, and its sandwiches.

The Reward: KB Coffee and the "Hidden" View

At the very top of the street, where it meets Avenue Trudaine, sits KB Coffee Roasters.

In a city where "to-go" coffee was once a myth, KB was a pioneer of the craft coffee movement in Paris. But the real reason to linger here isn't just the flat white. It's the terrace. If you stand in the right spot on the corner, you get one of the most beautiful, unpretentious views in the city: the white domes of Sacré-Cœur peeking out perfectly between the Haussmannian buildings.

Where the Walk Ends (and the Tour Begins)

The street eventually spills out near Abbesses, which is exactly where I start my Montmartre tours. It's a wonderful area to lose yourself in for an hour. You have the famous "Wall of Love" (Le Mur des Je t'aime), the iconic Art Nouveau metro entrance designed by Hector Guimard, and the Saint-Jean-de-Montmartre church, a stunning example of early 20th-century brick and ceramic architecture.

My "Martyrs" Favorites

I generally resent the idea of "The Best in Paris" because taste is so deeply personal. Instead, these are simply my personal favorites, the places I actually go when I'm in the neighborhood:

• For the Daily Bread: Ernest & Valentin. It's my go-to for a classic Parisian start to the day.

• For the Picnic: Fromagerie Quatrehomme. Our friend, the Mystery Parisian, introduced me to this place years ago. It's one of the most respected cheese shops in France, and once you step inside, you'll understand why he's so passionate about it.

• For the Sweet Tooth: Sébastien Gaudard (at the bottom) for something refined, or Pain Pain (near the top) for something a bit more modern and fun.

• For Coffee and Views: KB Coffee Roasters. Grab a seat outside, put your phone away, and watch the families with their kids ride the carousel. Our little Lion has experienced this one many times.

Quick question (hit reply)

Have you ever spent a morning just wandering up a single street without a map? If so, which one felt like a "village" to you?

I'd love to hear your favorite Parisian streets. Hit reply and let me know.

FRENCH SONG OF THE WEEK
YAEL NAIM - "PARIS" (live)

Yael Naim is a French-Israeli singer-songwriter whose intimate, whispery voice carries a kind of quiet wonder.

I especially love the delicacy of her voice and the way she delivers this live version of "Paris." It is a quiet, observational track that captures the city in a way that feels very grounded.