Paris on a Good Gut (best restaurants, sights + things to do!)

Paris is truly a MAGICAL city. It was always a city that I wanted to go to someday…but wasn’t on my top list of places to travel - but my mind is forever changed. I can’t wait for the day we go back! I honestly didn’t want to leave. The food is incredible, the people are so kind (especially to children!) everywhere you turn there is another beautiful building or park, the atmosphere is so fun, everything about it is just charming and wonderful. I cannot say enough good things about it. (And it’s not as dirty as everyone says it is….)

I feel like we just caught a glimpse of everything there is to see in Paris in the 2 months that we lived there, but I feel like we saw some of the best ;) Scott and I make a pretty good travel team - I find the food and he is the navigator. It’s always my mission to find the BEST places to eat….because life is too short to eat bad food!

You won’t find much gluten free or dairy free food here! I was able to eat it all with zero digestive issues or fear around food - no bloating, constipation, running to the bathroom, nada. Fixing my gut and healing my relationship with food has truly changed my life. On top of that, the quality of food in France is typically much higher and they don’t use the same pesticides on their food and wheat as they do in North America. I never thought I would be eating gluten and dairy with my family without paying for it afterwards or feeling so anxious about what I was eating, if it would make me feel sick or make me gain weight. I got my life back. I feel FREE. I was able to enjoy every memory WITH my family, rather than being off in the bathroom or stressing in my head about what I was eating.

I hope you love these places as much as we did! Tag me in your instagram stories when you try them out <3

PS this is not sponsored by any of the restaurants… these are honestly our favs.

bakeries

The first thing you need to know this when going to a bakery - all baguettes are not created equal. Instead of asking for a baguette, you must ask for ‘tradition’. What’s the difference? A baguette can have additives, whereas tradition has to be made on site with only wheat, salt, water + yeast/starter. You will be able to tell which is tradition because they look more rustic. There was a bread decree made to protect artisanal bakers from industrialized bread! So if extra ingredients are added they can not claim to be called tradition. Tradition is honestly one of the things we miss the most about France! They are so cheap, convenient, make the perfect lunch and they keep your kids busy forever if you just rip a chunk off for them lol.

Du pain des idee - The only downside about the bakery is that it’s kind of out of the way…or at least it was from where we were staying. If it’s close to you, I would go daily! I loved the pistachio and chocolate swirl pastry, sacristan, their bread…but everything looked amazing.

Baba Louni - it’s not actually a bakery…but they have the BEST doughnuts! Super simple, just deep fried and dipped in sugar. (We didn’t try anything else so I can’t speak to their other food.)

Les Choupettes de Chou Chou - incredible cream puffs with so many flavours. Salted caramel, lemon, chocolate, plain cream. They were so light and tasty! We found this place near the end of our time in Paris and went back a few times our last week.

Eric Kayser - a chain bakery….but surprisingly reliable! They have yummy cookies, raspberry financier + their Pain au chocolate was always good! We would always go here when we were around the Louvre.

Chez Meunier - in Galleries Lafayette (a mall) for a Pain on Chocolate the size of your head! (that actually tastes good!)

Maison Julien - a different bakery wins an award each year for the best baguette and this was the winner in 2020. One morning, we got there first thing for a fresh baguette RIGHT out of the oven. Wow it was incredible!

Fav restaurants

It’s hard to find good restaurants around the touristy areas like the Louvre and the Eiffel tower so you might have to do some walking or ride the bus for the better food. We have learned that restaurants right outside the big sights to see are usually tourist traps (not very good food.) But overall, France truly has incredible food! It was hard to narrow it down to these. A lot of places require you to make reservations so if you can, make them online! There were many times we couldn’t get into restaurants because we didn’t make a reservation in advance.

Chez L’ami jean - definitely make a reservation here! We got the beef bourguignon and the rice pudding for dessert. The beef was to die for and just melted in your mouth. I’m not usually one to get dessert, I’m really picky with dessert and prefer savoury, but we seemed to always get dessert in Paris and it was always SO good! The rice pudding was incredible and was a huge portion!

Milagro - we went here for a date night on one of the hottest nights of the summer. It was still like 38 degrees outside at 9PM. The food was amazing. The menu always changes, but if there is ever ceviche, you must order it! The owner of the restaurant was from the states and also owns another restaurant that serves breakfast. We were so impressed with the food, we went to his other restaurant the next morning!

Zia - the sister restaurant to Milagro. Scott still talks about this place. We got a german pancake, breakfast burrito (the best part!) a yogurt bowl and hot chocolate. Lola grabbed the hot chocolate and it spilled everywhere! Luckily it didn’t burn her. Zia and Milagro are both fairly close to the Eiffel Tower which is nice because there aren’t many good restaurants around there.

Pink Mamma - food and atmosphere were 10/10! Every floor has a different vibe and decor. If you can, try to eat on the top floor. So fun to take picture in the restaurant, very instagram worthy ;)

Oyster Club - we ordered the octopus carpaccio, oysters and clams stuffed with herbs and Bordier butter (the best butter EVER) The portions are small but it was so delicious. Ruby was eating so fast I didn’t get much lol - but i’m glad my girl loves gut loving foods! I wish we ordered more!

Miznon - French inspired mediterranean food. All of us loved this place!! The pita was to die for. We also got the ratatouille - so so good! Definitely a top!

Dalia - I dream of this restaurant STILL. Scott wasn’t able to come because he had to work and I still regret not taking him back there another day. It was absolutely delicious Mediterranean food! Prime example of needing a reservation, they were completely booked all night when we got there, but the manager made an extra table for us so we could eat. So glad it worked out! We ordered the Schnitzel, octopus salad, hummus, beef skewer and a grilled cauliflower dish (this one was our least fav but still good.)

Cafe De Flore - one of the oldest coffee houses in Paris! You don’t come here for the food (it’s very overpriced for very mediocre food) but for the atmosphere and just to say you have been there lol. But the hot chocolate was actually really good! A lot of famous people have eaten here…all the way back to Picassso. It’s quaint and cute and quite busy but you get seated quite quickly. We sat outside on the patio which made for some fun people watching. PS make sure you ask for tap water or else they will just start pouring bottled water and charge you $7 for it.

KUMA - the TINIEST restaurant I have ever been in! So if you can get a spot you are lucky :) I think there are like 6 seats in the whole restaurant. We got there right when it opened so we didn’t have a problem, but i’m SO glad we went here. I’m drooling thinking about it. Japanese traditional and street food. Everything was so flavourful. We finished off our meal with some mochi ice cream, it was perfect. It was a heavy meal so luckily we always did a lot of walking. Walking after your meal can support digestion and your blood sugar levels so they don’t spike as high which can lead to a crash leaving you feeling tired!

Michel Kalifa - Maison David Deli - this picture doesn’t do this sandwich justice. Honestly, I think Maison David had the best sandwiches I have ever had. The flavour combinations were incredible. We got 3 because we thought the girls would eat more, but they were too distracted by the park we were at. That meant more for me and Scott, which we were not mad about! We got pastrami, turkey and liver pate sandwiches. The owner was super friendly and let us try a bunch of different meats.

Bistro Victoire - your classic French food that was very reasonably priced. You can get things like beef tartare, escargot, steak and fries etc. We tried the escargot (way better than we thought!) and steak and fries. The steak was incredible for how little we paid for it! We also loved the summer salad for an appetizer.

Mokonuts - if you want to go here you need to make a reservation like a month in advance. And I HIGHLY recommend. It was one of my favourite restaurants owned and run but a cute husband and wife. They make everything, serve everything and the menu changes daily! You must order all three courses - do NOT skip the dessert. Moko makes the BEST cookies. I’ve ever had.

Angelina - if you are looking for a classic French breakfast this is a cute place! The hot chocolate isn’t like we have in North America. It’s thick and rich! Perfect for dipping your croissant. If you are looking for a fun atmosphere and experience check it out!

SIGHTS to see /Museums

I like museums….for a short period of time. I’m not an all day kind of girl. But if you are in Paris, you have to see at least one.

Louvre - I liked this museum more than I thought I would. It was beautiful inside and there is so much to see! My favourite section was the classics. We only stayed about 2 hours which was enough for me (and the girls.)

Orangerie - this museum was great because it wasn’t too big! Which is nice if you have kids with you! I loved the circle rooms of Monet’s water lillies.

Palace of Versaille -a MUST. Gorgeous inside and out. I wish we had more time to wander the gardens but it was like 40 degrees

St. Chapelle - the stain glass is incredible. You don’t need to spend much time here but it is cool to see!

Sacre Coeur - The architecture is beautiful and there is the most incredible view of Paris! A must see!! It’s located on top of Montmartre, the marble white cathedral offers is said to be one of the best views of Paris. Your Navigo train pass will take you up the funicular so you don’t have to climb all the stairs ;) Montmartre is one of the most famous neighbourhoods in Paris. It’s known for it’s artistic history, it has such a fun vibe and there are tons of restaurants! It’s super hilly cobblestone so if you have a stroller be prepared lol.

Eiffel tower - it’s fun to have a picnic on the grass before or after! This is one of the best spots to get a photo of the Eiffel Tower (Rue de l’Université) the only downside is it’s usually pretty busy. Place du Trocadero is another great spot to get a good picture of the Eiffel Tower and is the perfect place for a picnic. And a hidden gem I found for good pictures was Avenue de Cameons. Just walk down the street from Place to Trocadero and run of the stairs. You can sit at the top and it’s not busy!

Arc de Triomphe - there is a train stop right by here so as soon as you come up the escalator you get this beautiful view! You can walk underneath it and pay to go up it. I have heard the view of Paris is amazing from the top and you get a good view of the Eiffel Tower but we never got the chance!

Bateaux Mouches - so this was literally one of the most touristy things you could do it Paris but I would do it again and recommend it to anyone! It was super fun, a fun date, the food was mediocre (better than I expected to be honest) great service and you get to see so many of the sights on the Seine. Notre Dame, the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, the Statue of Liberty (yes, they have one in Paris!)

Macarons

I thought I liked macarons at home, but after having a macaron in Paris…. nothing compares! They are so flavourful and light. There are two places that are well known for their macarons, and it’s honestly hard to say which place was better!

Laduree - my favourite was the chocolate dipped raspberry. If you have kids with you, they will come up to you in the line and give you and your kid a free one while you wait! (yes, I eat real sugar for a good gut!)

Pierre Herme - They aren’t always stand alone shops, you will often find them inside of other stores. I know this is so boring, but the vanilla was incredible! They had some other fun flavours that were different than Laduree. Let me know in the comments which you like better :)

Markets

We went to sooo many markets. A lot of them were around the area we stayed in Le Vesinet (outside of Paris.) We would always stop at a market if we saw one in Paris, but Bastille market was our favourite and one that is very well known. We loved it because there are tons of vendors and so much yummy food! It’s only open thursdays and sundays, so if you are around those days, it’s worth hitting up.

Produits Bretons made the best crepes we had! (street crepes are way better then ones we had in a restaurants and way cheaper) A must try is the Kouign Amann - the pastry in the bottom of this picture.

If you love oysters, there are different stands have fresh oysters which I wish we went back more often for. (They are incredible for your gut ;)) So much fresh fruit, olives, meats, roasted chickens, veggies…. everything. The fruit in Paris is something else. Like it actually tastes like what it is supposed to taste like and is SO SO flavourful.

Gelato

I know this isn’t Italy…but France still had some very tasty Gelato and on a hot day, there is nothing better!

Pozzetto - our favourite spot! It topped them all for us. They only had them in one area of Paris, or else we would have gone way more. The perfect texture of gelato and so flavourful. We loved the lemon and the fresh cream flavour. My past lactose intolerant self would have not done well after eating this… but thanks to The Good Gut Method. I could enjoy it with no issue! Anything dairy is my love language.

Amorino - for a chain, they had pretty good gelato! You can choose as many flavours as you want to make the flower which was fun! We just got a couple so we could actually taste them. I was dying to get the macaron on top because I thought it looked so cute, but I do not recommend. It wasn’t that good….

Berthion - a famous ice cream shop that is known for using fresh and high quality ingredients with some very unique flavours!

Fun shops

Honestly… we didn’t really do much shopping. We went to the mall a few times during the heat waves and went into the classic stores like Zara, H&M and had to visit GUCCI which was an amazing experience (they have the best customer service.) You need to walk down the Champs-Élysées (just down from the Arc de Triomphe) it’s the best known avenue in the world and so many fun shops to see. Besides that we would stop in kids shops occasionally which always had the cutest things - much more unique and good quality toys and clothes than at home. These are a few shops we thought were fun and actually bought things from.

Kawaii - kilo shop - there are many like this, so depending on where you are you could look up a kilo shop in your area. It’s a thrift shop, but you pay for your clothes by weight! I found a super cute blazer there and a scarf… I love it when people wear them around their heads but we will see if i’m brave enough to wear it in Canada.

Le Petit Souk - the CUTEST shop for kids! Adorable dolls, toys and so many fun things. Ruby never wanted to leave whenever we went into this store. All very aesthetically pleasing :)

E. Dehillerin - a fun little kitchen supply store. If you like to cook or bake it’s a cute shop to look around!

Favourite Parks

Sitting in a park and having a picnic is just the thing to do in France. Grab a baguette, cheese, meat and a drink and you a are set. There are literally parks EVERYWHERE (which is also very convenient with kids!) But it’s just so nice to sit and relax, people watch and enjoy nature right in the city! (Honestly, it’s such a good thing for your digestion to relax, eat and be in nature. The Parisians have got it right!)

Parc Moncaux - a hidden gem….or maybe not so hidden? But it went beyond our expectations. Honestly the parks I have been to in Canada are so pathetic compared to any park here in France. They are calming, charming, relaxing, unique, fun, beautiful…. like all in one! It was beautiful to walk around, there were parks for kids, benches to sit on, a carrousel… so much to see. Getting outside is a great way to support good sleep which your gut needs to regenerate! We definitely spent a LOT of time outside.

Luxembourg gardens - These gardens were very busy, but was still very calming. We were still able to find a nice piece of grass for a cute picnic. The grounds are huge - you can rent little boats and play with them in the pond, beautiful grounds to walk around, a fountain and so much more!

Tuilleries- our friends whose apartment we sublet saw Nick Jonas on the famous carousel so we were hoping we would too!! Sadly…. we weren’t so lucky haha. We walked through these gardens a ton since it is right by the Louvre. It’s an iconic park that you must visit!

Fun malls

Paris is the city to shop! But even if you aren’t a huge shopper, the malls are so beautiful it’s a fun activity to do if you have time :) Everything in Paris is just, charming, luxriuous and next level compared to home.

Les Galeries Lafayette - the mall itself is beautiful, has some cute coffee shops and has an amazing rooftop view of the Eiffel tower. If you are visiting Paris in the Summer (during a heat wave) this is a nice place to go! Most malls don’t have air conditioning but they had it here!

Le Bon Marche - one of the first modern department stores in the world! The architecture was so neat and it was fun to look around. Right across the street is La Grande Epicerie de Paris which is like a massive grocery store. Like multiple floors with luxury items and honestly anything you can dream of. Bakeries, deli type food, chocolate, fruit, condiments, dairy products, seafood, snacks, oils….apparently there are 30000 products in the store!

Monet’s gardens

If you have time….. I highly recommend taking a day trip out to Monet’s gardens. They are absolutely gorgeous! You can tour his house (which is so cute!) walk around the Gardens and then around the water Lillies. It’s fun to go to the Orangarie first (where a lot of Monet’s water little paintings are) and then to see the gardens in real life. I recommend packing a lunch because there aren’t any great restaurants around.

Cheese + butter we loved

One of my favourite things about my signature program The Good Gut Method is helping people understand their food sensitivities aren’t a life sentence. I used to be so sensitive to dairy - I avoided it for years unecesarily! Thank goodness for understanding my body and knowing what it can tolerate so I could enjoy ALL the cheese and dairy in France!

Comte - a hard cheese you can find at the grocery store, market or a fromagerie. The market was always the best place to get cheese, it is the most fresh and cheaper than a fromagerie.

Le beurre Bordier ( life changing butter! We loved the demi) I wouldn’t have gotten the olive oil one again. You can find it at the La Grande Epicerie. Raw butter is packed with nutrients like Vitamin A to support your metabolism, active enzymes, and good bacteria to support digestion and a healthy immune system.

Mimolette - another hard cheese that is very orange. This cheese is very mild. You can find it at a grocery store, market or a fromagerie.

La petite Normande - camembert. Similar to brie. The camembert was always better from a fromagerie or a market. PS soft cheese do not keep as long as they do at home!

Honestly we tried so many cheeses I could never list them all. But I also will say, any goat or sheep cheese we had was delicious!

Tips and tricks

- If you have little kids or babies, do not bring a double stroller. Bring a single stroller and a carrier!

- If you are in Paris for at least 4 days, print a picture of yourself just a bit smaller than a passport picture to use for your train pass (Navigo pass.) Or else you will have to get a picture printed there which will cost you about 11 euros.

- The coke zero is sooo good - very important info especially if you were there in the heat of the summer!

- Wear comfy runners (you will be walking a LOT) plus they runners are very much in style in Paris

If you try any of these restaurants or visit any of the sights we did make sure to tag me on instagram @erinlamb.ca so I can live vicariously through you :) I am dying to go back! <3

-xo erin

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