How to Navigate Paris - Here are 7 Apps to Help You

Image Credit: A glimpse inside the Miromesnil traversée Metro Station

Image Credit: A glimpse inside the Miromesnil traversée Metro Station

Visiting a new city is daunting. Joining a local tour can be a good place to start. Learn more here.

While there are thousands of different ways to visit Paris, there are a few tips and tricks locals use to get around the city that are incredibly helpful to tourists as well. From restaurant reviews written by Parisians to city maps and subway lines, here are some of the best apps to use on the go when exploring the City of Lights.

  1. Citymapper

    Rated as one of the top navigation apps in the app store, and a favourite of Parisians, Citymapper shows users the easiest ways to get around any city by comparing all avenues of public transportation in real-time. In Paris, the app finds the fastest routes to get anywhere in the city by looking at the metro, bus, train, tram, cab, carshare, scooter, e-scooter, bike and walking routes. In addition, the map will display all bikes and scooters nearby with their battery percentage so if you are looking to scoot around the city, Citymapper makes it easy.

  2. Visit A City

    More suited to give you ideas for your trip, this “personal travel guide” app offers top attraction recommendations and planned itineraries for many cities, including Paris. If you are looking for the best plans near your hotel, the app populates recommendations at the push of a button curating a collection of the city’s finest sights and hotspots.

 
 

3. Whatsapp

If you are staying in Paris for even a few days, Whatsapp will come in handy to contact anyone with free texting and calling internationally. Used by locals and tourists alike, the app allows you to send pictures, voice messages and videos over text using Wifi or mobile data connection.

4. RATP: Bus Metro Train Paris

If you are planning to use public transport while travelling in Paris, the RATP app allows you to plan your routes ahead of time, find maps and train schedules and receive notifications due to delays. To keep travelers safe during the COVID-19 pandemic, the app also offers passenger density information so you can see how busy the trains are with a crowd level indicator. And for an added bonus, the app also you free access to the RATP stations Wifi network so you can connect on the go.

Image Credit: Outside the Saint-François-Xavier Metro line 13

Image Credit: Outside the Saint-François-Xavier Metro line 13

5. Google Translate

Perfect for on the go translation, Google Translate allows users to translate any foreign words in a picture. Hold up your phone to street signs, restaurant menus and inside museums and the app will automatically translate the words into whatever language you need. Users can also speak into the phone directly to have the translation read aloud in a foreign language.

6. Word Reference Dictionary

When you are looking for an easy way to translate accurately from English to almost any foreign language, Word Reference Dictionary offers users multiple options with every search so you can be sure you are translating correctly. In situations where you want to make sure you are being polite and understanding someone perfectly, Word Reference Dictionary comes in handy for selecting the right phrase and making sure the meaning remains accurate in translation.

If language learning is not your thing, as long as you master this one French word and one French phrase, you’ll get along during your trip to Paris. Read more about it here:

“How Rude Are the French? Use These 2 Simple Phrases to Find Out”

Photo by Lisa Rankin

Photo by Lisa Rankin

7. The Fork

For great restaurant recommendations in Paris, The Fork provides written reviews by Parisians and discounts at many local restaurants. Users can book reservations online through the app and take advantage of many exclusive offers and discounts across the city. Book ten reservations through the app and receive ten euros off your next meal at any of the restaurants in the app.

 

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Google Maps

Like Citymapper and other navigation apps, Google Maps is a reliable method of getting from point A to point B, particularly when traveling by public transport. But even before you know where you want to go, Google Maps can act as your guide to the city’s finest restaurants, shops, and attractions nearby. Just search for the desired activity and the app will lead you in the right direction (literally). It’s almost like having a local guide showing you around! Hint: The app lets you bookmark and organize the places you want to go beforehand. And you can tell how popular a place is by looking at its reviews.

Bolt

A cheaper alternative to Uber, Bolt is the go-to ride-share app for those late nights when you’re out after the metro closes. They’re reliable and can get you to where you want to go quickly and comfortably (unlike the night buses here).

Doing Things the Old Way

Apps are convenient, but if you prefer having something physical you can hold, try using a Paris Pratique. Found in many bookstores and street stands throughout the city, this handy booklet is equipped with everything you need to navigate your stay in Paris—a metro map, street index, and places of interest including museums, monuments, parks, and cafes. The meat of the book is filled with puzzle-pieced enlarged sections of the maps for each arrondissement. And if you lose track of what you are looking at, there is a little birds-eye view diagram of Paris, pinpointing your location in the upper right-hand corner to help you figure out where you are.

for some tips on how to not stand out as a tourist in French restaurants, take a look at our posts:

Macarons: What They Are and Where to Find Best Ones in Paris

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Paris is known for many things sweet, from incredible patisseries to famous hot chocolate, but the macaron may be the city’s finest contribution in the world of sugar.

Macarons are sandwich cookies made of almond flour, egg whites, powdered sugar, meringue and buttercream and first appeared in France during the 17th century. In 1862, Louis-Ernest Ladurée opened Ladurée in Paris, a bakery entirely focused on macarons.

The sweet treat became intensely popular in Paris with its crunchy exterior and smooth, creamy interior of buttercream filling. As more Parisians craved the taste of macarons, other bakeries opened across the city and around the world, introducing everyone to the delicious macarons of Paris.

Pierre Hermé is another famous Parisian macaron institution, which opened in 1996 but now has eighteen locations in Paris and many across Europe and Asia.

Parisians typically divide themselves between the avant-garde and the traditional.

While there are dozens of different macaron shops in Paris, Parisians typically divide themselves between Ladurée and Pierre Hermé.  “It is funny because when you talk to the Parisians, there are two macaron camps: the avant-garde and the traditional,” said Lisa Rankin, the founder of Flavors of Paris. The reason for this split is because the two bakeries have very different approaches to the art and style of macarons. Ladurée is quite traditional with classic flavours like lavender, salted caramel and raspberry, while Pierre Hermé offers more adventurous concoctions like vanilla and olive oil, jasmine and passionfruit and milk chocolate.

Find other authentic Parisian spots on one of our food tours.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, some macaron shops across Paris have shut their doors for good including Ladurée. While the company is still operating at their other international locations, they will remain closed in Paris until a new buyer can be found.

“It is not one that would have been recommended by me anyway,” Lisa said. According to her, the quality of Laudrée macarons has decreased steadily over time as the company started producing the cookies in one central location and distributing them to all their stores rather than making them fresh daily.

In addition, with such a reliance on their classic flavours, Parisians were mostly uninspired by the creations at Ladurée in comparison to the special offerings at other local shops.

With so many macaron shops in Paris, it can be hard to know which ones to try and what to order. Here are some of the best macaron patisseries in Paris:

Pierre Hermé

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Image Credit: Betsy Weber

Named after “the world’s best pastry chef,” Pierre Hermé goes above and beyond to offer guests unique creations for every occasion. With new collections introduced every season and fresh flavours that combine fruit, chocolate and florals, and other unexpected ingredients such as ketchup, this macaron institution is a treasured name among the best pastry shops in Paris.

La Maison du Chocolat

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Image Credit: La Maison Du Chocolat

With ten locations across Paris and others spread around the world, La Maison du Chocolat, (in English: the House of Chocolate) serves thirteen classic flavors, the majority of which focus on chocolate. From Venezuelan dark chocolate to caramel, hazelnut or coconut, the patisserie also offers eclairs, cakes, chocolates and truffles.

Pierre Marcolini

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Image Credit: Pierre Marcolini

The Brussels-based chocolate and macaron shop brings the finest Belgian chocolate to Paris with delectable creations of coffee, berries, tea and nuts to inspire even the most adventurous eaters. While Pierre Marcolini serves incredible macarons, the company is also known for its chocolate boxes, truffles and jams.

Sadaharu Aoki

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Image Credit: Yuichi Sakuraba

Inspired by the pastry chef’s Japanese culture and heritage, Sadaharu Aoki is a Parisian patisserie infused with the flavors of Tokyo. Named after the chef patissier himself, Sadaharu Aoki, he opened his first boutique in 2001 in Paris and has expanded to more locations around the city and in Tokyo ever since.

“Everything he does is so good,” Lisa said. “What I like about his bakery is that he is originally from Japan and he infuses flavors from his home country. They are unusual flavors that you won’t find anywhere else and, of course, they are exquisite. There is a perfect crunchy texture on the outside and then you bite into this pillow of goodness.”

Some of the macaron flavor sensations include yuzu, earl grey, rose fraise, matcha, black sesame, green tea with brown rice and wasabi. For macaron enthusiasts with a sense of adventure, this patisserie is a must on the Parisian macaron tour.

Dalloyau

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Image Credit: Huichimai Fang

As one of Lisa’s favorite macron spots in Paris, Dalloyau represents all things luxury dating back to 1682 when Charles Dalloyau served King Louis XIV as Officer of the Mouth. “Dalloyau offers the most regal experience with your macaron,” Lisa said. “A lot of their flavours are more traditional, and they use the best of the best ingredients.” The bakery sources their ingredients internationally which can be seen in their macaron flavors: hazelnuts are from Italy, almonds are from Spain and the pistachios are from Iran. Lisa’s favorite flavour is champagne cognac but the shop also offers classics like chocolate, vanilla, lemon, raspberry, salted caramel and praline.

ENJOYED THIS ARTICLE? HERE ARE three MORE TO HELP YOU further EXPLORE paris:

How to Enjoy Jazz in Paris

From small candle-lit caves in the fourth arrondissement to airy cafes in the Saint Germain des Prés, our curated list of French jazz artists will help transport you from home. Check out our recommendations for the best jazz clubs in Paris and our playlist of French musicians, curated by Flavors of Paris’ Lisa Rankin.

La Caveau de la Huchette

Located in the Latin Quarter of Paris, La Caveau de la Huchette is a Parisian classic and featured in many films including La La Land (2016) and Les Tricheurs (1958). With a historic past as one of the finest jazz clubs in Paris, La Caveau de la Huchette is famous for its 16th-century architecture and talented acts. Count Bassie, Claude Bolling, Lionel Hampton and Art Blakey, arguably some of the greatest jazz musicians of all time, performed at the venue with its impressive high ceilings, thick brick arches and underground tunnels. The club is renowned as one of the most important venues of Parisian nightlife and inspired many other music joints across Europe due to its immense popularity.

Experience Paris like a Parisian. Join one of our tours here.

For live jazz every Thursday, from 7:30 pm to 10:30 pm, Les Deux Magots is a favourite of many music-loving Parisians. There is no cover at the door, but guests have to order a drink or dinner to stay and enjoy the show. The food is on the pricier side but features a traditional French menu in a charming brasserie. The music varies from week to week with classics like the songs of Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Louis Armstrong and Sarah Vaughan to new creations from up and comers in the Parisian music scene. Located just off of Boulevard Saint-Germain, Les Deux Magots offers visitors an invitation to escape the crowded streets of Paris and relax to the sounds of French jazz music, whisking them away to another time with rhythm and soul.

38 Riv

With different styles of live jazz music every night of the week, 38 Riv offers an intimate jazz club experience in the middle of the Marais district of Paris. Visitors can escape the city by stepping underground and enjoying the club’s impressive talent with a top notch bar under vaulted stone ceilings. There is no cover at the door but visitors must purchase a drink at the bar to enjoy the show. Be sure to try their cocktails and enjoy one of their many different styles of music, which vary depending on the night of the week. From improvisational jam sessions and jazz concerts to jam funk and baroque, the hidden music cave is sure to surprise visitors and locals alike.

While the live music of Paris may seem out of reach right now, French jazz is available around the world with the touch of a button. Follow Flavors of Paris on Spotify to stay up to date with our latest playlists and see what we are listening to! Below is Lisa’s list for the best French jazz musicians and songs to check out while at home. Check out our playlist here.

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The Cheese Making Technique That’s Rarely Talked About

What is affinage?

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I can only describe my first time seeing the cheese section at a grocery store in France as an out of body experience. Never had I ever seen such a vast selection of cheeses, in every size and shape imaginable. There were soft and creamy goat cheeses, marbled and veiny blue cheeses, hard and nutty sheep cheeses. As an American in Paris, I was perplexed by these noteworthy cheeses and the stories behind them.

The French and their passion for cheese is legendary, with every region producing its own variety. The tradition of cheese making dates back to prehistoric times, making it into Europe during the era of the Roman Empire. Monasteries dedicated themselves to preserving the delicate art and from there, cheese started to gain more popularity throughout what we know as present-day France.

As cheese began to take on the characteristics of the regions it was produced in, distinct varieties were established and slowly France became known around the world for its exceptional cheeses. Today, France produces ⅓ of the world’s cheese. Over 400 French cheese varieties exist and within those varieties, some argue there are over 1,000 distinct types. Pretty impressive for a country roughly the same size as Texas.

Want more interesting history and fun facts about France? Join us on a tour!

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The intensive history behind this dairy product is just one aspect of its complex origin. In its most basic form, cheese making involves curdling milk, either with the use of acids or enzymes and then separating the solids from the liquid. The solid curds are then processed or pressed into a mould. What happens from this point will determine the variety of cheese as well as its properties. Arguably one of the most important parts of producing a great cheese happens during the final phase in its life cycle, a term known as affinage.

The ageing process, or affinage is responsible for the majority of cheese’s varietal flavour differences as changes in flavour, aroma and texture occur during this stage. While some cheesemakers oversee the ageing process themselves, others choose to give their cheese to an expert affineur to ensure that the cheese is aged properly.

Most affineurs start off working in cheese shops and often intern or apprentice under cheesemakers to fully understand the techniques required to make delicious cheeses.

As you may have gathered by now, affinage doesn’t mean that you just let the cheese sit there for a few days. Cheese can take weeks, months or even years to reach its maturity. Stored under controlled environmental conditions that provide consistent humidity and allow natural microbes to transform the cheese, the affinage process is quite similar to the ageing of wine. The affineur is in charge of managing the temperature, humidity, turning over the cheese at intervals, and sometimes even bathing, smoking, brushing, rolling, or wrapping the cheese in cloth. A wide range of cheeses including Roquefort, blue, and gorgonzola are inoculated with different strains of bacteria or mould in order to produce desired results. The length of ageing combined with the type of microbe used leads to infinite taste and texture possibilities.

So much time and care go into the ageing process of the cheese that there are affineurs in France who are celebrated for their skills. If you are looking to buy some cheese in France, the cheesemonger will give you a little taste of the different cheeses before you make your purchase. Ask for a taste of a couple of the same cheese varieties that have been aged differently. You could be very surprised at the difference.

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