Grands Boulevards Itinerary: Where to Go, Eat & Shop

Paris Grands Boulevards Itinerary: Eastern Section

The eastern section of the Grands Boulevards is where you start to see the difference. It covers the 3rd, 4th and 10th arrondissements. As you move east in Paris, you begin to venture into the former working-class neighborhoods that are only now beginning to transform. Parts of the eastern section have largely escaped the heavy demolition of the Haussmann area, and have retained their old look and feel. There are a lot more areas in this part of the Grand Boulevards that are less safe, especially at night – but don’t let that turn you off from exploring this part of town. Further east is the Bastille, Canal Saint Martin and Marais neighborhoods. To the south is the place where Paris started off centuries ago, Ile de la Cite and Ile Saint Louis.

Places to See

:: Go Straight to Eastern Section Places to Eat & Drink
:: Go Straight to Eastern Section Places to Shop

Hôtel de Ville & Around

Home of the Paris city hall, the Hôtel de Ville has to be one of the prettiest of its kind in the entire world. There’s always something happening in the exterior plaza but if you want to check it out from the inside, join one of the guided tours. You’re super close to the trendy Marais area that’s perfect for spending your Sundays in Paris, and the historical islands of Paris are just across the river. Be sure to walk along the Seine in this part of town. This is the area where during the summer months, the beach comes to Paris. I personally did not find the Paris beach too appealing and would tend to stay away, but otherwise – this is a great part of the Seine to explore.

The Centre Pompidou

Home of the National Museum of Modern Art, the Pompidou Centre is one of the most recognizable buildings in Paris. Some would say it’s atrocious, some would say it’s creative – I’ll let you be the judge of that. The museum picks up where the Musée d’Orsay leaves off, focusing on modern art with some of it quite bizarre. The area around the center can be quite dodgy at night, so walk with caution.

Paroisse Saint-Eustache

Right next to the ugly Les Halles shopping center, the Saint Eustache church is one of the prettiest in town. This area used to be the center of downtown Paris, back in the day. The Gothic church was completed in 1637 after 100 years of construction.

Rue Montorgueil & Around

Leading down to Les Halles, Rue Montorgueil is one of my favorite places in all of Paris. This is another one of those neighborhood market streets and it’s one of the best ones, mainly due to its central location. During the day, you’ll find here fresh produce like cheese, bread, fruits & vegetables, and the like. It’s also a prime spot to grab breakfast and brunch.

During the night, the street puts on a different costume and becomes a prime spot for an evening meal and drinks. Not a whole lot of tourists make the effort to come here, which is what makes Rue Montorgueil still feel so local. I simply loved coming here time and again. This is as Parisian as you can get without having a few million in your bank account!

Just nearby is another one of those classic Paris passages, this time Passage du Grand Cerf – considered to be one of the prettiest in town. The area around the passage is a bit dodgy on the eastern end with quite a few sex shops but super charming on the western side, close to Rue Montorgueil.

Porte Saint-Martin

This arc was built by Louis XIV to commemorate his military victories and it used to sit on the site of the old city walls of Paris. North of here is the mainly African, Arab, and Indian neighborhood of the Faubourgs.

Passage Brady & Around

Another Parisian passage and a cute one. This is now the prime spot for Indian food in Paris, which I love.

As you exit the passage on Rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis, you’re in the heart of the Faubourg neighborhood, mostly home to Indians, Arabs, and Africans. You can certainly feel the different vibe here but it can be very charming if you’re looking to see a different side of Paris. I especially liked venturing inside the local food shops and seeing produce from different parts of the world. If you fancy a good kebab, you’ll certainly have a few options here.

Duc des Lombards, Sunset Sunside & New Morning

The area around Châtelet is filled with bars, narrow alleys, and two of the best jazz clubs in Paris. Who hasn’t played at the Duc des Lombards and Sunset Sunside? If you love jazz, I highly recommend checking their lineup and booking in advance. Usually, there are no reserved seats so first come, first get the best seats. We saw the great Frank Amsalem at the Sunset Sunside and Alex Tassel at Duc des Lombards – the best jazz I’ve ever heard. Parisians have loved jazz since the post-WWII era when the Yankees brought it over with them. Another classic option is the New Morning club in the Faubourg neighborhood.

Places to Eat & Drink

Georges

This place ain’t cheap but the view might be worth the price. Located at the top of the Pompidou Center, the food at Georges is new French cuisine. It might not be for everyone so check out the menu and either way, it’s free to take the elevator to the top floor.

Comptoir de la Gastronomie

I came here with my two buddies as part of our legendary culinary weekend in Paris. Comptoir de la Gastronomie is just off Rue Montorgueil and specializes in Southwest French cuisine. The service is fantastic and the food is not your ordinary French cuisine (in a good way). You should also pay a visit to the restaurant’s shop during the day and stock up of some local delights like foie gras, cured meats, and other goodies.

Stohrer

One of the countless gems on Rue Montorgueil, Stohrer has been making pastries since 1730! It will be super difficult to decide on what to buy but whatever you do, grab something! They’re so good at what they do that they’ve even been selected to bake for Queen Elizabeth.

Le Sully

Beyond the gate of Porte Saint-Denis, Le Sully is a neighborhood bar in the changing immigrant neighborhood of the Faubourgs. There’s nothing fancy about this popular joint other than cheap drinks and a good vibe. On a nice evening, head over to the nearby Canal Saint Martin to cap off your night with a drink along the banks of the canal with the rest of the neighborhood folks.

Brasserie Julien

It’s funny to find one of the finest brasseries in Paris in this particular part of town. You really should try and sneak your way inside just to admire the decor – that is if you don’t want to pay north of €30 per person just to dine here.

Places to Shop

Marché Saint-Martin

The Saint Martin covered food market (Marché Couvert Saint-Martin) is just an 8-minute walk from Place de la Republique. The market is open Tuesday – Saturday from 9:30 am-7:30 pm and it’s been around since 1859. I personally enjoy the outdoor Parisian food markets more, but if you’re looking for fine foods – this is the place for you.

Rue Montorgueil

I covered this in-depth in the previous section but just to reiterate – this pedestrian market street is one of the most pleasant in all of Paris. Come here for breakfast and some food shopping during the day and for dinner & drinks at night – you simply can’t go wrong.

If you made it here – well done! You should by now have a very good clue of how to plan your own Grand Boulevards itinerary in central Paris. As you’ve seen, there’s lots of stuff to do- but the beauty is that you can combine this large chunk of Paris with another area to your liking.

What’s Next?

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