A Perfect Day in the 1st Arrondissement

The Louvre, yes, but don't forget about my favorite wine bar

As compared to other European capitals like London or Rome, Paris is actually relatively well-contained and pretty walkable. And while the streets definitely don't run in straight lines (much to the horror of this native New Yorker), it’s relatively easy to see where you're going thanks to the system of arrondissements or districts, numbered 1 to 20, which spiral out in a snail shell shape from the first in the center to the 20th in the northeast.

After fifteen years here, one of my favorite activities is to explore unfamiliar corners of Paris, getting to know the personality and unique offerings of each of the arrondissements. And this gave me the idea for a new series exclusively for my subscribers: my hit list, if you will, of the must-dos (and must-eats) in each of Paris’ 20 districts.

So let’s begin at the beginning… with the first.

The 1st Arrondissement in Short

The first is truly in the heart of Paris, just north of the Seine and pretty equidistant fro the Bois de Boulogne to the west and the Bois de Vincennes to the east. Much of it is consumed by the Louvre Museum and the adjoining Tuileries Gardens, the latter of which forms this district’s natural western end point; part of the former Les Halles market area is the eastern limit. (We’ll pick up there next week!) The covered rue de Rivoli runs alongside both the Louvre and the gardens and is a prime spot for picking up kitschier souvenirs; the boutiques along the rue Saint-Honoré are far more high-end and luxe.

The Landmarks: The Louvre, the Tuileries Gardens, the Palais Royal (and its adjoining gardens), Place Vendome, the Orangerie, the Jeu de Paume, the Samaritaine

The Vibe: Historic and Ritz-y (capital R intended)

My Perfect Day in the 1st Arrondissement

Breakfast is, as I've mentioned before, usually small, sweet, and eaten at home, but for the purposes of this series, let’s imagine you're having breakfast on the go. I’d recommend snagging a viennoiserie at Bo et Mie (91, rue de Rivoli), a local four-shop bakery chain known for leaning into modern trends. You’ll find New York Rolls and cookie shots galore, but their croissants are actually quite good, made with butter (no margarine here!). Plus, the striped praline and raspberry croissants are real beauties. While they do make coffee here, I would encourage you to venture, instead, to Terres de Café (150, rue Saint-Honoré), a specialty coffee roaster committed to sustainable sourcing that also makes a mean cup of filter coffee.

Take your choices to go, and enjoy them in the picturesque 17th century Palais-Royal gardens, home to Daniel Buren's oh-so-Instagrammable striped columns, dating to 1986, as well as the far older, more statelier columns that feature in Charade. Long a place where the police were forbidden from entering, it became a popular spot for exercising of the world's oldest profession... and was also where many revolts got their start, including the French Revolution. (Camille Desmoulins ostensibly ripped some leaves from the trees here to make his cocarde.)

Once you’ve had your fill of breakfast, it’s time to head across the way to the monumental Louvre Museum, where I recommend you spend your morning. Book a timed entrance online to skip the line (and avoid disappointment if tickets for the day are sold out, which is becoming more of a problem since the museum limited the number of people who can enter each day.)

Paid subscribers can find my guide to getting in and out of the Louvre without losing your mind – or missing the Mona Lisa – here. Or you can book a guided tour of the museum with me – with or without a wine tasting afterwards, so we can chat about all of our favorite pieces and discover some of France’s other jewels.

Once you re-emerge, if you're anything like me, you’ll have just one thing on your mind: lunch. And luckily, I know where you should go.