Summer is over. The angry clouds over Nôtre Dame make it look too sinister, Sunday strolls in Montmartre are more melancholy in dreary weather and the rain-soaked gravel in the Tuileries does no favours for your shoes. It’s not exactly the makings of a picture perfect Paris. But if like me, you’re a little stubborn (a little in denial) and won’t let winter take over that easily, here’s a few tips on how to make the most of the last days of summer….
1. Picnic under a Parisian Palm Tree
Pack a baguette, some dippy things and hummus, maybe a little fruit salad– heck, sneak in a bottle of wine and go grab your table waiting for you in sub-tropical temperatures under the biggest palm tree in Paris. You won’t have to fight anyone for a seat at your picnic in paradise, and best of all, it won’t cost you a dime (or in this case, a single centime).
Entry to the Jardin des Serres d’Auteuil is absolutely free, just open the door and step into summer. The 18th century botanical garden set within a greenhouse complex tucked away in the 16th arrondissement at the southern edge of the Bois de Boulogne, is the sort of place that truly deserves the title of a hidden gem.
Even on weekends there’s hardly anyone there! Perfect for getting lost in the jungle…
There are several greenhouses to dip in and out of, changing to various hotter and milder temperatures as you go according to the type of plants growing inside. The largest one with the giant palm tree (I’ve actually never seen one that big) has a few intimate tables for the dreamiest Indian summer picnic. You’ll be peeling off your winter layers before you even sit down.
One tropical greenhouse had a Tiki hut with stools inside for another unusual picnic spot. The gardener who built the hut was watering the plants and told us he’d just returned from travelling around the world to find new plants to bring home.
The real Beverley Hills Hotel wallpaper ↑
The tropical birds are the soundtrack to your picnic…
Visit the Jardin des Serres d’Auteuil at 1 avenue Gordon Bennett, 75016 Paris, Metro: Porte d’Auteuil.
2. Keep Swimming!
A few of my favourite pools to keep your energised all winter:
Piscine de Pontoise is my local Art Deco public pool – just 4 euros a swim.
The Josephine Baker public outdoor pool along the Seine, which has roof cover for colder weather.
The iconic pool at Piscine Molitor is open to hotel guests, club members, and those who have booked an Escale Molitor at the spa. So if you’re looking to swim, book a massage and enjoy the rest of the incredible amenities the hotel offers (pools, steam room, sauna, fitness room). Check this link for more information.
3. Havana Nights in Paris
If Dirty Dancing is one of your favourite movies, then this will be one of the best unexpected night outs in a while. Meet Paris’ Latino community, dance your butt off around a live band set up in the middle of the floor and feel like you’re in South America for the night.
The Studio de l’Ermitage in a vibrant concert and dance space set in an old Parisian biscuit factory in Menilmontant. They’re best known for their Latin American nightsBuying tickets online is advisable as these nights really do sell out. Ladies, wear comfortable shoes and bring a fan!
8 rue de l’ermitage, 75020, Metro: Menilmontant.
4. Get Back on Board
Float back into the rentrée mood and stop by L’Eau et les Rêves to leaf through a curated selection of books on nature and travel. You can plant yourself down in a cosy corner of this floating library and while away an afternoon in its tranquil hull, watching the canal splosh around through the porthole windows. As with all good book shops, you’ll find a café serving juice, coffee, biscuits and cakes by day, and wines and beers come the evening. (9 quai de l’Oise, 19ème; penichelibrairie.com)
Le Calife is the only peniche dining cruise experience I’d suggest, it’s an old antique boat, the least tourist-trap option of them all. It leaves from beneath the Pont Neuf and goes up and down the Seine, so even if you don’t get the fireworks, you’ll get the Eiffel Tower sparkles.
You could also book dinner on a boat moored at the foot of the Eiffel Tower.
For a fun cabaret, check the Cabaret Burlesque show on peniche boat on the river Seine called La Nouvelle Seine, every Friday and Saturday evening (book ahead).
Another option, if the weather is good, why not rent a self-driving private boat up the canal St Martin – no boat license needed! It’s far more affordable than you would think, starting at €40 an hour and you can even bring a little picnic.
Combine culture with cocktails on the Seine. Quai de la Photo is a new arts centre dedicated to contemporary photography housed inside what is essentially a floating water taxi tunnel/ barge. Hard to explain but very much worth going along to explore it yourself. There’s a restaurants and bar and in the evening, it becomes a disco.
In the meantime, the pontoon link was for Green River Paris but a similar company you might want to compare rates with is We Boat. While Green River is cheaper by about 25 euros per head, you never know for your day/ time slot, We Boat could have a more competitive rate, worth comparing (just use the calendar booking online to check).
If budget doesn’t factor, there’s the Riva boats or a Dutch star with Seine Privé if you’re interested in driving your own boat for more privacy, the Marin d’Eeau Douce is really fun for a drive down the canal.
For a fantastic tender for luxury transport, check out the Le Buci boat, included with a minibar, kitchenette and toilet and various gastronomical experiences. (Seating up to 12)
The Pontoon boats are also an excellent way to sight-see on the seine- you can bring your own drinks and snacks!
5. Dine Al Fresco every chance you get
A few of my favourites for savouring the last of summer…
L’Eldorado (17ème): a relaxed, welcoming restaurant with outdoor seating, serving simple, flavourful dishes in a charming setting. (18 Rue des Dames, 75017 Paris, Open Monday through Sunday for breakfast, lunch and dinner)
Ma Salle à Manger (1er): A nineteenth-century poet once described the Place Dauphine as the ‘vagina of Paris’, because of its erotic triangular V shape. Rumour has it King Henri IV modelled it after the private parts of his favourite courtesan. It also happens to be one of the most handsome enclaves in the city. Grab your table on the terrace at the blue café with the red-chequered tablecloths and blankets draped over the chairs for when it gets chilly. (26 Place Dauphine, 1er; +33 1 43 26 04 28; open every day for lunch and dinner)
Bontemps Paris (3ème): Exhausted after a shopping marathon in the Marais? Find refuge in the charming secret garden of this patisserie and recharge with brunch options (truffle-infused scrambled eggs and savoury tarts) and / or the tea house’s must-tries – orange cake, lemon cake and chocolate tart. (57 Rue de Bretagne, 75003 Paris, France)
L’Ebouillanté (4ème): One of the city’s most picturesque streets, a charming blue café serving up fresh vegetarian-friendly plats du jour and perfect crêpes. (6 rue des Barres, 4ème; +331 42 74 70 52; open everyday 12pm-10pm)
La Table de Colette (5ème): Hidden away on a backstreet in the Latin Quarter is this gastronomic delight without the pomp. The team is so incredibly friendly & funny and the food (a blind menu) is one mouthgasm after the next. Plus there’s a garden tucked away at the back that will be perfect come Spring. Definitely worth a little splurge (€100 per head with the wine pairings for 5 courses) (@latabledecoletteparis; Open lunch and dinner Mon-Fri; 17 Rue Laplace, 75005: 01 46 33 18 59).
Extra tip: Book on a Monday night and then catch a gypsy jazz live concert a few doors down after dinner at Le Piano Vache, a bar that takes you back to the late 1960s in Paris, when the student revolution was brewing in the Quartier Latin (@lepianovache; – from 9pm)
Grand Mosque of Paris (5ème): plays host to one of the most charming cafés in Paris, housed within two leafy courtyards, both covered in mosaics. It’s open until midnight for tea and Moroccan delicies under the stars. (1 rue Daubenton, 5ème; +33 1 15 35 97 33; open every day, 9am to midnight, last service at 10.30pm)
Petit Palais Café (8ème): Tucked at the back of the hugely overrated museum that is the Petit Palais is one of the most gorgeous courtyard spaces in the entire city. Spectacular and serene, under the covered marble terrace of a self-service café, you’ll find a little paradise even most Parisians don’t know about. A great spot for a secret lunch à deux. (Avenue Winston Churchill, 8eme; petitpalais. paris.fr; open Tuesday to Sunday, 10am-6pm)
Chez Plumeau (18eme): Hidden down a small street behind the heart of Montmartre, tourists pass by this terrace without seeing it. Here, savour summer (or an Indian summer) with a glasses of rosé, fresh ravioli and Basque pudding. Feel like you’re on vacation in the city. (4, place du Calvaire, open everyday for lunch & dinner)
Bar à Bulles (18ème): Once used as a backstage area for the Moulin Rouge, find the hidden rooftop terrace Bar à Bulles, tucked away behind the iconic red windmill, where the can-can girls of yesteryear would sunbathe in the nude and rehearse their routines in the summer months. One rooftop over lived Boris Vian, the bohemian ‘prince’ of Paris and leading promoter of American jazz music, who pioneered a movement that brought back the city’s joie de vivre following the war. Stay for dinner under the fairy lights or come for the brunch at the weekend. You can catch an exhibition, pop-up market or even a live rooftop gig during the warmer season. (4 Cité Véron, 18ème; +33 9 73 23 79 72; Wed-Fri, 6pm till late; Sat, 12pm till late; Sun, 12pm till 7pm. For events check facebook.com/barabulleslamachine)
Café Renoir (18ème): Obviously don’t miss the wonderful Musee de Montmartre which has a patio cafe (Cafe Renoir) . Every Saturday at 2:30 pm, you can also take part in a guided tour of the vineyard of Montmartre (Paris still has working vineyards – I count eight). The ticket includes learning about the vineyard, a wine tasting of the Clos Montmartre and also access to the Museum of Montmartre, Suzanne Valadon’s studio and the beautiful temporary Camoin exhibition. Make your reservation here . ( 12 rue Cortot, 75018 Paris)
L’Été en Pente Douce (18ème): Perched at the top of a picturesque staircase, away from the tourists, the terrace of this café is a rare slice of authentic Montmartre worth seeking out in the maze of streets winding up the hill. And they do a great quiche. (8 rue Paul Albert, 18ème; +33 1 42 64 02 67; open every day from midday to midnight)
Jardin 21 (19ème): The 19th arrondissement is constantly evolving and giving us new and exciting spots to check out – one of the latest is Jardin 21, a 1 500m2 urban farm. Enjoy a Saturday night with dinner, drinks and a live DJ surrounded by the summer’s harvest. Tables no larger than 10 people. (Located in Parc de la Villette, 12/A Rue Ella Fitzgerald, 19ème; reservation@jardin21.fr, jardin21.fr, open from the 26th of May 2021)
Amagat (20ème): Installed on a pretty cobbled interior courtyard next to it’s sister restaurant Caché, discover a menu that celebrates Catalan cuisine, a nod to the chef’s native region. In an atmosphere worthy of the bodegas of northern Spain, the menu combines marinated anchovies, croquetas with Iberian ham, pan con tomato, tortilla, sea bream crudo, grilled fish with al ajillo sauce … all accompanied by a curated surprise selection of cocktail and wine pairings. (23 Villa Riberolle, open for dinner Wed-Sat, lunch and dinner on Sunday; 06 09 31 61 62; www.amagatparis.fr)
Les Mondes Bohèmes (20ème): Grab lunch or dinner with the bohemian crowd under twinkle lights and a leafy veranda. Light on the pocket too. (31 Rue des Vignoles, 20ème; +33 1 43 48 69 38; mondesbohemes.com; open every day, 9am-12am)
