Autumn in Paris Bucket List
A Few of my Favorite Fall Things - Paris Edition
I love Paris year round, but autumn in Paris packs a little extra magic. It is, in my opinion, the best time to visit and was always my favorite time of year while living in Paris. Thinning crowds, glowing sunsets, changing leaves along the boulevards, the smell of mulled wine and roasted chestnuts, and the excuse to spend hours reading in cozy corners of French cafés... need I say more?
Save this for the next time you are visiting Paris September - November as a starting point for how to soak up the best of autumn in Paris.
17 Places • 2 Saves • ago
Free
WHAT TO DO
Commit to an afternoon of leaf peeping in some of the world's most beautiful public gardens and squares. There are many beautiful options, but some of my favorites for fall foliage are the Tuileries, Place des Vosges, and Luxembourg Gardens.
Tuileries Garden
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Place des Vosges
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Jardin du Luxembourg
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Peruse the green bouquiniste stalls for vintage books and post cards while strolling along the Seine.
Quai de Montebello
@TravelFilled
There are lots of bouquinistes all over Paris where locals sell beautiful old French books and vintage postcards out of the green street stalls lining the Seine River. The stalls along Quai de Montebello on the Left Bank of the Seine facing Notre Dame are central and picturesque.
Add to
Details
Warm up while perusing the books at Librairie Gagliani, The Abbey Bookshop, or Shakespeare & Company
Librairie Galignani
@TravelFilled
Librairie Galignani was the first English bookstore opened in continental Europe! The high wooden bookshelves running along both walls are filled with colorful displays of old and new reads, some of which may require you to climb a wooden library ladder to access them (you'll feel like Belle, oh darn!). Walk straight to the back of the bookstore to enter a reading cave of sorts, and suddenly the lineup of these magnificent bookshelves grow from one story to two- a truly breathtaking sight for any bibliophile. No wonder Karl Lagerfeld deemed this his favorite bookstore in Paris. The back is also where you will find a very good English selection, including a wall of beautiful pocket anthologies that are perfect as portable travel reads or gifts.
Add to
Details
Shakespeare and Company
@TravelFilled
This legendary independent Left Bank bookstore of the Lost Generation once run by Gertrude Stein is at the top of many English speaker’s list when visiting Paris. Traveling writers (nicknamed "tumbleweeds") used to be able to sleep upstairs and write in exchange for working in the bookshop. Now you can shop for old and new books, buy the iconic tote bag, get your books stamped, pet the shop cat, and grab a coffee at their café next door. Try to for a weekday morning to avoid big crowds,
Add to
Details
The Abbey Bookshop
@TravelFilled
Shakespeare & Company's Canadian little sister, the Abbey Bookshop joined the Latin Quarter’s literary scene in 1989 when the owner, Brian, was inspired and encouraged by Shakespeare’s owner to open his own Paris bookstore (he previously had one in Toronto). The shop has a special history, being located in the historic Hotel Dubuisson building on Rue de la Parcheminerie, formerly named Rue des Escrivains after the Parisian scribes that were eventually replaced by parchment makers in the late Middle Ages. Today it offers a diverse collection of over 40,000 used and new English titles. It is particularly connected to the Canadian expat community in Paris, but welcomes anglophiles of all kinds- visitors and locals alike!
Add to
Details
Buy cashmere or a trench at the original Sézane atelier.
L'Appartement Sézane
@TravelFilled
My favorite spot to buy French fashion classics with a modern twist. Sezane is now international, but this is the original atelier, aka cashmere central.
Add to
Details
Bike along the Canal Saint-Martin
Canal Saint-Martin
@TravelFilled
Local Parisians trying to avoid tourists on the Seine often stroll or picnic along the Canal instead. In addition to a great stretch of restaurants, boulangeries, and bars, I like visiting the tree-lined canal in autumn purely to appreciate the crunch of leaves along the way.
Add to
Details
Tour the secret vineyard of Paris, Le Clos Montmartre
Vigne du Clos Montmartre
@TravelFilled
Paris only city vineyard is a hidden gem tucked into the hills of the Montmartre village. You can book a tour any time, but the colors are most beautiful in the fall, and the Fete des Vendages (Vineyard Festival) is always the first week of October.
Add to
Details
WHAT TO EAT & DRINK
Order hot chocolate from Angelina’s with an early breakfast to beat the lines.
Angelina
@TravelFilled
Today, there are Angelina tea rooms throughout Paris and around the world, but when you enter 226 Rue de Rivoli, you are stepping into the original Belle Epoque gourmet confectionery institution. Founded in 1903 and named after his daughter-in-law (in-law relationship GOALS), Anton Pumpelmayer opened Angelina’s in the heart of Paris, just north of the Louvre and Tuileries Garden, and it soon became the place to take your tea while rubbing shoulders with the Paris elite like Coco Chanel (ask for table 45 to see her old spot). Get there right when they open at 8 to avoid lines and have the most decadent breakfast experience.
Add to
Details
Embrace the soup life. My all time favorites are soupe à l'oignon (french onion), potage parmentier (leek and potato ) and fall favorite is velouté potimarron (red curry squash). You'll find them in bistros all over the city, but here is one of my favorite spots.
Le Temps des Cerises
@TravelFilled
This adorable neighborhood haunt was introduced to me by my AirBnB host turned dear friend, Eric, who has gone here since he moved to Paris as a young child. It is tucked along a side street between Pont Sully and Bastille and serves classic, traditional dishes plus seasonal rotating specials. Book ahead if you can- it made a quick cameo in the most recent season of Emily in Paris so you know what that means.
Add to
Details
Commit to a night of traditional raclette or fondue, especially if from Pain Vin Fromages.
Pain Vin Fromages
@TravelFilled
My first Paris apartment was a few minutes walk from here, and there is nowhere else I'd rather eat traditional fondue or raclette in an old Parisian basement (cave) on a side street in Le Marais. Order a bottle of the house red and make it a full evening- that's what the locals do, so book ahead if possible.
Add to
Details
Sip vin chaud on a heated terrace - Café Marly's is magical at night looking our on Pei's pyramids.
Le Café Marly
@TravelFilled
I think the food is overrate here, but the ambiance is amazing and always recommend coming for a drink on the patio overlooking the Louvre. Curled up in one of Café Marly’s ornate booths facing the brilliantly illuminated Louvre Pyramids on a cold winter under a heater with a warm, comforting drink in hand is a wonderful way to end a relaxing night in the City of Light. Order le lait chaud vanille (hot vanilla milk) or a vin chaud instead and watch the stars twinkle above the fantastic Louvre architecture. If you play your cards right, you can score a seat under a heater outside that also gives you view of the sparkling Eiffel Tower.
Add to
Details
Embrace the cozy French classics like cassoulet, coq au vin, and boeuf Bourguignon from a Paris restaurant full of old world charm.
Ma Bourgogne
@TravelFilled
Ma Bourgogne lines the Place des Vosges- the old stomping grounds of many famous Frenchies, Victor Hugo included. If you go here, you aren't just going to a restaurant, you are going to an institution of traditional French fare, known for their escargot, foie gras, and beef tartare.
Add to
Details
Order warm, sweet fall crêpes for dessert, like Pomme-Cannelle (Apple and Cinnamon) or Crêpe à la Crème de Marron
Crêperie île Saint-Louis
@TravelFilled
This spot is admittedly steeped in nostalgia for me as its around the corner from my first Paris apartment and where I'd always take jet lagged visitors for an easy meal. They are friendly, the crepes and galettes are authentic, and the location is absolutely darling.
Add to
Details
Enjoy afternoon tea and macarons from the original Ladurée on rue Royale (avoid the one along the Champs Elysées at all costs). Ask about the fall flavor specials!
Ladurée Paris Royale
@TravelFilled
Ladurée macarons are now an international sensation, but the entire Ladurée legacy began in Paris at 16 Rue Royale when Louis Ernest Ladurée opened a bakery in 1862, when construction of the nearby Garnier Opera House was underway.
People are always shocked when I tell them that you actually pay a little less for your macarons when you go inside the restaurant, sit down and order them for the table- but it’s true! When you stand in line at the patisserie and order your macarons to go, you’ll pay an upcharge the world-famous Ladurée packaging.
Add to
Details
Let's be travel planning besties.
Schedule a 30, 60, or 90 minute call to pick my brain on all things Paris, personalize your travel itinerary, and/or cover logistical details that only a local would know.
Couples • Vegetarian • Family • Groups • Female Solo • Car-free • Architecture • Art • Boutique • Foodie • History • Luxury • People & Culture • Photography • Shopping • Wine
Free
Need help choosing a place to stay?
I used to live in Paris, so when I return, I pick where I stay based on what I'm hoping to see and do. Paris is magically a massive city that remains largely walkable, and strolling the City of Light is not only an easy way to get around, but most Parisians' favorite past time.
Wander (flâner) amidst the Haussmannian architecture, picnic in the gardens, get lost in the Louvre, sip coffee or wine on a terrasse, fill up on crêpes and vintage books, watch the Eiffel Tower sparkle– this magical city is meant to be shared.
These are some of the best central hotel options in Paris that will allow you to explore the city by foot.
Car-free • Couples • Female Solo • Groups • Architecture • Art • Boutique • History • Luxury • People & Culture • Relaxation
Free
* * *
CURATED BY
Bonjour, y'all! I’m Emma, a southerner who moved to Paris and now splits my time between the City of Light and Charleston, SC. After years of planning trips to both spots for friends, family, and the occasional stranger I befriended on a plane, I made things official and launched Travel Filled, my travel blog and planning business. I used to work for the City of Charleston and now travel and work with cities all over the country (aka total local government nerd, proudly nicknamed the Leslie Knope of my grad class). That makes me incredibly enthusiastic about finding and sharing local specialities and hidden gems. I’m constantly seeking out new cultural experiences, running routes, good pescatarian spots, book and coffee nooks, and the perfect cocktail. I plan trips for all sorts of folks, but am especially passionate about connecting with culturally curious women looking to fill up their travel cup through a blend of authentic experiences and treat yoself moments and are just too busy kicking ass in their daily lives to plan it all on their own!
PERSONALIZED TRAVEl SERVICES
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Support Emma Cregg’s work.
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Read more about places in this guide
Autumn in Paris Bucket List
A Few of my Favorite Fall Things - Paris Edition
I love Paris year round, but autumn in Paris packs a little extra magic. It is, in my opinion, the best time to visit and was always my favorite time of year while living in Paris. Thinning crowds, glowing sunsets, changing leaves along the boulevards, the smell of mulled wine and roasted chestnuts, and the excuse to spend hours reading in cozy corners of French cafés... need I say more?
Save this for the next time you are visiting Paris September - November as a starting point for how to soak up the best of autumn in Paris.
17 Places • 2 Saves • ago
Free
WHAT TO DO
Commit to an afternoon of leaf peeping in some of the world's most beautiful public gardens and squares. There are many beautiful options, but some of my favorites for fall foliage are the Tuileries, Place des Vosges, and Luxembourg Gardens.
Tuileries Garden
@TravelFilled
Add to
Details
Place des Vosges
@TravelFilled
Add to
Details
Jardin du Luxembourg
@TravelFilled
Add to
Details
Peruse the green bouquiniste stalls for vintage books and post cards while strolling along the Seine.
Quai de Montebello
@TravelFilled
There are lots of bouquinistes all over Paris where locals sell beautiful old French books and vintage postcards out of the green street stalls lining the Seine River. The stalls along Quai de Montebello on the Left Bank of the Seine facing Notre Dame are central and picturesque.
Add to
Details
Warm up while perusing the books at Librairie Gagliani, The Abbey Bookshop, or Shakespeare & Company
Librairie Galignani
@TravelFilled
Librairie Galignani was the first English bookstore opened in continental Europe! The high wooden bookshelves running along both walls are filled with colorful displays of old and new reads, some of which may require you to climb a wooden library ladder to access them (you'll feel like Belle, oh darn!). Walk straight to the back of the bookstore to enter a reading cave of sorts, and suddenly the lineup of these magnificent bookshelves grow from one story to two- a truly breathtaking sight for any bibliophile. No wonder Karl Lagerfeld deemed this his favorite bookstore in Paris. The back is also where you will find a very good English selection, including a wall of beautiful pocket anthologies that are perfect as portable travel reads or gifts.
Add to
Details
Shakespeare and Company
@TravelFilled
This legendary independent Left Bank bookstore of the Lost Generation once run by Gertrude Stein is at the top of many English speaker’s list when visiting Paris. Traveling writers (nicknamed "tumbleweeds") used to be able to sleep upstairs and write in exchange for working in the bookshop. Now you can shop for old and new books, buy the iconic tote bag, get your books stamped, pet the shop cat, and grab a coffee at their café next door. Try to for a weekday morning to avoid big crowds,
Add to
Details
The Abbey Bookshop
@TravelFilled
Shakespeare & Company's Canadian little sister, the Abbey Bookshop joined the Latin Quarter’s literary scene in 1989 when the owner, Brian, was inspired and encouraged by Shakespeare’s owner to open his own Paris bookstore (he previously had one in Toronto). The shop has a special history, being located in the historic Hotel Dubuisson building on Rue de la Parcheminerie, formerly named Rue des Escrivains after the Parisian scribes that were eventually replaced by parchment makers in the late Middle Ages. Today it offers a diverse collection of over 40,000 used and new English titles. It is particularly connected to the Canadian expat community in Paris, but welcomes anglophiles of all kinds- visitors and locals alike!
Add to
Details
Buy cashmere or a trench at the original Sézane atelier.
L'Appartement Sézane
@TravelFilled
My favorite spot to buy French fashion classics with a modern twist. Sezane is now international, but this is the original atelier, aka cashmere central.
Add to
Details
Bike along the Canal Saint-Martin
Canal Saint-Martin
@TravelFilled
Local Parisians trying to avoid tourists on the Seine often stroll or picnic along the Canal instead. In addition to a great stretch of restaurants, boulangeries, and bars, I like visiting the tree-lined canal in autumn purely to appreciate the crunch of leaves along the way.
Add to
Details
Tour the secret vineyard of Paris, Le Clos Montmartre
Vigne du Clos Montmartre
@TravelFilled
Paris only city vineyard is a hidden gem tucked into the hills of the Montmartre village. You can book a tour any time, but the colors are most beautiful in the fall, and the Fete des Vendages (Vineyard Festival) is always the first week of October.
Add to
Details
WHAT TO EAT & DRINK
Order hot chocolate from Angelina’s with an early breakfast to beat the lines.
Angelina
@TravelFilled
Today, there are Angelina tea rooms throughout Paris and around the world, but when you enter 226 Rue de Rivoli, you are stepping into the original Belle Epoque gourmet confectionery institution. Founded in 1903 and named after his daughter-in-law (in-law relationship GOALS), Anton Pumpelmayer opened Angelina’s in the heart of Paris, just north of the Louvre and Tuileries Garden, and it soon became the place to take your tea while rubbing shoulders with the Paris elite like Coco Chanel (ask for table 45 to see her old spot). Get there right when they open at 8 to avoid lines and have the most decadent breakfast experience.
Add to
Details
Embrace the soup life. My all time favorites are soupe à l'oignon (french onion), potage parmentier (leek and potato ) and fall favorite is velouté potimarron (red curry squash). You'll find them in bistros all over the city, but here is one of my favorite spots.
Le Temps des Cerises
@TravelFilled
This adorable neighborhood haunt was introduced to me by my AirBnB host turned dear friend, Eric, who has gone here since he moved to Paris as a young child. It is tucked along a side street between Pont Sully and Bastille and serves classic, traditional dishes plus seasonal rotating specials. Book ahead if you can- it made a quick cameo in the most recent season of Emily in Paris so you know what that means.
Add to
Details
Commit to a night of traditional raclette or fondue, especially if from Pain Vin Fromages.
Pain Vin Fromages
@TravelFilled
My first Paris apartment was a few minutes walk from here, and there is nowhere else I'd rather eat traditional fondue or raclette in an old Parisian basement (cave) on a side street in Le Marais. Order a bottle of the house red and make it a full evening- that's what the locals do, so book ahead if possible.
Add to
Details
Sip vin chaud on a heated terrace - Café Marly's is magical at night looking our on Pei's pyramids.
Le Café Marly
@TravelFilled
I think the food is overrate here, but the ambiance is amazing and always recommend coming for a drink on the patio overlooking the Louvre. Curled up in one of Café Marly’s ornate booths facing the brilliantly illuminated Louvre Pyramids on a cold winter under a heater with a warm, comforting drink in hand is a wonderful way to end a relaxing night in the City of Light. Order le lait chaud vanille (hot vanilla milk) or a vin chaud instead and watch the stars twinkle above the fantastic Louvre architecture. If you play your cards right, you can score a seat under a heater outside that also gives you view of the sparkling Eiffel Tower.
Add to
Details
Embrace the cozy French classics like cassoulet, coq au vin, and boeuf Bourguignon from a Paris restaurant full of old world charm.
Ma Bourgogne
@TravelFilled
Ma Bourgogne lines the Place des Vosges- the old stomping grounds of many famous Frenchies, Victor Hugo included. If you go here, you aren't just going to a restaurant, you are going to an institution of traditional French fare, known for their escargot, foie gras, and beef tartare.
Add to
Details
Order warm, sweet fall crêpes for dessert, like Pomme-Cannelle (Apple and Cinnamon) or Crêpe à la Crème de Marron
Crêperie île Saint-Louis
@TravelFilled
This spot is admittedly steeped in nostalgia for me as its around the corner from my first Paris apartment and where I'd always take jet lagged visitors for an easy meal. They are friendly, the crepes and galettes are authentic, and the location is absolutely darling.
Add to
Details
Enjoy afternoon tea and macarons from the original Ladurée on rue Royale (avoid the one along the Champs Elysées at all costs). Ask about the fall flavor specials!
Ladurée Paris Royale
@TravelFilled
Ladurée macarons are now an international sensation, but the entire Ladurée legacy began in Paris at 16 Rue Royale when Louis Ernest Ladurée opened a bakery in 1862, when construction of the nearby Garnier Opera House was underway.
People are always shocked when I tell them that you actually pay a little less for your macarons when you go inside the restaurant, sit down and order them for the table- but it’s true! When you stand in line at the patisserie and order your macarons to go, you’ll pay an upcharge the world-famous Ladurée packaging.
Add to
Details
Let's be travel planning besties.
Schedule a 30, 60, or 90 minute call to pick my brain on all things Paris, personalize your travel itinerary, and/or cover logistical details that only a local would know.
Couples • Vegetarian • Family • Groups • Female Solo • Car-free • Architecture • Art • Boutique • Foodie • History • Luxury • People & Culture • Photography • Shopping • Wine
Free
Need help choosing a place to stay?
I used to live in Paris, so when I return, I pick where I stay based on what I'm hoping to see and do. Paris is magically a massive city that remains largely walkable, and strolling the City of Light is not only an easy way to get around, but most Parisians' favorite past time.
Wander (flâner) amidst the Haussmannian architecture, picnic in the gardens, get lost in the Louvre, sip coffee or wine on a terrasse, fill up on crêpes and vintage books, watch the Eiffel Tower sparkle– this magical city is meant to be shared.
These are some of the best central hotel options in Paris that will allow you to explore the city by foot.
Car-free • Couples • Female Solo • Groups • Architecture • Art • Boutique • History • Luxury • People & Culture • Relaxation
Free
* * *
CURATED BY
Bonjour, y'all! I’m Emma, a southerner who moved to Paris and now splits my time between the City of Light and Charleston, SC. After years of planning trips to both spots for friends, family, and the occasional stranger I befriended on a plane, I made things official and launched Travel Filled, my travel blog and planning business. I used to work for the City of Charleston and now travel and work with cities all over the country (aka total local government nerd, proudly nicknamed the Leslie Knope of my grad class). That makes me incredibly enthusiastic about finding and sharing local specialities and hidden gems. I’m constantly seeking out new cultural experiences, running routes, good pescatarian spots, book and coffee nooks, and the perfect cocktail. I plan trips for all sorts of folks, but am especially passionate about connecting with culturally curious women looking to fill up their travel cup through a blend of authentic experiences and treat yoself moments and are just too busy kicking ass in their daily lives to plan it all on their own!
PERSONALIZED TRAVEl SERVICES
Connect
with
a
local
expert
to
help
plan
your
ideal
trip
Send A Tip
Support Emma Cregg’s work.
Select your tip amount
$5
$10
$20
$50
Or type in other amount
Read more about places in this guide