- Across the river, on the Left Bank, is the former Paris-Orléans train station, turned into a museum featuring mostly 19th and early 20th century French art, including an outstanding collection of Impressionist work, the Musée d'Orsay.
- Famous for its gardens and next door to the prime minister's residence (the Hôtel de Matignon) is the Musée Rodin, which is dedicated to the sculptor's work.
- Not too far away is the Napoléon I's tomb at the Army Museum at the Invalides (combo tickets available), whose Cathédrale Saint-Louis should not be missed (entrance through the museum but free).
- Get lost in the Latin Quarter, but don't miss a walk on Boulevard Saint-Germain, a visit to the Saint-Germain-des-Près church, and a pass through the Marché Saint-Germain, another farmers' market--one that was completely renovated in 2016. (If you know French, check out this link for more information.) Stop at the Café de Flore (don't let the notriously rude waiters discourage you!), where philosophers Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir had their habits. If you're hungry, book a table at the Procope, Paris's oldest restaurant, for dinner.
- Also, please don't leave Paris before stopping at Ladurée for a macaron or Julien's favorite pastry, the rose syrup-flavored Saint-Honoré cake. Ladurée has several stores in the city, but you should try the one at 21 rue Bonaparte, which has a little tea salon where you can eat. Pierre Hermé, Ladurée's arch-competitor, offers a similar but perhaps more original concept. It also has a store on rue Bonaparte at number 72. If you opt for this one, try the Ispahan cake.
- Head south and walk along the Rue du Bac, which features many design and clothing shops, until you reach the Bon Marché and la Grande Épicerie, where food from all over the world is on display. In our opinion, the épicerie is simply not to be missed.
- But the real heart of the Left Bank is the Jardin du Luxembourg, with its eponymous palais, home of le Senat, the upper chamber of the French parliament.
- Find your way up rue Soufflot, and walk to the place du Panthéon. Here, the French Republic pays tribute to its great men and women. You shouldn't overlook the nearby Sainte-Geneviève Library (though it closes for three weeks in July and August) and the Sorbonne, one of the earliest universities in the world.
- Behind the place du Panthéon is the old but still lively rue Mouffetard. Stop at Les 5 for lunch or brunch.
- The Left Bank is also home of the fabled Tour Eiffel and its unforgettable Michelin-starred restaurant, le Jules Verne, for lunch (good value) or dinner, 410 feet over the city. Lunch here was one of our best dining experiences anywhere; the food and the service were exceptional.
- A great alternative to the Jules Verne is the Ciel de Paris, located at the 56th floor of the Tour Maine-Montparnasse, Paris's most-reviled skyscraper. It was extensively renovated in the past few years and is less expensive than Jules. One of my friends (an art/design critic and fine bouche) went and loved it. You can also go for a cocktail in the afternoon.
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